Happy 2025!

It’s the Chinese Year of the Snake and while we’re pessimistic about the upcoming year in some ways, we remain eternally optimistic about music and where it can take us. The year typically starts slow in terms of national touring acts, and this year is no exception, but by March, the calendar gets very full.

The KC metro still lags as a concert market, now without a leading alternative radio station, has a need for more networked booking agents, and is still losing shows to nearby Omaha, Springfield, and of course, St. Louis (will acts like Khruangbin ever play KC?!).

But, the metro is on the national map, thanks to success of the sports teams including the Chiefs (and all the related Tay-Tay/Travis gossip) and has the World Cup coming in just over a year, so that additional exposure should equate to slightly more and better shows.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from January 5th-13th:

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

SUNDAY JANUARY 5

Bad Bad Hats w/ Party Nails, Jan 5, recordBar, $17-$22.10

The Twin Cities indie rock favorites have made their way down I-35 to our parts, in support of their self-titled fourth album (out last April via Don Giovanni Records), having previously toured with the likes of The Beths, Margaret Glaspy, The Front Bottoms, Hippo Campus, Third Eye Blind, and Michelle Branch, among many others.

The band consists of Kerry Alexander, Chris Hoge, and Connor Davison and were originally named for a trouble-making character from the Madeline children’s books. Alexander and Hoge met while attending Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN. Their 2015 debut album Psychic Reader caught the attention of outlets including The New Yorker, NPR, Pitchfork, and Paste.

Arrive early for Party Nails, aka Elana Carroll, who’s awaited third album Pillow Talk is out this month (via Eye Knee Records). The indie rocker debuted in 2015, toured in 2017 (with PVRIS and Lights), and produced and wrote with feminist rock duo and WHM faves, Deap Vally.

MONDAY JANUARY 6

TUESDAY JANUARY 7

Chicago (Broadway Touring) Jan 7-12, Kauffman, $66-$141

Yes, the year is early, but the Broadway season is already in full swing and now brings All That Jazz and this winner of six 1997 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical as well as 2 Olivier Awards and a Grammy Award. It’s the familiar and universal tale of fame, fortune, (and yes, all that jazz!), with one showstopping song after another and the most incredible choreography seen on the modern stage.

In the whirlwind and decadence of 1920’s Chicago’s Jazz Age, its the story of two of the Cook County Jail’s most notorious murderesses—vaudeville star Velma Kelly and housewife and nightclub dancer Roxie Hart, who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. They become fierce rivals as Hart hires a slick criminal lawyer to transform her crime into a barrage of sensational headlines and the pair compete for headlines, amidst a media frenzy.

The live show is celebrating its 28th anniversary with a storied book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, and is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8

THURSDAY JANUARY 9

FRIDAY JANUARY 10

SATURDAY JANUARY 11

SUNDAY JANUARY 12

MONDAY JANUARY 13

National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity? Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email johnc@weheartmusic.com