Instead of watching Helix I sat with my friend Billy Greer and my friend Anders in Kansas tourbus and 
talked about Streets, Kansas and Seventh Key, the three big musical ingredients in Billy's career.
When showing a photo of my wonderful 3-year old son, Ted, he said he was cute and mentioned that his 
grandchild actually had his birthday that same day. The chat ended with 18 minutes until showtime, 
so I had to hurry to the front of the stage.

The show was great. They surprised me by playing Magnus Opus in its entirety and to include 
Bringing It Back from their debut album. The encore with Dust In The Wind and Carry On Wayward Son 
(both from my Top-10 list) beats every band on the planet. Steve Walsh sang as good as ever and also 
more songs than usual since Robby got back. Last couple of times I've seen them Robby has sung lead 
at least as much as Steve, if not even more than Steve. Now there were much more songs with Steve.

In the audience I saw a fan with Overkill T-shirt, that jumped up and down the whole show, and knew 
all the lyrics. There were also a lot of musicians from other bands at the festival, watching Kansas.

This brings me to the inevitable question. Who was best, Styx or Kansas ???
Actually it is not easy to answer. Styx beginning was better, Kansas encore was better.
It's a really tough call. It all comes down to great vocals.
Kansas has 3 great vocalists, with Robby who is about to lose some of the clarity.
Styx also had 3 great vocalists, including James Young that has lost somewhat as well.
Styx latest addition, bassplayer Ricky Phillips from Bad English, gives Styx 4 vocalists and 
they really brought it together in many songs with wonderful voices.
If I really have to choose (and I don't want to) I would say that for this weekend Styx was better.
Kansas are still among my 3 favorite bands and Styx are not, but now they climbed on to the Top 10.

Kansas albums are way better than Styx albums even though they are good as well, but I will give 
the "new" Styx a break now and check out Cyclorama and actually the show was so good I guess I will 
have to get Big Bang Theory as well, even though it's just covers.

I met Kansas again after the show just for a short time, 20 minutes after the show they were already 
on their way. At least I had the time to give Billy a copy of ArtRock magazine with my review of 
their gig in Stuttgart in 2001. And since Steve enjoys watching movies by Alfred Hitchcock I was glad 
to give him a copy of the book about Hitchcock's TV series that I wrote in 1998-2000.
I signed it "To Steve Walsh, for writing the wonderful song Rebecca", about the character in Hitchcock's 
movie with the same name from 1939. The song was released on "Glossolalia".

Tracklist: (4.28-5.43)
Intro				    lead vocals
Belexes					SW
Paradox					SW
Opus Insert				SW
Miracles Out Of Nowhere			RS/SW
Icarus (Borne On Wings Of Steel)	SW/RS
Magnus Opus				
     a. Father Padilla Meets The Perfect Gnat
     b. Howling At The Moon		SW
     c. Man Overboard		
     d. Industry On Parade	
     e. Release The Beavers	
     f. Gnat Attack
Song For America			SW/RS
The Wall				SW
Bringing It Back / Down The Road	RS
Point Of Know Return			SW
Portrait (He Knew)			SW/RS

Encore: (5.44-5.55 pm)
 speech by Robbie "We know what you've been waiting for. This is Kansas big Heavy Metal Hit Dust In The Wind."
Dust In The Wind			SW 
Carry On Wayward Son			SW

Highlights: Miracles Out Of Nowhere, Magnus Opus, Portrait (He Knew) and the encore
Rating: 5

For more pictures of Kansas

The Official Kansas Website / My own personal Kansas Page / Seventh Key Fan Page


 
Dream Theater
 Photo from www.brighteyes.de

After Kansas I would have needed to wind down a bit, but that was difficult with Dream Theater just 
starting when I got back from the backstage area. I had thought of giving them my full attention, 
but when I noticed that I didn't even know what song they were playing, I realized that I have missed 
to many albums to be able to fully appreciate the performance, I went for a beer instead.
On the way I heard a couple of songs by AC/DC coverband Hazy/Dizzy from Emmaboda. Hells Bells was great.
Just before breaking up to go over to Diamond Head, they played my favorite DT song, Pull Me Under.

Highlight: Pull Me Under
Rating: 4

Dream Theater - The Official Site


 
Diamond Head
 Photo from www.metalrage.com

As I mentioned earlier, the highlight of the Black Label Society show was that I met Brian Tatler of Diamond Head. 

He signed the back of my mobile "Call Me, Brian DH" after the Diamond Head song that was released as a 
12" single in 1982. We also talked about the old Diamond Head fan club that I was a member of between 1982-85.
I hadn't brought any album with me to sign, since I have almost all vinyl releases by Diamond Head, 
I didn't want to bring them to a festival and maybe get a scratch on the cover or something.
Since Brian is the only original member left in the band and I have the University Tour Live Video from 1984 
signed by all 5 members of the band at that time, I didn't see the point.
 All members of the band signed a paper at least
At 19.22 a 25-year total absence of live-in person-experience with Diamond Head finally ended.
The Am I Evil intro went into It's Electric and I was standing in front of Brian headbanging almost like in 
the 80's and maybe for the first time since Andy Scott´s Sweet played on the boat Dancing Queen in 1998.
The new singer did the job, he wasn't a Sean Harris clone, but close enough and he was good enough.
The surprise was that the rhythmsection and second guitarist was good, almost great. Better than, 
let's say, Dio's bandmates for the last 15 years or so.
Two new songs were played, nice new riffs from Brian, well worth to check out on the new CD.
The other 5 songs were all taken from the debut album, only 2 tracks from that album was not 
played, the title track Lightning To The Nations and Sweet And Innocent.

Sadly they did not play Call Me or any song from Canterbury but that was almost expected. 
And Brian no longer plays Flying-V either, but I really don't mind, it was great anyway.
 Photo by Anders Lundqvist
After the show I got myself a photo with Brian to put on the website that I started planning 
during the show. After Diamond Head I left the festival with a smile on my face.
Happy to miss Hammerfall, but sad to miss A.C.T. for the seventh time !!!

Tracklist: 7.22-8.02 pm.
Intro to Am I Evil
It's Electric
Give It To Me (new song)
The Prince
Mine All Mine (new song)
Sucking My Love
Helpless
Am I Evil

Highlight: All songs from the debut album, especially It's Electric, Sucking My Love and Am I Evil.
Rating: 4+

The Official Diamond Head Webpages / Another Diamond Head Website / Patriks Diamond Head Page NEW


© 2005 Patrik Wikström