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Rocktober! Traditionally, this Fall month has been one of the busiest of the year, with so many tours trying to work in those last cities in, before the holiday season and Winter slows things down again.
This year, seemingly everyone went back on the road after the pandemic lessened, making for a very busy September (& summer) as well, but several days this week, and in October (notably the 8th, 14th) are downright packed with shows. Choose wisely!
Shawn Mendes, as you probably heard, canceled his entire arena tour to focus on his mental health, indie rockers Girlpool were scheduled in KC this week, but released a statement last month that they had broken up, and Pale Waves found themselves with transportation issues.
Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City/Lawrence, KS metro September 26th-October 2nd.
(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)
Monday Sept 26
Beach Boys, Lied Center. $24-$65
Fun, fun, fun will undoubtedly be had as the band plays hits from six decades of music. We caught the band’s good vibrations back in 2019 and it was literally hit after hit after hit (don’t expect Brian Wilson with this version of the band though).
Shawn Mendes with Tate McRae, Sept. 26, T-Mobile Center CANCELED
Tuesday Sept 27
The Cult, Uptown, $45-$125
Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy, and co. have returned and with new music! “Give Me Mercy” is the brand-new single, ahead of their latest album, Under the Midnight Sun which drops on Oct 7, so expect a couple cuts from the upcoming record, along with four decades of rock classics. We caught the band on the opening date of their summer tour (where they debuted the single live), mentioning how strong Astbury’s voice still remains.
San Fran band King Woman to open, self-described as “hypnotic and breathy vocal dramatics” and “brooding, ethereal doom-rock.”
Rodney Crowell, Knuckleheads, $55
A musician’s musician, Crowell put out Triage just over a year ago, but in addition to his own many songs, he’s been playing some Emmylou Harris collaborations and a Townes Van Zandt classic, in recent sets.
Apocalyptica w Wheel, Leprous, Liberty Hall-Lawrence, $39.50-$75
The Finnish symphonic legends are approaching their 20th anniversary as an ensemble and are out on their Cell-0 Tour, which we caught early on, in April in Minneapolis. Expect their own instrumentals, Franky Perez joining them on vocals, and of course, a couple Metallica covers for an entertaining evening.
Duckwrth, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $22
LA rapper aka Jared Lee out on his Chrome Bull Tour. Singles “Kiss U Right Now” and “No Chill” have been making waves since the end of last year. Expect a multimedia performance.
Pale Waves, recordBar, POSTPONED / CANCELED info here
Wednesday Sept 28
In Flames, Fit For An Autopsy, and Orbit Culture, Granada- Lawrence, $39.50-$129
The Swedish melodic death metallers have re-signed with label Nuclear Blast and have a new single, “State of Slow Decay” out now. Frontman Anders Fridén says the new song “includes everything that In Flames are known for. But it’s more than just a song, it’s a ...statement. I couldn’t be happier to release this as a taste of what’s to come.”
Openers and Jersey City deathcore band Fit for an Autopsy is on the label as well, and has The Sea of Tragic Beasts, out now.
BoomBox, recordBar, $15
The electronic DJ act has been around about 15 years and is self-described as “A little house, a little blues, a little funk, a little rock, and a whole lot of soul”.
ETHNO, the project of Jeffrey James Franca of Thievery Corporation, is also on the bill.
Keith Urban with Tyler Hubbard Ingrid Andress, T-Mobile Center. $29.50-$169.50
Australia’s favorite country music export is out on his Speed of Now World Tour and bringing along two solid support acts- half of Florida Georgia Line and a rising singer-songwriter. Expect some virtual duets, a John Denver acoustic cover, some guitar fireworks and Urban to keep energy high.
Giveon, The Midland, $32.50-$49.50
Out on his Give or Take Tour, the 7x Grammy nominated R&B star is out in support of the album of the same name. He may be best known for his contribution on Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” and “Chicago Freestyle with Drake, and another collab with him is on the way on a film soundtrack, according to Epic Records.
Kaivon, RecordBar. $20-$25
Making an immediate impact in 2016 with debut single, “Rebirth”, the EDM artist has made a unique impact on the genre.
Jamey Johnson, Prairie Band Casino-Mayetta, SOLD OUT
The multi-Grammy Award winner just contributed a cover for a John Anderson tribute album and released single, “Music Cities Killing Me” (w/Julie Roberts) and has over fifteen years of his own songs to draw from.
