The holiday season is here, but things still aren’t quite the normal we’d all been hoping. Despite a few more cancellations (see below) there’s still plenty to celebrate in the Kansas City metro in terms of live music before things wind down towards the end of the month.
As always, check the artist and venue social pages before heading out, in case of some last-minute change of plans.
(a few recommended shows are highlighted below):
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12/03 Neal Francis at Bottleneck
12/03 Orthodox at The Rino
12/04 Orthodox at Bottleneck
12/04 Beabadoobee at The Truman
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Trailer Park Boys, Uptown CANCELED
Jesse McCartney, The Truman POSTPONED
Kip Moore with Gabe Lee, Uptown. $35-$159
“The Price is Right” Live! Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $29.50-$65
Niko Moon with Kylie Morgan, The Truman. $17-$34
Amahl and the Night Visitors, Lyric Opera, Dec. 2-12
Travis Tritt, Ameristar. $59.50-$89.50
Monophonics, RecordBar. $15-$20
Patton Oswalt, Uptown. $47-$201
Neal Francis, Bottleneck - Lawrence, $15.
Lauded Chicago-based singer-songwriter-pianist Francis is out in support of his sophomore release, In Plain Sight (on ATO Records) produced by one of our favorites, Dave (Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, MGMT) Fridmann and its lead single, “Can’t Stop the Rain” features Derek Trucks. The Bottleneck show is one of only a few chances to see him in a small room before he heads off early next year to Mexico forWilco’s Sky Blue Sky weekend and then a tour of Europe.
Orthodox w The Acacia Strain, Kubli Khan, Dying Wish, The Rino- North KC
Fans of this Nashville-based band are celebrating, not only due to their recent signing to Century Media Records, but the chance to see them twice in the immediate area, with back-to-back shows in North KC and Lawrence. Their 2020 2nd LP, Let It Take Its Course received critical acclaim in the hardcore/metal press and the third album looks to be a coming-of-age record for the band. With a solid three-band support lineup (two nights in St. Paul, MN follow), this tour has clearly hit the ground running.
Carrot Top, Ameristar. $30-$105
Beabadoobee with Christian Leave, BlackStarKids The Truman. $20-$25
aka Beatrice Laus, this Filipino/British breakout bedroom-pop artist put out a new EP, Our Extended Play, earlier this year, with lead single, “Last Day on Earth” co-written with The 1975. Billboard ranked her the Top New Rock Artist of last year, and this is a chance to see what the buzz is about.
Arrive early to see one of the metro’s most talked-about acts, BlackStarKids who recently released their debut album, Puppies Forever (on Dirty Hit Records) blending indie pop, hip hop and old skool riffs and rhythms, and any band with songs called “Jimmy Neutron” and “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun” is all right with us.
Tech N9ne, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $35-$45
Rising from the underground since 1991, the hometown hero returns for a holiday show. Collaborating with everyone including Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently made his rap debut on recent track, “Face Off”.
Orthodox w The Acacia Strain, Kubli Khan, Dying Wish, Bottleneck - Lawrence
(see above)
Disney Princess: The Concert, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. $29.50-$80
Ana Gasteyer, Yardley Hall, $35+
Expect some irreverence as this SNL alum performs on her “Sugar and Booze Holiday Tour”.
James Taylor & His All-Star Band with Jackson Browne, T-Mobile Center. $62.50-128
Two veteran light-rock legends join forces for some laid-back, 70s style good feelings.
Joy Formidable w/Cuffed Up, Riot Room Postponed (new date TBD)
David Sedaris, Kauffman Center. $58-70.
Always funny and interesting and usually stays and signs until the last person is served.
David Cross, Liberty Hall Lawrence CANCELED
Atreyu with Crown the Empire, Tetrarch and more. The Truman. $25-$50
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12/08 Caroline Polachek at Liberty Hall
12/10 Anderson East at Madrid
12/15 Lindsey Buckingham at Uptown
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Wednesday December 8
Gwar with Napalm Death and Eyehategod, Granada Lawrence. $30
Caroline Polachek, Liberty Hall - Lawrence, $25-28.
Still somewhat of a secret, this former Chairlift singer is worth catching is a small venue while you can and before she begins an opening trek for Dua Lipa. She’s also on the just released Charli XCX single, “New Shapes” with Christine and The Queens (now That’s a supergroup!)
Illenium, Cable Dahmer Arena - Independence
Nane, Granada- Lawrence free w RSVP
The Driver Era w/ The Wrecks, The Truman, $25-$154
Anderson East, Madrid. $25-$89
The acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter was just on “Ellen” and “CBS Saturday” and is out on his Maybe We Never Die Tour from the new album of the same name (on Elektra/Low Country). Filled with Southern soul, a tinge of giospel, country, Americana, and blues, we haven’t seen East since 2015, but know he’s sounding even better and more urgent.
David Benoit, Folly. $20-$55
Home Free, Uptown. $24.50-$87
Swallow the Sun w/Abigail Williams, Wilderun, Riot Room CANCELED
Shiner with Spotlights, recordBar, $17-20
A Kansas City post-hardcore staple since the early 90’s Shiner returned with a newfound passion in 2012 re-releasing acclaimed 2001 album The Egg and playing a handful of shows to celebrate. Last year, the band released new music in the form of Schadenfreude, their first new album in twenty years.
The venue has become a home away from home for the band as well, filming a Dec 2020 performance there as a streaming option for having to cancel shows for pandemic-related reasons, but the band is now happily back to playing before live audiences and Kansas City, (who knows them best) is likely the most raucous audience to be a part of.
Tony Orlando, Ameristar. $35
Tanya Tucker, Knuckleheads CANCELED
Chris Isaak, Uptown. $35-$135
Jim Brickman, Folly. CANCELED
Lindsey Buckingham, Uptown, $35-$125.
After four decades with Fleetwood Mac, the legendary singer-songwriter has moved on to “go his own way” with September’s self-titled album (on Reprise Records), his seventh solo studio album and first new music in almost a decade. Keeping busy, Buckingham was also featured on The Killers’ “Caution” single and was even recently surprise spotted on SNL, alongside Halsey.
His knack for melody and singular finger-picking guitar work should be revelatory to see performed live, and expect a healthy helping of solo hits and new cuts, alongside many Fleetwood Mac classics in concert.
| john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com |
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