THERE´S KNOW PLACE LIKE HOME (DVD)

There's know band like Kansas!

I am honoured to be the first person to review this amazing live document by one of the major progressive Rock bands (or should I say the major American progressive Rock band?). Kansas performs here in their home town of Topeka, Kansas to a naturally devoted audience. They deservedly get a standing ovation after virtually every song! The band performs here with The Washburn University Symphony Orchestra. While I'm usually not too fond of these orchestra/band performances, there are some exceptions like Yes' Symphonic Live and the present one. One of the usual problems with such performances is that the orchestra tends to overshadow the band. This was indeed one of the problems that haunted Always Never The Same, which was Kansas previous attempt at orchestra/band fusion. There's Know Place Like Home is an entirely different dimension, I assure you; this is primarily a band performance enhanced with an orchestra rather than an orchestra with a band in front.

In most respects, There's Know Place Like Home is everything that the band's precious DVD release, Device Voice Drum, was not; while the set lists are similar, this is the definitive Kansas video release. Steve Walsh's vocal performance here is, for example, vastly improved compared to the Device Voice Drum DVD, where his voice showed considerable strain. Here he very wisely constrains himself and avoids hitting those notes that he now knows that he can no longer manage. He will never be back to his old self again, of course, but if you're looking for utter perfection you should listen to the original studio albums. He does a remarkable performance here despite some slight wear and tear that comes with age.

The violin is played by David Ragsdale and he does a fantastic job. I do miss Robbie Steinhardt, but mainly his vocals in Cheyenne Anthem that is not quite the same without him even if bassist Billy Greer does a more than decent job handling Robbie's vocal parts. Phil Ehart and Rich Williams are as good as ever on drums and guitars respectively. We also get to see two heavyweight guests in Steve Morse and (Mr. Kansas himself) Kerry Livgren on a few songs.

The set list is simply incredible. Song For America, Cheyenne Anthem, Icarus: Borne On The Wings Of Steel and Miracles Out Of Nowhere are all classics of progressive Rock, while Carry On Wayward Son, Dust In The Wind, The Wall and Point Of Know Return are not only classics of progressive Rock but of Rock full stop. The lyrics to Dust In The Wind are very moving and captures something deeply and universally human. All of us, including the song's author, will one day be nothing but "dust in the wind", but the song itself will live forever. As will the memory of this amazing band.

The only two Kansas albums that are not represented in this set list are Vinyl Confessions and Freaks Of Nature! Hence, for those who gave up on Kansas and stopped buying their albums after the classic period that culminated with Point Of Know Return and the live album Two For The Show, this DVD will be a great place to rekindle the flame and be introduced to some of the very good songs the band did beyond that point. The very best of these is Icarus II from the 2000 album Somewhere To Elsewhere. This song is every bit as great as the classic material from the 70's!

On The Other Side and Hold On represents the Monolith and Audio-Visions albums respectively which were the last two albums before Steve Walsh (temporarily) left the band while Fight Fire With Fire represents the John Elefante-era. These late 70's/early 80's albums were hardly the best, but they had some good material on them. Songs like Hold On and Fight Fire With Fire are perhaps not the Prog fans' favourites, but I'm certain that we all would have happily sung a long to these songs too, had we been there, I know I would! Thus, no song is out of place here (like The Preacher on Device Voice Drum, for example).

The underrated Steve Morse-era is represented with Musicatto from Power and a medley of Ghosts/Rainmaker from In The Spirit Of Things. Musicatto is a great guitar number, enhanced here with violin, and Ghosts sends chills down my spine every time! There's Know Place Like Home is the perfect companion piece to the classic 1978 live album Two For The Show. Naturally, there is a considerable overlap in the track lists of these two live releases but there are also several great songs that are only present on one but not the other of these releases. Nobody's Home is as notable for its absence on Two For The Show as it is for its presence here, for example. While Two For The Show was Kansas' Yessongs or Seconds Out, There's Know Place Like Home is Kansas answer to Yes' Symphonic Live DVD.

This is simply a great live document that puts Kansas "on the map" for generations to come. Even when the band will be dead and gone, this performance will be available to be enjoyed for decades or centuries, or millennia for that matter!

