W♥M

We♥KC! March 16-21, 2023 Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

Read More Planet Comicon Crowds in the thousands flocked to Bartle Hall in downtown Kansas City over the weekend to attend the three-day Planet Comicon Kansas City, the region’s largest and longest-running comic and pop …

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Faith and Begorrah! it’s St. Pat’s weekend, and there’s no shortage of concerts and cultural events in the metro to celebrate...anything, really.

You know you’re getting old when a bevy of 1990’s/00’s R&B acts are out on reunion tour packages, as evidenced by a couple shows playing here this week... anyway…

The big show of the week is Blake Shelton at T-Mobile, riding high on his last season of The Voice and he’s bringing along the talented Carly Pearce and newcomer Jackson Dean for a solid night of new country. And Pop Culture fans rejoice- Planet Comicon Kansas City is on all weekend downtown!

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from March 16th-21st.

THURSDAY MARCH 16

Colony House w little image, The Truman. $28-$42

The Franklin, TN quartet is out on tour in support of new record, The Cannonballers. Led by the Chapman brothers, we caught the Christian-leaning indie band back in 2015 and the tour kicked off last month, stopping in Minneapolis the night before this KC date, as well.

Arrive early for Dallas trio little image, who has a new single, "Ballet" out now, ahead of a self-titled debut due out on May 12th.

Blushing, Pale Dian, Seashine, Lake Love, miniBar, $10

Blushing is an Austin, TX based dreampop / shoegaze quartet comprised of two husband and wife pairs that share a love of making melodic and atmospheric music. The band formed in summer 2015 when after a few years of writing songs Michelle found a musical partner in friend Christina who brought her classical vocal training and bass playing to the project, and also found a fan in Lush’s Miki Berenyi when they covered one of that band’s songs. Tiny venue, low-dough show, ‘Nuff said!

FRIDAY MARCH 17

Planet Comicon Kansas City, Bartle Hall, Mar 17-19 $10.99 (youth)- $230.99

Since 1999, Planet Comicon Kansas City has served as the Midwest’s largest comic book and pop culture gathering featuring a convention center’s worth of exhibits, comic and pop culture vendors, and numerous celebrities and creators. Attend in cosplay of your favorite character and enter the costume contest for pride and prizes. The associated fantasy-themed Fae Ball on March 17 is long sold-out, but there are plenty of after-hours and additional activities, in addition to full days on the convention floor.

This year’s guests include William Shatner, Richard Dreyfuss, Giancarlo Esposito, Cassandra Peterson, and Rachael Leigh Cook, among many others. Comic creators include legendary names like Jim Steranko and Roy Thomas, in addition to newer talent and local favorites. Children under 8 can attend for free and certain discounts are available when booking in advance, online.

Skillet, Theory of a Deadman, Saint Asonia, The Midland, $29.75-$59.75

Canadian rockers Theory of a Deadman and Christian rock band Skillet have embarked on a co-headlining North American tour with support from Saint Asonia dubbed “Rock Resurrection Tour,” that runs through March. Theory has a new single with full album forthcoming, Skillet is touring behind their 2022 release, Dominion, and Saint Asonia released two EPs, Introvert and Extrovert last year.

“We’re super stoked to be touring with our good friends in Skillet and Saint Asonia this winter,” Theory of a Deadman front man Tyler Connolly said in a statement. “We’re also really looking forward to playing new material for our fans!”

“We are so excited to be touring with our friends from Theory again!” Skillet vocalist John Cooper added. “We are looking forward to kicking off 2023 the right way by joining forces for a super-charged rock show! Panheads get ready!”

SATURDAY MARCH 18

Blake Shelton with Carly Pearce and Jackson Dean, T-Mobile Center. $59-$249

The Voice coach (for the final season, as he’s reminding everyone!) is also on the road on his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour which runs through the end of the month with solid support from ACM Female Artist of the Year Carly Pearce and Jackson Dean. We caught Pearce last summer with Kenny Chesney at Arrowhead, and thought she was one of the true highlights of the multi-act day. Pearce releases a live album on March 24^th and shhh, she might just duet with Blake mid-set.

For the tour, Shelton has also partnered with Propeller and Save The Music. In partnership with digital marketing and social impact platform, Shelton helps support the work of Save The Music, a non-profit organization that helps students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. “Music is the greatest healer, and I know my fans will be just as excited as I am to work together to give the gift of music to as many children across the country as possible.”

Shooting Star, 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.

"Last Chance" and "Hang on for Your Life." Keeping it local and old school, Missouri, another classic area rock band will also be taking the stage to make this a fun and nostalgic evening.

Indigo Girls with the Kansas City Symphony, Kauffman Center, $63.50-$83.5

Featuring Gonzalo Farias and David T. Beals III Associate Conductor--

Known for their folk-rock music, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, the two halves of the dynamic duo, bring their captivating music performing with the Kansas City Symphony. Celebrating their successful four-decade-long career, the program features hits like “Galileo,” “Kid Fears,” “Closer to Fine,” and “Making Promises.” We caught the pair live outdoors in 2015. Low (if any) ticket alert.

Donell Jones, H-Town and Changing Faces, Midland. $40-$125

Throwback Time One! Donell Jones is most notable for the hits "U Know What's Up", "Where I Wanna Be", and his cover of Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet". Jones' first studio album My Heart, was released in 1996, but he is best known for his late 1990s release of his second album Where I Wanna Be. Album 100% Free came out on digital (and free on his website) in Feb 2021.

Slushii, Aura. $25

aka Julian Scanlan, Slushii is a LA-based DJ, singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for working with artists like Marshmello, Ookay and Jauz, with latest release being last year’s A Slushii Summer.

SUNDAY MARCH 19

Winterlude: KC Jazz Disciples, Polsky Theatre. $17-$35 ($5 students)

Five musicians blend into the trademark KC jazz sound while bringing their unique touch, led by saxophonist Gerald Dunn. Pianist Everett Freeman has toured with Oleta Adams and drummer Michael Warren is a seasoned local talent, having worked with almost everybody. Bassist DeAndre Manning completes the lineup and for this performance, the ensemble will be joined by special guest trumpeter Danny Campbell.

Rewind Tour featuring Bow Wow, Pleasure P, Bobby V. Trina and more, Cable Dahmer Arena. $63-$354

Throwback Time Two! No longer “Lil’” the now-35yr-old Bow Wow is a rapper and actor whose career began after being discovered by Snoop Dogg in the late ‘90s, signed to So So Def Recordings and under the tutelage of Jermaine Dupri, he released his first album at age 13 in 2000.

MONDAY MARCH 20

TUESDAY MARCH 21

Jake Wesley Rogers, The Madrid, $25

The eccentric and innovative pop artist is out on the Peace, Love & Pluto Tour, which is the first as a headliner. The genre-blurring hit maker has a new six-song EP, LOVE, a collection of audacious and heartfelt pop anthems, the set showcases his bluesy bravado on hits like "Dark Bird" and "Lavender Forever" as well as two new tracks, "Call It Love" and "My Mistake."

Last Fall, he opened for Panic! At The Disco during their Viva Las Vengeance Tour, which played mostly arenas and allowed more fans than ever, to be exposed to Rogers’ unique talents. A show at the relatively small Madrid, this one looks special (and is worth overcoming road construction and bad parking options).

We Three, recordBar, $25

Springing forth from Season 13 of America's Got Talent, the Portland, OR pop group has a new record, In Therapy, just out last Friday. Joshua, Bethany and Manny make up the Humlie trio, who have aptly named themselves We Three. Since their debut album in 2018, they’ve had over 200+ million song streams, over a million TikTok followers, and thousands of followers on social media.

Hamilton (musical), Mar 21-Apr 2, Music Hall, $69+

PNC Broadway in Kansas City continues with its most popular and longest-run (here for two weeks!) show of the season! We all know Hamilton by now- the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a unique score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton is told like never before and has created a lasting cultural moment in the process.

