Live Review: INXS with Steel Pulse at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, 6/14/88

The Sydney six-piece INXS enjoyed a steady rise in popularity and record sales since their 1980 debut, with each album growing bigger and more confident than the last. On their sixth release, Kick, the band clearly hit its stride, selling in the millions and cementing their place on the global stage.

They kicked off the show with what else, but the title track from Kick. It was a barnburner that instantly raised the temperature in the arena, setting an energy level that never let up for the rest of the night.

Living in KC, Kemper Arena was the venue for the big tours: I’d seen my first Electric Light Orchestra, Police, and U2 shows there, among others. INXS was that band now. Not sure, but it felt like a sold out show, at least given the crowd energy. Main lyricist Andrew Farriss has created many of the hits, but charismatic lead singer Michael Hutchence has provided input, as well. One example is “Guns In The Sky,” a pointed commentary on the proposed Star Wars initiative of Reagan’s America to use advanced lasers and satellites to destroy Soviet nuclear missiles. Another jab at the U.S., not unlike U2’s with “Bullet The Blue Sky” earlier in the year.

The night itself was a hit parade, balanced with a few deeper cuts like “Soul Mistake” and “Burn for You.” One notable inclusion was “The Loved One,” a cover of a 1960s track by fellow Aussies The Loved Ones. Impressively, the band worked through every track from Kick, and each one landed as a crowd-pleaser.

Hutchence, ever the kinetic presence, danced and swayed across the stage, his long hair amplifying his rockstar abandon. Originally performing as The Farriss Brothers – with Andrew, Tim, and Jon – the group eventually reinvented itself as INXS, a name that better captured the excess and swagger that now defines their sound and image.

The set came to a close with the smash hit “What You Need,” which, like it or not, owed part of its massive success to that unforgettable video. The band returned for an encore that delivered a knockout 1–2–3 punch: “Need You Tonight,” “Mediate,” and “Devil Inside.” Not a soul was sitting as the show built to its final crescendo.

Opening the night, all the way from Birmingham, England, Steel Pulse brought a dose of roots reggae that proved far more than a warm-up. They were showstoppers in their own right. Touring in support of State of Emergency, their seventh studio album, the band delivered a set grounded in both groove and message.

Long known for their outspoken stance on social issues, Steel Pulse have been closely aligned with Rock Against Racism, and their history of playing punk venues alongside British punk bands speaks to their role as musical outsiders challenging the status quo. They even dipped into material from Earth Crisis (1985), a personal favorite, adding depth to an already powerful performance.

For more information visit INXS.com and SteelPulse.com.

And check out the #SetListPlayList below the setlist!