This DVD is essential for both hard core Kansas fans and near beginners. There is, of course, no doubt about the rating here. A live video masterpiece!

Such an epic and remarkable DVD/BLU RAY, a sort of "surprise" for all the old fans too !!

Mr Greer and Mr Ragsdale join together within an important line-up and, once again, They are supported by three American "heroes" of the so called "pompous rock", such as Mr Ehart, then Mr Williams and S. Walsh (always present within the classic line-up of Kansas) and especially nowadays...in particular Mr Ragsdale is so exciting in the execution regarding the classics by Robby Steinhardt and at the place of this latter He's very powerful anyway!! Steve Walsh plays with a great sound, being fresh and perhaps also better in comparison to his unforgettable old style!! Think of his progressive rock style and AOR as well during the late seventies, which is memorable also after all these years and- at the end- you're almost obliged to to recommend the present great show anyway, celebrating their long live career of their last 35 years...Talking about the immortal tracks inside, like their epic ballad "The Wall" (enriched by means of a great symphonic arrangement ) or also by considering some other flawless performances within tunes like "Song For America" ( a true "manifesto" of the band), you don't have to add anything else. Moreover, by thinking of "Cheyenne Anthem" (this latter an exciting song with a great symphonic progression) and the emotional violin of the ballad "Nobody's home" too, you have to listen and listen once again (but also the coreographic aspects of the video are not bad) and you can't ask for anything else!!

Excellent quality record and the video as well!!

This DVD captured for posterity the Kansas concert to celebrate the band's 35th anniversary, and what a celebration it was! I really envy the few fortunate people who attended this show live, but at least the rest of us can be thankful that we can share the experience thanks to this excellent DVD.

The concert took place in their home town of Topeka and for the occasion they very rightly summoned a full-size orchestra plus guest appearances by founding member Kerry Livgren and the amazing mid-epoch member Steve Morse. The orchestrations are good and the mix with the band is very well balanced, and together with the guest appearances they make this concert much richer than had it been simply a current line-up band concert. We know that combining orchestras with rock bands does not always produce optimum results but this is definitely one of the sucessful attempts.

The sound and video filming quality are excellent, although we do not get any choice of angles.

All the band play outstandingly and the impression is that there is good atmosphere among them. Steve Walsh's voice is still good for his age (obviously do not expect the tone purity of his young years). David Ragsdale delivers an amazing performance at the violin and supports with backing vocals and occasional guitar, Billy Greer does very well in making us not miss much the vocals of the great Robby Steinhardt. Rich Williams and Phil Eharl deliver as usual diamond-solid playing quality. Maybe Livgren's electric guitar playing is the less refined, sometimes sounding rougher than the rest of the guys.

The tracklist is excellent, including many of the finest and proggest Kansas works. The inclusion of the more commercial hits "On the other side", "Hold on" and the rocker "Fight fire with fire" is probably understandable and does not diminish the overall quality of the set.

The concert starts in great early Kansas fashion with the intro to Magnum Opus "Howling at the moon", "Belexes" and "Point of know return".

The orchestra performs an intro to the masterpiece "Song for America" and keeps a prominent role during all the track.

After "On the other side", Steve Morse joins for the fine instrumental "Musicatto" and a medley of the moving "Ghosts" and "Rainmaker", both from the album "In the spirit of things".

The orchestra takes again protagonism in the symphonic "Nobody's home", after wich Kerry Livgren joins on guitar for "Hold On".

Back to the best Kansas prog, we get a fantastic set in a row with "Cheyenne Anthem", "Icarus II" (one of the finest tracks of the modern era), "Icarus I", "Miracles out of nowhere" and the absolute masterpiece "The wall" for which Livgren has joined again, this time on the organ.

Ragsdale switches his violin by a guitar for the rocker "Fight fire with fire", and then we get the inevitable "Dust in the wind" with both guests Livgreen on acoustic guitar and Morse on violin backing Ragsdale's. Even after having heard the song a million times it's still a great ballad.

The concert closes with the classic "Carry on wayward son" for which Ragsdale switches again to guitar, and we get a bonus track in the form of a rehearsal jamming of "Down the road".

A delight for any Kansas prog fan. That 35 years after debuting a band can still deliver such an amazing concert can only deserve 5 stars.