In 2013 Kansas will be chalking up a major milestone when they celebrate four decades as a band. In honor of the special event, the band has unveiled their 40th Anniversary Celebration and Fan Appreciation Concert scheduled for Aug. 17 at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The show has a lot of surprises in store, starting with several guest appearances throughout the evening that include original members Dave Hope, Kerry Livgren, and Robby Steinhardt. This will commemorate the first time all the original members of the band shared a stage in more than 30 years.

In addition to bringing back past members of the band, the show will start off with Kansas being complemented by a 35-piece symphony orchestra. At intermission, which the band promises a few more top secret surprises, Kansas will say goodbye to the orchestra and return to the stage for a rocking set of their classics and hits to close out the evening.

Holding the show in Pittsburgh was all part of the master plan. Kansas drummer Phil Ehart explains the importance the city holds, saying, “People need to know that Pittsburgh, and the whole state of Pennsylvania, discovered the band Kansas first!” He continued, “We came here in the early days and Pittsburgh was like our home away from home!”

Ticketing info has not yet been announced but there will be a variety of options from regularly priced tickets to VIP and premium packages for the special event. Visit the official Kansas website for all the latest details.

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