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Ahh, the fabled 4/20 which brings maybe the nation’s most appropriate show to KC, with 311 playing outdoors at GrindersKC (probably a secondhand contact high for blocks!), but also get to your local record store on Saturday for Record Store Day, a fun day of crate-digging, music sales, and nabbing limited edition releases.
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from April 19th-25th.
(FYI, ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
FRIDAY APRIL 19
Starset, April 19, Liberty Hall- Lawrence, $30-$49
The cinematic rockers are out on their Immersion: The Final Chapter Tour, described as the sci-fi-themed band’s “most impressive tour yet.”
“Framed by a dystopian futuristic narrative, the theme of this latest set of Demonstrations promises most-anticipated conclusions to narrative threads that have been woven into their multimedia experiences, through music, videos, and live performances,” the release says.
Starset’s most recent album is 2021’s Horizons. They also put out a collaborative single with Breaking Benjamin called “Waiting for the Sky to Change” in 2022.
Josh Abbott Band, April 19, Uptown, $12.50-$25
The TX country band released their seventh studio album, Somewhere Down The Road, in January via their Pretty Damn Tough label, featuring lead single, “She’ll Always Be,” a poetic nod to Abbott’s free-spirited six-year-old daughter, and they’re out on a tour of the same name.
Produced by Dwight A. Baker, Somewhere Down The Road is their first full-length LP since 2020’s The Highway Kind. It also marks the first effort from the band’s newly reconfigured lineup, including longtime members Eddie Villanueva (drums), Austin Davis (banjo), David Fralin (keys) and Jimmy Hartman (bass) as well as recent additions Adam Hill (fiddle) and guitarists Cale Richardson and Kris Farrow.
We liked what we saw when we caught them last fall opening for Dierks Bentley, and they should be even better headlining, in a more intimate theater setting. There’s a BOGO special going on online as well, to snag a cheap pair of tix to the show.
AJR,w/ Dean Lewis April 19, T-Mobile Center, $49.50-$129.50
The indie pop trio have mapped out a massive 2024 43-date arena tour in support of their just-released album, The Maybe Man, which is the follow-up to 2021’s OK Orchestra,
$1 for every ticket sold on “The Maybe Man Tour” will go toward the non-profit organization Planet Reimagined. Co-founded by Adam Met, it trains the climate leaders of the future with customized fellowships that teach researchers and advocates how to work together for measurable impact.
We like opening pop Aussie singer Dean Lewis, who we’ve seen a few times over the years.
Saint Motel, Apr 19, Truman, $26-$50
The indie pop quartet [A/J Jackson (vocals), Aaron Sharp (guitar), Dak Lerdamornpong (bass), Greg Erwin (drums)] best known for their breakout hit “My Type.” is out on their “Awards Show” tour.
The group has a discography spanning over 15 years and has toured with likes of Arctic Monkeys, Imagine Dragons and Weezer. The band tells stories through the lyrics intertwined with their music, their creative music videos, and on stage with evocative lights and production. We caught them last in Minneapolis, back in 2016.
SATURDAY APRIL 20
Record Store Day at your favorite indie shop, Free.
It’s like Christmas in April for record collectors as limited editions, hard to find variants and special releases come out at your local favorite indie stores. There’s often additional sales, sometimes food and beverage, and contests, performances, and giveaways, so check local listings for some fun (and crowded!) shopping excursions.
In addition, this year’s honorary Ambassadors for Record Store Day are Paramore, who somewhat ironically fulfilled their contract with Atlantic Records, and are choosing to record under another, maybe their own imprint.
“We are going to continue to have a long career in the music industry (sorry for any inconvenience). Our first order of business as a freshly independent Paramore is to shine a light on independent records stores — a vital part of our journey from music obsessed school friends to professional music makers. With that being said, we are humbled to be your Ambassadors for Record Store Day 2024. The timing feels kismet. The discovery of music was always meant to be romantic. Indie record shops are some of the only spaces we’ve got that offer a tangible, tactile experience of music discovery.” they write in part.
Kansas Music of Hall of Fame, April 20, Liberty Hall- Lawrence, $35
The Kansas Music Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit Kansas corporation that recognizes musicians for their contributions to the musical history of the state of Kansas and the greater Kansas City metro area.
The 2024 Class Inductees include Rick Faris, Grammy-nominated Bluegrass artist, songwriter and musician from Topeka, Karrin Allyson, a Grammy-nominated American Jazz vocalist from Great Bend, Ric Averill, the Emeritus Artistic Director of Performing Arts at Lawrence Arts Center, Angela Hagenbach, a Grammy-nominated jazz singer and songwriter from Kansas City, Son Venezuela, a Lawrence-based Latin band, Philip Anschutz, a Bob Hapgood award recipient and a businessman and philanthropist in Russell, Jermaine White, also known as J. White Did It, a Bill Lee award recipient and a Grammy award-winning producer from Leavenworth, and the Cotillion Ballroom, an Ad Astra award recipient and famed concert hall in Wichita.
