|
Read more Kansas City Music Guide.
This weekend it’s fireworks, picnics, barbecues, and summer heat- some additional heat and fireworks are supplied from upcoming concerts including the Arrowhead takeover of No Shoes Nation as Kenny Chesney and friends bring their big show to the fabled football stadium.
A couple arena shows, and some fine club/theater gigs make it a week to get out and support the return of live music.
Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City/Lawrence, KS metro July 1st – 8th
(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)
Friday July 1
Bright Eyes w Hurray for the Riff Raff, Uptown Theater, $42-$47
It’s been a busy year for Bright Eyes fans as leader Conor Oberst and group have re-released their first albums, alongside a newly recorded six-song EP for each, with the first batch of three, out last month. The last new album was 2020’s Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was, which was their first in nine years.
With his core band on an extended hiatus, we caught Oberst solo as part of Rock the Garden 2015 and a memorable gig with Dawes both opening and serving as backup band, as well as his super-secret project with Phoebe Bridgers, Better Oblivion Community Center.
Be aware that vaxx proof is required and masks worn unless drinking. Hurray For the Riff Raff, the project of Alynda Segarra, opens the show who we’ve caught live with City and Colour and also as part of the Festival Palomino and has new album, Life on Earth to support.
Howard Hewett, Miki Howard and more, Music Hall, $61
A night of smooth and classic R&B – with performances by Hewett, Howard, Alexander O’Neal, Cherrelle, and Keith Washington and sounds by DJ Fresh.
Saturday July 2
Kenny Chesney w Dan + Shay, Old Dominion and Carly Pearce, Arrowhead Stadium. $40-$455
The big one! The 8-time CMA and Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year brings his Blue Chair Bay Rum Presents Here And Now 2022 Tour Fueled by Marathon to conquer Arrowhead, after selling out most shows since the trek began in late April.
This tour features 126 cutting edge overhead LED lights and a 220-foot-wide stage, with a strut into the sandbar area, with some nineteen trucks (sustainably down from 24) hauling everything across the country.
Support from rising female vocalist Carly Pearce, five-time ACM / four-time CMA Group of the Year Old Dominion and four-time GRAMMY winners Dan + Shay, make this a full evening and a true highlight of the summer concert season. Scattered storms are in the forecast, so pack a poncho.
Aldous Harding, Granada Lawrence. $22/$25
The beguiling New Zealand singer-songwriter returns with new song, “Old Peel” and new album Warm Chris, released in late March on 4AD. We caught her live most recently as a headliner in 2019 where we heard that new single, years before its eventual release.
Cardiff Wales singer-songwriter H Hawkline to open what will no doubt, be a very interesting show.
Tab Benoit, Knuckleheads, $35-$45
Louisiana-raised Delta Blues guitarist returns to the area with support from fellow guitarist and Deep Blues artist Lightnin Malcom to transform the venue into a true juke joint.
Liily, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $15-$18
Los Angeles alt-rock shoe gazers come to River City in support of debut record TV or Not TV. We caught the band live last fall in Minneapolis and wrote, “Singer, Dylan Nash, reminds me of a stoic Ian Brown, while the band, guitarist Sam De La Torre, bassist Charlie Anastasis, and drummer Maxx Morando, play post-punk, art-rock music.” Brooklyn’s Catcher, another new post-punk band, to open.
Sunday July 3
Todd Rundgren, Uptown, $39-$79
The prolific Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is out across America promoting his next album 'Space Force' on his Unpredictable Tour featuring band members Jesse Gress, Kasim Sulton, Prairie Prince and Gil Assayas. Rundgren spent much of last year on his The Individualist, A True Star tour performing a full side of his classic album A Wizard, A True Star plus a set of career-spanning hits, and he’s been entertaining every time we’ve seen him previous.
Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls w/The Bronx, Liberty Hall, $35-$50
UK folk punk singer-songwriter has emerged from the pandemic as more ambitious than anyone else touring – in support of new album FTHC, he'll play all 50 states this summer, calling it the 50 States in 50 Days tour, which does allow for a few days off, but not many, “Well, I've been unable to tour properly for a couple of years now, and always said that when I could get back to it I'd do it properly."
We caught him live in 2019 and KC / Missouri fans won’t be left out either, as he’s scheduled a free 30min in-store at Mills Record Co. in Westport, that afternoon before the Lawrence show. The Bronx and Pet Needs are support acts.
Dirty Heads with Soja, GrindersKC. $49.50-$90
Dirty Heads have announced their 2022 US headlining tour titled “Let’s Get It Kraken” featuring special guest SOJA running through August. Last summer, they released their The Best of Dirty Heads, featuring new collaborations with Travis Barker and Aimee of The Interrupters. Band guitarist Duddy B also co-hosts The Rome and Duddy Show on the Consequence Podcast Network and (of course) has a new line of CBD products launching.
