Don't You Cry No More: Kansas Delivered Pure Magic at Pompano Beach Amphitheater

All images by Larry Marano

Kansas rolled into Pompano Beach Amphitheater on Jan. 9 like a force of nature, armed with five decades of prog-rock grooves.

Opening with "Point of Know Return," the band immediately established they'd come to work. Violinist David Ragsdale's soaring lines cut through the humid Florida night while the rhythm section locked into those complex time signatures that made Kansas progressive rock's most accessible architects. Phil Ehart's drums thundered with the same precision that defined the band's classic era.

The setlist balanced deep cuts with undeniable classics. "Song for America" showcased their virtuosic riffs stretching into an epic journey that held the audience rapt. When "Dust in the Wind" arrived mid-set, thousands of voices joined in reverent unison—proof that simplicity and profundity aren't mutually exclusive.

Newer tracks like "Jets Overhead" and "Down the Road" proved Kansas hasn't stopped evolving, while "Portrait (He Knew)" demonstrated their continued compositional ambition. But it was the inevitable "Carry On Wayward Son" encore that sent everyone home euphoric, a stadium-worthy anthem delivered with the passion of a band still discovering new dimensions in songs they've played thousands of times.