W♥M

The Wiz (Broadway touring musical) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-07-08 to 07-13)

(The Wiz playbill from The Music Hall, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Tuesday, July 8: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 9: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 11: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12: 2 p.m. Saturday, July 12: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 13: 1 p.m. Sunday, July 13: 6:30 p.m.   THE WIZ TOUR DATES   Jul 15-20 Fort Worth, TX Bass Hall Jul 22-27 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre Jul 29-Aug 3 Louisville, KY The Kentucky Center Aug 5-10 Durham, NC DPAC Aug 12-24 Boston, MA Boston Opera House Sep 9-21 Dallas, TX Music Hall at Fair Park Sep 23-28 Nashville, TN Tennessee Performing Arts Center Sep 30-Oct 5 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center Oct 7-12 Miami, FL Arsht Center Oct 14-19 Tampa, FL Straz Center Oct 21-26 West Palm Beach, FL Kravis Center Oct 28-Nov 2 Greensboro, NC Tanger Center Nov 4-9 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall Nov 11-16 Dayton, OH Schuster Center Nov 18-23 Omaha, NE Orpheum Theater Nov 25-Dec 7 St. Louis, MO Fabulous Fox Theatre Dec 9-14 East Lansing Wharton Center Dec 16-21 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre Jan 6-11, 2026 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall Jan 13-25, 2026 Costa Mesa, CA Segerstrom Center Jan 27-Feb 1, 2026 San Jose CA Center for the Performing Arts Feb 3-8, 2026 Portland, OR Keller Auditorium Feb 10-15, 2026 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre Feb 18-22, 2026 El Paso, TX Plaza Theatre Mar 3-15, 2026 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center Mar 17-22, 2026 Indianapolis, IN Clowes Hall Mar 24-29, 2026 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Center  Apr 7-12, 2026 Washington, DC National Theatre Apr 14-19, 2026 North Charleston, SC N. Charleston PAC Apr 21-26, 2026 Richmond, VA Altria Center Apr 28-May 3, 2026 Chattanooga, TN Soldiers & Sailors May 5-10, 2026 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Performing Arts Center May 12-17, 2026 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall May 19-24, 2026 Oklahoma City, OK Civic Center Music Hall May 26-31, 2026 Toledo, OH Stranahan Theater Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

It’s the right time to ‘ease on down the road’!

With the success of last year’s “Wicked” film and its sequel on the way this November, ‘Wizard of Oz’ mania is back and strong, but fans shouldn’t have to wait a year to again scratch that itch.

Luckily for Kansas City audiences, another well-known and unique take on the mythos is refreshed and back in circulation. The Tony® Award-winning Best Musical, The Wiz returns to stages across America in an all-new tour, direct from Broadway, playing downtown at the Music Hall, now through the weekend.

This production got its start back in late 1974, with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown and would move to Broadway early the following year.

It won a total of seven Tonys, and with its soul, gospel, rock and funk soundtrack and all-black cast, became a revelatory whole new groove of the original creation from the turn-of-the-century book series by author L. Frank Baum.

Of course, many are most familiar with the 1978 film version, which starred Diana Ross, a young Michael Jackson as the scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as the tin man, along with Lena Horne, Richard Pryor, and other names of the day. Quincy Jones supervised and produced the music, but the missteps may have been with a Joel Schumacher script and Sidney Lumet directing, resulting in mixed reviews at the time, but it’s become much more beloved and emerged as a cult favorite, over the years.

A December 2015 live television version was well-received and in the fall of 2023, this updated production, directed by Schele Williams with new material by Amber Ruffin (a comedian and writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers) opened in Baltimore and soon moved to Broadway the following Spring, featuring a cast that would include the likes of singer Deborah Cox, and comedian Wayne Brady as the wizard.

The story is so familiar, there’s no real need for any re-cap, and this version begins set in rural Kansas as well (though there was no strong mention of such for the KC crowd). A hopeful and emotive opening scene between young Dorothy (Dana Cimone) and an eye-opening Kyla Jade (who plays Aunt Em as well as Evillene) whose soaring vocals made her a finalist on The Voice, combined to make for a memorable beginning to the story.

“Ease on Down the Road” is the cornerstone signature song for the production and we hear parts of it often, as Dorothy recruits the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, to join her on her trip down the yellow brick road to Emerald City.

As with the 1978 film, the Scarecrow takes an active lead comedic role that is a linchpin to the entire narrative working, and actor Elijah Ahmad Lewis proves himself in fine voice, is as limber as needed during the dance routines, and stays humbly likable in a sometimes sublime performance.

Though the book was updated, the songs were kept to their mid-70s original versions; sounding often nostalgic, sometimes dated, and a reflection of that seminal funk/soul era. We wouldn’t have minded some more modern hip-hop beats and lyrics infused into the music as part of this yellow-brick refresh but understand the choice to keep the original classic music classic, as-is.

It should also be noted that costumed dancers represent certain inanimate objects (the winds of the tornado, poppies in a field, etc.) which leads to some nice expressive routines, and the first act would end with the group just arriving at the gates of Emerald City, in search of the mysterious wizard.

Following the intermission, Oz is revealed as a swanky green dance club and we meet The Wiz himself, played with a dapper confidence and swagger by Alan Mingo Jr. (best known as “Lola” from “Kinky Boots” and he also worked in the KC Rep company of A Christmas Story), only to later find he’s just an ordinary man.

Almost as if the cast were holding out during the first act (or maybe just building momentum), the second act absolutely crests with standout vocal performances from Jade as Evillene (on “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News”), Sheherazade as a sparkly Glinda (“Believe in Yourself”) and Cimone shows how her Dorothy can truly hold a note, on the closing “Home”.

A buoyant “Everybody Rejoice” was the centerpiece song of the second act (sung as part of a “free love” Age of Aquarius-like colorful dance number), and the tune reprises after the final bows, for a joyous send off to end the evening on a fun note.

Given a fresh coast of yellow-brick paint with some updated modern sensibilities while retaining its classic core, The Wiz returns like a brand-new day, to entertain on live stages once again.

The WIZ plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, July 13 with tickets available here: THE WIZ | PNC Broadway In Kansas City

  (Tour photography by Jeffrey Daniel / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

We♥KC! June 2-8, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO)

Read More Dawes The three-hour evening was opened by Los Angeles-based Dawes, who considers Minneapolis one of their strongest markets, in a solid hour-long set of their own. …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

It’s the halfway mark--

June already usually means hot temps outside, but it’s been unseasonably cool in KC so far, but that looks to change soon. Outdoor venues are all open and school’s out, so time for a cold beverage and some hot music!

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week of June 2nd-June 8th.

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

MONDAY JUNE 2

TUESDAY JUNE 3

Brit Floyd, June 3, Midland, $47-$94

Brit Floyd is on the road again, this time celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" with their North American leg playing into July. There will also be dates in Europe, including the UK, and elsewhere. The tour features a 2.5-hour plus show with a laser and light show, circular screen, and inflatables, showcasing music from various Pink Floyd albums, including "Dark Side of the Moon", "The Wall", and "Animals".

The ensemble includes long-time guitarist/lead vocalist and musical director Damian Darlington, bassist/lead vocalist Ian Cattell, and Canadian Idol Winner vocalist Eva Avila, along with the other expert musicians who have joined the ranks over the last decade.

