All we are

Posted by Stephen Centanni | Mar 2, 2016 | Music Briefs | 0 |

Band: Kansas
Date: Friday, March 4, with doors at 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 777 Beach Blvd. (Biloxi), www.hrhcbiloxi.com
Tickets: $9.99-$49.99, available through Ticketmaster

The advent of progressive rock marked the birth of many legendary bands. Prog-rock bands mixed the epic grandeur of classical orchestrations, the carefree nature of fusion jazz and the eccentric adrenaline of psychedelic rock. Songs were composed to be both a sonic and an emotional experience exploring musical worlds yet to be discovered. Many prog bands maintained cult followings, and a few were able to earn steady radio play.

Kansas’ style of prog rock was embraced by mainstream radio. In fact, their songs are still in rotation on stations around the globe. Their fourth album, “Leftoverture,” contained their mainstream breakout track, “Carry On Wayward Son.” “Point of Know Return” followed with an epic, nautical-themed title track. The album also contained the poetic ballad “Dust in the Wind.” As the decades passed, Kansas continued to release new albums and box sets into the millennium. Now the group tours extensively, with an electric live performance that gives audiences a look into rock’s past.

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.