With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. The Disney+ Special is great, but you haven’t seen Hamilton until you’ve seen it live and on-stage!

Nonpoint, Bottleneck. $25

Out on a month-long leg of their Emerald Cities Tour 2023 the trek features support from BLACKTOP MOJO and SUMO CYCO. Says the band, "Follow the Yellow Brick Road and let the epic sounds of these amazing bands guide you on an unforgettable adventure through this all-immersive experience." 

Clan of Xymox, BLVD Nights, $25 (ticket link)

After a few necessary re-schedules, the legendary and longtime Dutch band (still led by Ronny Moorings) are finally back on the road again hosting an evening of goth electro-darkness. Limbo was released in 2021 but expect of classic tracks dating all the way back to their 1985 self-titled debut album. The tour is a rare US appearance so shouldn’t be missed, and the intimate confines of this Westport venue, make it more compelling to witness the spectacle in-person.

Bellwether Syndicate, Discord, and Monta as support, for a full night of darkwave goodness.

john c (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥KC! February 8-14, 2023 Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

Read More Country Stampede Country Stampede at the Heartland is an outdoor music festival featuring country music stars, camping, and more in Topeka, Kansas at Heartland Motorsports Park, held annually since 1996. …

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Ahh, the month of love!

KC is showing some love to live shows as well, with a handful this week that are sold-out, and it looks like a busy week at recordBar, The Uptown, and in Lawrence-- get out and see something live while those temps remain mild.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/Lawrence KS metro musical happenings through the end of the month- February 8th-14th.

WEDNESDAY FEB 8

My Fair Lady (musical), Kauffman Center, $56.50-$121.50

(Continues through Feb 12- look for our review of opening night soon!)  From Lincoln Center Theater (who brought The King & I and South Pacific), comes the Lerner & Loewe classic. Director Bartlett Sher’s production boasts classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” and “On the Street Where You Live,” it tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a professor determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.”

Garrison Keillor and Company (comedy/spoken word), Uptown, $39-$69

An evening of stand-up, storytelling, audience song, and poetry starring Garrison Keillor and featuring pianist Dan Chouinard, vocalist Prudence Johnson and musician Dean Magraw.

There are sung sonnets, limericks and musical jokes, and the thread that runs through it is the beauty of growing old. There is the News from Lake Wobegon, a town booming with new entrepreneurs, makers of artisanal firewood and gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do childcare. Minnesotans and beyond have been enraptured by this world of small-town humor.

Magic City Hippies w Capyac, recordBar SOLD OUT

Miami alt-pop psych-funk party starters are back on tour in support of third album Water Your Garden. We saw them open for Hippo Campus in Mar 2017 on their first-ever national tour, knowing bigger things were to come...and were right. 

THURSDAY FEB 9

Alastair Greene, Knuckleheads,$10

A night of blues rock from a member of the Alan Parsons Live Project from 2010 to 2017, Greene would go on to play with Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and Sugaray Rayford Band, as well as his own band. Greene formed his own Alastair Greene Band in 1997 and subsequently released eight albums, including two live sets and a compilation record, over nearly 20 years. Howard Mahan to open.

FRIDAY FEB 10

Ian Munsick w Ashland Craft, Ned LaDoux, Liberty Hall-Lawrence, SOLD OUT

One of the true highlights of last summer’s Country Stampede Festival was seeing this Wyoming native live, who is currently out on his mostly sold-out Long Live Cowgirls Tour and as well as the local date, is headlining the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the first time.

The tour, named after the song, that has garnered over 74.5 million global streams to date and topped SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown, compliments the news of Munsick’s sophomore LP White Buffalo, due April 7th (on Warner Music Nashville). The album is an ode to the wild landscapes and complex characters of Munsick’s Wyoming, including a real-life glimpse of the bond between Native American and cowboy culture.

Ashland Craft and maybe fellow WY native (and son of legend Chris LeDoux), Ned LeDoux opens as support (scheduled, though we don't see his name listed on the venue's website).  

Chapel Hart w Lucas Hoge, Feb 10, Uptown, $25-$125

The Poplarville country music trio featuring sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart and cousin Trea Swindle is out on their Glory Days Tour as they release new music, which includes a song of the same name."This single is so exciting for us because we are currently living in our ‘Glory Days,'" the group said in a news release. "The beauty of it all is that there are some folks who've been where we are, there are some who are in it with us, and there are some who haven’t made it there yet.”

Shlump, Encore at Uptown, $25

Dubstep DJ / producer spins on his Alien Trip Tour

 

 

David Lowery, Knuckleheads, $20

What the world needs now…is a mathematician, writer, musician, producer and serial entrepreneur based in Richmond, VA and Athens, GA. While studying mathematics and computers at the UC-Santa Cruz in the early 1980’s, Lowery founded the critically acclaimed ensemble Camper Van Beethoven and associated record label Pitch-a-Tent Records, helping jump start the modern Indie Rock movement and would later go on to even further success with band Cracker. The one-man show will be an intimate look into early indie.

(Note- Fall 2022 date in Lawrence, KS was previously postponed and is now taking place the night before at Lawrence Arts Center, free)

SATURDAY FEB 11

Voices of Mississippi feat Ruthie Foster, JCCC- Midwest Trust Center, $25+

More than a concert – a unique entertaining and informative Blues and Roots event!  "Voices of Mississippi” is a new multimedia event that celebrates the music, art and storytelling traditions of the people of Mississippi, based on the 2019 double Grammy Award–winning source. The program features live musical performances integrated with film, audio recordings and rare photographs by folklorist William “Bill” Ferris, who will also serve as host.

The show features musicians Ruthie Foster and Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, Sharde Thomas and Chris Mallory, all of whom have deep ties to Mississippi. With an array of photos, film clips, stories and live music, “Voices of Mississippi” paints a powerful picture of a time and place that remains an essential piece of the American cultural fabric.

Adam Sandler, T-Mobile Center, $34.50-$164.50

The Sandman is back to his stand-up roots (though on an arena stage) promising a special surprise guest and at each show, Sandler pays his respects to his former “Saturday Night Live” cast mate Chris Farley with his original song “Farley.”

The tour leads up to Sandler set to receiving the 24th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor next month. Some who have received the award in recent years include Tina Fey, Jon Stewart, Richard Pryor, Will Ferrell and Carl Reiner.

SUNDAY FEB 12

Super Bowl LVII- Go Chiefs!

MONDAY FEB 13

We Came as Romans, Granada-Lawrence, $25-$28

Out on their Darkbloom U.S. Headline Tour, a 24-date run with support from ERRA and Brand of Sacrifice. Guitarist Joshua Moore commented, "We're stoked to announce we'll be hitting the road again on the Darkbloom headliner! — get ready for a heavy show! We're excited to be able to play a ton of new songs for our fans, we're so grateful for your support over the last four years!"

Oliver Hazard w The 502s, recordBar, $14

Oliver Hazard is an indie-folk band from Waterville, OH whose sound is self-described as a “ramshackle of uprooted folk-stomp,” though band member Mike Belazis says he would consider adding the word “melodious.” The project of musicians Mike, Devin East, and Griffin McCulloch. They’re big enough in their hometown, they even have their own summer festival.

FL Tik Tok sensations The 502s are a sextet comprised of cousins Ed and Jake Isola, who grew up across the street from one another (in house number 502!), and also features kindergarten friends Matt Tonner and Joe Capati, plus Sean Froehlich and Nick Melashenko who joined the gang when they all met at college together.

Blue Man Group, Feb 13, 14, Lied Center- Lawrence,$21-$60

Celebrate with a loved one with a show with a show everyone should see at least once! More than 50 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon. It’s everything you know and love—signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity and comedy—the men are still blue, but the rest is all new! Featuring original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction, and more.

