Read more Rocktober and Kansas City Music Guide.

Rocktober is upon us!

What is usually the busiest time of the year for live shows, still is so, despite the continuing health restrictions and general lack of foreign acts coming over.

It actually started getting busy in early September as more things open, and expect a wealth of choices through mid-November.

Please continue to check venue sites and socials for their latest, as a few shows have canceled and many have moved locations– St. Vincent preferred an outdoor show, and the Granada Theater in Lawrence has had continuing maintenance and supply delays.

Here’s what’s happening in the area for the first half of October

(a few recommended shows are highlighted below):

Friday October 1

The Avett Brothers, Azura Amphitheater. $44.50-$69.50

Slaughter with La Guns, Ameristar. $27-$140

Chase Atlantic, Moved to Liberty Hall Lawrence, $22.50/$25.

Sunday October 3

Machine Gun Kelly w JXDN and carolesdaughter, Azura Amphitheater. $68-$237

Casting Crowns w Matthew West, Stormont-Vail Event Center- Topeka $17-$97.

Tuesday October 5

Toadies w. Reverend Horton Heat, Frankie & The Witch Fingers, Knuckleheads. $25-$30

Deep Sea Diver, RecordBar. $15

Badflower with Dead Poet Society and Teenage Wrist, Moved to The Bottleneck. $22

Rival Sons w/Reignwolf, Jameson Burt, The Truman. $29.50-$60

Ben Folds with Kansas City Symphony, Oct. 5-6, Kauffman Center. $50-$150

Wednesday October 6
Pitbull with Iggy Azalea, Starlight. $39.95-$149.95

Thursday October 7

City Morgue, Granada Theater- Lawrence. $20

Marc Rebillet, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $23-$33

Michael W. Smith, Folly. $25-$75

St. Vincent, Moved to Grinders KC. $35-$75

We probably first saw aka Annie Clark when she was a member of Polyphonic Spree but things have dramatically evolved in the years since as she has skirted the art-pop fringe, and constantly re-invented herself in Bowie-like fashion. The latest release is Daddy’s Home (on Loma Vista) which has a 70’s NYC vibe and was co-produced by Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff.

Clark’s latest band includes the likes of Jason (Jellyfish, Beck, etc) Falkner so the music is in very good hands (note the venue change).

Buddy Guy, Knuckleheads, $62.50

The 85-year young guitar legend. Nothing else can be said, and despite the hefty door charge, is always worth seeing play his trademark polka-dot guitar and you’re damn right he’s still got the blues.

Friday October 8

He$H with Bommer and Zia, Granada. $15-$25

Jason Aldean with Hardy and Lainey Wilson, T-Mobile Center. $50-$325

Jelly Roll, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $25-$30

Nikki Glaser, Uptown. $39.75

Nation of Language, recordBar, $12.

Saturday October 9

Japanese Breakfast with Luna Li, Moved to Liberty Hall. $25

We remain longtime fans of aka Michelle Zauner, having previously seen her open for : Mitski at 7th Street in July 2016, Porches at 7th Street in Sep 2016, Slowdive at Palace Theatre in May 2017 and then finally headlining at Triple Rock in Oct 2017. Vu just caught the band in Minneapolis here and the tour continues in support of the aptly-named new album, Jubilee (on Dead Oceans). Despite the pandemic, Zauner is probably having the most successful year to date with a best-selling book out as well. (Note the venue change)

Karrin Allyson, Folly. $20-$55

Marc Anthony, T-Mobile Center. $64-$184

Primus with Black Mountain, GrindersKC. $37.50-$97

Sunday October 10

Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing with Hannah Jadagu, Granada. $25

Michigander w/ Kat King, RecordBar. $13
Carbon Leaf, Uptown Theater. $20

Monday October 11
Local H w Radkey, Record Bar $15

Tuesday October 12

Rod Wave, Uptown.(Sold Out)

Erykah Badu, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $39.50-$170

Wednesday October 13

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness w/Zac Clark, The Truman. $35-$70

Gojira w/ Knocked Loose , Alien Weaponry, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. $25-$50.

The French heavy metallers returnwith new album Fortitude (on Roadrunner Records) and became its best-selling album in the US on its first week and Louder Sound declaring it their best album. Make sure to show up early for Knocked Loose, a Kentucky hardcore punk band whose latest, 2019’s A Different Shade of Blue (on Pure Noise) was a Top5 of the year choice for Revolver Magazine.

Flipturn, Riot Room. $15
Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius, 1900 Building. $15-$25.

Thursday October 14

Madison Cunningham w/ S.G. Goodman, Bottleneck Lawrence, $18-$20.

The California singer/songwriter has a new EP, Wednesday (on Verve Forecast) in which she covers Tom Waits, Radiohead, John Mayer and The Beatles, and we caught her early on, opening in 2018. The folk-pop artist has a new single, “Broken Harvest” and deserves a listen.

The Front Bottoms, Granada Lawrence. $28

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Prairie Band Casino Mayetta, $30.

Friday October 15
Steel Panther, The Truman, $27.50-$55.

Hair metal will never die, an always entertaining foray into the glory days of the 80’s Sunset Strip era. Although longtime bassist Lexxi Foxx to form a new band, seasoned vocalist Michael Starr and guitarist Satchel, have been in the band more than twenty years. Latest album from 2019 was called (what else but) Heavy Metal Rules.

Vicki Lawrence and Mama, Ameristar. $40-$145

Legends of Hip Hop feat. Juvenile, Mystikal, Scarface, 8Ball&MJG, Bun B, DJ Quik, Municipal Auditorium

David Ramirez, Matt Costa, Riot Room.

Saturday October 16

Alice Cooper w Ace Frehley, Stormont-Vail Event Center- Topeka, $25-90.

The legendary master of shock rock returns, along with the guitarist known for “Shock Me”. Alice Cooper released Detroit Stories (on earMusic) earlier this year, named for the city that launched his band’s initial success and was recorded with Motor City musicians to bring a new freshness to a classic sound. We were lucky to see opener Ace Frehley when he played with Gene Simmons for the first time in sixteen years and expect a healthy number of Kiss songs as well as solo favorites.

Andrea Bocelli, T-Mobile Center. $80-$1,500

One of the musical highlights of the pandemic was the Italian tenor performing on Easter Sunday, in an empty Milan cathedral. His latest album is last year’s Believe (on Sugar Music/Decca) which includes his version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” but hearing his angelic voice live won’t come cheap, with tickets topping in four-figures.

Pokey LaFarge, Knuckleheads. $29.50

Preacher Lawson, Oct. 16, Ameristar. $20-$35

Liily, Riot Room.

Alina Baraz, Oct. 16, Uptown – Cancelled