Kansas – Leftoverture live and beyond

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1976 album “Leftoverture”, Kansas planned a 10 date tour that eventually extended to an 80 date tour. For the tour the band changed up their usual setlist and did a set that consisted of a hits type portion followed by playing Leftoverture in full. Sadly European fans missed out when the band cancelled UK/European dates, sofor European fans, the only way they can get to enjoy the tour is on this new live album – Leftoverture live and beyond. It’s the first live album from Kansas since 2009.

Check out “Carry on wayward son” from the album here..

As you can hear the sound quality is excellent, which you’d expect, but it feels a bit too much like a studio album to me as there’s no sense of it being a live show. There’s no talking to the crowd and just a bit of applause at the end of each song, and most of the time there’s just no atmosphere. I’m sure they must have talked to the crowd during the show but it’s almost all been cut out with just one song getting some crowd interaction – I’d definitely have preferred to hear all the crowd talks as it gives a much better live feel to things.

Those criticisms aside, it’s a great album for Kansas fans. “Carry on wayward son” is played more like the album version than how it’s been done on previous tours since rather than closing the show it’s now mid-set, and it’s always good for fans when a band changes up the setlist dramatically by doing something like playing an album in full as it stops the shows getting stale – there’s nothing more boring than a band playing basically the same set year after year.

Kansas fans should definitely check this release out.

Track listing:

01. Icarus II
02. Icarus
03. Point of Know Return
04. Paradox
05. Journey from Mariabronn
06. Lamplight Symphony
07. Dust in the Wind
08. Rhythm in the Spirit
09. The Voyage of Eight Eighteen
10. Section 60
11. Carry On Wayward Son
12. The Wall
13. What’s on My Mind
14. Miracles out of Nowhere
15. Opus Insert
16. Questions of My Childhood
17. Cheyenne Anthem
18. Magnum Opus
19. Portrait (He Knew)