The Van Wezel Welcomes Classic Rock Band Kansas

The Van Wezel will welcome KANSAS to Sarasota on Friday, January 28 at 8 p.m.

With a legendary career spanning nearly five decades, KANSAS has established itself as one of America's iconic classic rock bands. This "garage band" from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner. The band has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Composing a catalogue that includes sixteen studio albums and five live albums, KANSAS has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of KANSAS), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), one quadruple-Platinum single "Carry On Wayward Son," and another triple-Platinum single "Dust in the Wind." KANSAS appeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the '70's and '80's and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. 'Carry On Wayward Son' continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and 'Dust In the Wind' has been played on the radio more than three million times!

The band is currently comprised of original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, violinist/guitarist David Ragsdale, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin, and original guitarist Richard Williams. With no signs of slowing down, KANSAS continues to perform in front of large and enthusiastic audiences around the world.

Along with constant touring, KANSAS continues to remain a fixture of Classic Rock radio. The band has reached a whole new audience through their unmistakable presence on the popular video games Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Grand Theft Auto; the band's documentary film "KANSAS: Miracles Out of Nowhere" airing on AXSTV; and through their songs' inclusion in various television shows such as Supernatural, South Park, The Office, and The Simpsons; and films including Old School, Anchorman, and Happy Gilmore.

Tickets are $68-$141 and can be purchased at www.VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All other single tickets for the Van Wezel's 2021-2022 season are on sale now. For the latest Safety Protocols, visit the Van Wezel's Safety Page. Protocols will be revisited and revised as circumstances evolve.