TUESDAY FEB 14

Eleri Ward, recordBar,$20

The singer/songwriter will perform selections from her new album Keep A Tender Distance (via Ghostlight Records). The album is an introspective folk guitar exploration of Stephen Sondheim's musical theater canon and is the follow-up to A Perfect Little Death, her viral hit debut take on the Sondheim catalog. We caught her live last July with Josh Groban and came away very impressed.

john c (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥KC- July 26-31, 2022 Upcoming Shows (Kansas City / Lawrence KS)

Read More country music Get out your cowboy boots and hats, as apparently, Minneapolis/St. Paul is a hotbed for country music. Garth Brooks has just started his record setting 11-show at Target Center, ...

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The heat finally lets up for the week, and though the month ends on a slightly slower note, the biggest splash is clearly George Strait headlining GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

This has been a banner month locally for country music, beginning with Kenny Chesney, then Country Stampede for three days in Topeka, and ending with a bang! Strait has so many Number One songs (61 and counting), he can’t play them all and is only performing in KC, Fort Worth, and Las Vegas, so it’s a rare chance!

Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City/Lawrence, KS metro July 26^th – 31^st

(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)

Tuesday July 26

SoMo, The Bottleneck, $25-$249

Texas singer-songwriter is out in support of his fifth full length, last year’s The Duality of Man but also just released a couple of new singles, “Overflow” and “Petals”. He initially broke out via YouTube with R&B covers of Chris Brown and The Weeknd and is known for a pop/soul style. North Carolina’s Dylan Church is aka MoonLander and set to open.

Wednesday July 27

The Shins w Joseph, Arvest Bank at The Midland, $29.99-$69.99

James Mercer and band are back out on the road to celebrate the 21^st anniversary of their seminal debut album, Oh, Inverted World, performing it in its entirety. The second half of the show is filled with songs from the last twenty years, and with their last album being 2017’s Heartworms, we have to believe new music is cooking on their stove to be served at some point.

Arrive early for Portland sister act Joseph who we caught most recently headlining back in 2017 and were in Kansas City back in March at The Madrid. In addition to their Good Luck, Kid album, they’ve put out a pair called Trio Sessions as well.

Little Feat w Andy McKee, Uptown. $39-$264

The longtime band returns on the 45^th anniversary of their legendary 1978 live album, Waiting for Columbus, which they will play live in its entirety.  Bonus is Topeka-born fingerstyle guitar player Andy McKee is set to open.

Deana Carter, Knuckleheads, $35-$55

Celebrating the 25^th anniversary of her breakout country album, Did I Shave My Legs for This? and its smash first single, “Strawberry Wine”.

Thursday July 28

Tracy Lawrence, Power & Light District, Free!

The Texas country singer-songwriter had his best success in the 1990’s but has been putting out new music ever since, including a three-volume set called Hindsight 2020. This is a complimentary chance to hear that new music and old favorites, in the heart of downtown.

Andrew Dice Clay, July 28-30, Comedy Club of KC, $78-$100

The Dice Man cometh (but not for cheap)! You may have recently caught him in a supporting role on the Hulu mini-series Pam & Tommy, but he’s also returned to his stand-up roots and there are three nights to catch his act live.

Friday July 29

Steve Earle and The Dukes, Knuckleheads, $37.50-$57.50

The legendary three-time GRAMMY winner returns to a local stage and recently released Jerry Jeff, an album tribute to Mr. Walker, as well as he and the Dukes cover single of “Mr. Bojangles”. You might hear a Grateful Dead and/or The Band cover as well, in addition to “Copperhead Road” and other hits.

Quiet Riot, Ameristar, $32-$120

Bang Your Head! You, like us, may be wondering who’s in the band at the moment, but a quick look up shows a solid lineup for your metal health- Rudy Sarzo– bass; Alex Grossi– guitars; Jizzy Pearl– vocals; Johnny Kelly– drums. Sarzo is the classic bassist for the group and beyond (remember his great Whitesnake run?) and vocalist Pearl is best known for previous band Love/Hate and also previously sang with L.A. Guns and Ratt (...believe it or not).

 

 

Saturday July 30

George Strait with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, Arrowhead Stadium. $185-$2,345

There’s Country Music and then there’s Strait Country-- the King basically re-wrote the book on things with his several decades of hits and has taken a sizable step back from regular touring, with only five dates on his schedule for 2022, so this is a rare chance to see the legend playing Arrowhead for the first time since 2001!

Legend in the making Chris Stapleton has already earned eight GRAMMYS, 10 ACM and 14 CMA Awards, and was also named the ACM's Artist-Songwriter of the Decade, with his fourth studio album, Starting Over reigning as Country Album of the Year.

Little Big Town returns soon with new album Mr. Sun (due out Sept 16) with lead single, “Rich Man” already hitting airwaves. Expect to hear the quartet singing some new songs alongside hits like “Tornado” “Day Drinking” and “Girl Crush” and “Pontoon”, mmm, motorboatin’!

Young rising Texas singer-songwriter Parker McCollum (supporting debut full length Gold Chain Cowboy) has been added to the bill as well, to open the long evening of entertainment.

Big Time Rush, T-Mobile Center. $29.95-$299.95

Since re-convening in 2021, they’re “Not Giving You Up” on their Forever Tour and the LA pop boy band has managed to retain as well as grow their fan base, since beginning back in 2009. This first proper arena tour since their comeback promises to be hit-filled, including songs like “Boyfriend”.

Rising pop/R&B singer-songwriter Spencer Sutherland is tapped to open.

Tiny Moving Parts w In Her Own Words, This Wild Life, Granada Theater-Lawrence, $22-$25

The pride of Benson, MN, the indie-emo band (two brothers, one cousin) has a new self-titled and self-released album just out and has developed quite a Midwest following. In Her Own Words is pop/punk/emo from LA and This Wild Life is a Long Beach acoustic rock duo composed of two drummers.

Celebration of Life Concert for Kris Schnebelen of Trampled Under Foot with Nick Schnebelen, Danielle Nicole and more Knuckleheads. $25-$40

Tribute celebration to a local musical hero that includes speaking prior to the show and an all-star jam at the end with musical guests including “Coyote” Bill Bartlet, Dust Devil Choir, Daniel Nicole, Nick Schnebelen, Brandon Miller and more. Livestream option also available.

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Country Stampede at the Heartland (SATURDAY) at Heartland Park, Topeka, KS (2022-07-16)