Wish You Were Here features four of Floyd’s most loved songs, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Welcome to the Machine,” “Have a Cigar” and, of course, the title track. With the actual band still on rocky terms, and the Roger Waters’ recent redux versions, being a little too...lacking, this is the Floyd version you know from their glory days- Shine On!

School of Rock (musical), June 3-8, Starlight, $14.72-$104.75

Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical is a Broadway smash hit based on the 2003 movie of the same name that starred Jack Black. The musical tells the story of Dewey Finn, a failed rock star who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school to earn extra money. He then transforms a class of straight-A students into a rock band, with the goal of entering them in the Battle of the Bands.

While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.

Featuring 14 new songs from Webber and all the originals from the movie, the show also features a cast of talented kids who play their instruments live on stage. The musical has been praised for its energy, humor, and message about the transformative power of music.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 4

THURSDAY JUNE 5

Flatland Cavalry, June 5, Grinders KC,$43.17GA

The Lubbock, TX Country band heads out on their new “Flatland Forever Tour” which began in February in Atlanta. They also have a new album to support, Flatland Forever, out via Interscope Records which reached No. 1 on Shazam’s U.S. Top 200 chart after their song “How Long” was featured in the hit show Yellowstone.

They also wrote and recorded songs for two major film soundtracks (Twisters and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), received their first ACM Awards nomination for Group of the Year and garnered more than 500 million streams across platforms. The Wilder Blue and Keller Cox will open.

Peelander-Z, June 5, recordBar, $15

The revered costumed Japanese American punk rock band calls Austin, TX home these days (formerly NYC), but if you ask them, they hail “from the Z area of Planet Peelander."

Blending elements of the Power Rangers, Japanese and American pop culture images, sci-fi, and pro wrestling, Peelander-Z won fans and friends from a wide cross section of the pop audience, appearing on a number of compilations, as well as festivals and conventions.

The group, made up of Kengo Hioki (aka Peelander Yellow — vocals, guitar), Kotaro Tsukada (aka Peelander Red — bass, vocals), and Kazuki Yamamoto (aka Peelander Blue — drums, vocals) came together in 1998. After Blue was called back to their home planet, Peelander Green (Akihiko Naruse) signed on to further the group’s momentum. As “the story goes, they were born in the Z region of the planet Peelander, and their colorful garb was not merely costume, but their “alien” skin.

Their debut recording, the mini-album Peelander-Z, was released in 1999, and the legend was born!

FRIDAY JUNE 6

Bill Murray and Blood Brothers, June 6, Knuckleheads, Sold Out

Actor, singer, and raconteur Bill Murray is touring with his band "The Blood Brothers" which includes Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia. The tour blends of Murray's comedic charm with the band's musical talent as they run through a mix of classic-rock covers and originals too.

The pair’s “Blood Brothers” album won a 2024 Blues Music Award for Blues Rock Album of the Year and Zito earned Blues Rock Artist of the year. Murray and the pair of six-string slingers will be joined by veteran session and touring band ace and longtime Conan O’Brien show music director, Jimmy Vivino.

The tour kicked off in January with shows in Chicago and ends in Louisville, KY on October 4^th, with the KC date and associated VIP packages, being long sold out, and “that’s a fact, jack!”

SATURDAY JUNE 7

Samia w Raffaella, June 7, The Truman, $19+

Minneapolis-based artist Samia shared an initial single from her third studio album Bloodless, which arrived in April. “Carousel is a shadow of a long song,” said Samia. “It’s about spinning your wheels and being afraid to make someone’s life less beautiful if you’re in it.” She’s also shared the project’s second single, “Lizard.”

The North American tour kicked off in Portland, ME last week and the 13-date run concludes with this show in Kansas City. She’ll be joined by collaborator and Peach Fuzz bandmate Raffaella.

Raffaella has released a new EP, LIVE, RAFF, LOVE (Act II), a follow up to 2022’s ACT I EP. If Act I was a revolution, Act II is a revelation. With both acts being Twin Cities residents, we caught Samia at a hometown First Ave show in 2023, and just saw Raffaella in Lawrence in March.

Dawes, June 7, Ameristar, $63-$166

Count us as longtime fans of, and covering them since their start in 2009, LA-based Dawes, who has always had Taylor Goldsmith and his younger brother drummer Griffin as the band’s foundation. We’ve seen them back up and play with other bands, and with rotating lineups that even included Allman Bros.’ Dickey Betts’ son Duane, but as of last year the band is just a brotherly duo.

The release of their ninth studio album, Oh Brother, began this new era of Dawes, and alongside some touring musicians, the siblings hit the road to support their new record. But the joy of touring the country came to a hard halt in January of this year, when both brothers were directly affected by the wildfires of Los Angeles.

They lost their music studio — and Griff, his home and collection of percussion gear, but they became voices for the people of Altadena and associated, with a surprise appearance to open the 67th Grammy Awards. Backed by a supergroup including Brad Paisley, Brittany Howard, John Legend, Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent, Dawes covered Randy Newman’s 1983 hit “I Love L.A.,” with modified lyrics to pay tribute to the L.A. firefighters.

They’ve hit the road again, with a renewed passion, and we’ve always been impressed with their live show, having last seen them in Lawrence in 2023

Faster Pussycat w Supersuckers, June 7, Knuckleheads, $39.32

The LA-based self-proclaimed Kings of Sleaze Rock Faster Pussycat are still out there and on a summer tour with Supersuckers. The tour kicked off on May 30th in Las Vegas and ends after 30 dates, out West in July.

Faster Pussycat are fronted by founder and chief song-writer Taime Downe, with his rhythm section of Chad Stewart (drums) and Danny Nordahl (bass) holding down the low-end since 2001, with a dual-guitar attack of Sam ‘Bam’ Koultan and Kieran Robertson. Their 80’s hits included “Bathroom Wall” and their remake of “You’re So Vain” and Downe’s fiancé apparently jumped off a cruise ship to her death back in March, ...so wowza.

Supersuckers formed in 1988, whose music ranges from Alternative Rock to Country Rock to Cowpunk. Described by AllMusic as “the bastard sons of Foghat, AC/DC, and ZZ Top after being weaned on punk rock, unafraid of massive guitar riffs, outsized personalities, or pledging allegiance to sex, weed, and Satan with a wink and a nudge”. The band consists of trio Eddie Spaghetti, Metal Marty Chandler and Christopher “Chango” von Streicher.

The Rumors and The Lonely Ones will fill out a very full musical evening.