Firewater Festival – Blackberry Smoke, Old 97s, Nikki Lane, Reed Southall Band, Whiskey Myers, more, Sept 29-Oct 1, Lacygne, KS, $154.97
Road warriors Whiskey Myers are taking their live show to the next level with their second annual curated three-day event and a stacked lineup, all happening a bit south of the JoCo metro. The grounds are described as “surrounded by hills, lake water, and acres and acres of forest. You have a ton of options to make the most of your experience which could include floating the pond, exploring the Emerald Forest, and of course checking out the music at one of the stages.” Camping packages available.
Friday Sept 30
Hairball, Topeka Performing Arts Center, $25
Few do the hair band/heavy metal tribute better than this longtime act, now in its 22nd year of bringing blasts from the past. With their beginnings being first in the Minneapolis area, we’ve seen them over the years and their costumes/routines, and setlist of familiar jukebox songs, are all top-notch to make for a fun and very entertaining concert experience.
Verivery, Granada- Lawrence, $55-$60
K-Pop fans unite! The seven member Korean pop band is coming to middle America likely with unforgettable coordinated dance moves and sugary sweet songs. With BTS on indefinite hiatus, they might be the next to break even bigger.
Chris Lane, Homecoming Rock Chalk Block Party, downtown Lawrence, Free
Undefeated?! No one would have guessed this 4-0 start for Jayhawk football, defying the odds, and bringing all kinds of fairweather fans back into the fold. Great timing for the inaugural Homecoming Rock Chalk Block Party taking place downtown on the night before the Iowa State game, on Mass St. between 10th/11th St. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. with music, games and activities. A Pep Rally is around 7:50 p.m. followed by country artist Chris Lane starting around 8:15. We caught Lane live this summer at Country Stampede in Topeka.
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, Knuckleheads, $30-$105
The Tennessee Americana band are out in support of 2019’s Dragons, with new music on the horizon soon. He and wife Ellie toured together earlier in the year, and we caught them outdoors, back in 2015.
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, “The Horn” featuring Sean Jones, Kauffman Center. $33.50-$68.50
From the moments Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong released their golden, burnished tones into the world, jazz music has in large part developed through the clarion call of wind instruments. In modern music, there is no more essential practitioner of the brass arts than trumpeter Sean Jones. From intimate whispers to spirited shouts, Mr. Jones will evoke the previous masters of the craft through his own inimitable voice.
Iceage w/Earth, recordBar, $25
Iceage are back with a new single, “All The Junk On The Outskirts,” which was recorded during the same sessions as their 2018 album Beyondless. "I consider this one of the better cuts off the Beyondless sessions, but it ended up being a misfit that wouldn't quite fit in with the other songs as we put together the track listing. Like a piece belonging to a different puzzle,” says frontman Elias Bender Rønnenfelt. “Much like it wasn’t welcome with the others on Beyondless, it's an anthem for those on the outside looking in.” We caught them live back in 2019. Drone metallers Earth co-headline this Fall tour.
The Black Angels, Bottleneck. $26
Austin TX psych-rock legends are back on tour in support of new album Wilderness of Mirrors, just out this month via Partisan Records. We caught them most recently in the California desert in 2019 and their 2014 show with the late Roky Erickson was one for the memory books.
Russell Dickerson, KCLive!, $25-$65
The rising country star had his second album, Southern Symphony released in late 2020 and also just guested on a recent Thomas Rhett single. He’s been playing new songs, “Big Wheels” and “Just Like Your Mama” so expect a new album soon.
Sunday Oct 2
Winterlude: Vine Street Rumble, Yardley Hall. $17-$35
Formed to honor the legacy of the “golden era” of Kansas City’s world-renowned jazz history, the band exclusively performs the same exciting music that made KC the place to be in the 1930s/’40s. The band personnel are the area’s “top call” musicians, who faithfully recreate the KC jazz scene. Accurately performing the swing music of Count Basie, Jay McShann, Andy Kirk and the 12 Clouds of Joy, Harlan Leonard and His Rockets, Mary Lou Williams, Joe Turner, Pete Johnson and others.
Girlpool, Bottleneck- Lawrence, CANCELED
john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com |
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