38 Special/Kansas

Simmons Bank Arena

Little Rock, AR

June 05, 2026

by Dan Locke

38 Special and Kansas had been on tour around north American and on their run to Little Rock Simmons Bank Arena featuring Brother Cane, 38 Special, and Kansas unfolded like a curated survey of American guitar music, tracing a line from modern Southern‑rock muscle to radio‑polished anthems and finally into the sweeping, melodic architecture of progressive rock. What could have been a routine closing date instead became a layered, three‑act narrative—largely because Brother Cane was added as a late opener, a decision that reshaped the pacing and energy of the entire evening.

In a touring landscape where last‑minute additions often feel like logistical patches, Brother Cane’s presence came across as intentional, even necessary. Their sound—an unusually natural blend of Foo Fighters‑style drive and Allman Brothers‑style feel—brought a contemporary edge that sharpened the night’s arc. The result was a final performance that didn’t simply move from opener to headliner, but one that built, expanded, and resolved, the way a well‑sequenced album does.

Brother Cane — A Precision Strike of Modern Southern Rock
Brother Cane’s set opened with the kind of confidence that comes from a band that has nothing to prove yet everything to deliver. Damon Johnson, long recognized as one of the most versatile and respected guitarists in American rock, led the charge with a tone that was both authoritative and expressive. His Les Paul cut through the mix with clarity, but it was the feel—the bends, the phrasing, the rhythmic push—that signaled the band’s Southern lineage.

The lineup—Johnson on vocals and guitar, Glenn Maxey on bass, Jarred Pope on drums, Buck Johnson on keys and backing vocals, and Tony Higbee on guitar—operated with the cohesion of a group deep into a tour, not one stepping into a final‑night slot. Maxey and Pope locked into a groove‑first rhythm pocket that gave the music its Southern backbone, while Higbee’s guitar work added a second melodic voice that elevated the arrangements beyond their studio origins.

Brother Cane’s catalog has always lived in a rare middle space: too polished to be a jam band, too soulful to be lumped into post‑grunge, too Southern to be alt‑rock, and too modern to be a classic‑rock revival act. That hybrid identity was on full display. Songs like “Got No Shame” carried the swagger of blues‑rock filtered through 90s radio production, while “And Fools Shine On” leaned into atmospheric melancholy, its chord progressions echoing the emotional weight of the Allman Brothers without ever imitating them.

What made their set so effective was the immediacy. Brother Cane didn’t warm up the crowd—they accelerated it. Their performance reframed the night, setting a higher bar for the legacy acts that followed and reminding the audience that modern Southern rock can stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the genre’s foundational names.

38 Special — Southern Rock Legacy, Held Together by One Original Torchbearer
If Brother Cane represented the modern edge of Southern‑inflected rock, 38 Special embodied its polished, radio‑ready era. Their set was a masterclass in precision: tight arrangements, stacked harmonies, and the kind of road‑tested discipline that only comes from decades of touring. But the emotional center of the performance was unmistakably Don Barnes.

Barnes, the only original founding member still performing with the band, remains the defining voice and guitar presence of 38 Special. His tone, phrasing, and vocal delivery are the connective tissue that ties the current lineup to the band’s 70s and 80s peak. When he stepped into the opening riff of “Hold On Loosely,” the crowd responded not just with recognition, but with a sense of continuity—an acknowledgment that the original voice was still carrying the torch.

The band’s setlist leaned into the hits, but not lazily. “Caught Up in You,” “Back Where You Belong,” and “Fantasy Girl” were delivered with the same crispness that made them staples of American FM radio. The rhythm section kept the songs driving without overpowering them, and the guitar interplay maintained the melodic clarity that has always separated 38 Special from their Southern‑rock peers.

What made their performance particularly effective on this night was the bridge it created. Brother Cane’s modern punch had energized the room, and Kansas’ progressive sweep was still to come. 38 Special sat squarely in the middle, offering the audience a familiar, polished sound that connected the night’s opening energy to its closing grandeur.

Kansas — Melodic Power From the Heartland, Anchored by Its Long‑Standing Originals and a New Drummer Stepping Forward. Kansas closed the night with a set that felt cinematic, a reminder of the band’s deep roots and enduring influence. Formed in Topeka, Kansas in 1973, the group remains one of America’s most recognizable progressive‑rock institutions. Their sound—defined by violin‑driven drama, soaring vocals, and intricate arrangements—has always stood apart from the Southern and radio‑rock acts they often share bills with.

The band’s identity continues to be shaped by two long‑serving pillars: Richard Williams, whose guitar work has been a constant since the beginning, and Phil Ehart, the founding drummer and longtime musical director. Williams, born February 1, 1950, remains one of the only consistent original members, his playing providing the melodic and rhythmic anchor that has carried Kansas through five decades of lineup changes.

But 2024 marked a significant transition. Eric Holmquist, Ehart’s drum tech for more than 20 years, officially stepped into the drummer’s role beginning March 1, 2024, following Ehart’s recovery period. Holmquist is not a temporary stand‑in; he is a deeply embedded part of the Kansas operation, having previously filled in during Ehart’s health‑related absences in 2016 and 2022–2023. His understanding of the band’s rhythmic language, arrangement structures, and performance style made the handoff seamless.

Onstage, Holmquist’s drumming carried the Kansas sound with confidence and respect for its history. His execution allowed the band to maintain the dynamic shifts and rhythmic precision that define their catalog. Williams’ guitar work, paired with the violin lines and vocal harmonies, created the sweeping, melodic architecture that fans expect. “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” landed with the expected weight, but it was the deeper cuts—songs with complex structures and extended instrumental passages—that showcased the band’s musicianship.

Kansas’ set provided a progressive counterpoint to the more groove‑oriented acts earlier in the night. Where Brother Cane brought immediacy and 38 Special brought polish, Kansas brought scope. Their performance felt like a closing chapter, not just in the night’s lineup but in the broader story of American rock’s evolution.

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