W♥M

We♥KC! May 24-31, 2023, Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence KS)

shame 2023 Tour poster Read More Shame It’s a shame, but London’s Shame had to cancel their appearance. They were replaced by U.S. Girls, who said, “We’re the best replacement you'll ever get.” …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/ Lawrence / Topeka KS metro musical happenings from May 24th-31st. Have a good Memorial weekend!

WEDNESDAY MAY 24

THURSDAY MAY 25

The Mavericks, May 25-27, Knuckleheads. $49.50-$74.50

Bueno, Bueno! Widely respected as one of the most dynamic live music bands in the country, The Mavericks return with an added multi-cultural/bilingual energy added to their musical melting pot. The genre-bending band puts their unique spin on Latin American music classics as heard on their acclaimed Spanish language album "En Español,” as well as new originals, and many of their longtime fan favorite greatest hits in this multi-night area stand.

Cirque du Soleil- Corteo, May 25-28, T-Mobile Center, $87-$230

Returning to town with an in-the-round dazzling show that first premiered in Montreal in 2005. Corteo, means "cortege" in Italian, a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.

The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us.

FRIDAY MAY 26

Chicago, Starlight. $39.50-$129.50

The longtime band is still regularly on the road and also releases new records with last year’s Chicago XXXVIII: Born for This Moment being their latest. With its 38 studio albums and more than 100 million records sold, Chicago is one of the longest-running and best-selling music groups of all time.

This "rock and roll band with horns" found success with their original sound of pop and rock fusion, including hits "Make Me Smile," "Saturday In The Park," "25 or 6 to 4," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," and many more.

Les Claypool's Frog Brigade (performing Pink Floyd- Animals), GrindersKC, $45-$201.

After twenty years, Claypool recently resurrected his group the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for a tour this spring and summer and much like Primus covering Rush during their recent shows, the band will be performing Pink Floyd's 1977 seminal album, Animals, each night on tour.

The band will feature Sean Lennon on guitar, Harry Waters on keys, and Paolo Baldi on drums, along with longtime cohorts Skerik on saxophone, and Mike Dillon on percussion. In 2020, Claypool reissued the 2001 album Live Frogs as Live Frogs: Set 1 & 2, which also includes a full performance of Animals recorded October 8–9 of 2000 shows in San Francisco.

SATURDAY MAY 27

shame w/ Been Stellar, Bottleneck- Lawrence, $20

The rising London post-punk band has returned with their third full-length, Food for Worms, which just came out at the end of last month. Three buzzing singles were released beforehand, doing exceptionally well on the other side of the pond, “Fingers of Steel", "Six-Pack" and "Adderall".

After they missed Rock the Garden in 2018, we finally caught the band live, last summer headlining in Minneapolis. They've been busy touring the UK and Europe, so are ready to hit our shores with a bang.

NYC indie five-piece Been Stellar will provide support, in support of last August's self-titled EP.)

SUNDAY MAY 28

Hammerfall, Granada. $25

The Swedish metallers return to these shores in support of 2022’s Hammer of Dawn, "We can't wait to be back and celebrate our new album with our fans in the U.S. and Canada!" said Helloween vocalist Andi Deris.

"Hammerfall will accompany Helloween on their North American tour next year!" added Hammerfall. "The highly successful 'United Forces' tour will continue across the ocean in May and June, serving as the perfect prelude to the summer. You asked for it so here we go!"

MONDAY MAY 29

TUESDAY MAY 30

The Bros Landreth, Knuckleheads, $20

Canadian sibling duo The Bros. Landreth welcome a new day with Come Morning, an album that marks both a rebirth and refinement of the JUNO-winning band's blend of North American roots music and harmony-heavy soul.

Brothers Joey and Dave lace their melody-driven songs with layers of atmospheric synth, organ, and textured guitar. Come Morning sketches a markedly different picture, showcasing the introspection and clarity that comes with a long period of rest.

Aladdin (musical), May 30-June 4, Music Hall, $35-$125

From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of Aladdin, a thrilling new production filled with beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s the theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

Aladdin features all your favorite songs from the Disney film versions as well as new music written by Tony® and Academy Award® winner Alan Menken with lyrics penned by the legendary Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast), Tony Award winner Tim Rice (The Lion King, Aida), and book writer Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Something Rotten!), this new musical boasts an incomparable design team, with sets, costumes and lighting from Tony Award winners Bob Crowley (Mary Poppins), Gregg Barnes (Kinky Boots), and Natasha Katz (An American in Paris).

