Concert Review
Kansas
Rockin’ The Downs Concert Series
Friday August 15, 2025
Batavia Downs
Batavia, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Kansas made their way to the Batavia Downs on Friday to close out the 2025 Rockin’ At The Downs Concert Series. It marked the band’s first appearance at the distinguished Batavia Downs. I think in all my years of going to this Batavia series, this show had the best sound I heard. It was immaculate.
The band for this night included keyboardist Tom Brislin, Zak Rizvi on lead guitar, Joe Deninzon on violin and rhythm guitar and guitarist Scott Bernard who filled in for Richard Williams. The rhythm section was comprised of bassist Dan McGowan and Eric Holmquist on drums. Vocalist and keyboardist Ronnie Platt was the glue that held it altogether. It is hard to fathom that Platt has now been in his position for over a decade since he took over from Steve Walsh.
The band wasted no time in hitting the crowd with one of their biggest songs right off the bat with “Point Of No Return”. Just a short time later they delivered two gems from the John Elefante era in “Play The Game Tonight” and “Fight Fire With Fire”. Those are two of the bands best from an era that would all but be forgotten without them.
The one thing one notices immediately is how well this band can play. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill songs that just anyone can play. Songs like “Child of Innocence” and the symphonically structured “Song For America” are intricate pieces that require the band members to really focus to be able to pull them off. This band may not have had any original members on stage but boy can they play the catalog well. Sadly as time marches on this is starting to become a tend where legacy bands lose members for one reason or another but only the good ones can carry on and keep the tradition and spirit of the original band alive.
No complaints here these guys did a phenomenal job. “Dust in the Wind”, “Hold On” and even Portrait (He Knew) were stellar. Closing things out with the expected encore of “Carry On Wayward Son” was exactly what the crowd wanted and got.
They say all good things must come to an end. It may have been the final concert for the season which also signifies summer winding down. Looking back at this night I will remember just a solid night of music done right by a band of guys who came together to help carry on the legacy of Kansas. They are doing exactly that. Let’s hope we see them at a future Rockin’ at the Downs show.
Kansas Gallery
Set List
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
