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Read more Kansas City Music Guide.
It’s mid-August already and even though it’s currently sweltering, cooler temps and back to school are just around the corner, so take advantage of summer’s remaining few weeks, to see as much live music as possible, indoors or outside.
This week has a little of everything – arena shows, theater and club gigs, a musical, and even some A-list blues rock guitar wizardry in Topeka.
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from August 6th-12th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show's headline)
TUESDAY AUGUST 6
Come From Away (musical), Aug 6-11, Starlight, $12-$102
Following the 9/11 attacks, 38 planes and 6,579 passengers were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, doubling the population of one small town on the edge of the world. Based on interviews with locals, Come From Away takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of the stranded passengers and the small town that welcomed them.
The hosting of these guests became an unexpected camaraderie in extraordinary circumstances as cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
Revivalists w flipturn, Aug 6, Grinders KC, $56-$100
The eight-piece rock 'n' roll collective (David Shaw [lead vocals, guitar], Zack Feinberg [guitar], Andrew Campanelli [drums], George Gekas [bass], Ed Williams [pedal steel guitar], Rob Ingraham [saxophone], Michael Girardot [keyboard, trumpet], and PJ Howard [drums, percussion] ) are returning to the metro, this time playing downtown and outdoors at GrindersKC. To recall, we caught them live last June, co-headlining at Starlight Theatre.
Still in support of their fifth album, Pour It Out Into The Night (Concord Records), it’s a life-affirming album about living in the moment, fueled by lessons in gratitude and life realizations, with lead single "Kid" – a hopeful anthem about capturing the essence of life, self-belief, and living for the spirit. Of course, the band broke through with 2015's Men Amongst Mountains, which featured the double-platinum single hit "Wish I Knew You.”
Arrive early for Florida-based indie rock, lower case loving group flipturn who we caught live headlining in Minneapolis back in 2022. The foursome of Dillon Basse (vocals, guitar), Tristan Duncan (lead guitar), Madeline Jarman (bass), Devon Von Balson (drums), and Mitch Fountain (synthesizer, guitar) made their musical debut in 2017 with their EP Heavy Colors. They released four more EP’s until dropping their debut full length album Shadowglow in 2022, with a deluxe version the next year.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7
THURSDAY AUGUST 8
George Ducas, Aug 8, Knuckleheads, $20
The longtime Country music singer and songwriter has had multiple Billboard chart hits of his own, including the breakout Top 10 “Lipstick Promises”, and has even written hit records for George Jones, Garth Brooks, The Chicks, and Trisha Yearwood. The new record is Long Way From Home and was produced by multi-platinum, Grammy-winning Pete (Dwight Yoakam) Anderson.
Joe Bonamassa, Aug 8, TPAC-Topeka, $64-$184
The NY-based Blues-rock guitarist who has captivated audiences from coast to coast with his electrifying live performances is making a rare appearance in Topeka.
As a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15x Blues Music Award nominee (4-time winner), he achieved his 28th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his most recent live album and video, Live at the Hollywood Bowl with Orchestra. His current Blues Deluxe Tour celebrates his seminal albums, Blues Deluxe and Blues Deluxe Vol. 2. This 18-city jaunt features a mix of fan favorites and deep tracks, promising unforgettable shows for blues enthusiasts.
The prolific Bonamassa has released more than 40 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with side projects, Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party, beginning his career opening for blues legend B.B King at a Rochester NY festival in 1989, at just 12 years old.
FRIDAY AUGUST 9
Urban Heat w/ Gvllow, Delores Galore, Aug 9, recordBar, $24.36
The Austin TX-based rising band features frontman Jonathan Horstmann who engages his audiences with a balance of vulnerability and dominance. The galvanizing trio has breathed new life into the post-punk genre with their new wave–inspired gothtronica singles like recently released “You’ve Got That Edge” from their upcoming album (out August 16), The Tower.
They've also recently released another single, "Say The Words," an emotional song about identity struggle in a romantic relationship and with a bass line and a shimmery guitar that recalls The Cure, the new album’s lead single, "Seven Safe Places" has also made waves.
LA musician Gvllow has a new album, “Twin Flames” out now, and New Orleans’ Delores Galore blends sounds old and new.
Hozier Aug 9, Azura Amph, SOLD OUT
The mostly sold-out 'Unreal Unearth Tour’ has been exactly that, and a bit of a rebirth for the popular Irish singer-songwriter (aka Andrew Hozier-Byrne). In support of his recent album of the same name, this 37-date run hits major cities he missed last time, including the KC metro with Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Russell listed as support (she also guests on the Unheard EP released in March). We caught him live last, headlining a theater in downtown Minneapolis in 2019.
