Kansas – Batavia Downs, Batavia NY- 08/15/2025- concert review

“Classic rockers Kansas Carry On With No Classic Line-up Members and still Wow the Crowd.”

Batavia, NY – Kansas closed out the final night of the “2025 Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concert Series” at Batavia Downs with a show marking their 50th anniversary. But this wasn’t the Kansas many fans grew up with. None of the classic members were on stage, and longtime guitarist Rich Williams, who has played many dates on this tour, was absent on this particular evening. Behind the scenes, founding drummer Phil Ehart remains active with the band in a managerial role, with original guitarist Williams. Still, Kansas performed in front of roughly 4,000 fans gathered on a beautiful summer night, ready to celebrate the incredible catalog of music from a well‑respected classic rock band.

Even without any original members, the current Kansas lineup delivered a tight, professional set that stayed true to the band’s signature sound. On this evening, Kansas performed in front of roughly 4,000 fans gathered on a beautiful summer night, ready to celebrate the incredible catalog of music from a well‑respected classic rock band.

Lead vocalist and keyboardist Ronnie Platt anchored the performance with power and poise, joined by Tom Brislin on keyboards and vocals, Zak Rizvi on lead guitar, Joe Deninzon on violin and rhythm guitar, Dan McGowan on bass and vocals, and Eric Holmquist on drums, filling in for founding member Phil Ehart. Stepping in for Williams was Scott Bernard. These musicians didn’t just fill in, they carried the legacy with skill and reverence, honoring the band’s long history while keeping the spirit alive for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Kansas hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. and opened with one of their signature epic tracks, “Point of Know Return.” The somewhat older crowd remained seated for most of the night, creating a relaxed, comfortable setting to take in the show and appreciate the impressively talented musicians on stage. Their 15‑song set offered a well‑balanced mix of beloved classics and deeper cuts from across their 50‑year career. For the fifth song of the evening, they reached back for “Child of Innocence” from their 1975 release ‘Masque.’

For the track, “The Wall,” violinist Joe Deninzon took center stage for a standout solo. Afterwards, vocalist Ronnie Platt announced, “We are going to play the most difficult song that we perform tonight.” The band then launched into the intricate, time‑shifting “Song for America.” Later, Platt shared how their biggest hit was born, he explained, what began as a simple finger‑picking exercise by original guitarist Kerry Livgren turned into “Dust in the Wind” after his Livgren’s wife encouraged him to turn it into a full song.

Throughout the evening, each member had a moment to shine, proving they were the right players to carry on the Kansas name. The night closed with the crowd‑pleasing “Carry On Wayward Son,” ending the concert on a high note.

Overall, it was a great performance and a reminder of a growing reality in rock music , many legacy bands now tour without any original members yet still manage to connect with audiences and keep the music alive.

For more on the band Kansas visit – https://www.kansasband.com/

Special thanks to Ryan Hasenauer – VP of Business Development of Batavia Downs for his help with press credentials. It’s sad to see this year’s incredible Concert Series come to a close. But I can’t wait to see what’s coming for next summer at Batavia Downs.

Setlist
Point of Know Return
What’s on My Mind
Play the Game Tonight
Fight Fire With Fire
Child of Innocence
The Wall
Song for America
Dust in the Wind
Can I Tell You
Icarus – Borne on Wings of Steel
Hold On
Down the Road
Portrait (He Knew)
Miracles Out of Nowhere

Encore:
Carry On Wayward Son