 Billy Greer, base guitarist for the legendary rock group Kansas, performs with fellow band members at Joplin's recent Boomtown Days event. The three-day event attracted thousands of people to the city park off of North Main. (Photo by Vince Rosati)
The faithful of the band Kansas, affectionately known as Wheatheads, crowd in front of the stage during the group's featured performance. Playing the fiddle is Dave Ragsdale. (Photo by Vince Rosati)
Members from Kansas, originally a garage band from Topeka, KS who made it big in the 1970s, took center stage Saturday (June 13, 2009) at Joplin's 8th annual Boomtown Days held in Landreth Park.
 
Performing were Phil Ehart,drums; Billy Greer,bass guitar; Dave Ragsdale, fiddle/guitar; Steve Walsh, keyboard and Richard Williams, lead guitar. Four members of the group including Kansas originators, Ehart and Williams, as well as Greer and Ragsdale, who created their own group known as Native Window, received mutual billing.
Introducing much more melodic, socially conscious rock than the original music written for Kansas by Walsh and Kerry Livgren, Native Window announced that they will be releasing their self-titled album on June 23 via Star City Recording Company, producer of some of Kansas' best recordings. Samples of their music may be found here.
Young girls leave the midway behind on Saturday evening and head in the direction of the stage where Kansas was performing. (Photo by Vince Rosati)
A 15-minute display of fireworks shot off in the west on Dover Hill was the lead in to the Kansas concert. While there were many oohs and ahs amongst onlookers, some wondered why the pyrotechnics weren't begun at least 15-minutes later when the western sky would have been less bright. The grand finale, however, brought no further criticism to the decision to keep on a tight schedule.
Saturday afternoon festivities
Clear weather on Saturday brought out the crowds for the three day event that opened on Thursday amongst threatening weather. For admission of five bucks or ten for a weekend pass those in attendance got a first-rate carnival. On Saturday afternoon when we visited, we saw roaming ghouls from the haunted attraction Raycliff Manor, an opportunity to bash a car for a charitable contribution, a petting zoo, rides for all ages, and a variety of food vendors. For an extra fee passengers could experience a brief helicopter ride or allow a tattoo artist to leave his mark, albeit a non-indelible one. Another booth offered a quick method for shedding extra pounds. Midways after all are known for miracle cure vendors.
After warming up the audience, the Kansas performers asked, "Are you having fun yet?" And the response brought a mighty roar.
To join in the fun click on the thumbnails below. (Photos by Mari Winn)
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