SUNDAY JUNE 8

   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]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

The Lion King musical (Broadway touring) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-05-22 to 06-01)

(The Lion King playbill from The Music Hall, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Thursday, May 22, 2025: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 23, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025: 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 25, 2025: 1:00 p.m. Sunday, May 25, 2025: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29, 2025: 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 29, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31, 2025: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 31, 2025: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 1, 2025: 1 p.m. Sunday, June 1, 2025: 6:30 p.m.: 6:30 p.m.   THE LION KING TOUR DATES   May 22-Jun 1 Kansas City, MO: Music Hall Jun 4-Jul 3 Dallas, TX Music Hall at Fair Park Jul 9-Jul 27 Edmonton, AB: Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Jul 30-Aug 17 Calgary, AB: Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Aug 20-Sep 14 Vancouver, BC: Queen Elizabeth Theatre Sep 17-Sep 28 Portland, OR: Keller Auditorium Oct 3-Oct 19 Chicago, IL: Cadillac Palace Theatre Oct 23-Nov 16 Denver, CO: Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre Nov 19-Nov 30 Las Vegas, NV: The Smith Center Dec 4-Jan 4 Seattle, WA: Paramount Theatre Jan 7-Jan 25 Sacramento, CA: SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center Jan 28-Feb 15 Spokane, WA: First Interstate Center for the Arts Feb 18-Mar 7 Boise, ID: Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts Mar 12-Apr 5 Detroit, MI: Detroit Opera House Apr 8-Apr 26 Grand Rapids, MI: DeVos Performance Hall Apr 30-May 17 Norfolk, VA: Chrysler Hall May 20-Jun 7 Providence, RI: Providence Performing Arts Center Jun 10-Jul 5 Cincinnati, OH: Aronoff Center Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

The ‘King’ has returned!

One of the most successful and celebrated productions in modern Broadway history, makes a tour stop in Kansas City for the week as The Lion King returns for an engagement downtown at The Music Hall through next Sunday, June 1^st.

Based on the also-classic 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' hit film, the stage version remains directed by Julie Taymor with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, with a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music / lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer.

The musical had its world premiere in Minneapolis at the Orpheum in July 1997 (still a big point of pride upthere) and moved to Broadway that Fall, eventually becoming the third longest-running show in history, ringing up more than $1.9 billion, making it the highest grossing Broadway production of all time.

The Disney Theatrical Production has earned numerous awards and honors, including six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical, which made Taymor the first woman to earn such an honor. The property has also spawned two direct-to-video sequels, several spin-off television series, a recent CGI film remake, five theme park stage shows; and of course, this stage musical, so calling it all a success is a dramatic understatement.

The still-innovative musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets, a stirring soundtrack, and exemplary production design, lighting, and costuming – even after almost three decades, it remains a benchmark of staging expertise.

The story still stays heavily weighted from its animated source material -it begins with a sunrise over the introduction of Mufasa (Gerald Ramsey) and Sarabi’s (Maurica Roland) newborn cub, young Simba, presented for all at Pride Rock, as headed by the mystic Rafiki (Mukelisiwe Goba).

Mufasa’s brother, Scar (Peter Hargrave) is missing from the ceremony but soon convinces his nephew Simba to embark on a journey to the dangerous outland of the Elephant Graveyards, His young friend Nala accompanies him, after they elude the watchful eye of the watchful bird, Zazu (Drew Hirshfield) who is loyal to Scar. Hungry hyenas appear and the pair has to be rescued by Mufasa and Zazu.

A stampeding herd in a canyon where Simba had been waiting ensues, and Mufusa must again attempt a rescure, which results in Simba leaving his pride (or family), for ...err, a wrenching lack of pride of the results of the day.

Simba then meets fellow outcasts, the comedic pair of Timon and Pumbaa (Nick Cordileone and Danny Grumich), and as time passes Simba grows up (now played by Erick D. Patrick), unaware that Scar’s hostile takeover has resulted in hunger and disarray in the kingdom. Nala discovers that Simba is still alive, and he is persuaded (with Rafiki’s help) to return and claim his royal birthright and struggles to take up his rightful mantle as the true Lion King.

Still revelatory after two-and-a-half decades, the amazing costumes, colors, and animal puppetry are all on display from the beginning (and to start the second act), as an impressive cast makes its way to the stage from the corners of the balconies and down the main aisles, with building music from the orchestra in the front pit, and complemented by the two percussionists perched above in the right and left theater boxes.

Inspired by Indonesian puppets, the groups of animals controlled by their attached costumed handlers each moved with grace and form, to symbolize all the teeming life of a jungle plain and the costumes both allowed free and unrestrained movement from the lead performers, as well as allowed them to mask behind their character’s identity, while still showing their own human pathos.

The themes of family, parenthood, morality, coming-of-age, and legacy remain strong in the production, with each actor fully aware of their role in this overall visual spectacle, with South African actress Goba’s story-framing Rafiki character perhaps projecting in the most energetic and effective way, vocally.

The young actors portraying a playful and innocent Simba and Nala, soon give way to their mature and wiser older counterparts and the timeless conflicts of brother vs. brother and a young son wrestling internally with his own demons and path to redemption, are all dramatically pulled off in the context of the story; with some much needed comic relief provided by Zazu, Timon and Pumbaa, along the way.

Though the musical runs longer than the original film, the pacing is crisp and steady, efficiently moving along the story through the use of clever and precise production cues, graceful set changes, and those Grammy Award-winning songs, most of which are still very familiar.

This ‘King’ is a timeless modern classic and one worth seeing upon its return, whether it’s for the first time (in that case, it’s a ‘must’) or tenth or hundredth. Find your way to Pride Rock this week while you can – The Lion King has returned!

The Lion King plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, June 1 with tickets available here: Disney Presents The Lion King (Touring) Tickets | Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster

  (Tour photography by Matthew Murphy / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

We♥KC! May 19-22, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Read More Against Me! Punk band Against Me! recently announced that they have extended their Spring headlining tour to include a ton of new dates throughout May. They are currently touring in support of their sixth studio album ...

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Kelce takes a break--

Word came down that the new annual tradition of Kelce Jam, a party with brothers Jason and Travis and several of their favorite acts, is off for this year, but they're promising an even bigger and better experience next year.

That leaves KC with one less summer festival, but Starlight opens its historic 75^th season this weekend (with some renovations in-progress we previously mentioned) and look for LiveNation to offer some $30 tickets to several shows, beginning May 21, while they last (AEG books more shows locally at the moment, so selection won’t be as plentiful as in other markets)

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week of May 19th-22nd.

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

MONDAY MAY 19

Volume, May 19, miniBar, $13.15

Heavy fuzzed out psych rock from the desert of 29 Palms, CA, this trip is for fans of Monster Magnet, desert stoner rock, and dense doom rock. The band is said to draw its musical influences from bands such as The Stooges, MC5 and Black Flag to name a few, while also crafting their own heavy identity.

Originally formed in 1993 by ex-Fu Manchu singer Patrick Brink, the band has featured a revolving set of collaborators, and the current live lineup includes Mingus on drums, bassist Jason Hernandez and lead guitarist Derek Christiansen and their recent release is called “Joy of Navigation”. The Soiled Doves and Momovudu slated as support on the bill.

TUESDAY MAY 20

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Climber: Defying Limits: Climbing the 14 Highest Peaks, May 20, Kauffman Theatre, $45-$68

Another great and interesting speaker from the Kauffman’s Changemaker Speaker Series. At 23, Austrian mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner achieved her greatest dream: climbing an 8,000-meter peak. Fast forward to today, Gerlinde has climbed all 14 peaks of 8,000+ without supplemental oxygen and without the help of high-altitude porters, the first woman to do so.

She completed the quest on her 7th attempt up what many consider to be the most daunting climb in the world, the world’s second highest peak, K2, known worldwide as the “Savage Mountain,” in the remote Karakoram Range of Pakistan and China.