KID ROCK SETLIST intro music: Bad Mother F*cker/Don't Stop Believin' Devil Without a Cause You Never Met a Motherf*cker Quite Like Me American Bad Ass Cocky All Summer Long First Kiss Cowboy Wasting Time Bad Reputation Picture (duet with Kat Perkins) medley: 3 Sheets to the Wind (What's My Name) / DJ scratching / Your Love (The Outfield cover) / blues guitar solo / Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent cover) / Superstition (Stevie Wonder cover) Rock n Roll Jesus Only God Knows Why Born Free We the People Bawitdaba outro music: Never Enough BIG AND RICH SETLIST Rollin' (The Ballad of Big & Rich) Comin' to Your City Wild West Show Look at You Lost in This Moment 8th of November God Bless America I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover) I Play Chicken with the Train (Cowboy Troy song) medley - Make Me Wanna (Thomas Rhett cover) > Cake by the Ocean (DNCE cover) > Tubthumping (Chumbawumba cover) > Livin’ in America (James Brown cover) > Hit Me with Your Best Shot (Pat Benetar cover) > American Pie (Don McLean cover) Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) > medley: Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles snippet) > Back in Black (AC/DC snippet) > Country Girl (Luke Bryan snippet) > Baby Got Back (Sir Mix-a-Lot cover) > Give It Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers snippet) > Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars snippet) > Jump Around (House of Pain snippet) Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) reprise CHRIS LANE SETLIST (opening music- Bright Lights – The Weeknd cover) Fix Take Back Home Girl (song w/Tori Kelly) Let Me Love You Tequila on a Boat (w/Dustin Lynch song) medley snippets – Where the Party At? (Jagged Edge cover) > This is How We Do It (Montell Jordan cover) > Party Up (DMX cover) > Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks cover) Broken Windshield View Big, Big Plans Dancin’ in the Moonlight (King Harvest cover, w/Lauren Alaina song) For Her Small Town on It (sung with brother Cory, w/Scotty McCreery song) ‘90’s medley - Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Toby Keith cover) >Watermelon Crawl (Tracy Byrd cover) > Boot Scootin’ Boogie (Brooks and Dunn cover) >Chattahootchee (Alan Jackson cover) > Dust on the Bottle (David Lee Murphy cover) > Check Yes or No (George Strait cover) > Ride Wit’ Me (Nelly cover) I Don't Know About You RUNAWAY JUNE SETLIST Lipstick Forgot About That Broken Hearts (live debut) Wild Hearts (Keith Urban cover) Wild West Fast as You (Dwight Yoakam cover) Trouble with This Town Girls Medley - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper cover) / I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston cover) / American Girl (Tom Petty cover) T-Shirt Magic Man (Heart cover) snippet intro/ You’re No Good (Dee Dee Warwick / Linda Ronstadt cover) Nothing Like You (live debut) Fine Wine (new song) The Devil Went Down to Georgia (The Charlie Daniels Band cover) My Own Drinks DRAKE WHITE SETLIST American Thunder Pawn Shop Rings and Double Wide Dreams Hard to Handle (Otis Redding /Black Crowes cover) It Feels Good Hurts the Healing / I Won't Back Down (Tom Petty cover) Power of a Woman Makin' Me Look Good Again Mix 'Em with Whiskey Story Heartbeat > Use Somebody (Kings of Leon cover) Livin' the Dream Alive (Pearl Jam cover) 50 Years Too Late > A Country Boy Can Survive (Hank Williams Jr. cover)

Country Stampede at the Heartland is an outdoor music festival featuring country music stars, camping, and more in Topeka, Kansas at Heartland Motorsports Park, held annually since 1996. Due to flooding concerns, the event moved from Manhattan, KS to its current location in 2019.

Our coverage of Thursday can be found here:

Our coverage of Friday can be found here:

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The festival’s final day began under the threat of storms, moved back to extreme sunny heat, then returned to very brief rain, before the night would end. Musically, things were a bit diverse as well, going from more traditional country to full-on rock/rap.

Alabama native and singer-songwriter Drake White opened the afternoon with an hour-long set on the second stage, in support of March full-length The Optimystic , in part inspired by not only the collective health lockdown, but the stroke he suffered on stage a year prior. He and band The Big Fire played originals as well as working in a few covers, including an appropriate one from Pearl Jam.

Trio Runaway June has just completed recording new music and this stop gave the opportunity to hear some of the new songs, including two played live for the first time ever. A girl-centric cover medley got the females dancing, new vocalist/guitarist Stevie Woodward showed off her skills on the harmonica as well, and their version of a Charlie Daniels Band classic, found fiddle-playing (and Opry Live host) Natalie Stovall defying gravity as she arched back playing in hyper speed.

North Carolina’s Chris Lane was the first act on the main stage and engaged the audience more directly than anyone over the weekend, stopping his set to pit the left side vs. right side in terms of crowd noise, played two long medleys of familiar sing-along hits, and even jumped off the runway to race into the crowd for high-fives and hugs. Lane’s band includes his twin brother Cory on drums, who both sang on their hit, “Small Town on It”.

As usual, Big and Rich featuring Cowboy Troy brought the party along with them, on their Peace, Love, & Happy Tour, drawing from over two decades of hits, as well as working in some familiar covers. We last caught them in an intimate acoustic promo performance in 2015 at a downtown Minneapolis club. 

A tradition at all their shows, the band brought up several military veterans on stage to have a drink and toast from their makeshift bar, with Runaway June members pouring the shots, and the band had good fun, goading their Italian guitarist into playing a few classic rock riffs.

The always controversial Kid Rock would close the festival, with a hardworking, mostly music-does-the-talking ninety-minute set that both brought the rain, and then swiftly chased it away. The new album is his twelfth studio release, Bad Reputation on his own Top Dog Records and the set was a no-holds barred in-your-face rock/rap/country extravaganza.

As with most shows, we saw the musical dexterity of aka Bob Ritchie, as he played sax, blues guitar, drums, and also did some turntable scratching.

For the ballad hit, “Picture”, band member and The Voice alumnus Kat Perkins (who we’re familiar with from our Twin Cities base) helped sing it as a duet, and we were surprised to connect how much his 1998 hit, “Cowboy” sounds so similar to many contemporary Country songs.

The encore began with a taped intro from our 45^th President, which then segued into his lyrically incendiary “We the People” and the show ended with “Bawitdaba”, a twenty-five-year-old classic that still packs a massive sonic punch.

Note that Professional Photography was Not Allowed by Kid Rock’s management. (His name was not allowed to be mentioned on-stage in the intro either, so go figure...)

Country Stampede is set to return in July 2023, with scheduled headliners: Thursday- Hardy  Friday- Lee Brice  Saturday: Cory Johnson.

KID ROCK TOUR DATES

JULY 22 NORTH DAKOTA STATE FAIR Minot, ND

JULY 27 CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS RODEO Cheyenne, WY

AUG 02 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FAIR Davenport, IA

AUG 05 BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER Cuyahoga Falls, OH

AUG 06 THE PAVILION AT STAR LAKE Burgettstown, PA

AUG 12 RUOFF MUSIC CENTER Nobelsville, IN

AUG 17 RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER Cincinnati, OH

AUG 19 HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE Tinley Park, IL

AUG 20 HOLLYWOOD CASINO AMPHITHEATRE Maryland Heights, MO

AUG 24 XFINITY CENTER Mansfield, MA

AUG 26 JIFFY LUBE LIVE Bristow, VA

AUG 27 PNC BANK ARTS CENTER Holmdel, NJ

SEPT 3 SOARING EAGLE CASINO & RESORT Mount Pleasant, MI

SEPT 4 SOARING EAGLE RESORT & CASINO Mount Pleasant, MI

SEPT 16 PINE KNOB MUSIC THEATRE Clarkston, MI

SEPT 17 PINE KNOB MUSIC THEATRE Clarkston, MI

SEPT 30 TOYOTA AMPHITHEATRE Wheatland, CA

OCT 1 GLEN HELEN AMPHITHEATER San Bernardino, CA

OCT 7 NUGGET EVENT CENTER Reno-Sparks, NV

OCT 8 LAUGHLIN EVENT CENTER Laughlin, NV

BIG AND RICH TOUR DATES

23 Jul West Union, IA Fayette County Fair

04 Aug Deadwood, SD Outlaw Square

05 Aug Grandstand Rifle, CO Garfield County Fair

06 Aug Woodstock, IL McHenry County Fair

11 Aug West Fargo, ND Lights Amphitheater

12 Aug Hinckley, MN Hinckley Amphitheater

19 Aug Lynden, WA Northwest Washington Fair

20 Aug Longview, WA Cowlitz County Fairgrounds

30 Aug Syracuse, NY Chevy Court Concerts

02 Sep Reno, NV Atlantis Hotel Casino

16 Sep Sioux City, IA Tyson Events Center

17 Sep Fort Dodge, IA Central Plaza

 