The Wailers, Bottleneck. $23

The legendary reggae band is hitting the road on tour, continuing the magic of their timeless classics and incredible cuts from Bob Marley‘s vast repertoire under the guidance of Aston Barrett Jr. and featuring the addition of vocalist Mitchell Brunings.

The Wailers are also working on a new album, which is set to be released in the second half of 2023. Produced by Emilio Estefan, the album promises to be some fresh takes on the band’s classic sound.

In 2020, they made a comeback with album, “One World“, which earned a Grammy® nomination for Best Reggae Album.

WEDNESDAY MAY 31

Drain, Bottleneck. $25

One of the most buzzing bands in hardcore right now, known for high-intensity live shows, the Santa Cruz trio is headlining the 2023 edition of the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour, celebrating their anticipated sophomore album, Living Proof (out via Epitaph Records).

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

Minneapolis: March 4 - March 6, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul on March 4 to March 6, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Bob Marley Bob Marley’s 70th Birthday will include yearlong celebration of rare and unreleased material from the Marley family vaults and private collection - 1st commemorative release out on February 17th ... The Wailers The current incarnation of Bob Marley’s famous backing band (the Wailers) hits the First Avenue Mainroom stage to play reggae classics from the greatest hits album, Legend (Island Records) in its entirety. ...

THE WAILERS
at First Avenue
Wednesday 03/04/15, 7:30pm ($20)
first-avenue.com

With Bob Marley's 70th Birthday this month (February 6th), there's never been a better time to celebrate his life and music with his previous band The Wailers on this upcoming show.

If the Wailers are not playing near your area, you can also check out Bob Marley and the Wailers' Easy Skanking in Boston '78 live CD/DVD/Bluray, which came out this week (February 17th) via UMe.

Tugg set to open the show.

Tour dates:

02/21/15 North Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues
02/22/15 Raleigh, NC Southland Ballroom
02/25/15 Greensboro, NC Carolina Theatre
02/26/15 Columbus, OH The LC Pavilion
02/27/15 Lorain, OH Lorain Palace Theatre
02/28/15 Kent, OH The Kent Stage
03/01/15 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
03/04/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
03/05/15 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
03/06/15 Waukegan, IL Genesee Theatre
03/07/15 Fort Wayne, IN Piere's Entertainment
03/08/15 Traverse City, MI Ground Zero
03/10/15 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
03/12/15 Emporia, KS Emporia Granada Theatre
03/13/15 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater
03/14/15 Chillicothe, IL Three Sisters Park
03/15/15 Saint Charles, IL Arcada Theatre
03/18/15 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
03/19/15 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom
03/20/15 Birmingham, AL Alys Robinson Stephens
03/21/15 Lafayette, LA Acadiana Center For The Arts
03/25/15 Houston, TX House Of Blues
03/26/15 Austin, TX The Belmont
03/27/15 Dallas, TX Trees

Read More The Church In other The Church news, the Sydney-based band will be releasing a brand new album called Further/Deeper, set for release on February 3, 2015, via +180 Records. Although "Xmas" won't be on the CD … The Tall Pines The Tall Pines At Highline Ballroom With The Sharp Things New York, New York The Tall Pines Record Release Party with Laura Cantrell and Joe McGinty …

THE CHURCH
at Cedar Cultural Center
Thursday 03/05/15, 7pm ($30)
thecedar.org

Legendary Australian band The Church will be in Minneapolis this Thursday, March 5th at the Cedar Cultural Center.

We previously mentioned, The Church's latest album is called Further/Deeper, which came out earlier this month, February 3rd via +180 Records. Prior to this, I reviewed Untitled #23 (their 23rd album released in 2009).

The Sydney-based band will be in America to do a promotional tour for the new record.

NYC-based collective The Sharp Things (who previously played some gigs with one of my favorite bands The Tall Pines) will open the Church show; they're touring in support of Adventurer's Inn, which came out last year via Dive Records.

