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Read more Kansas City Music Guide.
June’s officially here, which means a true kickoff of the summer concert and event season. Like last summer, it seems like almost every act is back on the road, making up for the pandemic times when no touring was happening, and based on the current business model that bands make most of their revenue in playing live shows and selling merch – so get out and see a live show and but a souvenir.
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from June 1st-6th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show's headline)
SATURDAY JUNE 1
The Cher Show (musical), Through June 2, Starlight Theatre, $12-$97
Last couple chances to see it! Superstars come and go. Cher is forever. For six decades, only one unstoppable force has dominated popular culture-breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. The Cher Show is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon.
Featuring 35 hit songs, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy®, an Oscar®, an Emmy® and enough Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage, it’s all in one unabashedly new musical that will have you dancing in the aisles! She also recently and finally is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (ceremony is this Oct) and the musical is so popular, it will return for one-night, next April at Lied Center in Lawrence.
Tinashe, June 1, KC Live Power and Light,$32-$72
The gorgeous R& B singer is out in support of her latest album, BB/ANG3L, released last Sept. via Ricky Reed’s Nice Life Recording Company.
“For BB/ANG3L, I was very inspired by the concept of identity,” explained Tinashe. “Exploring both how I self-identify and also challenging the perceptions of others. I believe how we identify in this world is ultimately our own personal choice; and I’ve enjoyed stripping back layers of aesthetic fluff, smoke & mirrors, and white noise to get down to the core of myself. Who we are at a core level, when we are alone – raw & unfiltered, is what I want this album to reflect.”
Tinashe initially announced a co-headlining tour with British artist Shygirl. However, the tour was postponed, due to the UK star’s medical issues. The seven-track new record includes the singles “Needs” and “Talk To Me Nice” and follows her 2021 effort, 333, which was reissued with a deluxe version in March 2022.
The popular Tacos and Tequila Festival is returning to KCKS, in 2024 and the headliner is bringing all his auto-tune hits with him. T-Pain is best known for his songs “Up Down” and “Booty Wurk.”
Organizers said they’re coming back bigger for the fourth year,, including a new tequila-tasting lounge and new shot bars. There will also be a chihuahua beauty pageant, an exotic car showcase, a salsa/queso competition, lucha libre wrestling, and more. Festivalgoers can still enjoy plenty of tacos from area chefs and margaritas at the bar. General admission and VIP options available.
SUNDAY JUNE 2
Brit Floyd, June 2, The Midland, $45-$79.50
One of the best-known Pink Floyd tribute acts is celebrating 30 years of the David Gilmour-led era The Division Bell along with playing a number of greatest hits. The “P-U-L-S-E” tour will feature Brit Floyd playing select tracks from the post-Waters 1994 album The Division Bell, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in March.
As a rare bonus, the band will be joined onstage by keyboardist Harry Waters, son of founding Pink Floyd singer-bassist Roger Waters. The KC show is just one of eight he is appearing and the younger Waters recently revealed how he was fired from his father’s band in late 2016, telling Rolling Stone, “It was pretty miserable. … I think he just wanted a change of blood, something new, something fresh. I’m not sure of his exact reasoning, but everyone except two people got fired. But the other guys that got the sack weren’t his son, so it was doubly hurtful for me.”
MONDAY JUNE 3
TUESDAY JUNE 4
Sarah Jarosz, June 4, Knuckleheads, SOLD OUT
The multi-award-winning singer/songwriter is on the road following the release of her seventh studio album, Polaroid Lovers, released in January. The tour will kicked off in February with this performance in Kansas City being her final date. On the new record, she collaborated with the likes of songwriters Ruston Kelly and Natalie Hemby.
Jarosz released her first album in 2009 and quickly made a name for herself as singer-songwriter and mandolin player and the latest album is a follow up to her 2021 album Blue Heron Suite, a commissioned project from the FreshGrass Foundation that she wrote in tribute to her mother when she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. We caught her live in 2018 in St Paul, as part of indie supergroup, I’m With Her.
George Clinton, June 4, Uptown Theater, $35-$125
Bring in da noise, bring in da funk- the Godfather ain’t hanging things up just yet - Legendary funk ensemble George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic announced details of their 2024 Spring Tour dates. This leg of the band’s Just For The Funk Of It Tour will feature Dumpstaphunk as support.
Clinton continues to hit the road with his powerhouse band despite embarking on a farewell tour in 2019. An excursion held last summer was dubbed “Just For The Funk Of It! – Final Tour?!?” in a nod to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame act’s decision to resume touring.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 5
Noah Kahan, June 5, Azura Amph, $299+
The Vermont folk singer-songwriter really blew up about a year ago...which has been about as long as this show has been on sale, so don’t be surprised if tickets are scarce. Following his massively successful, sold-out 2022- 23 Stick Season Tour runs, Kahan is back out on his 2024 We’ll All Be Here Forever Tour. The North American leg started in late March and runs through July 19 with a huge celebratory New England stadium performance at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Last summer, he teamed with Post Malone for a new version of hit single “Dial Drunk”, which peaked at #1 on the Alternative and AAA Radio Charts Impressively, he also became the 5th artist in history with 18 songs on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Charts in one week, alongside David Bowie and Taylor Swift.
James Taylor, June 5, Starlight, SOLD OUT
Sweet Baby James in the beautiful outdoors! - we saw him years ago outdoors at The Taste of Chicago, so can vouch for the ideal his voice soars, to mix with the crickets and nightlife on a nice summer evening. The six-time Grammy Award winner is now 76, but shows no signs of slowing down, hitting 24 cities for 31 shows in five months.
His All-Star Band often includes a family member or two, but this time, is a team of solid backing musicians that should bring some extra “umph” to all those laid-back hit songs. His latest music is a pair of 2020 “American Standards” EPs, but he’s already got over two hours of hits we all probably know every word to.
THURSDAY JUNE 6
Lionel Richie w Earth Wind and Fire, June 6, T-Mobile Center, $35.95- $499.95
Sing a Song, All Night Long! The legendary singer, songwriter, producer and American Idol judge, Lionel Richie extends the Sing A Song All Night Long Tour with very special guests and one of the best-selling bands of all time, Earth, Wind & Fire. Produced by Live Nation, the 13-date run follows a highly successful 2023 sold-out 20-date run.
Richie has sold over 125 million albums, was recently inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, won the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library Congress and was honored at Kennedy Center Honors.
With over 100 million albums sold worldwide and nine GRAMMY® Awards (27 nominations), Earth, Wind & Fire has cemented their lasting impact on popular music as they continue to inspire new audiences, and thrill those who have been with them from the beginning. So many hits, so little time!
Greensky Bluegrass, June 6, Grinders KC, $26.25-$79
The Michigan five-piece bluegrass Americana troubadours are out on tour for most of the Spring and Summer. Last release was 2022’s Stress Dreams, but playing live is truly where the band shines most, as on their 2021 live album.
The five-piece features Anders Beck [dobro], Michael Arlen Bont [banjo], Dave Bruzza [guitar], Mike Devol [upright bass], and Paul Hoffman [Mandolin] and they played the Uptown last year, so this is an upgrade to a bigger venue, and could be truly magical if the weather can hold.
National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity? Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email [email protected]
john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com |
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