CHRIS LANE TOUR DATES

JUL 21 - JUL 23 Country Jam Eau Claire, WI

JUL 28 Waterside District Norfolk, VA

JUL 29 Power Plant Live! Baltimore, MD

AUG 5 Seward County Fair Seward, NE

AUG 10 Jenks Club Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

AUG 11 Cape Cod Melody Tent Barnstable, MA

AUG 12 Bold Point Park East Providence, RI

AUG 13 R10 Venue Long Creek, NB

AUG 14 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH

SEP 10 Waterfront Park San Diego, CA

SEP 16 Central Park Plaza Valparaiso, IN

SEP 17 Splash into Country – Rise Up McHenry, IL

OCT 1 AvidXchange Music Factory Charlotte, NC

OCT 8 The Big Red Barn Retreat Columbia, SC

OCT 14 Boots In The Park Bakersfield, CA

OCT 15 Boots In The Park Santa Clarita, CA

DEC 1 Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, Canada

DEC 2 Centre Bell Montreal, QC

DEC 3 Budweiser Gardens London, ON

DEC 4 Scotiabank Arena Toronto, ON

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

DRAKE WHITE

DRAKE WHITE

DRAKE WHITE

DRAKE WHITE

RUNAWAY JUNE

RUNAWAY JUNE

RUNAWAY JUNE

RUNAWAY JUNE

RUNAWAY JUNE

CHRIS LANE

CHRIS LANE

CHRIS LANE

CHRIS LANE

BIG AND RICH

BIG AND RICH

BIG AND RICH

BIG AND RICH

BIG AND RICH

BIG AND RICH

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Country Stampede at the Heartland (FRIDAY) at Heartland Park, Topeka, KS (2022-07-15)

JAKE OWEN SETLIST Best Thing Since Backroads The One That Got Away Days of Gold Homemade American Country Love Song Up There, Down Here Beachin' Down to the Honkytonk Alone with You East Bound and Down (Jerry Reed cover) Yee Haw Eight Second Ride Anywhere With You I Was Jack (You Were Diane) encore: Made for You Barefoot Blue Jean Night LOCASH SETLIST Things We Love (new song) One Big Country Song In the Woods I Know Somebody You Gonna Fly (Keith Urban song) Ring on Every Finger Sleep with You I Want It That Way (Backstreet Boys cover) Sippin' Sunsets Pour Some Sugar on Me (Def Leppard cover)> Truck Yeah (Tim McGraw song) Chillionaire medley - Dust on the Bottle (David Lee Murphy cover)> Pickup Man (Joe Diffie cover)> Your Love (The Outfield cover)> Summer of '69 (Bryan Adams cover)> Stacy's Mom (Fountains of Wayne cover) I Love this Life Don't Stop Believin' (Journey cover)   CRAIG MORGAN SETLIST Sticks Redneck Yacht Club I Got You This Ain't Nothin' Little Bit of Life That What I Love About Sunday Love Remembers This Ol' Boy I'll Be Your Soldier (Gavin DeGraw cover) Almost Home How You Make a Man (new song) Wake Up Loving You / Hey Jude (Beatles cover snippet) More Trucks than Cars International Harvester Bonfire   IAN MUNSICK SETLIST Coming Home to You Humble When I Come Home to You Neon Bright Side Solo More than Me (new song) Long Live Cowgirls (w/ Cody Johnson song) Cowboy Killer / band intros I Want You Back (Jackson 5 cover) Long Haul I See Country Me Against the Mountain Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) Horses are Faster

Country Stampede at the Heartland is an outdoor music festival featuring country music stars, camping, and more in Topeka, Kansas at Heartland Motorsports Park, held annually since 1996. Due to flooding concerns, the event moved to its current location from Manhattan, KS in 2019.

Our coverage of Thursday can be found here:

===

The heat index remained in the triple-digits for Day 2, but a warm breeze helped temper things somewhat. The action on stage and plentiful food and beverage options kept the party in the heartland going

Lubbock, TX modern traditionalist Randall King opened the day in support of his album, Shot Glass and may be one of those names to watch and can say you saw him when.

Wyoming native Ian Munsick would follow, with a spirited and solid set and confident stage demeanor, making him a name to remember. He peppered in a couple of covers- The Jackson 5 song showed off his falsetto and ability to hold a high note, and the Fleetwood Mac cover of “Dreams” was laid back and easy going.

Craig Morgan showed off what it means to have longevity and be a still-relevant veteran of the industry. Always led by faith, family, and country, he mentioned his upcoming memoir due out in September and gave the crowd a live preview of his upcoming single to country radio, his first in five years.

The Maryland/Indiana duo Locash (stylized as LOCASH) dutifully got the crowd in more of a festive spirit, in support of their latest EP, Woods & Water, out at the end of last year. In addition to their own hits like “I Love this Life”, there was a jukebox medley which took a half-dozen familiar covers, to get the crowd dancing.

Florida native Jake Owen closed the night, in support of latest full-length, Greetings from... Jake, his first on the Big Loud label, after leaving RCA. Newer songs like “Down to the Honkytonk” and the Mellencamp-sampled, “I Was Jack (You Were Diane)” fit in well alongside older classics like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and his first breakout single, “Yee Haw”.

JAKE OWEN TOUR DATES

Jul 21 KEGS Canalside Jordan, NY

Jul 22 Faster Horses Brooklyn, MI

Jul 23 Citizens Banks Park Philadelphia, PA

Jul 24 Stone Pony Summer Stage Asbury Park, NJ

Jul 31 Watershed Festival George, WA

Aug 12 The Fruit Yard Modesto, CA

Aug 13 Tailgate Fest Fontana, CA

Aug 14 Vina Robles Amphitheatre Paso Robles, CA

Aug 20 Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas

Aug 24 Bash on the Bay Put-in-Bay, OH

Aug 26 The Mill Terre Haute, IN

Aug 27 Country in the Burg Cedarburg, WI

Sep 1 Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater Decatur, IL

Sep 2 Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA

Sep 3 Long Island Community Hospital Amph Farmingville, NY

Sep 4 Leader Bank Pavilion Boston, MA

Sep 15 Freeman Arts Pavilion Selbyville, DE

Sep 16 After Hours Concerts Doswell, VA

Sep 17 Annapolis City Dock Annapolis, MD

Sep 22 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH

Sep 23 Bold Point Park East Providence, RI

Sep 29 Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre Youngstown, OH

Sep 30 The Amp at Dant Crossing Gethsemane, KY

Oct 1 City of Buford Fall Concert Buford, GA

Oct 13 Rosemont Theater Rosemont, IL

Oct 14 Family Arena St. Charles, MO

Oct 15 West Plains Civic Center West Plains, MO

Oct 20 Mayo Clinic Health Center Mankato, MN

Oct 21 Viaero Event Center Kearney, NE

Oct 22 Bridge View Center Ottumwa, IA

Nov 3 Maverik Center West Valley, UT

Nov 4 Budweiser Events Center Loveland, CO

Nov 5 United Wireless Arena Dodge City, KS

Nov 10 Sports Center Owensboro, KY

Nov 12 The Caverns Pelham, TN

LOCASH TOUR DATES

JJUL 16 SeaWorld Concert Series San Diego, CA
JUL 22 Mattoon Bagelfest Mattoon, IL
JUL 23 Fayette County Fairgrounds West Union, IA
JUL 24 Grand Ole Opry House Nashville, TN
JUL 29 THE FESTIVAL AT SANDPOINT @ MEMORIAL FIELD Sandpoint, ID
JUL 30 Rivers Run Event Center Arlington, WA
JUL 31 Watershed Festival Quincy, WA
AUG 8 Shade Valley Camp Resort Sturgis, SD
AUG 13 Rock the Box 2 Orange Park, FL
AUG 20 BLVD PUB AND GRUB Sterling, IL
AUG 28 The Long Road Festival Lutterworth, UK
SEP 9 Osage Casino Tulsa, OK
SEP 10 Songs4Soldiers Benefit Concert Columbia, IL
SEP 24 North Georgia State Fair Marietta, GA
OCT 25 Country Fest Cancun Riviera Maya, Mexico

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

IAN MUNSICK

IAN MUNSICK

IAN MUNSICK

IAN MUNSICK

CRAIG MORGAN

CRAIG MORGAN

CRAIG MORGAN

CRAIG MORGAN

CRAIG MORGAN

LOCASH

LOCASH

LOCASH

LOCASH

JAKE OWEN

JAKE OWEN

JAKE OWEN

JAKE OWEN

JAKE OWEN

JAKE OWEN

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Country Stampede at the Heartland (THURSDAY) at Heartland Park, Topeka, KS (2022-07-14)