The Church North American Tour dates:

02/21/15 Vancouver, BC Rio Theatre
02/22/15 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
02/23/15 Seattle, WA The Triple Door
02/24/15 Seattle, WA The Triple Door
02/26/15 Noise Pop Festival
02/27/15 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
02/28/15 San Diego, CA The Casbah
03/02/15 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen
03/03/15 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
03/05/15 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
03/06/15 Chicago, IL Double Door
03/07/15 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
03/08/15 Cincinnati, OH The Woodward Theater
03/09/15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
03/10/15 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
03/12/15 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair
03/13/15 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
03/14/15 Brooklyn, NY Rough Trade
03/15/15 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
03/17/15 Atlanta, GA Terminal West

Read More 2:54 The much-hyped London-based shoegaze-tinged sister act 2:54 played the Triple Rock (and Minneapolis) for the first time Monday night. Honeyblood Even though Honeyblood won't be back in Minneapolis until March 2015, I'm still very excited to announce that they will be touring with fellow Scotts Belle & Sebastian and London sisters ...

2:54 w/ Honeyblood
at 7th Street Entry
Friday 03/06/15, 10pm ($12)
first-avenue.com

We are very excited about the return of London's 2:54 and Scotland's Honeyblood back to Minneapolis on Friday, March 6th. NOTE: time! 10pm! So if you work on Saturday, good luck to you.

Read our previous Honeyblood coverage:

Honeyblood at Triple Rock, Minneapolis (28 Feb 2014)

Honeyblood at SXSW, Austin (14 Mar 2014)

Read our previous 2:54 coverage:

2:54 at First Ave, Minneapolis (19 Oct 2012)

2:54 at the Triple Rock, Minneapolis (18 Jun 2012)

The London-based sister duo are currently touring in support for their second album The Other I, which came out last November via Bella Union.

Tour dates:

02/27: Rough Trade - Brooklyn, NY#
02/28: DC9 - Washington, DC#
03/01: Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA#
03/03: The Silver Dollar Room - Toronto, ON#
03/04: UFO Factory - Detroit, MI#
03/05: Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL#
03/06: 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN#
03/08: Barboza - Seattle, WA#
03/09: Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR#
03/11: The Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA#
03/12: The Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA#
03/13: The Hideout - San Diego, CA#
03/14: VIVA PHX Music Festival - Phoenix, AZ

# - w/ Honeyblood

Read More Sara Watkins Prior to releasing her debut self-titled album, Sara Watkins was cutting her teeth as the fiddler in the progressive bluegrass group, Nickel Creek. Bluegrass fans will probably know ...

SEAN WATKINS
at The Parkway Theatre
Friday 03/06/15, 8pm ($15)
theparkwaytheater.com

The Parkway Theater is a movie theater, but they also book musical acts as well. Since it's seated, I suggest you show up early to grab a closer seat. Note: the front row are reserved at a higher price.

Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek will be playing in Minneapolis on March 6th. Although it's not listed officially, I think his sister Sara Watkins may be at this show?

Also on the bill is Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles.

Tour dates:

02/21/15 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
02/22/15 Ashland, VA Ashland Coffee & Tea
02/24/15 Charlottesville, VA The Southern
02/25/15 Washington, DC Gypsy Sally's
02/26/15 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
02/27/15 New York, NY Rockwood Music Hall
02/28/15 Northampton, MA Parlor Room
03/01/15 Cambridge, MA Club Passim
03/05/15 La Crosse, WI Cavalier Theatre
03/06/15 Minneapolis, MN The Parkway Theatre
03/07/15 Burlington, IA Capitol Theatre
03/14 - 03/21 A Prairie Home Companion Cruise
04/14/15 Houston, TX McGonigel's Mucky Duck
04/16/15 Austin, TX Cactus Cafe
04/17/15 Dallas, TX Uncle Calvin's
04/18/15 Oklahoma City, OK The Blue Door
04/19/15 Kansas City, MO Knuckleheads
04/23/15 Indianapolis, IN Hi-Fi
04/24/15 Evanston, IL SPACE
04/26/15 Denver, CO Daniels Hall

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Weekend shows (Minneapolis)

Weekend cures for the MN Winter Blues

The Current's 9th Birthday Party photo credit: thecurrent.org Read More The Current Local alternative public radio station 89.3 The Current held its 2nd Public Music Meeting at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall in St. Paul last night. This open session gave their listening public a chance …

FRIDAY/SATURDAY

89.3 The Current- 9th birthday Party concerts

Local alt/indie Public Radio station 89.3 FM- The Current celebrates its ninth birthday of changing the Minnesota airwaves, with a two-night celebration in First Avenue’s Mainroom, bringing together several of the most notable local music artists. Friday night brings together Actual Wolf, Strange Names, Lizzo, and Har Mar Superstar while Saturday’s lineup is The Cactus Blossoms, Howler, Heiruspecs, and Caroline Smith. Special guests have been known to make surprise appearances (Prince had his guitar set up one year, but never made it to the stage), so clearly anything can happen.

