Read more Kansas City Music Guide.
We’re definitely in full swing for the concert season,
Starlight is the only major local venue yet to open and will do so mid-month, with construction enhancements continuing that will eventually include improved restrooms, a massive new canopy over 3200 of the seats, and more.
Weather has been on and off, as MId-America can be this time of year, so take heed with any outdoor concerts, but everything previewed below is indoors, except the two sold-out shows from Cake. Three big arena shows to mention this week, and some fine club and theater gigs too--
And we keep Beth Hart in our...hearts, as she's had to postpone her tour for a second time, due to ongoing mental health issues (see below).
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from May 8th-15th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline).
WEDNESDAY MAY 8
MJ The Musical, Through May 12, Kauffman Center, $49-$229
The King of Pop lives again! Featuring a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and Tony Award®-winning choreography from director Christopher Wheeldon, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering an additional look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted him into worldwide legendary status.
MJ was scheduled to premiere on Broadway in mid-2020, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the production finally opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on February 1, 2022.
It would go on to be nominated for 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, with the musical winning four awards, including Best Actor in a Musical, as well as Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. The original cast recording was also nominated for Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Dance, sing, and shake your body down to the ground as two-dozen plus classic songs help tell the story of music’s unique wonder who will always have a place apart from all others. 
Alan Doyle (Great Big Sea), May 8, Knuckleheads,$45
On his Welcome Home Tour, he’s an actor, producer, best-selling author, and best-known as lead singer for Newfoundland’s beloved Great Big Sea these past 20+ years (since 1983!)— so hardly needs an introduction. With five solo albums under his belt, Doyle has been touring the world with his six-piece band for the last decade. In late 2014, Doyle released his best-selling memoir Where I Belong, followed by A Newfoundlander In Canada released in October 2017, and All Together now released in November 2020. We caught Doyle solo in Minneapolis back in 2022.
Great Big Sea boasts nine albums, double-disc hits retrospective, and two DVD releases have all been declared Gold or Platinum and have sold a combined 1.2 million copies in Canada.
Sam Barber, May 8, Truman, $20
The young online phenom is out on his Till I Return Tour, which kicked off back in February, in support of his most recent EP Million Eyes (via Lockeland Springs/Atlantic Records), which was released last month. Most widely known for songs like “Straight and Narrow” and “Run Away High,” the up-and-coming artist continues to further cement his place in country music. He’s already opened shows for Bruce Springsteen and Ed Sheeran, has been compared to Zach Bryan, and just played the Country Coachella, Stagecoach.
The first song Barber ever wrote — when he was 16 and just discovering he could even sing — “Straight and Narrow,” exploded on TikTok and has since racked up nearly 150 million streams on Spotify to date. Soon, Barber was contacted by major record labels and, for the first time, realized music was indeed also a business. He’s expanding that business to ever-growing crowds.
THURSDAY MAY 9
Ashley McBryde, May 9, Uptown Theater, $35-$60
The Country star has added some dates to her “The Devil I Know Tour” presented by Ariat, taking her through June and after she also played 
overseas. The Arkansas native earned a standing ovation for her performance of Music Video of the Year nominee “Light On In The Kitchen” at the 57th Annual CMA Awards earlier this year and plays this weekend’s iHeart Country Fest in Austin, CMA Fest of course, and joins Cody Johnson later this year.
Swans, Kristof Hahn, May 9, recordBar,Sold Out
Seminal avant-rock band Swans is making a rare Midwest appearance, following the release of their sixteenth studio album, The Beggar, out now on Mute / Young God Records. The album was written and produced by Michael Gira and features contributions from recent and former Swans, members of Angels of Light, as well as Guest Swan Ben Frost.
The Swans Tour lineup includes Michael Gira (vocals/acoustic guitar), Kristof Hahn (Lap steel, various guitars, vocals),not U2’s Larry Mullins (Drums, vibes, orchestral percussion), Dana Schechter (Bass, lap steel, keyboards, vocals, piano), Christopher Pravdica (Bass, keyboards, vocals) and Phil Puleo (Drums, percussion, vocals, piano, wind instruments.)
Michael Gira founded the groundbreaking NYC band Swans in 1982. Initially notorious for their relentless, brutal, high-volume onslaughts of sound, the extreme, abject imagery of Gira’s lyrics and his thundering vocals.
Opener Kristof Hahn is a 65 yo German guitarist, composer and translator. Hahn is best known for his lap steel guitar also playing in experimental rock band Swans. He joined the band in 1989 to tour in support of the Burning World album tour.
The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie w Slow Pulp, May 9, T-Mobile Center,$34.50-$94.50
After celebrating the 20th anniversary of their classic 2003 albums Give Up and Transatlanticism on tour together in 2023, The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie have embarked on a second leg of dates together for 2024. 