WALKER HAYES SETLIST Drinking Songs Country Stuff Beautiful Delorean Dollar Store You Broke Up with Me Don't Let Her U Gurl 90's Country Craig Halloween Break the Internet Black Sheep Y'all Life Mind Candy (on setlist, but not played) AA Fancy Like PARMALEE SETLIST Already Callin' You Mine I'll Take the Chevy Greatest Hits (Parmalee / FITZ song) Mr. Brightside (The Killers cover) Close Your Eyes for This Better with You Only You Musta Had a Good Time Yeah! (Usher cover) Stay (The Kid Leroi / Justin Bieber cover) Truth Hurts (Lizzo cover) For You Just the Way Dust on the Bottle (David Lee Murphy cover) Drops of Jupiter (Train cover) Happy Birthday Take My Name Carolina JERROD NEIMANN SETLIST I Got This A Little More Love (song with Lee Brice) What Do You Want One More Drinkin' Song Country Girl Style (new song) Good Ride Cowboy (Garth Brooks song) Old Glory Yellow Brick Road Feelin' It's All Good in the Woods (new song) lap steel solo Family Tradition (Hank Williams Jr. cover) band intro/solos Lover, Lover Donkey Drink to That All Night Why Don't We Get Drunk (Jimmy Buffett cover) Mountain Music (Alabama cover) LILY ROSE SETLIST Know My Way Around Remind Me of You I Go Back (Kenny Chesney cover) Green Light I'd Be You Every Last One Breakin’ In Somebody Like You (Keith Urban cover) I Don’t Smoke Stronger Than I Am Better Than That Villain

Country Stampede at the Heartland is an outdoor music festival featuring country music stars, camping, and more in Topeka, Kansas at Heartland Motorsports Park, held annually since 1996. Due to flooding concerns, the event moved to its current location from Manhattan, KS in 2019.

===

For its first full day, the heat index was in the triple-digits, but fans were still enthusiastic and eager for live music and the collective social gathering that a festival is.

Georgia native Lily Rose opened the afternoon with her blend of vulnerable lyrics and R&B leanings, highlighted by a Keith Urban cover and her breakout hit, “Villian”.

Kansas native Jerrod Neimann returned to his home state, a veteran of the festival having seen the first five as a fan and playing a previous 7 or 8 times. “Yellow Brick Road” was sung in honor of his home state, the country rap of “Donkey” returned to his setlist, and Hank Jr., Jimmy Buffett and Alabama covers ended his set.

North Carolina favorites Parmalee played their many radio hits along with a bevy of covers- Usher, Lizzo, The Killers, The Kid Leroi and Train versions were peppered in, along with a quick “Happy Birthday” to two separate fans up front.

A smart booking over a year in advance brought Mobile, AL native Walker Hayes in, to close the evening.

The biggest country song of 2021 and early 2022 was his viral TikTok dance smash, “Fancy Like” before which he revealed he received an Applebee’s Gold Card to always eat at the chain for free, and also brought out a little extra younger help to do the “Oreo Shake” with.

New single, “Y’all Life” had just dropped earlier that day and is already climbing the charts.

WALKER HAYES TOUR DATES

JUL 15 Adams County Fairfest Hastings, NE

JUL 16 Cedar County Fair Hartington, NE

JUL 29 Edgar County Fair Paris, IL

JUL 30 Lucas County Agricultural Society Maumee, OH

AUG 3 Cattaraugus County Fair Little Valley, NY

AUG 4 Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheater Farmingville, NY

AUG 5 Citi Summer Concert LIVE on the TODAY Plaza New York, NY

AUG 6 Brandon Amphitheater Brandon, MS

AUG 13 Franklin County Fair Malone, NY

AUG 14 Westville Music Bowl New Haven, CT

AUG 20 State Fair of West Virginia Lewisburg, WV

AUG 24 Appalachian Fair Gray, TN

AUG 26 Central States Fairgrounds Rapid City, SD

AUG 27 Colorado State Fair Pueblo, CO

SEP 29 Glad You're Here Tour Johnstown, PA

SEP 30 Glad You're Here Tour Binghamton, NY

OCT 1 Glad You're Here Tour Huntington, WV

OCT 7 Glad You're Here Tour Reading, PA

OCT 8 Glad You're Here Tour Worcester, MA

OCT 13 Glad You're Here Tour Saginaw, MI

OCT 14 Glad You're Here Tour Corbin, KY

OCT 15 Glad You're Here Tour Youngstown, OH

OCT 21 Glad You're Here Tour Cedar Rapids, IA

OCT 22 Glad You're Here Tour Sioux Falls, SD

OCT 29 Country Kicks Cancer Orlando, FL

NOV Glad You're Here Tour Bakersfield, CA

NOV 7 Glad You're Here Tour Los Angeles, CA

NOV 10 Glad You're Here Tour Spokane, WA

NOV 11 Glad You're Here Tour Portland, OR

NOV 12 Glad You're Here Tour Everett, WA

 

PARMALEE TOUR DATES

Jul 16 Red River Valley Fair West Fargo, ND

Jul 23 Barnstable County Fairgrounds Falmouth, MA

Jul 24 Stone Pony Asbury Park, NJ

Jul 26 31st Street Park - Oceanfront Virginia Beach, VA

Jul 30 Jake Jam 2022 El Reno, OK

Aug 5 Scotts Bluff County Fair Mitchell, NE

Aug 6 Broken Arrow Wilderness Fullerton, NE

Aug 13 Thayer County Fair Deshler, NE

Aug 20 Brown County Fairgrounds Aberdeen, SD

Sep 2 Harley Davidson Hometown Rally Milwaukee, WI

Sep 3 Westville Lions Club Westville, IL

Sep 4 Plymouth Motor Speedway Plymouth, IN

Sep 9 Marion Popcorn Festival Marion, OH

Sep 10 White Marsh Volunteer Fire Co White Marsh, MD

Sep 16 Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, KS

Sep 29 Cambria County War Memorial Johnstown, PA

Sep 30 Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena Binghamton, NY

Oct 1 Mountain Health Arena Huntington, WV

Oct 7 Santander Arena Reading, PA

Oct 8 DCU Center Worcester, MA

Oct 13 Dow Event Center Saginaw, MI

Oct 14 The Corbin Arena Corbin, KY

Oct 15 Covelli Centre Youngstown, OH

Oct 16 Discovery Park Sacramento, CA

Oct 21 Alliant Energy PowerHouse Cedar Rapids, IA

Oct 22 Denny Sanford Premier Center Sioux Falls, SD

Nov 5 Mechanics Bank Arena Bakersfield, CA

Nov 7 Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA

Nov 10 Spokane Arena Spokane, WA

Nov 11 Theater Of The Clouds Portland, OR

Nov 12 Angel Of The Winds Arena Everett, WA

 

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

 

LILY ROSE

LILY ROSE

LILY ROSE

LILY ROSE

JERROD NIEMANN

JERROD NIEMANN

JERROD NIEMANN

JERROD NIEMANN

JERROD NIEMANN

PARMALEE

PARMALEE

PARMALEE

PARMALEE

WALKER HAYES

WALKER HAYES

WALKER HAYES

WALKER HAYES

WALKER HAYES

WALKER HAYES

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Hargus "Pig" Robbins

Read More Bob Dylan Legendary Bob Dylan is back in town for a residency at the Orpheum Theatre from November 4-November 6th. This should be a much better experience than his last stadium-sized show at the Xcel Energy Center in 2012....

Country Hall of Famer Hargus ‘Pig’ Robbins has died at the age of 84.

Robbins started his career under the name Mel Robbins in the 50s.

The blind pianist played on thousands of Nashville sessions, including on Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde.

