And, just like Dorothy's friends in the famous movie the band is also showing they have a lot of heart, brains and courage on their current outing. Heart - because they are clearly offering shout-outs and thanking every member who has ever been in their ranks during the course of their show. Brains are working because the group has made some incredibly smart moves by putting the pieces in place that have some fans saying that this unit might be the tightest one yet to showcase their vast catalogue in a live setting. And, courageous because they are digging into that back catalog to play deep tracks never presented before in concert.

Tom Brislin of KANSAS at the Ryman Auditorium.

KANSAS also proved that they still got it at the Ryman as they played a career spanning set of melodic progressive rock. Like many in that genre KANSAS' music is complex yet KANSAS also has commercial appeal. Songs like "Point of Know Return" and "Fight Fire With Fire" are excellent examples that came up early in the band's show. They also presented plenty of pieces from their early days including the intense and intricate "Icarus-Borne on Wings of Steel" flowing into "Icarus II". KANSAS also threw in "Throwing Mountains" (2020) which had plenty of notes and nuances giving a nod to their distinctive past.

The sound at the Ryman was well mixed so that the keyboard and violin parts which are so important were prominent, crisply blending with the potent rhythms and guitars. Ronnie Platt has the voice of classic KANSAS so although the group is not all founding members they do sound like they did during their peak periods. Lighting was also well utilized adding to their polished presentation.

Rich Williams of KANSAS at the Ryman Auditorium.

The acoustic portion of the concert was reflective. Bass player and the night's emcee Billy Greer included a short story explaining that the guitar part for "Dust in the Wind" was really just a finger picking exercise. He described how when writer Kerry Livgren's wife heard the section she convinced him to write a song based on the pretty pattern - and the rest is history. "Hold On" and then "Down the Road" from their second album which was dedicated to Robby Steinhardt were more big moments in the night as was the encore - a winning version of "Carry On Wayward Son".

In addition to celebrating their founding in 1973 which they did in fine form at the Ryman, KANSAS released Another Fork In The Road - 50 Years of KANSAS (InsideOut Music). The set features carefully-selected tracks from the band's lengthy career. It also has an updated version of "Can I Tell You" (1974) that is played by the current line-up - thus giving a full-circle perceptive of their catalogue.

Billy Greer of KANSAS at the Ryman Auditorium.

Phil Ehart comments: "We are really honored by the commitment that InsideOut Music has put into Another Fork in the Road. This is far more than just another greatest hits album. "It is an in-depth representation of the evolving and winding musical journey of the band KANSAS that's been 50 years in the making." The 3CD Digipak includes archive materials, liner notes by Jeff Wagner and pictures of rarely-seen memorabilia. So, check out Another Fork in the Road and KANSAS when they come to your town.

In Nashville, fifty years on from their founding we intently watched a band who has consistently followed a golden path and a fortuitous formula that they have rarely strayed from over the years even as members departed and new ones entered the fold. When the final note was played and the house lights went up every fan at the Mother Church realized they had just witnessed another dream concert in Music City.

Phil Ehart of KANSAS at the Ryman Auditorium.

Related Links: For more information on KANSAS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - KANSAS | Ryman Auditorium