Kansas - 1977-12-31 - Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA (Millard Master Recording)

Kansas

December 31, 1977
Long Beach Arena
Long Beach, CA
Audience Recording (Mike Millard Master Tape via JEMS), Very Good Quality
The Lost and Found Mike the MICrophone Tapes Volume 56
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and Mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Here's another great show from Kansas, this one from a little more than a year after the previous one posted, following the release of their next blockbuster album, The Point of Know Return (1977), which went on to become their highest charting and biggest selling album, and featuring the hit singles 'point of Know Return' and 'Dust in the Wind'.  Thus this show features mainly songs from Point of Know Return and Leftoverture, and fewer songs from the earlier albums. This period would mark their peak in popularity as the band headlined and sold-out major rock venues. Their live shows from this period were captured in their classic double Live album release Two For The Show in 1978.Their subsequent studio album, Monolith (1979), althought still popular, failed generate the radio airplay or sales of the previous couple albums. The 1980's saw major changes for the band, as both Kerry Livgren and David Hope became born-again Christians, with their faith now being reflected in their songs, and Audio-Visions (1980) would be the last album featuring the classic Kansas lineup. Vocalist Steve Walsh left the band in 1981. Violinist Robby Steinhardt left in 1982. Subsequent albums were more pop-oriented and less well-received, and Livgren and Hope left by 1984, leading to the disbanding of the group. But Walsh, Williams, and Ehart re-formed the band in 1985, releasing Power in 1986 and The Spirit of Things in 1988. There were various reunions, tours, and changing lineups in the subsequent years, with Steinhardt returning in 1997 and staying until 2006. The band had a bit of a resurgence in the 2010's, and to the present, as a popular touring act, often playing with symphony orchestra's and performing entire classic albums at shows. The band released new albums, The Prelude Implicit (2016) and The Absence of Presence (2020) in recent years to much acclaim, although Rich Williams and Phil Ehart are the only members remaining from the classic lineup. To be honest, I haven't really kept up with or followed the band since the seventies, but they have carried on throughout the years. But here, again, we go back to their glory days for this Point of Know Return show from 1977.    

Tracklist:
01 Magnum Opus Intro > Hopelessly Human
02 Point Of Know Return
03 Paradox
04 Icarus (Borne On Wings Of Steel)
05 Child Of Innocence
06 Closest Chronicles
07 Dust In The Wind >
08 Acoustic Guitar Solo
09 Piano Solo >
10 Lonely Wind
11 Cheyenne Anthem
12 Miracles Out Of Nowhere
13 Drum Solo >
14 The Spider
15 Portrait (He Knew)
16 Sparks Of The Tempest
17 Carry On Wayward Son
18 Down The Road
19 Violin Solo
20 Magnum Opus

Mp3 - Kansas_1977-12-31_Long Beach,CA_(Millard)_Mp3.rar

FLAC - Kansas_1977-12-31_Long Beach,CA_(Millard)_FLAC.rar