Robbins was also responsible for the pianos on George Jones’ classic “White Lightning,” Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy”.

This is an official statement by the CEO of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Kyle Young:

“Like all successful session musicians, Pig Robbins was quick to adapt to any studio situation. He worked quickly, with perfection less a goal than a norm. And while he could shift styles on a dime to suit the singer and the song, his playing was always distinctive. Pig's left hand on the piano joined with Bob Moore's bass to create an unstoppable rhythmic force, while the fingers on his right hand flew like birds across the keys. The greatest musicians in Nashville turned to Pig for guidance and inspiration.”

Read more Musicians who died in 2022

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Towns & Cities

Read More Little Big Town Kansas will play a nearby homecoming show, and country fans will get to see Little Big Town up close, opting for two theater shows instead of one big arena gig. … Miranda Lambert The Smithereens will be playing Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant. 03/17/2017 Miranda Lambert with Old Dominion and Aubrie Sellers will be at Xcel Energy Center. …

LITTLE BIG TOWN
littlebigtown.com

Country music superstars and multi-Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winners Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town have join forces to co-headline this spring’s The Bandwagon Tour.

Speaking of towns & cities, Citi is the official card of The Bandwagon Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning the Tuesday (Jan 11) ahead of each on sale date at 12 p.m. local time until Thursday at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program.

Dates on Sale Beginning This Friday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. Local Time:

06/27 * Tuscaloosa Amphitheater | Tuscaloosa, AL
06/28 * FirstBank Amphitheater | Franklin, TN
06/29 *# William Green | Johnson City, TN
05/6 + Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | Houston, TX
05/7 Dos Equis Pavilion | Dallas, TX
05/8 Walmart AMP | Rogers, AR
05/12 Credit One Stadium | Charleston, SC
05/13 MIDFLORIDA Credit Union | Tampa, FL
05/14 iTHINK | West Palm Beach, FL.
05/20 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre | St. Louis, MO
05/21 Ruoff Music Center | Noblesville, IN
05/22 Riverbend Music Center | Cincinnati, OH
06/2 Budweiser Stage | Toronto, ON
06/3 DTE Energy Music Theatre | Detroit, MI
06/ 4 Blossom Music Center | Cuyahoga Falls, OH
06/9 Northwell Health | Wantagh, NY
06/10 PNC Bank Arts Center | Holmdel, NJ
06/11 BB&T Pavilion | Camden, NJ

* Miranda Lambert & The Cadillac Three only; not part of The Bandwagon Tour
+ on sale Friday, Jan 21. at 10 a.m. local time
# on sale Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. local time

Read More Magic City Hippies Magic City Hippies is touring in support of their debut album Modern Animal… stopping by the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St Paul on February 1st. … Courtship. Opening the show was Courtship (stylized as courtship.). We’ve previously seen the band debut in Minneapolis in March 2018 and said, “…sunny electro-pop of Los Angeles duo Courtship. …

MAGIC CITY HIPPIES
magiccityhippies.com

Miami’s Magic City Hippies is currently on tour in support of their forthcoming album Water Your Garden. This new album is the first album that the trio were in various locations in the USA (Los Angeles, Montana, and Miami). The album was put together remotely, and they are eager to go back on tour.

Courtship is their support for this tour. We saw the duo (trio for this live show) in Oct 2021 and said, “As you can see from the photos, the band is joined by a live drummer. Songs on their set includes plenty of songs about “guys”, like “Guy Stuff” and “Nice Guy”. They ended their set with an explosive rendition of “Stop for Nothing”.”

Tour dates:

Jan 13: Jacksonville, FL - 1904 Music Hall ^
Jan 14: Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse ^
Jan 15: Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle ^
Jan 16: Washington, DC - Union Stage ^
Jan 18: Fairfield, CT - Warehouse ^
Jan 20: Boston, MA - Big Night Live ^
Jan 21: New York, NY - Irving Plaza ^
Jan 22: Philadelphia, PA - The Foundry ^
Jan 23: Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Music Hall ^
Jan 25: Cleveland, OH - House of Blues ^
Jan 27: Indianapolis, IN - The Hifi ^
Jan 28: Chicago, IL - Park West ^
Jan 29: Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom ^
Jan 30: Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater ^
Feb 1: St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall ^
Feb 2: Kansas City, MO - Madrid Theatre ^
Feb 4: Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre ^
Feb 5: Steamboat Springs, CO - Strings Music Pavilion
Feb 6: Salt Lake City, UT - The Commonwealth Room ^
Feb 8: Bozeman, MT - The ELM ^
Feb 9: Missoula, MT - The Wilma ^
Feb 11: Seattle, WA - The Showbox @ The Market ^
Feb 12: Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom ^
Feb 14: Eugene, OR - Sessions Music Hall #
Feb 15: Sacramento, CA - Harlow's #
Feb 17: Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium #
Feb 18: San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore #
Feb 19: Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco #
Feb 20: San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park #
Feb 22: Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom #
Feb 23: Albuquerque, NM - Launch Pad #
Feb 25: Dallas, TX - Trees #
Feb 26: Austin, TX - Emo's #
Feb 27: Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall #

^ courtship. supports
# Bay Ledges supports

Read More Purple Funk Metropolis Ticket link in our biome, or at first ave dot com. Love you. Purple Funk Metropolis and Dr. Goon and The Daily Tribune to open. ....

PURPLE FUNK METROPOLIS
purplefunkmetropolis.com

Local seven-piece instrumental Purple Funk Metropolis will be headlining the 7th Street Entry in Feb 11th. The band released their new album The Golden Goose recently.

Opening up the Feb 11th show will be The Controversial New 'Skinny Pill' and Shrimp Olympics.

Track listing:

1. Get Loose!
2. This Just In
3. Scrum Diddley 03:36 4. Big Fat Soul Explosion
5. Tres Leches
6. Egg Boy
7. Beautiful Golden Fur!
8. Salty
9. Chunky Jam
10. The Zebra
11. Take Flight
12. Sam's Club
13. Dance Party for the Ages

CANYON CITY
canyoncitymusic.com

Paul Johnson, aka Canyon City recently released his new EP Matinee on Nettwerk.

Talking about the new album, Johnson notes, “Some of these songs end in hope, some in despair, but I hope that they all are able to keep folks company (or maybe ask for that company myself) in the brutal and beautiful experience of being human in an unfamiliar season. When it’s hope, I’m trying to remember and hold on to it. When it’s despair, I’m going to travel through it.”

Matinée Track List:

01. Changes
02. Paris
03. So Are We
04. Comets
05. Locket
06. Song for Spring

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Stonewall Jackson

Read More Stonewall Jackson Stonewall Jackson Waterloo One of the all-time country greats who is often overlooked these days. In this cd, you get a sampling of the hits and classic album cuts from the 50's and early 60's. Stonewalls music is "real country" at it's very best. …

Country music legend Stonewall Jackson passed away on Saturday, at thee age of 89. According to the press release, he died of a prolonged battle with vascular dementia.

Additional details from 2911 Media:

Some of Jackson's hits included "Life To Go," penned by the late, great George Jones, "Smoke Along the Track," "B.J. the D.J.," and "Waterloo," which later became his signature song. Over his career, Stonewall landed 44 singles on the Billboard country chart. His 1971 Recorded Live at the Grand Ole Opry was the first "live" album ever recorded at Nashville's 'Mother Church of Country Music', the Ryman Auditorium. The late Porter Wagoner would introduce Stonewall on his show by saying he came to the Opry "with a heart full of love and a sack full of songs."

Wide Open Country's Bobby Moore profiled Jackson just last year, saying "...he's a representative of the days of smooth-voiced, sharp-dressed country singers who helped position what was once dismissed as "hillbilly" music as a commodity that would move uptown."

To keep track of all the musicians who died this year, head over to Musicians Who Died in 2021.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

American Country Music

Hank Williams - Howlin' At the Moon

Hank Williams

Yep, this week's theme is country music.