Leon Bridges, May 20, The Midland, $216 (resale only)

Modern soul artist Leon Bridges is finishing up his The Leon Tour, which began last year in support of his self-titled album, Leon, released last October. We last saw live him a decade ago in Minneapolis as he was just starting out, and his sound has developed and evolved since, while staying relevant. He embarks next on a co-headlining tour with fellow Texan Charlie Crockett to take them both through the summer.

Alabama-born country singer Kashus Culpepper will open.

MIKE w/ duendita and Anysia Kim, May 20, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $24-$28

The NYC rapper / producer (aka Michael Jordan Bonema) alongside Tony Seltzer just released the second single from their recentl collaborative album, Pinball 2, which was just released on May 7th via MIKE’s 10k label and is the sequel to their first joint project Pinball, which arrived last March.

This is all in addition to his tenth solo LP Showbiz!, making him one of the essential and prolific young voices in hip-hop this decade via his own label ,10k, and his free Young World festival in Brooklyn. The current #aotc tour is the biggest of MIKE’s career, and includes 40 dates across the country, 

Arrive early for Queens, NY’s duendita band who compose and play bass-coated tones and mix of jazz, piano, soul and R&B,.Newest project is the 10-track EP, a strong desire to survive, released April 4th via MIKE’s 10k label with lead single, “baby teeth”. (yes, they seem to prefer lowercase).

Mean Girls (musical) May 20-25, Starlight, $14.72-$120.75

Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey ("30 Rock" and based on her film script), composer Jeff Richmond ("Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and original director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). and tells the story of a naïve newbie who falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies.

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies, The Plastics – Regina, Gretchen and Karen. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina's reign, she learns the hard way that you can't cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.  Wearing pink seems to be encouraged.

WEDNESDAY MAY 21

Patti Lupone, May 21, Kauffman,$43-$137

“A Life in Notes, A musical touchstone of a life” – the legendary performer trained at Juilliard in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and began her professional career in 1972 with The Acting Company. LuPone has won three Tony Awards including Best Actress in a Musical and a Grammy Award.

In her new concert, Patti LuPone: A Life in Notes, she performs an array of songs which do just that — songs that are touchstones and reflections on her life growing up in America — from a young girl during the burgeoning rock and roll scene of the fifties, to coming of age in the politically and socially turbulent sixties, to eventually achieving success with both career and family. The show was conceived and directed by Scott Wittman with music direction and arrangements by Joseph Thalken and was written by Jeffrey Richman.

Laura Jane Grace, May 21, Granada- Lawrence, $29.50-$35

The musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me! Is back on the road in support of the new upcoming album, “Adventure Club” (out July 18 with lead single, “Active Trauma”). and Lawrence gets an early date to hear the new music!

Grace fronts the band Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, a solo project she started in 2016 but this time, the billing reads Laura Jane Grace and the Mississippi Medicals (featuring Mikey Erg, Matt Patton, Paris Campbell Grace) with support from Pet Needs.

THURSDAY MAY 22

The Lion King (Broadway touring), May 22-June 1, Music Hall, $79-$317

The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before! - This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to the Music Hall! More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular (since it first opened in Minneapolis!) and it has remained one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions in modern theater history!

Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, the production brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of visuals. Its return again features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. Whether your first time or a repeat- run, don’t walk for the chance to see this beloved classic!

Gráinne Hunt, May 22, KC Irish Center, $23

Irish folk singer-songwriter Gráinne Hunt enchants audiences with her heart-melting vocals and emotional songs and her two original records delve into personal experiences, evoking pain and longing. She showcased in Kansas City at Folk Alliance International last February before her first US tour, mid-last year.

Aside from her solo work, Gráinne collaborates with guitarist Brendan Walsh in the duo Gráinne and Brendan such as on their 2019 release, “Songs From Ireland” and is also part of the folk duo Hibsen with Jim Murphy who wrote an album of songs based on James Joyce’s “Dubliners” on 2023 album,‘The Stern Task of Living’.

Gráinne Hunt is appearing with the financial support of Culture Ireland and we just covered her recent stop in St. Paul, MN.

 

L.A. Guns, May 22, Knuckleheads, $30

L.A. Guns (we think) are Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Ace Von Johnson, Johnny Martin, Adam Hamilton and Shawn Duncan, but check those local listings to be sure. They’ve been around since 1983, but splintered into two versions, which is nothing but confusing. With Tracii and Phil on-board, you’ve got the right one.

The band is promising a new record, Leopard Skin soon, but has the previous Black Diamonds album and 2021’s “Checkered Past,” to lean on in the meantime. And don’t forget those classic 80’s hits either - “The Ballad Of Jayne” “Over The Edge”; “Kiss My Love Goodbye”; “Electric Gypsy”; “Never Enough”; “Sex Action”, and more.

La Cerca, May 22 at Lucia- Lawrence AND May 23 at The Ship, Kansas City, $9.92

The desert psychedelic guitar four-piece La Cerca from Tucson, AZ is out in support of their latest album, 'A Nice Sweet Getaway'(via Fort Lowell Records). They've actually been around since '90s (originally as Wise Folk Malcontent) and are helmed by Andrew Gardner, alongside other founding member guitarist Bill Oberdick.

Building on influences from Sonic Youth and The Cure to Dylan and Ride, La Cerca additionally incorporates a desert-infused blend of shoegaze, ambient, twangy pop hooks, and signature dueling guitars. They play Lucia in downtown Lawrence (thought I don't see the event listing on the venue’s FB), then are the middle act of a three-band bill at The Ship in KC the following evening, so you really have no excuse to miss.

   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]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

We♥KC! April 22-24, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Read More Half-Alive Long Beach based trio Half-Alive (stylized as half•alive) will be headlining 7th Street Entry on the last day of the January. The show is sold out. Overwhelming buzz for this alt-rock band pushed this show to a bigger venue.

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

No Vis, no Gun--

Unfortunately, one of the most anticipated shows of the week, High Vis with Militarie Gun is canceled, due to emergency surgery for Vis singer Graham Sayle: (from 03 Apr.) “We’re sorry to announce that after an incident on Sunday, Graham was admitted to hospital for emergency surgery. He is now stable and recovering, but sadly we have to cancel the upcoming US tour.” Depending on Visas and logistics, we’re hopeful they can reschedule for the Fall.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week from April 22^nd to 24^th.

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

TUESDAY APRIL 22

North Star Boys, Apr 22, recordBar, $30

North Star Boys (NSB) is a leading Asian American pop band, founded in August 2021 by brothers Oliver Moy, and Sebastian Moy. Amassing over 55 million followers combined on social media platforms, NSB has cultivated a loyal audience, as evidenced on their Fall 2022 tour.

Their 2023 EP “Panic”, featured “Cold War”, co-produced by multi-platinum songwriters and musicians, Tim Pagnotta and Brian Phillips. Their latest single is “Thirsty” and available VIP packages includes a signed Polaroid and kissing booth (ooh!). NSB has accumulated over 20 million monthly views on their syndicated Snapchat shows.

