Here is the Kansas City Official Road Reporter review from Josh's Straight To You Tour by kugrobanfan! Want to enter to win for a chance to be Josh's Official Road Reporter? Get all the contest details HERE.

As the arena goes dark, as the musicians take their places, as the camera flashes flicker, there is an aura of excitement. Fans, many of whom have had their tickets for months, some who have driven in from neighboring states, show their enthusiasm with raucous applause and screaming. The music begins. Josh appears. The crowd shows its appreciation. This was only the beginning of what would be a antastic evening filled with music and laughter.

Josh has the rare ability to allow his voice to be the show. He has never had to rely on pyrotechnics or fancy costumes or extreme choreography. With this tour in particular, Josh wanted to be as intimate as possible while still performing in an arena setting. Closing off the upper level of the arena, combined with a smaller orchestra, and stairs leading from the stage to the floor, allowed him to do just that. These “Grobanite access points” allowed him to interact physically with his audience.

Josh keeps the mood light with his banter between songs. Whether he’s doing Family Guy impressions or describing the Kansas City fans as “grabby” or contemplating a stage name, he keeps the audience chuckling. His Q&A session with the crowd results in one lucky fan getting the opportunity to sing part of “The Prayer” with Josh on stage. His “Casa de Groban” toward the end of the show results in a fine combination of wine, chocolate cake, cold milk, inflatable couches and a song about cheating. Josh, clearly, has never seemed the type to take himself too seriously.

I find it particularly interesting to watch the members of his “Groband” perform. There is no doubt that these folks know how to play. What is so inspiring, however, is how much fun they
seem to be having. You can see the smiles on their faces. They’re dancing when they have a break. They’re singing along. They clearly WANT to be there. Just as inspiring is how much Josh appreciates his musicians. At times it seems like he’s still just taking it all in.

I didn’t find myself missing anything when the concert ended. He sang music spanning from the beginning of his career to today. He gave back story on the majority of the music in order to give the audience a better feel for the song. He spent a good amount of time seated at the piano, accompanying himself. He brought out his drum skills. His many talents were truly on display.

After a day filled with tornado sirens and nasty weather, and in the wake of tragedy in nearby Joplin, the Kansas City audience could have been flat. This was not the case. The energy was electric from the opening act. We danced. We clapped. We sang. I think this may have helped Josh keep his energy high after performing a concert just the night before. I applaud you, Kansas City! As I left the arena, I overheard a woman say, “I could listen to that every single night.” I could not agree more! I’m so appreciative of Josh and his entire team for bringing this show to us. You never disappoint, Josh!