Whenever I meet people and I ask what type of music they're into, I can tell you 90% of them will answer vaguely: "I am into all kind of music... well except for rap and country music." It saddens me to hear that. (Incidentally, whenever someone tells me they're into all genre of music, I think the opposite: they only like one kind of genre).

Trust me, we get "all kind of music" and shopping around for reviewers is tough because, let's face it: we like what we like. No one is going to go out of their way to devote one or two hours listening to music genres they're not familiar with.

So basically, country music is a very popular genre that no one seems to like! I grew up on country music, so I've always had a soft spot for it. What I like about country is that they often teach us a lesson, like a story within the song. And often the story is about RL (real life) and you can relate to their flawed characters.

Below are some albums we've received that's by real singers, singing about life.

GLEN CAMPBELL glencampbellshow.com ♥ myspace.com Glen Campbell - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) The Rhinestone Cowboy is back with a Greatest Hits album, released earlier in February. While he is known for writing original songs (his legacy expands over 50 years in the music industry!), his 2008 album, Meet Glen Campbell, is an all-covers album. What's surprisingly is his choice in covers are strangely modern contemporary, including U2 ("All I Want Is You"), Foo Fighters ("Times Like These"), Green Day ("Good Riddance") and best of all Travis ("Sing"). Just as his title suggest: meet Glen Campbell for the first time, forget his roots in country pop music. Some of the best cover, at least to me, is his version of "Sing" (you can hear it on myspace) and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)". While Green Day's version is all-acoustic and somber, Campbell brought a bit of a jingle, jangle and banjo to the song. It's like a going away party, and you wouldn't think this was a Green Day song. As a cover-lover, I wholly recommend these "re-imagined" songs to fans of the bands he covers. Find out more details over at meetglencampbell.com for the cover album (available on CD, Limited Edition Vinyl, and of course digitally). Glen Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy Bonus: "Rhinestone Cowboy" is a favorite among such acts as Radiohead and Belle & Sebastian.		NATASHA JAMES natashajames.com ♥ myspace.com Natasha James - Modern Life Natasha James is a country singer from Sonoma, California, which is close to both Sacramento and San Francisco. I get the impression that James knows and loves her liquor. Take a look at the evidence: tequila in "Tequila Time", beer on "Modern Life", and whiskey on "Boy Do We Drink". The later song is all about drinking and fighting, but I don't take it too seriously as the tone seems pretty tongue-in-cheek. My favorite song is "Modern Life". It does a great job in painting you the picture of: lonliness, our busyness, divorces, cellphones, internet games, etc. The song is bundled in what sounds like a steel guitar and violins. While the song has a sad tone to it, it's not as sad as the weepy "The Wind". She's also doing a few dates throughout California: 08/08/09 Sonoma County Fair Santa Rosa, California 08/21/09 Iron Door Saloon Groveland, California 08/22/09 Iron Door Saloon Groveland, California Tequila Time is available at most online shops, including eMusic and Amazon. Bonus: As I have previously mentioned, we don't get too many DVD submissions, so here is the video for "Tequila Time". Natasha James - Tequila Time
RUSTED ROOTS rustedroot.com ♥ myspace.com Rusted Root - Driving One Rusted Root is a toe-tapping, bluegrass/jam fusion band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They have been around since the late 80s, and have survived to this day with their recent release of Stereo Rodeo (released May 5, 2009 on Touchy Pegg/Adrenaline/DKE). I lassoed the band on this article because I thought they look country, I mean look at this psychedelic cover artwork: a cowboy roping a Japanese geisha over flames and skulls. The album cover is basically an interpretation of the song "Stereo Rodeo", a slower song that tells the story of a man going to Japan to find a girl. One thing is certain, I feel the shock of the insane cover artwork never quite live up in the song, because the song sounds a bit... normal. As far as the rest of their songs, they're full of funk and percussion and background vocals, I get the sense that the band wants the audience to be involved with them. Their songs were designed to get you to dance with the band, perhaps contributing to hand claps or singalong. Like most jam bands, they're meant to be seen live. I felt "Driving One" would best sum up the band: check out that funky percussion beat! It sounds like something out of Africa, yet feels like it belong in this American bluegrass band. Stereo Rodeo is available now, at amazon ($8!) or eMusic.		AMY LENNARD amylennard.com ♥ myspace.com Amy Lennard - Forever Tonight I actually really love Amy Lennard's I Need To Love the first time I heard it last year, I think mostly because her voice reminds me of Bonnie Raitt. Music's always been part of Lennard's life, playing guitar since nine, then moving on to composing original songs. She moved from New York to live out in California for a while, playing festivals and jamming campfire songs with friends. Ten years later, she moved back to New York, and started working on I Need To Love. Half of the album was, from what I've gathered, written and recorded in 2006 with the help of Ben Wisch. The other half is with engineerer Jon Gordon (who's previously worked with Suzanne Vega). You might think that two different producers working on the album might result in an uneven sounding album, it's actually not. Most of the songs feels like pop radio, with strong modern country music influences. There is one very pop-sounding song, it's a love song called "Forever Tonight". It's my favorite song and the easy-to-follow lyrics will cause you to sing along. You can find I Need to Love from amazon, CD Baby, and, of course, iTunes.
MIKE KOTULKA mikekotulka.com ♥ myspace.com/nycmk Mike Kotulka - Dumb Mike Kotulka is another Philadelphian, if that's a word, his sophomore album Hi-Lows will be available July 7th. Everything tells me he's a cowboy, from hat to the harmonica that starts off his intro song, "Born To Try". While not entirely country, Koulka is more like from the Bob Dylan school, which is not a bad association. The title of the album comes from the same titled song, "Hi-Lows". The song is about standing tall, standing for what you believe in, despite the "shit" trying to keep you down. It's a bit inspirational, especially in this economic time. The songs that I did enjoy are the louder ones, "Dumb" and "Gimme Love". "Dumb", with its hand-claps, and "Gimme Love" with its catchy "gimme love gimme love" chorus, will both make excellent live songs. However, as of this writing, there are no tour dates. The nine-track album, feels really short. I decided to track down more music from Kotulka, and the good news is his album The Good, The Bad and the Ugly was available for free via the official website or empty-k.com. Hi-Lows will be available in early July at amazon.		SWAY swaymusic.com ♥ myspace.com Sway - Cowgirl Scene Perry Martin and Gina Quartaro are basically the country band Sway, based out of California. The two musician met at a doctor's office, and I suppose while waiting in the waiting room (as one do), the two started talking about music. As the turned out, both Quartaro and Martin have a lifetime of music in them. Quartaro's written and co-produced over 200 songs to day and was even called the "Female Elton John" by Russ Regan (record executive of UNI records, 20th Century Records, and Motown Records). And Martin's biography lists him as band member on "The Donny James Show". They took the show to South Vietnam from 1968-69, and did a show for radio & television called "Nashville Vietnam". I'm not going to list the other two band members' (Laurens Vernot, Trevor Hands) biography, but let's just say that each member bring a rich history of music with them. Sway's music, with its honky-talk and lyrics tells me "good times are all we need" (from "Cowgirl Scene"). Like "baseball and Chevrolet", these songs are pretty standard country love song ("When Love Finds Its Way", "I'm Over You"). Where love is the power that transcend reality. Sure, "the banks are callin' and bills are late", but we've got love, from "In The Hands Of Love". Gina Quartaro sings on all the songs on the album, minus two songs sung by Martin. Quartaro is currently doing some dates: 07/05/09 The Art A Fair Laguna Beach, CA 07/16/09 OC Fair (Mainstage) Costa Mesa, CA 07/25/09 Art A Fair Laguna Beach, CA Sway's debut album, Let It Roll, was released last year, and you can get it via CD Baby.

 06/21/2009 13:42:10 ♥ vu () ♥weheartmusic.com♥twitter.com/weheartmusic♥news.weheartmusic.com