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Two for the Show is a double-live album by American progressive rock band Kansas, released in 1978. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2008. Recorded over the course of the band's three previous tours in 1977 and 1978, it was Kansas' first live album. It was certified Gold and then Platinum shortly after its release.
One single, "Lonely Wind", was released from the album. The single version was edited to under 3 minutes, and included a small amount of the piano solo that precedes it on the album. It received a reasonable amount of airplay and rose to #60 on the pop charts.
In addition, Kirshner Records issued a promotional album of edited selections from the release, entitled Kansas Mini Concert on the spine and label, and Two for the Show Special Limited Edition on the cover. It features "Lonely Wind", "Dust in the Wind", "Song for America", and "The Wall". The same songs appear on both sides, and the first side is unbanded, meaning there is no indication on the vinyl of where each song begins.
Track listing
Original 1978 LP version
Side One
Side Two
Side Three
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| 8. | "Dust in the Wind" (featuring Rich Williams acoustic guitar solo) | Livgren | Point of Know Return | 6:19 |
| 9. | "Lonely Wind" (featuring Kerry Livgren piano solo) | Walsh | Kansas | 4:29 |
| 10. | "Mysteries and Mayhem" | Livgren, Walsh | Masque | 4:01 |
| 11. | "Excerpt from Lamplight Symphony" | Livgren | Song for America | 2:39 |
| 12. | "The Wall" | Livgren, Walsh | Leftoverture | 4:54 |
Side Four
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| 13. | "Closet Chronicles" | Walsh, Livgren | Point of Know Return | 6:55 |
| 14. | "Magnum Opus"
- a. "Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat"
- b. "Howling at the Moon"
- c. "Man Overboard"
- d. "Industry on Parade"
- e. "Release the Beavers"
- f. "Gnat Attack"
| Livgren, Walsh, Ehart, Rich Williams, Dave Hope, Steinhardt | Leftoverture | 11:18 |
* "Closet Chronicles" was omitted from the original CD release due to time constraints but appears on the remastered version of The Best of Kansas released in 1999, and appears on the second CD of the remastered version of Two for the Show.
2008 remastered version
The Two for the Show album was re-released as a 2-CD set to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the album with a second disc of songs that did not appear on the original album (except "Closet Chronicles") and a 24-page booklet.
Disc One
|
| 1. | "Song for America" | Livgren | Song for America | 7:29 |
| 2. | "Point of Know Return" | Walsh, Ehart, Steinhardt | Point of Know Return | 3:07 |
| 3. | "Paradox" | Livgren, Walsh | Point of Know Return | 4:09 |
| 4. | "Icarus - Borne on Wings of Steel" | Livgren | Masque | 5:58 |
| 5. | "Portrait (He Knew)" | Livgren, Walsh | Point of Know Return | 5:18 |
| 6. | "Carry On Wayward Son" | Livgren | Leftoverture | 4:38 |
| 7. | "Journey from Mariabronn" | Livgren, Walsh | Kansas | 8:55 |
| 8. | "Dust in the Wind" (featuring Rich Williams acoustic guitar solo) | Livgren | Point of Know Return | 6:17 |
| 9. | "Lonely Wind" (featuring Kerry Livgren piano solo) | Walsh | Kansas | 4:29 |
| 10. | "Mysteries and Mayhem" | Livgren, Walsh | Masque | 4:00 |
| 11. | "Excerpt from Lamplight Symphony" | Livgren | Song for America | 2:38 |
| 12. | "The Wall" | Livgren, Walsh | Leftoverture | 4:58 |
| 13. | "Magnum Opus
- a. Father Padilla Meets the Perfect Gnat
- b. Howling at the Moon
- c. Man Overboard
- d. Industry on Parade
- e. Release the Beavers
- f. Gnat Attack"
| Livgren, Walsh, Williams, Hope, Ehart, Steinhardt | Leftoverture | 11:14 |
Disc Two
|
| 1. | "Incomudro - Hymn to the Atman (Intro)/Hopelessly Human" | Livgren | Song for America/Point of Know Return | 8:42 |
| 2. | "Child of Innocence" | Livgren | Masque | 7:47 |
| 3. | "Belexes" | Livgren | Kansas | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Cheyenne Anthem" | Livgren | Leftoverture | 6:55 |
| 5. | "Lonely Street" | Walsh, Hope, Williams, Ehart | Song for America | 8:20 |
| 6. | "Miracles Out of Nowhere" | Livgren | Leftoverture | 7:59 |
| 7. | "The Spider" (featuring Phil Ehart drum solo) | Walsh | Point of Know Return | 7:41 |
| 8. | "Closet Chronicles" | Walsh, Livgren | Point of Know Return | 6:55 |
| 9. | "Down the Road" | Walsh | Song for America | 3:44 |
| 10. | "Sparks of the Tempest" | Livgren, Walsh | Point of Know Return | 5:19 |
| 11. | "Bringing It Back" | J.J. Cale | Kansas | 7:07 |
All of the bonus tracks were recorded for the album but omitted from the original album due to time constraints. Different versions of "Bringing It Back", "Down the Road", "Cheyenne Anthem" and "Sparks of the Tempest" appeared as bonus tracks on the remastered versions of Kansas, Song for America, Leftoverture and Point of Know Return respectively. A different, earlier live version of "Lonely Street" appears as a bonus track on the later recorded Live at the Whiskey.
In 2010, Legacy released the Kansas entry in Legacy's Boxed Set series known as The Music of Kansas. The 3rd of 3 discs from this Boxed Set is culled entirely from the double CD version of this album, featuring live cuts from both the original and expanded release, marking the first compilation to feature any of the previously unreleased tracks.
Personnel
- Steve Walsh – keyboards, lead vocals except on "Bringing it Back" and "Down the Road".
- Robby Steinhardt – violins, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Bringing it Back" and "Down the Road". Co-lead vocals on "Mysteries and Mayhem", "Hopelessly Human", "Child of Innocence", "Cheyenne Anthem", "Miracles Out of Nowhere", and "Closet Chronicles". Lead vocal verse on "Song for America".
- Kerry Livgren – guitars, keyboards
- Rich Williams – guitars
- Dave Hope – bass
- Phil Ehart – percussion, drums
Production
- Producer: Kansas and Jeff Glixman
- Engineers: Brad Aaron, David Hewitt, Davey Moiré
- Associate engineer: Brad Aaron
- Mastering: David Hewitt, George Marino
- Art direction: Tom Drennon
- Cover art concept: Kansas
- Design: Tom Drennon
- Artwork: Jim Barrett
- Illustrations: Jim Barrett
- Photography: Terry Ehart, Andy Freeberg, Darryl Pitt, Neal Preston, Raul Vega
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
|---|
| 1978 |
Pop Albums |
32 |
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Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
|---|
| 1979 |
"Lonely Wind" |
Pop Singles |
60 |
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