311, Apr 20, GrindersKC, $102-$250
Ahead of a summer tour with AWOLNATION and Neon Trees, 311 has been polishing up with some Midwest headlining shows, including this one on the herb holiday which will feature with Joey Cool, KCeMO, and more (not exactly a cheap ticket though)!
On the upcoming tour, 311 shares: "We're stoked to bring back the 'Unity Tour'! This tour was a staple of the summer for the band and fans, and we can't wait to experience that atmosphere again with all of you. Joining us on the road will be our friends AWOLNATION and NEON TREES. We've got an incredible show in store for you this year so grab your tickets and get ready!"
Better Lovers, Apr 20, The Bottleneck-Lawrence, $30
They haven't even existed a full year, and they're already one of the most exciting new bands in heavy music. Their debut EP, God Made Me an Animal, was voted one of the best albums of 2023, and they sold out their first ever BLISSMAS Fest in less than 24 hours.
The band- featuring three former Every Time I Die members, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Greg Puciato and Fit For an Autopsy guitarist/ producer Will Putney- have announced a spring headlining tour with See You Space Cowboy, Foreign Hands, and Greyhaven along for the ride to make for a music-filled evening.
Brian Regan (comedy), April 20, Uptown, $45-$69.
The longtime comedian has embarked on a 30-city tour across the country. Regan made history with his Comedy Central stand-up special "Brian Regan: Live From Radio City Music Hall," the first live broadcast of a stand-up special in the channel's history. He has two Netflix comedy specials and stars in his own Netflix series, "Stand Up And Away! With Brian Regan."
Brett Goldstein, April 19, 20 AND 21, Kauffman Center, $121
You know him as Roy Kent from the uber-popular “Ted Lasso” series as well as maybe his Marvel cameo as Hercules. Goldstein is also creator and executive producer of the cathartic comedy Shrinking alongside Jason Segel and Bill Lawrence, which follows the AMC limited anthology series, Soulmates. He is the host of the podcast, Films To Be Buried With, which finds him in candid conversation with special guests as they discuss the films that have shaped them. Remaining tix are very limited.
Shooting Star w/ Missouri, Apr 20, Ameristar Casino, $30-$45
Hang On for your life tonight! The Midwest’s premier shoulda-been-huge classic rock band hits the casino stage for a setlist of hits and local radio favorites. Most of the original members have departed, but the new lineup injects some energy into forty-year-old songs.
SUNDAY APRIL 21
Sum 41 w/ The Interrupters Apr 21, Uptown, $55-$83
The Canadian punk pop band is out on their “last headlining world tour” in support of their highly anticipated new album Heaven x Hell, which is also set to be their last LP. The tour began March 1 in Indonesia and will wrap with a big hometown-area show at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 30, 2025.
Heaven x Hell is a double album with the Heaven side representing the band’s classic pop-punk side and the Hell side representing their more metal side. “This is the record I’d like to go out on,’” Deryck Whibley recently said. “We’ve made a double album of pop punk and metal, and it makes sense. It took a long time for us to pave this lane for ourselves, but we did, and it’s unique to us.” Arrive early for ska-punks The Interrupters, who we dig.
Smallpools w Grayscale, Beach Weather, Apr 21, Bottleneck- Lawrence,$25-$30
Los Angeles' foursome Smallpools consists of Sean (vocals/keys), Mike (guitar), Joe (bass) and Beau (drums). When asked how to describe their vibe, the band said: “Smallpools are a group of brothers with ADD working in their dad's factory on an assembly line. Everybody has their roll, but sometimes one will wander into another's department, to help or to frustrate. And every now and again everybody just stops production and plays a game of street fighter.”
We caught them live two years ago in Kansas City and they’ve recently released new single, “Motorbike (Wild Ones).” “‘Motorbike’ is a symbol of something that brings back a rush of memories from a chapter that was special but may have been forgotten. It unlocks a world you may have outgrown but is still dear to you when thinking back,” they said. On this co-headlining Night Shift Tour, The Romance and Moody Judy are support.
Alpha Wolf w Emmure, Unity TX, Chamber, April 21, Granada- Lawrence, $25-$30
.The Australian rap-core group Alpha Wolf have a new record, Half Living Things (via SharpTone Records) and dropped a new single called "Sucks 2 Suck" that features a verse from Ice-T and are out on their first-ever North American headlining tour.
Their hip-hop-inflected breakdown jams have a lot in common with Emmure and UNITYTX, and Chamber's nu-metal hardcore will certainly appeal to the fans in attendance.
MONDAY APRIL 22
TUESDAY APRIL 23
The Brother Brothers, Apr 23, Lied Center- Lawrence, $16-$30
The indie folk duo of Adam and David Moss (identical twins born and raised in Peoria, IL) have put out Cover to Cover, their third release on Compass Records, a requisite album of cover songs inspired by an inward reflection during a time of great uncertainty and creative insecurity. Friends play on the album, including Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive), Sarah Jarosz, Michaela Anne, Alison Brown, and others.