High Vis with Militarie Gun, Apr 22, Bottleneck-Lawrence, CANCELED

WEDNESDAY APRIL 23

Half Alive, Apr 23, Truman, $39-$92

Long Beach, CA band Half•Alive is currently out on their Persona World Tour and the trio includes Josh Taylor [vocals], Brett Kramer [drums], and J Tyler Johnson [bass]. Half•Alive officially came to life on their 2017 “3” EP, with singles, “The Fall” and “Aawake At Night”. Since then, the band has released two full-length albums, were named YouTube’s Artist on the Rise.

With help from incredible collaborators like choreographers and creative partners Jordan Johnson and Aidan Carberry, otherwise known as JA Collective, half•alive have completed three headlining tours across the United States, EU and UK, supported Twenty One Pilots on an arena tour.

The Cher Show, Apr 23, Lied Center- Lawrence, $24-$65

Superstars come and go, Cher is forever. For six decades, only one unstoppable force has dominated popular culture-broke down barriers, pushed boundaries and let nothing and no one stand in her way. The Cher Show is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon.

Featuring 35 hit songs, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy®, an Oscar®, an Emmy® and enough Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage, it’s all in one unabashedly new musical that will have you dancing in the aisles! This is a one-night second chance to see the musical – we believed in life after love when we enjoyed the production last Spring at Starlight.

THURSDAY APRIL 24

Shred Fest, Apr 24, Granada- Lawrence, $26-$30

Brought to town via Terry and his wife and their collectible oddities and toy shop, 1313 Mockingbird Lane Shredfest 2025 features Obscura // Support: Atheist // Origina // Decrepit Birth // Fractal Universe in a face-melting, head-banging, all-ages show!

The month-long tour starts April 20 in San Diego, with Lawrence being a few days in, and closes on May 22 in Los Angeles and is in support of Obscura’s new album, “A Sonication”. The band’s had several lineup changes in the last few years but looks be settled in and fully rocking again.

“We are excited to be part of SHRED FEST 2025, along with excellent bands such as as Atheist, Origin, Decrepit Birth and Fractal Universe, to travel through the US and Canada in April and May. More notes, more shred, more of everything. VIP packages won’t be available – all bands are at the shows to meet you, have a chat, and share the most extreme music on the planet. Pass by early, support all artists, and see you at a venue near you.” – Steffen Kummerer

   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]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Jax: May 3 to May 5, 2025

Read more Jacksonville.

Two Friends at Decca Live (03 May 2025) Read More Decca Live There’s another new music venue in Jacksonville called Decca Live. This brand-new concert venue (and Rooftop Bar) had a sold-out grand-opening show with Kaskade on January 31, 2025. …

03 May 2025 Saturday
Two Friends
at Decca Live
deccalive.com

Acclaimed producer/DJ duo Two Friends have sold out Decca Live, in Jacksonville, on May 3, 2025, as part of their Heatwave: The Tour.

Two Friends share, “We’re so insanely excited to bring Heatwave: The Tour across North America. With each tour, we always try to elevate and create an entirely unique experience for our fans. Heatwave will be our biggest endeavor yet with so many surprises and new music in store. This is phase one with more to come… let’s make it hot!”

We attended the new-ish venue, Decca Live in Feb 2025 and noted, “ Since the venue is still new (only opened for 24 days!) I’ll talk about the venue. It is near the Jaguars Stadium (EverBank Stadium) and VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, so there’s plenty of parking meters and pay lots everywhere. The meters are not enforced after 6pm on weekdays or all weekends… so free street parking is great, but it might have a different story on a game night. I parked about two blocks from Decca Live, which is just perfect, in my opinion. Currently, there’s a ton of constructions everywhere in downtown, so anything can change at the last minute. As for Decca Live, it has a very similar setup to the Fine Line Music Café, in Minneapolis. It’s a long rectangular room, with the bar on the left, and on the right are VIP seating. There’s also a VIP balcony, which offers a good view of the stage and dancefloor. For these kinds of venues, if you want a good view and refused to pay for VIP, you need to get in early and park yourself near the stage. There are no barriers, so you will be right next to the band for a great view.”

Tour dates:

Apr. 18, 2025 Breakaway Music Festival Arizona 2025 Mesa, Arizona

Apr. 30, 2025 HEATWAVE TOUR - Red Rocks Morrison, CO

May. 2, 2025 Fourth Street Live! Louisville, KY

May. 3, 2025 Decca Live Jacksonville, FL

May. 10, 2025 LIV NIGHTCLUB Miami Beach, FL

May. 25, 2025 Indy 500 Snake Pit 2025 Indianapolis, IN

May. 30, 2025 Encore Beach Club Las Vegas, NV

May. 31, 2025 Big Bootie Land Seattle, WA

Jun. 13, 2025 The Brooklyn Mirage Brooklyn, NY

Jun. 22, 2025 XS Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV

Jun. 27, 2025 KC Live! Kansas City, MO

Jul. 2, 2025 Encore Beach Club Las Vegas, NV

Jul. 4, 2025 Lazy Gators Lake Ozark, MO

Jul. 5, 2025 HQ2 Beachclub Atlantic City, NJ

Jul. 10, 2025 Rock the Park 2025 London, ON

Jul. 11, 2025 XS Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV

Jul. 25, 2025 XS Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV

Aug. 2, 2025 Lollapalooza Chicago 2025 Chicago, IL

Aug. 22, 2025 Encore Beach Club Las Vegas, NV

Intocable at Florida Theatre (03 May 2025)

03 May 2025 Saturday
Intocable
at Florida Theatre
floridatheatre.com

Tejano/Norteño group Intocable (translated to English as “Untouchable”) is headlining the Florida Theatre, in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 3, 2025. The band’s latest Modus operandi-antologia (Modus operandi anthology) is out now.

Tour dates:

Apr 18 Charlotte, NC · Ovens Auditorium

Apr 19 Raleigh, NCS · Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

May 2 North Charleston, SC · North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center

May 3 Jacksonville, FL · Florida Theatre

May 9 Pachuca, Mexico · Auditorio Explanada Pachuca

May 17 Elizabeth, NJ · Ritz Theatre & Performing Arts Center

May 18 Tysons, VA · Capital One Hall

May 24 Los Mochis, Mexico · Estadio Emilio Ibarra Almada

May 30 Mexicali, Mexico · Plaza de Toros “Calafia”

Jun 13 Fresno, CA · Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center

Jun 14 Ontario, CA · Toyota Arena

Jun 20 Sacramento, CA · Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

Jun 21 Bakersfield, CA · Mechanics bank theater

Jun 22 Pala, CA · Starlight Theater

Jun 27 Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico · Foro Chiapas

Jun 28 Villahermosa, Mexico · Teatro al aire libre

Jul 25 Charlotte, NC · Ovens Auditorium

Jul 26 Raleigh, NC · Martin Marietta Center

Jul 26 Raleigh, NC · Meymandi Concert Hall

Dot Dot Dot at Florida Theatre (05 May 2025)

05 May 2025 Monday
Dot Dot Dot
at Florida Theatre
floridatheatre.com

Dot Dot Dot is a new musical based on Creatrilogy trio of award-winning picture books by New York Times bestselling author Peter H. Reynolds: The Dot, Ish, and Sky Color. Adapted by Composers Keelay Gipson and Sam Salmond, the musical, like the series, celebrates the power of originality, self-expression, and opening our eyes to look beyond the expected.

