As I made my way into the Township Auditorium in Columbia, SC, I found myself in line behind an older gentleman wearing a t-shirt that said, “I may be old, but I got to see all the good bands.” Well, tonight, I get to see a couple of icons as well. It's not often you get to see a band that has been touring for more than 50 years, much less two of them on the same bill.
Tonight’s opening act, Blue Öyster Cult, brought out a strong contingent of fans, some wearing tour shirts that were older than me! At 41, that is no small feat. I spoke to quite a few people who came to see B.O.C and just considered Kansas a bonus. Despite some technical difficulties with lead singer and guitarist Buck Dharma’s guitar cutting out, the band still put on a well-rounded show with 10 songs from 8 different albums. The classic rock staple “Burnin’ for You” really got the crowd going, and “Godzilla” had them going nuts. Of course, a few notes into “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” someone in the crowd shouted for more cowbell, a callout to the famous SNL skit with Christopher Walken. “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” would close out the set. Quite a fitting finish given how hard the final guitar solo shredded.
It was impressive to see a band that has been touring for more than 50 years still going at it and visibly having fun doing it. Blue Öyster Cult — On Tour Forever.
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT : Website / Facebook / YouTube / X / Spotify
After a quick changeover, the lights dimmed again, and Kansas took the stage. With seven members on this tour, Kansas brings a big sound and energy to the stage. Wasting no time getting to the music the fans came to hear, Kansas opened their set with one of their bigger hits, “Point of Know Return.” Upbeat organs and violin would help set the tone for the evening. Despite the two remaining original members no longer touring, the band sounds tight and polished. Given that Kansas did their 50th Anniversary tour in 2023, I can forgive them for resembling the ship of Theseus. These guys are still rocking. Ronnie Platt’s vocals are a fitting replacement for Steve Walsh. The band would show off their technical prowess by playing one of the longest and most difficult songs of the Kansas catalogue, “Song for America,” only to be followed by what is arguably the band’s biggest hit, “Dust in the Wind.” Ronnie would jokingly ask how many people have heard that one before, drawing laughs from the crowd. As the show goes on, there’s no doubt that Kansas is one of those bands that helped lay the foundation of rock and roll and southern rock.
The energy would continue to build going into a song that the band always dedicates to the original violinist, Robby Steinhardt — “Down the Road.” Even in the back rows of the auditorium, you could feel the double bass drums rumble in your chest, and I was sure that the current violinist, Joe Deninzon, was close to catching his bow on fire during an incredibly impressive violin solo. The “final” song of the evening, “Miracles out of Nowhere,” would again show off how skilled these musicians are, with former Kenny Loggins guitar player Scot Bernard swapping between acoustic and electric guitars mid-song. The band left the stage, but they weren’t fooling anyone. The crowd clamored for an encore, and the band took the stage once more to play what is, in my mind, the most iconic Kansas song, “Carry On Wayward Son.” After a long round of applause, the fans, finally satisfied, started to spill out into the lobby. Conversations buzzed about how much the show exceeded expectations. Overall, this was an unforgettable evening with some of the most iconic rock bands of that generation.
Kansas: Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / BlueSky / Spotify / Pandora / Apple Music / Amazon Music / Tidal