Friday night is sold out, with only a small handful of tickets available for Saturday; but fear not, those who can’t make it inside the doors of First Avenue, can still tune in to the live on-air broadcast here: thecurrent.org/listen

Lineup:

Friday Actual Wolf Strange Names Lizzo Har Mar Superstar

Saturday Cactus Blossoms Howler Heiruspecs Caroline Smith

Cate Le Bon with Kevin Morby photo credit: catelebon.com Read More Cate Le Bon Welsh singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon’s new album, Mug Museum, is her first recorded outside of her homeland – deep in the dark heart of the entertainment empire …

SATURDAY

Cate Le Bon w/Kevin Morby

Welsh native Cate Le Bon returns to town, for an intimate show at the 7th Street Entry, promoting her latest release, Mug Museum (Turnstile Records). Mug Museum, in part inspired by her grandmother’s recent death, features somewhat dark lyrics delivered with dreamlike, sometimes psychedelic and haunting vocals. A recent movie to California has injected more melody to her songs, bringing some sunshine into her Wales cloudiness, as evidenced on “I Think I Knew”, a duet with Perfume Genius.

Kevin Morby of Brooklyn band, The Babies (and bassist for Woods), opens the show with selections from his solo debut, Harlem River (Woodsist Records), an homage to New York City and which Cate LeBon guests on track, “Slow Train”.

Show details:
Presented by Radio K
Saturday, January 25, 2014 - 8:00pm
$12.00, 18+

St. Lucia at Fine Line Music Café Poster photo credit: first-avenue.com Yellowcard Poster photo credit: yellowcardrock.com Read More Yellowcard It's been ten years since Yellowcard's best known album Ocean Avenue was released, and to honor the occasion, the band is releasing Ocean Avenue Acoustic. In their own words …

SUNDAY

St. Lucia w/ Sir Sly

South Africa by-way-of Brooklyn artist St. Lucia brings worldly beat with 80s influences to the Fine Line Music Café, in a show that was upgraded from the smaller 7th St. Entry. Promoting their first full-length, When the Night (Neon Gold/Columbia), St. Lucia (aka Jean-Philip Grobler) brings a full band and energetic performance with recent setlists showing they even sneak in a Chaka Khan cover version. LA trio Sir Sly opens the show, promoting their latest EP, Ghost (Neon Gold/Columbia) with their “monochromatic blend of vigilante pop”, which has been described as reminiscent of a “chillwave Coldplay”.

Johnny Flynn w/The Melodic

Johnny Flynn: Country Mile Transgressive / Thirty Tigers

Those that remember the local concert beginnings of the current UK alt-folk wave will recall that Flynn famously headlined the 2008 show at the now-defunct 400 Bar that featured openers Laura Marling with a little backing band known as Mumford and Sons. Flynn, now out supporting his third full-length, Country Mile (Transgressive Records) draws inspiration from subjects as diverse as TS Eliot, Einstein, and Hank Williams, and brings Flynn back to his singer-songwriter roots, after some dabbling in acting that included Shakespeare plays at the Globe and appearing in an upcoming Anne Hathaway film.

Brixton, UK folk/afro pop band The Melodic open, in support of their worldbeat influenced debut, Effra Parade (Anti Records) at this Turf Club hosted show.

The Wailers w/British Dependency

The Wailers Poster photo: first-avenue

The current incarnation of Bob Marley’s famous backing band hits the First Avenue Mainroom stage to play reggae classics from the greatest hits album, Legend (Island Records) in its entirety. Bassist and elder reggae statesman Aston “Family Man” Barrett leads the full band lineup in a performance at First Avenue that can be no doubt described as “Hit-Filled”…in more ways than one. Island trio British Dependency opens the show with their unique blend of “roots, heart and soul music”.

Yellowcard w/What’s Eating Gilbert

Jacksonville, FL pop-punk band Yellowcard is still going strong, even after over 15 years in the business. Their latest tour and release, Ocean Avenue Acoustic (Hopeless/Universal) celebrates the 10th anniversary and a re-interpretation of the seminal album that put the band on the national map. Expect a two-set performance with Ocean Avenue in its entirety and a smattering of other Yellowcard classics from their back catalogue. New Found Glory offshoot band, What's Eating Gilbert opens this night at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis.

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com