The musical is about Marisol (Sky Color), who goes on searching for emerging talent… leading her to meet Vashti (The Dot) and Ramon (Ish).

Note: Two showings available, 10am and 12pm.

If your band is coming to the Jacksonville/St Augustine area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Back to the Future musical (Broadway touring) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-04-01 through 04-06)

(Back to the Future playbill from The Music Hall, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Tuesday, April 1: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 4: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5: 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 6: 1 p.m. Sunday, April 6: 6:30 p.m.   BACK TO THE FUTURE TOUR DATES   April 8 - 13 Fayetteville, AR Walton Arts Center April 15 - 20 Tuls, OK Tulsa Performing Arts Center April 29 - May 4 Tampa FL Carol Morsani Hall May 6 - 11 Greensboro, NC Tanger Center May 13 - 18 Greenville, SC Peace Center May 20 - 25 Durham, NC DPAC May 27 – June 1 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre June 4 - 8 Hartford, CT The Bushnell June 10 - 15 Providence, RI Performing Arts Center June 17 - 22 Rochester, NY West Herr Auditorium  June 24 - 29 Buffalo, NY Shea's Performing Arts Center July 1 - 6 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center July 8 - 20 Boston, MA Citizens Opera House July 23 – August 31 Toronto, ON Ed Mirvish Theatre September 9 - 21 Cincinnati, OH Aronoff Center September 23 - 28 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre October 14 - 19 Sioux Falls, SD Washington Pavilion October 28 - November 9 Detroit, MI Opera House December 9 - 14 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre January 13 - 18, 2026 East Lansing, MI Wharton Ctr January 20 - 25, Richmond, VA Altria Theatre February 3 - 15 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Broward Center February 24 - March 1 Baltimore, MD The Hippodrome  March 3 - 8 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre March 17 - 22 Nashville, TN Tenn. Performing Arts Ctr. March 24 - 29 Ft. Worth, TX Bass Performance Hall March 31 - April 5 Houston, TX Hobby Center  April 14 - 19 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall May 12 - 24 Sacramento, CA SAFE Credit Union PAC June 2 - 7 San Jose, CA San Jose Center  June 9 - 14 Salt Lake City, UT Eccles Theatre Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!”

Back to the Future has returned and this time, it’s live on stage!

Based on the classic 1980’s movie franchise, teenager and aspiring rock guitarist Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by his neighbor, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history.

With a tale most are familiar with via the films starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, they have to race against time to correct the present, align the past, and not interrupt the delicate time space continuum.

The musical version was a decade or so in development, with movie producer and writer (and Batman and Spider-Man: Brand New Day comic book writer) Bob Gale on board writing the musical’s book. Music heavyweights- the Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy winner Glen Ballard (co-wrote/produced Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill album) were recruited to create new music and lyrics, and of course, to also include those classic Huey Lewis (and one from Chuck Berry) hits that are deeply associated with the franchise.

The production launched in Manchester UK, then to London’s West End before making its way to Broadway in 2023 and ending its run there, in January of this year. Along the way, it picked up an Olivier Award for Best New Musical and a couple of Tony nominations.

This first touring production is directed by Tony winner John Rando, who manged to reunite his entire London creative team. This was critical for a musical like this, as the marriage of set design, sound, video, digital illusions and more, need to come together seamlessly.

The result is one of the most complex stagings we’ve seen in a touring production, all of which greatly added to its entertainment value.

We’ll assume most know the story from the first film, and this stage version stays very accurate to it, complete with all the important scenes. Many of the players slightly echo their better-known film counterparts with some subtle nuances, such as a lilt in their voice or a quick mannerism.

Lucas Hallauer takes on the lead role of Marty, and while not having the most soaring Broadway voice, is compelling in the role, and is as or more manically active, as Fox was in the original film.

We could listen to Cartreze Tucker, who plays Mayor Wilson, sing all night, as he was vocally impressive at every turn he received, Ethan Rogers plays the bully Biff Tanner perfectly, and close your eyes and listen to Zan Berube as Marty’s mom Lorraine, and you’ll think it’s a young Lea Thompson up there.

Olathe’s own Fisher Lane Stewart received extra applause with his entrance, moonwalking with a sack of burgers and fries, no less. The lanky Mike Bindeman takes on the role of Marty’s dad George with a cartoon-ish absurdity that resembles an ‘In Living Color’-era Jim Carrey, and Don Stephenson as Doc Brown truly makes the role his own – not trying to mimic Christopher Lloyd (and looks more like Steve Coogan) and plays things with the right balance of brilliance, bewilderment, and bombast.

The show starts with a bang, with coordinates set to ‘land the show’ right in downtown Kansas City and ends with the thrilling sfx-filled scene of the Dolorean racing through Hill Valley, CA streets to leap forward thirty years ahead. An end clap- and sing-along to the Huey Lewis soundtrack hits sends everyone out the door with a smile on their face.

“I finally invented something that works!” says Doc Brown when he finds out about the success of his flux capacitor invention and Back to the Future: The Musical ‘works’ too- it’s a fun evening out that puts a fresh take on a modern film classic.

Back to the Future plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, April 6 with tickets available here: Back to the Future The Musical (Touring) Tickets | Event Dates & Schedule | Ticketmaster

  (Tour and production photography provided by McLeod9 Creative, Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman. / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

We♥KC! February 23-28, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO)

Read More Joy Oladokun The evening began with the pleasant surprise of a support set from Nashville via Arizona folk/pop/roots singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun, still in support of full-length, Living Proof (out via Verve/Forecast/ Republic) …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Well, now we know--

The reason KC seems skipped by all the upcoming stadium tours, is that Arrowhead is too busy being prepped for next year’s FIFA World Cup Games (though you’d think they could work around things, or a show could be scheduled next door at Kauffman Stadium, but what do we know…), thanks to the KC Star for getting to the bottom of things.

We also learned from the Star and others about a new 650-capacity venue, now announcing live shows beginning late next month, Warehouse on Broadway. While maybe not the most inspiring choice of name, its size does fill a needed niche in the area, hopefully meaning a KC stop for bands that otherwise had to pass. Plus, they serve food, so we’re excited to check it out.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from February 23rd to 28th:

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23

Beetlejuice (Broadway Touring), Feb 18-23, Music Hall, $60-$150

(Last Day in KC!) Read our Review here: Beetlejuice musical (Broadway touring) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-02-18 through 02-23) - W♥M  Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetl...oops! Almost said it three times- the frantic ghost-with-the-most leaps from the screen to the live stage for a Kansas City engagement downtown at the Music Hall.

Based on Tim Burton’s beloved films, this hilarious musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teenager whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon with a thing for stripes. With an irreverent book, an astonishing set, and a score that’s out of this Netherworld, expect a load of fun, laughs, and a touching show about family, love, and making the most of every Day-O! For ages 13+ and plays through the weekend.

The Get Up Kids w/ The Anniversary, Feb 23, The Truman, $35-$70

The area emo rock veterans continue celebrating the 25th anniversary of their album Something to Write Home About (with a 2024 reissue) that began last year and now have rockers The Anniversary joining in support, who are led by our friend, Josh Berwanger of Gemini Parks.