The tall (6’ 6”) singer first burst on the international scene with 2013 hit, “Take Me to Church” but has also had massive success with current single, the chart-topping “Too Sweet” which is playing every time we turn on the radio. The Irish influence on the new record is obvious, from some lyrics in Gaelic and its themes, but the EP songs that were originally meant to be included on the records were inspired by Dante's Inferno - "songs that might have made it to the circles of gluttony, limbo, violence, and the outward 'ascent' respectively”, the artist has said. With a long sold-out show in the suburbs, make plans to arrive in plenty of time to see both acts.
UPDATE- CANCELED: Blink-182 w Pierce The Veil, Aug 9, T-Mobile Center
The reunited trio (Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker) is back on the road for their summer leg of their “One More Time Tour” (named after their new studio album and current hit song) which features a new production setup, and brand-new show with increased seating capacity and a full 360-degree view of the performance in the arenas. The last time we saw the band live was in 2017, when Matt Skiba had replaced DeLonge and the band was a touch less juvenile, but no less entertaining.
San Diego’s Pierce the Veil released The Jaws of Life album last year, after their own hiatus.
Pete Davidson (comedy), Aug 9, TPAC- Topeka, CANCELED
SATURDAY AUGUST 10
Whitney Cummings (comedy), Aug 10, Uptown,$29-$59
The comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, entrepreneur, brand new mom and host of the hit podcast Good for You returns to the road for live stand up for her Big Baby Tour. Launched in 2019, the podcast is self-produced and features conversations with her friends, fellow comedians, and experts in a variety of fields. Best known for creating and starring in the NBC series “Whitney”, she is also the co-creator and co-writer of the Emmy-nominated comedy series 2 Broke Girls. She has appeared in numerous television shows, films, and stand-up specials, including her sixth stand-up special Mouthy which was released last November.
SUNDAY AUGUST 11
Switchfoot, Blue October, Matt Nathanson, Aug 11, Grinders KC, $49-$79
Running through September, Switchfoot will tour with musical pals Blue October and Matt Nathanson as part of their 30-city co-headlining ‘Help From My Friends Summer Tour.’ “We’ll be playing a full set with all the bells and whistles every night,” Switchfoot shared on Instagram.
“Who goes on first or last will change every night so come on out and enjoy the whole evening with us. There’s nothing better than a summer tour with your friends,” adds Jon Foreman of Switchfoot. “Can’t wait to see what kind of magic/mayhem/mischief happens once we get out on the road together!”
“When three incredibly hardworking bands with such a huge timeless catalog of songs can actually get together on one stage to celebrate life together, it is an experience I don’t want to miss out on, and neither should you. I can’t wait to bring all of our communities together to celebrate,” added Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October.
“I’m so psyched to hit the road with the guys in Switchfoot and Blue October,” says Matt Nathanson, “there really is nothing like traveling the country and getting to play music with, and for, your friends all summer.”
Old 97s with John Buffalo, Aug 11, Madrid Theater, $25
Longtime Dallas alt-country band (Rhett Miller, Murry Hammond, Ken Bethea, and Philip Peeples) have released 13 studio albums starting with 1994's Hitchhike to Rhome to 2024's American Primitive, as well as two EPs, and a live album. Lead vocalist and primary songwriter Miller has described the band's style as "loud folk," the band members also portrayed the alien rock band Bzermikitokolok and the Knowheremen in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, along with Kevin Bacon. We last saw them live in 2013, so are very overdue.
John Buffalo (aka John Dufilho) has been tapped by the band to join them for the summer tour, following the release of his self-titled new album via State Fair Records last November.
When asked about the invite, he said, “Having the 97’s put their stamp of approval on my new solo project, John Buffalo, means the world to me. Plus, their crowds are the best. This trip is gonna be crazy fun. I’ve toured with them before, with The Deathray Davies and with I Love Math, but never solo. I’m definitely gonna be trying some new things.” In addition, John has been a longtime friend and collaborator to the band’s Rhett Miller.
MONDAY AUGUST 12
Childish Gambino w Willow, Aug 12, T-Mobile Center,$49.50-$199.50
Donald Glover’s musical alter-ego is on tour in North America, Europe, and Australia, billed as the New World Tour. It’s his first tour since 2018-19, and follows the release last night of Atavista, which he’s called “the finished version” of his 2020 record, 3.15.20.
As an actor, Glover is best-known for his acclaimed TV show Atlanta which ran four seasons, a limited series Swarm, and the recent reboot of 2005 movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. His younger version of Lando Calrissian, is to continue as a Lucasfilm movie.
In March 2020, Glover uploaded an unfinished studio album to website donaldgloverpresents.com before taking it down. It reappeared under the name 3.15.20 and has now been touched up and rereleased as Atavista.
Willow and Amaarae serve as openers. The daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith first hit airwaves with 2010’s “Whip My Hair” but evolved with 2022’s loud “Coping Mechanism” for Roc Nation. The new album is “Empathogen,” changing to a dreamy, jazzy strain of R&B with intricate lyrics and more nuanced vocals. She also left Roc Nation and signed with Three Six Records for “Empathogen.” and published her debut novel, “Black Shield Maiden.”
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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