Tonight’s WBLM Mini-Concert

34 years ago this week, Kansas returned to the Portland with a new lead singer. When they made their first appearance at the Civic Center in December of 1977, the show was a sellout. Kansas was one of the biggest bands in Blimpville with their masterpiece album, Leftoverture getting mighty significant airplay at the WBLM Trailer in Litchfield. They came back and sold-out in Portland again in November of 1980. Soon after that show, creative differences began to set in. Lead singer, Steve Walsh left in 1981 and guitarist Kerry Livgren had become a born-again Christian sticking around for only two more albums. Steve Walsh was replaced by John Elefante. The first Kansas album with the new lead singer was Vinyl Confessions and the band came back to Portland in support of it on August 8,1982. This one was not a sellout and was the last time Kansas played the CCCC as a headliner. They returned in December of '83, opening for Heart.

Join us in the Big Red Love Van tonight at 6:20 for a WBLM Mini-Concert with Kansas!

Here’s Kansas with John Elefante on vocals one month before the 1982 Civic Center show.