“More North American shows!” the band excitedly announced via Instagram. The trek kicks off on January 30th in St. Louis and will wrap with two nights in Pomona, CA, which the band has specified as the final West Coast shows of the run.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 24

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26

Joy Oladokun, Feb 26, Truman, $20-$25

The Nashville based/Arizona born singer/songwriter only has a few albums out but continues to make waves as one of contemporary folk’s most promising artists. Recent collaborations with A-Listers Chris Stapleton and Noah Kahan have raised her profile as well. Oldaokun is out on the Blackbird Tour, taken from the opening track of the self-produced newest album (“Observations from a Crowded Room”- out last Nov.) “Letter From a Blackbird.”

Oladokun has also partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will go to The Ally Coalition’s work to support homeless and at-risk. We caught Oladokun live headlining this same venue in 2023, and out at Azura Amph. last summer

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27

Night Ranger, Feb 27, Uptown, $39-$99

Four decades later, “You Can Still Rock in America!” Having sold over 17 million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4,000 stages, and captivated a radio audience that exceeds one billion, the band still composed of Jack Blades (bass, vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals), Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars), Eric Levy (keyboards), and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars)–has transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era.

Night Ranger earned recognition with both multi-platinum and gold status records, all while leaving their mark on music with a list of best-selling albums (including Dawn Patrol, Midnight Madness, 7 Wishes, Big Life, and Man In Motion).

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28

Sevendust Feb 28, Truman,$32-$33

The longtime rockers are out on a series of 12 headlining “In Dust We Trust” dates that will take place during and after the band’s support slot on Disturbed’s North American arena tour. Horizon Theory will support the new gigs and the shows start right here in KC before looping around and ending at the end of March in nearby Springfield, MO.

It’s a bit of a local gig for frontman Lajon Witherspoon too, who has lived in the KC suburbs for years.

 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]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Beetlejuice musical (Broadway touring) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-02-18 through 02-23)

(Beetlejuice playbill from The Music Hall, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Tuesday, February 18: 7:30 pm Wednesday, February 19: 7:30 pm Thursday, February 20: 7:30 pm Friday, February 21: 7:30 pm Saturday, February 22 2 pm Saturday, February 22: 7:30 pm Sunday, February 23: 1 pm Sunday, February 23: 6:30 pm Sunday, February 2: 6:30 p.m.   BEETLEJUICE TOUR DATES   Feb 25 - Mar 02 Toledo, OH Stranahan Theater Mar 04 - Mar 09 Lincoln, NE Lied Center for Performing Arts Mar 11 - Mar 16 Chicago, IL Cadillac Palace Theatre Mar 18 - Mar 23 Durham, NC DPAC Mar 25 - Mar 30 North Charleston, SC North Charleston PAC Apr 02 - Apr 06 Wichita, KS Century II Performing Arts Center Apr 08 - Apr 13 Indianapolis, IN Clowes Memorial Hall Apr 22 - Apr 27 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Apr 29 - May 4 Miami, FL Ziff Ballet Opera House May 06 - May 11 Birmingham, AL Jefferson Conv. Complex May 14 - May 18 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre May 27 - Jun 1 Ottawa, ON National Arts Centre Jun 03 - Jul 13 Toronto, ON CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

For being a self-proclaimed “show about death”, it’s one of the most upbeat and life-affirming productions we’ve seen in some time--

Beetlejuice The Musical continues touring the popular Broadway production and has made an area stop in downtown KC at The Music Hall (with performances now through Sunday), and we were fortunate enough to take in opening night.

Given the several inches of snow that fell throughout the day, the bitter below-zero wind chill, and icy streets and sidewalks, it’s a wonder anyone showed up at all.

But “The show must go on!” and we were pleased to see a healthy turnout, including several fans dressed in their best black and white vertical stripes and various costumes in homage, despite the single-digits outside.

The show is of course, based on the modern classic 1988 film of the same name by Tim Burton, and features music and lyrics by Australian Eddie Perfect (who will himself play the role down under later this year) with a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King.

The production is a fun house kaleidoscope of colors, controlled chaos, and spectacle, so we also must give props to scenic designer David Korins, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designer Kenneth Posner, projection designer Peter Nigrini, puppet designer Michael Curry, special effects designer Jeremy Chernick, and magic and illusion designer Michael Weber; all of whom are integral to the wonderfully wacky finished product that is on stage.

The production successfully uses a combination of great-looking traditional sets, mixed with projections and sfx, along with dramatic lighting. Many stage, effect, and lighting cues were throughout, that had to be executed with split-second precision, and all was nicely achieved on this opening night.

For whatever reason, we lost the principal actor in the lead role (as well as the role of Barbara Maitland) for this KC debut, but both were filled seamlessly by Marc Ginsburg and Lexie Dorsett Sharp respectively; so much so that the production didn’t lose a step and (we’re guessing) most of the audience was completely unaware of.

The familiar-to-most story begins with friendly couple Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara Maitland, both recently deceased and banished to haunt the attic of their cherished house as they witness a new family moving in. Charles Deetz (Jesse Sharp) and his young teen daughter Lydia (Madison Mosley) are still mourning the death of wife and mother, Emily, and bring along flaky life coach Delia (Sarah Litzsinger), both as emotional support and also Charles’ undercover lover.

The Beetlejuice character acts as narrator, trying to escape back from the netherworld back into the ‘real’ by having someone living repeat his name three times. Being a “show about death” is revealed right away, with the first proper song in Act One, “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” followed by “Dead Mom” but the positively-caffeinated collective energy by Ginsburg and the company, effortlessly transfers to the audience with high-wattage fun.

As in the film, Beetlejuice’s character is brassy, outspoken, and unabashedly honest- throwing out one-liner quips, occasional profanity, and even acknowledges the audience here and there, in case someone wasn’t paying full attention. Ginsburg knows the show hinges on his demeanor and physical humor (even more than on his voice), so was frantically moving and keeping the pacing up throughout both acts (with the Beetlejuice character being seen much more frequently than in the recent film sequel).

In terms of vocals, the company’s smallest member provides the biggest audio punch to the show, as Mosley has several solos playing Lydia as well as with ensemble songs, and showcases her clear delivery, wide vocal range, and true ability to emote in melody. The orchestra played loudly over some of the other voices on a number or two, but Mosley’s volume easily rose above that.

The first Act ends as Beetlejuice is coaxed back into the real world to run amok (though we wished the “Day-O [Banana Boat Song]” sequence over the dinner table was extended or revisited as an encore).

The second Act moved the energy into an even higher gear, with an opening “That Beautiful Sound” which featured numerous Beetlejuice doppelgangers impressively dancing in sync and backflipping about the stage.

Fans of the film will see even the smallest supporting characters from the story brought to life, especially the denizens of the netherworld. We even get the skeleton jury, and giant head and torso of the ghost-eating sandworm, which wriggles its way inside the house’s front door, with a cowboy-hat adorning Mr. Juice trying to ride and tame the wild beast.

We won’t spoil any further story details, but moviegoers know that all ends well, the value of life over death is emphasized, and the importance of family (whether natural or inherited) and happiness, should be a priority above all.

