Wayne Nelson & LRB Performed Live at Ameristar Casino on His B-Day

Ultra-beloved rock group and fan-favorite Little River Band is absolutely no stranger to Ameristar Casino. Fronted by KC-born legend Wayne Nelson, LRB takes to the betting house’s Star Pavilion stage on an annual basis. It is a party every time, but this visit was much bigger than all of the others. This time around—on June 1, 2024—Nelson was celebrating his 74th birthday, which was an incredibly special moment for him and everyone on hand. As always though, he and his bandmates dazzled the crowd with their signature sound that has transcended across continents for 49 years.

Joining Nelson on stage were Chris Marion (keywords/vocals), Ryan Ricks (drums/vocals), Colin Whinnery (guitar/vocals) and Bruce Wallace (guitar/vocals). Their set included a couple of brand new tunes alongside those classic staples, such as “The Night Owls” and “Take It Easy on Me,” which were hits in the early-’80s with Nelson on lead vocals. They even pulled “The Other Guy” out from the archives. Their impeccable harmonies and melodic sounds riveted fans throughout the evening. In tow, for the second time at Ameristar, was the phenomenal seven-person Night Owl Orchestra adding horns and strings to all of those cherished tunes.

Too, the Night Owl guitar made its illustrious Star Pavilion debut as played by Whinnery during the second half of the show. There were even super cool miniature replicas available to fans at the merch table. Between Wayne’s birthday, two brand new songs and one from the vault, the orchestra, the new guitar and a new rig for what is already some of the best stage lighting in the business, there was a load of things that set this performance apart from all of the previous ones. We can’t wait to see what LRB has in store for its 50th anniversary next year.

Little River Band Setlist at Ameristar Casino in Kansas City on June 1, 2024:

“It’s a Long Way There,” “Man on Your Mind,” “Happy Anniversary,” “Take It Easy on Me,” “The Other Guy,” “Window to the World,” “First Time,” “Reminiscing,” “The Lost and the Lonely,” “Help Is on Its Way,” “The Night Owls,” “Cool Change,” “Lady” and “Lonesome Loser”