Their touring career spans international headlining, supporting runs with the likes of I’m With Her, Big Thief, Lake Street Dive and Shakey Graves, as well as key plays at NPR’s Mountain Stage, FreshGrass Festival, Folk Alliance in KC, Woodford Folk, Nelsonville Music Festival and Edmonton Folk, among others.
Trailblazing Talks with David McLain, Photographer- The Blue Zones: Unlocking the Secrets of Longevity, Apr 23, Kauffman Center, $45-$68
Interesting! Especially since Albert Lea, MN (just south of Minneapolis) is a Blue Zone city. Discover the secrets of the Blue Zones, where people around the planet regularly live vibrant and healthy lives beyond 100 years old. Photographer David McLain has spent 15 years working alongside author Dan Buettner to study the habits and rituals of centenarians in these five geographic locations: Loma Linda, CA; the Nicoya peninsula of Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece and Okinawa, Japan.
Through anecdotes and scientific research, McLain shares how adopting practices they share — oceans apart — can add eight to 10 quality years to our own lives. The Kauffman Center has curated this speaker specifically from the Changemaker Speaker Series.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 24
Brittany Howard w/ June McDoom, April 24, The Truman, $49.50-$99.50
Howard has long been known for her soulful vocals and commanding presence, as both the frontwoman of Alabama Shakes and now, as a solo artist, with second solo album, WHAT NOW (on Island Records), featuring new single, “Prove It To You.”
“‘What Now’ is maybe the truest and bluest of all the songs,” Howard said of the title track, “It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal.”
Let’s hope Howard plays the unreleased song that closed most U2 shows at The Sphere, and arrive early for June McDoom, a young FL singer-songwriter in support of last year’s “With Strings” EP.
Silversun Pickups, April 24, The Midland, $32.50-$35
We caught them live two years ago on their last time in NE Kansas, but since then, the band released Acoustic Thrills (via New Machine Recordings), an EP that features live, stripped-down, and reimagined versions of three songs off their latest album, the Butch Vig-produced Physical Thrills. The EP was performed and recorded as part of Gibson Guitars' “The Songbook” series.
Nikki Monninger of the band shares, “this was the first time we had the pleasure of collaborating with Gibson for their series. After building so many layers on the album it felt great to strip these songs down to their rawest form.”
Recent music video for "Stay Down (Way Down)" was directed by Rebekkah Drake who shares, "I decided to create this video as a fairy tale of sorts, Alice in Wonderland meets Silversun Pickups. I shot this when I went back to Kansas City last August to take care of my mom. The underwater scenes were in her backyard pool with any family member I could wrangle into working with me (thanks family)!”, so some local ties! New-ish LA alt rock band Rocket opens, in support of their “Versions of You” EP.
Caroline Rose, Apr 24, recordBar, $25
On her North American tour in support of The Art of Forgetting, out now on New West Records. The Art of Forgetting was released earlier this year to praise from the likes of The New York Times, NPR, and Document Journal, who hailed it as “a confessional, layered with personal anecdotes, Southern storytelling sensibilities, and unreserved exploration of the ever-evolving self.” We caught her just starting out back in 2016.
Ian Sweet to open, who we caught a couple years ago, headlining in Minneapolis.
Jeff Dunham (comedy) Apr 24, Cable Dahmer Arena- Independence, $60+
The longtime comic’s successes have been commemorated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as the Guinness Book of World Records for "Most tickets sold for a stand-up comedy tour.”. He and his cast of world-famous characters are out on their 2023-2024 tour, Still Not Canceled.
As a way of giving back while on tour, Dunham and his wife Audrey created the Jeff Dunham Family Fund, and through their organization, a portion of every ticket sold is given to various charities and charitable organizations.
THURSDAY APRIL 25
Alvvays w Spllit, Apr 25, The Truman, $30-$60
The Canadian indie-rock band has been in existence since 2011. and had a burst of sudden fame several years ago before inadvertently taking five years to finish their third album (the pandemic to partially blame), 2022’s Blue Rev. They would lose a rhythm section and, due to border closures, couldn’t rehearse for months with their new recruits, drummer Sheridan Riley and bassist Abbey Blackwell.
Keyboardist Kerri MacLellan joined Molly Rankin and guitarist Alec O’Hanley to write more on their last album, reinforcing the band’s collective quest to break patterns heard on their first two albums.
The results seemed to have please the band and their fans alike, who are happy to see them again on the road. We were surprised to find we haven’t seen them live since 2017, so are overdue, as are maybe you.
Spllit, a Baton Rouge art-punk duo is slated to open, listing Captain Beefheart, the Fall, Deerhoof, and the Raincoats as inspirations, and are out in support of 2023’s Infinite Hatch.
Taylor Acorn, Apr 25, recordBar, $20
Out on the mostly sold-out Good Enough Tour, the pop-punk powerhouse has released a new single, “Greener just last week. It’s a vibrant track about the realization that things can be so much better than ever imagined. The intent of this track is to be a follow-up and juxtaposition to Taylor’s previous single, “Gray” from her Certified Depressant EP.
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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