Because of some adult humor, flashing strobes and overall sensory overload, it may be less suitable for anyone very sensitive to those things, but it’s an otherwise fun ride as the steel ball in a 2 ½ hour pinball machine- full of lights, sounds, and wonder.

Purposely delivered over-the-top, Beetlejuice the Musical is a joyous and exhilarating adaptation that exceeded our expectations and was an ideal bit of escapist fun on an otherwise frigid and somber Winter evening.

Beetlejuice plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, February 23 with tickets available here: BEETLEJUICE | PNC Broadway In Kansas City

  (National Tour Photos by Matthew Murphy / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

Minneapolis: March 13, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Soccer Mommy at First Avenue (13 Mar 2025) Read More Soccer Mommy The stage transition was brief (made seemingly shorter by a female-empowered audio mix of Sonic Youth, Lush, and Avril Lavigne tracks) as the five touring members of Soccer Mommy took to the stage for .… Hana Vu California’s Hana Vu is back on tour to support her new album Romanticism. The theme and promotional photos seems to suggest it was influenced by Caravaggio’s paintings. .…

13 Mar 2025 Thursday

Soccer Mommy
with Hana Vu
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Nashville songwriter and musician Soccer Mommy (Sophie Allison) is touring in support of the new album Evergreen. The tour will stop by First Avenue, in Minneapolis, on March 13, 2025.

Soccer Mommy at Granada Theater (10 April 2022)

We saw Soccer Mommy in April 2022, and said, “The stage transition was brief (made seemingly shorter by a female-empowered audio mix of Sonic Youth, Lush, and Avril Lavigne tracks) as the five touring members of Soccer Mommy took to the stage for their eighty-minute headlining set. They were additionally helped out by PDM’s bassist Marina Aguerre for opening song, “Bloodstream”, the opener from 2020’s Color Theory, that muses about loneliness and chasing that elusive joy.”

Hana Vu to open.

Hana Vu at 7th Street Entry (05 Sep 2018)

We first saw Hana Vu in Sep 2018, on her very first tour: “After spending 30 hours driving in a car, Hana Vu was happy and relieved to finally play for us. Although Vu had written and recorded three albums (about 30 songs) since 2014, this was the first time the group went out on a national tour, with the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis a first stop for the band. Vu mentioned early in their set, “This is our first time not in California. The first time ever.””

Tour Dates:

2/18 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn %

2/19 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s %

2/20 - Dallas, TX - The Studio at The Factory %

2/21 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall %

2/22 - Austin, TX - Radio/East %

2/24 - Santa Fe, NM - Meow Wolf %

2/25 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre %

2/27 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern %

2/28 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore %

3/3 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox %

3/4 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre %

3/5 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom %

3/7 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Hall %

3/8 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot %

3/10 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre %

3/12 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman %

3/13 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue %

3/14 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall %

3/15 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl %

4/26 - Lisbon, PT - Lisboa ao Vivo $

4/27 - Madrid, ES - Sala Copernico $

4/28 - Barcelona, ES - Sala Apolo 2 $

4/30 - Zurich, CH - Papiersaal $

5/1 - Fribourg, CH - Fri-Son $

5/2 - Milan, IT - Legend $

5/3 - Munich, DE - Ampere $

5/4 - Cologne, DE - Artheater $

5/6 - Brighton, UK - Chalk $

5/7 - Bristol, UK - SWX $

5/8 - London, UK - Hackney Church $

5/9 - Leeds, UK - Project House $

5/11 - Dublin, IE - Vicar Street $

5/13 - Glasgow, UK - SWG3 TV Studio $

5/14 - Manchester, UK - New Century Hall $

5/16 - Paris, FR - Le Trabendo $

5/17 - Amsterdam, NL - London Calling Festival

5/18 - Brussels, BE - Les Nuits Botanique

5/20 - Hamburg, DE - Nochtspeicher $

5/21 - Berlin, DE - Lido $

5/22 - Warszawa, PL - Klub Hybrydy $

* support from L’Rain
^ support from Tomberlin
% support from Hana Vu
$ support from Bored at My Grandma’s House

Ike Reilly Assassination at Turf Club (13 Mar 2025) Read More Ike Reilly Libertyville’s Ike Reilly, and his band, The Assassination, will be heading out on tour this fall in the Midwest in support of his new album, Because the Angels. The record was released by Nashville-based …

13 Mar 2025 Thursday

The Ike Reilly Assassination
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Libertyville’s Ike Reilly Assassination is headlining the Turf Club, this March 13, 2025, in St Paul. The last time we heard from him, he released a Christmas single “Santa Won't You Tell Me What You Did?” on Rock Ridge Music.

Tour Dates:

Jan 30 Fitzgerald's @ Berwyn, IL

Feb 1 James Lumber Center Grayslake, IL

Feb 20 The Brass Rail @ Fort Wayne, IN

Feb 21 The Acorn @ Three Oaks, MI

Feb 22 The Treelawn @ Cleveland, OH

Feb 23 Westside Bowl @ Youngstown, OH

Feb 25 Jammin Java @ Vienna, VA

Feb 27 Concerts in the Studio @ Freehold, NJ

Feb 28 Mercury Lounge @ New York, NY

Mar 1 City Winery Boston @ Boston, MA

Mar 2 MilkBoy @ Philadelphia, PA

Mar 5 Cat's Cradle @ Carrboro, NC

Mar 6 Eddie's Attic @ Decatur, GA

Mar 7 40 Watt Club @ Athens, GA

Mar 8 Eastside Bowl @ 7:00 PM Nashville, TN

Mar 13 Turf Club @ St Paul, MN

Mar 14 Shank Hall @ 7 Milwaukee, WI

Mar 15 Schubas Tavern @ Chicago, IL

Mar 15 Schubas Tavern @ Chicago, IL

Mar 16 Schubas Tavern @ Chicago, IL

Dear Evan Hansen at Ordway Music Theater (11-16 Mar 2025) Read More Musical It must mean the classic musical Chicago is back in town - “A story of greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery” (to quote the opening prologue) ...and Kansas City couldn’t be happier! …

11 Mar 2025 Tuesday
12 Mar 2025 Wednesday
13 Mar 2025 Thursday
14 Mar 2025 Friday
15 Mar 2025 Saturday
16 Mar 2025 Sunday

Dear Evan Hansen
at Ordway Music Theater
ordway.org

The Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen is about life and the way we live it. The national touring musical will stop by the The Ordway Music Theater from March 11 to March 16. Note: Saturday and Sunday will feature an early and late show.

The Ordway seats 1,900 guests and includes two large rehearsal halls, magnificent lobbies on each floor, and the Target Atrium—a spacious, two story lobby encircled by a glass facade which overlooks Rice Park and downtown Saint Paul.

Details:

Mar 11 2025 Tuesday, 7:30 PM

Mar 12 2025 Wednesday, 7:30 PM

Mar 13 2025 Thursday, 7:30 PM

Mar 14 2025 Friday, 7:30 PM

Mar 15 2025 Saturday, 2:00 PM

Mar 15 2025 Saturday, 7:30 PM

Mar 16 2025 Sunday, 1:30 PM

Mar 16 2025 Sunday, 7:00 PM

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com