Like the 2023 shows, Death Cab and The Postal Service each played their 2003 albums in tracklist order, and Postal Service encore with a second, acoustic take on “Such Great Heights” with just Ben Gibbard and Jenny Lewis, followed by a big group cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence.”
The 2024 tour continues through May in North America, followed by festival sets at Just Like Heaven and Outside Lands (TPS-only) and more shows in the UK and Europe in August. Ben Gibbard, of course, plays both sets and with Jenny Lewis and Jimmy Tamborello (aka Dntel), Gibbard runs through The Postal Service’s lone studio album, 2003’s Give Up.
Death Cab for Cutie, in turn, play Transatlanticism. The band’s lineup includes Gibbard, Nick Harmer, Dave Depper, Zac Rae, and Jason McGerr. They headlined the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis, back in 2016.
Arrive early to catch Chicago (via Madison WI) indie rockers Slow Pulp, in support of last September’s sophomore full-length, Yard, on the ANTI- label. The four piece is Emily Massey; Alex Leeds; Teddy Mathews; and Henry Stoehr and leans toward dream bedroom pop and recently made some buzz covering Lighthouse’s radio hit, “Hanging By a Moment”.
FRIDAY MAY 10
NF, May 10, T-Mobile Center, $39.50-$109.50
NF has “Hope.” The 32-year-old rapper (aka Nate Feuerstein) is out on his second leg of shows as part of his ‘Hope Tour.’ Billboard has recognized NF as “one of the world’s biggest rappers,” and his music has garnered over 40 billion global streams.
His third studio album, Hope, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Top Rap Albums charts. To date, Hope has amassed over one billion combined global streams. Critics have lauded the record as NF’s most personal work to date.
Los Lobos, May 10- Ameristar Casino,$35-$55
The Grammy Award-winning band’s blend of rock, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music has captivated audiences worldwide and they have extended their 50th anniversary tour into their 51st year with more concerts. 
Best known for their role in the 1987 movie, "La Bamba," about the short life of Ritchie Valens. Los Lobos has gone on to release more albums and play live music with their original lineup from 1984.
They’ve recorded 17 studio albums, seven live LPs, three compilations and two EPs, in addition to more than 40 guest contributors on friends’ recordings.
Humbird, May 10, miniBar, $18.86
Siri Undlin (the songwriter behind the alias Humbird) has a brand-new record, Right On, and she was recently spotlighted at Folk Alliance international, which happened earlier this year in KC.
On the record, Humbird and her collaborators tracked live and literally to tape during a two-week session at drummer/producer Shane Leonard’s studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Undlin tells that the collection of songs evokes the feeling of the upper Midwest landscape, “exploring the subtlety of the prairie, the forest, and the Mississippi River Valley. We caught the act, live as an opener last year in Minneapolis.
Jewels KC Ballet, May 10-19, Kauffman Center, $34-$149
The late great George Balanchine (1904-83) paired the fiery beauty of precious gems with the incredible music of three very different composers to create a ballet in three unforgettable acts. Each is distinct in both music and mood. 
Emeralds, with music by Gabriel Urbain Fauré, evokes the elegance, comfort, couture, and perfume of the French Romantics’ 19th-century dances.
Rubies, with music by Igor Stravinsky, is a jazzy, high-energy piece that showcases Balanchine’s signature neoclassical style.
Diamonds, with music by Peter I. Tchaikovsky, recalls the essence of Imperial Russia, where Balanchine was trained.
The ballet features lavish costumes and sets, and the choreography is known for its technical difficulty and precision. Jewels is considered one of Balanchine’s greatest works and is a beloved piece in the repertoire of many ballet companies around the world.
Also, at each performance, one lucky audience member will win a special piece of VanBrock Jewelry!
SATURDAY MAY 11
Eddie Griffin (comedy), May 11, Topeka Performing Arts Center,$45-$75
The funnyman turned actor celebrates 34 years of doing stand-up comedy as part of his Live and Unleashed Tour and makes a rare stop in the capitol city of T-Town! Griffin is known for his unapologetic, “hella funny” storytelling.
Griffin started his career on-stage as a dare, but the joke wasn’t on him. One night his cousin dared him to go on stage at Sanford and Sons comedy club in Overland Park, told to perform for 3 minutes.
Instead, Griffin successfully raised the room for almost an hour.
Comedy Central honored Eddie as one of the Top 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time”.
Beth Hart, May 11, Uptown, Postponed
“As many of you know, I’ve been struggling to stabilize my mental health treatment,” she wrote. “It’s been a challenging journey, but I want you to know that I’m giving it my all to be able to tour without incident, and with the support of my new medical team, together we believe that I am on the right path, and I’m asking for your understanding and a bit more patience. Living with mental health issues, especially bipolar disorder, is a constant battle. My greatest fear would be embarking on the April/May tour only to have to cut it short due to my health.” 
