First weekend in April!

Things are a little chilly, but don’t let that deter you- April is busy with things to do and acts to check out, on their way to or from several spring festivals.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro for thee musical and cultural happenings for April 4th-6th:

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

FRIDAY APRIL 4

Back to the Future (Broadway Touring) THRU April 6, Music Hall, $70-$240

We gotta get back in time! Based on the classic 1980’s movie franchise, Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself… back to the future!

The tour launched less than 12 months after the Best New Musical Olivier Award-winning production opened on Broadway, and musical has a book by Bob Gale and new music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy winner Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy winner Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film, including “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode.”

The production will be directed by Tony winner John Rando, who will reunite his entire London creative team. The production will feature set and costume design by Tim Hatley, lighting design by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Gareth Owen, video design by Finn Ross, choreography by Chris Bailey, musical supervision and arrangements by Nick Finlow, music direction by Ted Arthur, illusions by Chris Fisher, orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, and dance arrangements by David Chase. (whew!)

Jack White, Apr 4, Uptown, Sold Out

Jack White is not slowing down on a bigger leg on his current No Name Tour with shows that are still underplays, but with more notice (versus last-minute) and less overall restrictions.

Just ahead of this leg, White announced a limited-edition 7” release of “Archbishop Harold Holmes” b/w “Archbishop Harold Holmes (Live) – from The Blind Pig – Ann Arbor, MI – 9/1/24,” available Friday, April 11 on black vinyl, and exclusively on tri-color vinyl at Third Man Records storefront locations, as well as a live compilation album, a 3LP set called “Break It All Down!!!” via his own Third Man label.

The leg tips off at St. Louis, MO’s The Factory with KC being the second (and was long ago very sold-out) stop. No Name the album is available now via Third Man, Grammy-nominated for “Best Rock Album” – White’s 34th solo career nomination and 46th overall, along with 16 total GRAMMY Award wins.

Amy Grant, Apr 4, Kauffman,

A unique storytelling show of stories and familiar songs- Amy Grant was of course, the first Contemporary Christian Music artist to have a platinum record, the first to hit No. 1 on the Pop charts and the first to perform at the GRAMMY Awards. Since then, Grant has been strumming her way through a thirty-plus year adventure as a singer-songwriter, author, television host and speaker.

She has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, including three multi-platinum, six platinum and four gold, has earned six No. 1 hits, 10 “Top 40” Pop singles, 17 “Top 40” Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers, 6 GRAMMY Awards and 26 Dove Awards.

Baths w Fashion Club, Apr 4, recordBar, $18

Aka songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Will Wiesenfeld who first emerged under the Baths moniker in 2009. Merging L.A.’s beat scene with sunnier melodies and his falsetto, Baths’ pop became an sensation like when we saw the band live, way back in 2013 in Minneapolis.

His debut album, 2010’s Cerulean, was followed by Obsidian in 2013 and chronicled Wiesenfeld’s recovery from an illness. 2017’s Romaplasm was bigger in scope and more emotionally expansive and helped define their signature sound.

Blind Boys of Alabama / Shemekia Copeland, Apr 4, Lied Center- Lawrence

The living legends of gospel music and a very acclaimed blues vocalist!

The Blind Boys of Alabama have been celebrated by The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Grammys with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and have won six Grammy Awards.

They have appeared on recordings with many artists, including Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi, Ben Harper, Patty Griffin and Taj Mahal. The group released Echoes of the South in 2023, coming home to honor those they’ve lost, in a bold declaration of how far they still plan to go, and they claim to be the longest-running group in American music.

Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable soulful roots music voices of our time. On Copeland’s new album, Blame It On Eve, she reveals, “There’s serious business on the new album, but there are a lot of smiles here too, a lot of joyous moments. It’s my blues for sure but it’s the brighter side. Issues are always important to me, but so is rocking, dancing and just having fun. And that’s something we all can all agree on.”

Her 2000’s album, Wicked received the first of her five GRAMMY nominations and she returned to Alligator Records in 2015 with the GRAMMY-nominated, Blues Music Award-winning Outskirts Of Love, melding blues with more rootsy, Americana sounds.

SATURDAY APRIL 5

AWOLNation, April 5, The Truman

The multi-genre alternative band are out on their 30-dates Phantom Five Tour 2025, which features Bryce Fox opening throughout the run.

The tour is in support of AWOLNation‘s recent and fifth studio album, The Phantom Five, and kicked off in San Diego late last month before circling back to end on May 9 in San Francisco.

Underneath a Magical Moon, Apr 5, Starlight, $15

A reimagining of Peter Pan as told by Wendy Darling. Wendy gazes out at the night sky dreaming of blue lagoons, magical moons and most of all, stories. And tonight, there’s magic in the air…

Fly with Wendy and her brothers as they create the world of Neverland, where time stands still and the impossible seems possible. A sparkling new production scored with exquisite live music and songs, enthralling movement and a sprinkle of fairy dust. For children ages 4-10 and families, this is staged indoors at Starlight.

Level Up! KC Jazz Orchestra, Apr 5, Kauffman Center, $28+

Bleep, bleep, boop! Video game music is everywhere, and the catchy melodies and rich harmonies from the 8-bit era through today’s latest AAA title absolutely translate to a jazz big band! Choose your character: Mario? Sonic? Animal Crossing? We’re playing them all!

SUNDAY APRIL 6

Lady Lamb, Apr 6, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $20-$24

Aka Maine singer-songwriter Aly Spaltro has remained focused on music that connects, empowers and builds community. She built her fan base the old-fashioned way, getting in front of audiences and projecting her confessionals.

Spaltro is celebrating ten years of debut release, Ripely Pine with the release of a 5xLP Box Set, In the Mammoth Nothing of the Night on Ba Da Bing Records. With the original songs remastered, as well as additional material produced and arranged by Spaltro and mixed by original co- producer Nadim Issa, We caught her live back in 2015 in Minneapolis.

She’s become more political of late as well, saying “Artists have always been at the helm of every single social justice issue and revolution, and I think that I’m beginning to understand that artists have an obligation to look at the work around them and speak on what we’re seeing with our own eyes,” she said. “Every single person has a role in the revolution.”

Jiji, Apr 6, Lied Center- Lawrence

Jiji is an adventurous guitarist known for her virtuosity and is equally at home with both acoustic and electric guitar, her concert programs range from traditional and contemporary classical to free improvisation. In 2016, she became the first guitarist in 30 years to secure first prize in the Concert Artists Guild Competition.

JIJI has premiered solo and chamber works by a diverse range of musical artists and last year, released UNBOUND, the culmination of a multi-year commissioning and recording project.

Over the last five years alone, she has premiered four major concertos by composers Natalie Dietterich (light, beloved, 2018), Hilary Purrington (Harp of Nerves, 2019), Krists Auznieks (Apvārsnis Kamolā, 2021) and Steven Mackey (Aluminum Flowers, 2024). As well, an EP with R&B singer Daniel Fears, was released last year.

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