Rod Wave and friends, T-Mobile Center, $49-$275
Rod Wave (aka Rodarius Marcell Green) dropped his third album, Beautiful Mind, ahead of this tour and is bringing along Moneybagg Yo, Big Latto, Sleazy & Friends, for this last show of the leg.
His first album, Ghetto Gospel, reached number ten on Billboard's Top 200, and second album 2020’s Pray 4 Love, peaked at number two. Recent audience fights at some East Coast shows have not stopped the momentum of this popular arena show.
|
|
Monday July 4 (Independence Day)
Tuesday July 5
Wednesday July 6
Brandi Carlile w Tanya Tucker, Katie Pruitt, July 6, Starlight. $29.50-$175
Minneapolis developed into a strong market for the six-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, performer, and author, and so we were happy to watch that develop- seeing her in small clubs in 2007, having her play two of the most crowded Leinie Stage nights ever then eventually graduating to the Grandstand at the MN State Fair, and also headlining at the Basilica Block Party.
Since then, it’s been even more success and the Beyond These Silent Days summer tour stops in Kansas City, and is bring along country legend Tanya Tucker, who collab’d on 2019 hit album While I’m Livin’ with Carlile and Shooter Jennings, and just finished its follow-up.
Nashville singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt to open, in support of 2020’s Expectations, and who also recently released a couple of vintage Neil Young covers.
Thursday July 7
Strfkr with The Undercover Dream Lovers, and Das Kope, Granada. $27
Being No One, Going Nowhere is the title of the new fourth album with band leader Joshua Hodges considering it an invitation to get blissfully insignificant. That’s what he aimed to do when he exiled himself to the desert to create this record. And you’ve never heard Cyndi Lauper’s signature hit song live until you’ve heard the Portland indie band ‘s version of it.
Openers The Undercover Dream Lovers are the brainchild of LA-based psych indie DIY artist Matt Koenig, known for tracks "Good Luck" and "Come Home" and full-length album It's All in Your Head.
Das Kope is a LA-based, Brazilian born, visual artist/musician whose debut album ‘Where I Live’, was self-released in 2020
Chris Isaak and Lyle Lovett, Starlight. $35-$159.50
Platinum-selling, GRAMMY-nominated musician and actor Isaak and four-time GRAMMY-winning singer, composer, and actor Lovett and his Large Band combine forces for a formidable double bill.
Isaak's best-known song is "Wicked Game," and he has acted in several films, also starring in his own TV series while Lovett, who also acts, has recorded thirteen albums since his debut in 1986. Live reports are that Lovett has stepped in for a song in Isaak’s set, which we love the interplay on a bill like this with two such respected longtime artists.
Bobby Rush, Knuckleheads, $20-$35
Blues Hall of Famer, six-time Grammy nominee, and 13-time Blues Music Award winner Rush has been making records for nearly 70 years, has more than 400 recordings, 75 career releases, 27 studio albums, and has an autobiography just out.
Rush, who is 87, is not done yet. 2020 album Rawer Than Raw was an all-acoustic effort that paid tribute to the blues history of Mississippi and won Best Traditional Blues Album.
Friday July 8
Machine Gun Kelly with Avril Lavigne and Iann Dior, T-Mobile Center. $29.50-$129.50
On top of the charts (and gossip columns with partner Megan Fox) album Mainstream Sellout released in March featuring singles “Ay” with Lil Wayne, “Emo Girl” with WILLOW, and “maybe” featuring Bring Me The Horizon.
His 52-stop first arena headlining tour includes special guests Avril Lavigne (who’s on a big comeback herself) and iann dior for this stop. MGK has amassed over 15.5 billion streams online, selling over 10 million album units, and we caught him before his big breakout success, opening for Imagine Dragons at a 2018 Super Bowl week show.
Ozark Mountain Daredevils w Kentucky Headhunters, Uptown Theater, $25-$75
With hits that include "Jackie Blue" and "If You Want To Get To Heaven," the Springfield, MO-based Daredevils have sold more than two million records since their early 70’s formation. Support from country rockers The Kentucky Headhunters and The Comancheros.
Man Man, Bottleneck, $20
Philly experimental rockers return in support of 2020’s trippy Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between and even had a song in the Cyberpunk 2077 game. Live, when we saw them in 2015, it was uniquely a bit hard to define, saying you should just experience it, and we think the new show is probably similar. LA duo Hard Tays Night to open.
| john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com |
Recent Comments