SUNDAY MAY 12
12 Rods, May 12, recordBar, $18.69
The Minneapolis band developed a cult following after scoring Pitchfork's first perfect 10.0 review in the mid-'90s. Now, founder Ryan Olcott has revived 12 Rods with If We Stayed Alive, their first album in decades. The album is both intentionally misleading and tantalizingly appropriate for a band that authored some of the proggiest tunes the Twin Cities have ever heard.
Olcott continues to make music, both for himself in projects like Mystery Palace and c.Kostra, and as a producer and engineer for numerous bands. We caught them live in a hometown gig last year.
MONDAY MAY 13
TUESDAY MAY 14
Dayseeker w Polaris, Rain City Drive, Avoid May 14, Uptown, $29-$60
The buzzing Southern California post-hardcore crew are out on their big Dark Sun Worldwide Tour headlining across the U.S. with a 27-date jaunt, playing to their largest crowds to date.
Dayseeker will be touring in support of their late 2022 LP, Dark Sun, which has propelled the band to new heights combined with a relentless touring slate on the strength of the Spinefarm Records release. Joining the band on their most ambitious headlining tour to date is a showcase of still emerging talent with names like Polaris, Rain City Drive, and AVOID on as support. 
Gavin DeGraw, May 14, The Truman,$34.50-$70
The singer songwriter who rose to fame with the hit song “I Don’t Want To Be” from his debut album Chariot, is back with a world tour along with support from Kevin Garrett. DeGraw has spent time on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, he’s a philanthropist, and made appearances on the hit show One Tree Hill, where his song “I Don’t Want To Be” was featured as the theme song. We saw him live at the Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis back in 2017.
His most recent release was the holiday EP A Classic Christmas, but he's expected to drop new music "soon," according to his record label, to follow full-length, 'Face The River' from 2022.
Cake, May 14 and 15, Grinders KC, both Sold Out
Since 1991, the Sacramento band has been making a genre of rock music all their own such as on hit songs like “Going the Distance” and “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”. Known for not using set lists, the band reads the crowd and matches energy—reacting in the moment to where the night takes them, so both nights in KC should be interesting and different in nature.
They’ve performed only a few dozen shows since 2019 as politics, COVID, and a broken industry have made their live experience increasingly rare, but KC is blessed with two of them (one sold out, the other very close to). They have little interest in releasing new music, though a live album, recorded in Folsom CA, is due out in June. We caught them live in Minneapolis back in 2018.
WEDNESDAY MAY 15
Medium Build, May 15, recordBar,Sold Out.
Aka the singer-songwriter born Nick Carpenter, has a new album Country, out April 5 via slowplay/Island Records/Universal Music Canada, and 
shares the lead single which is out now. “Cutting Thru The Country” sets the tone for the album — in the song, he grapples with emotions while driving across the country, something he did a few times during the making of this album.
Atwood Magazine named Medium Build as one of 2024 artists to watch, and rightly so. Billed as a record built with a human touch, Country already promises to be one of the alternative / indie world’s best releases of the year, as is evidenced by its four singles, each of which hits hard and leaves a bit of his heart and soul behind.
Gary Clark Jr, May 15, The Midland, $39.50-$99.50
We just covered him in Houston at The Rolling Stones’ opening show and now Clark is again headlining, to support his new album, JPEG RAW, just out in late March. We caught him live back in St Paul in 2017, playing two sold-out nights.
JPEG RAW is Clark’s follow-up to his celebrated 2019 release This Land, which earned the artist three Grammy Awards for Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance and Best Contemporary Blues Album. Clark explores new dimensions to his sound by assuming influence from jazz, trip-hop and global music on his trademark blend of rock, R&B and electric blues on this fourth studio album and is always interesting to listen to, as he further experiments and develops his signature sound.
Local Natives, May 15, The Truman,$32.50-$65.00
Catch them as a unit together while you can! - Local Natives will part ways with founding vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter Kelcey Ayer following their current tour. The announcement arrives shortly after the group released their sixth album, But I’ll Wait For You, which served as a companion piece to their 2023 album Time Will Wait For No One. 
“A big theme of Time Will Wait For No One, But I’ll Wait For You is being there for one another, and part of that is accepting change. With that, we wanted to share that our latest album and its upcoming tours will be the last with Kelcey as a member of Local Natives,” the band wrote on Instagram.
As for the future of Local Natives, remaining members Taylor Rice, Ryan Hahn, Nik Ewing, and Matt Frazier are keen on keeping things alive: “Endings are also new beginnings. For the four of us, this next chapter gives us a chance to re-imagine what it means to make music together, and ultimately has deepened our commitment to Local Natives. We’re working on new music, we’re psyched about the future of LN, and can’t wait to share the next chapter when the time comes." We last saw them live in Minneapolis in 2022.
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]
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