We♥KC! December 1-7, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
This Live Nation-booked venue aims to make a big splash on the area concert scene and probably makes other venues (Azura, Starlight and AEG-booked venues) probably a little worried. We’re in favor of anything that brings more acts to the area, as KC can easily be skipped for a St Louis, Omaha, or even Wichita date, for some touring acts.
Here’s what already been announced for the upcoming summer at Morton (with more to come):
Fri 19 Jun “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2026
Mon 22 Jun Meghan Trainor: The Get In Girl Tour
Sun 12 July Evanescene w Spiritbox
Fri 31 Jul Parker McCollum
Wed 12 Aug Train / Barenaked Ladies/Matt Nathanson: Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years
Fri 14 Aug Lynyrd Skynyrd x Foreigner: Double Trouble Double Vision Tour
Sat 15 Aug Rod Stewart: ONE LAST TIME
Wed 19 Aug Guns N’ Roses: World Tour 2026
Thu 20 Aug 5 Seconds of Summer: EVERYONE’S A STAR! World Tour
Tue 25 Aug Styx and Chicago
Tue 01 Sep Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC Tour 2026
Tue 08 Sep Mötley Crüe The Return Of The Carnival Of Sins
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for this week from December 1st to 7th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
MONDAY DECEMBER 1
TUESDAY DECEMBER 2
Mammoth with Myles Kennedy, Return to Dust, Dec 2, Uptown,$33-$74
Wolf Van Halen and band have released their third album The End, with a music video for “The End” – directed by Robert Rodriguez –featuring his bandmates mauled by a collection of zombies, vampires and werewolves. “Same Old Song” starts with Wolfgang waking up from a dream and realizing things are back to normal as the band rehearses the new song.
Mammoth also released the new single “The Spell” which went Top 20 at Active Rock radio and that music video has also been viewed over 6-million times. A third video for the explicit track, “I Really Wanna,” was released in September. We’ve seen them as a support act and headlining and it’s been fun to see the band evolve and become a solid live act (we unfortunately didn’t get in to their very first proper gig- a short-notice show at The Bottleneck in Lawrence a few years ago).
Ax and the Hatchetmen, Dec 2, Warehouse on Broadway,$23.50-$28.50
The Chicago based rock and roll band returns to these parts after supporting Fitz and the Tantrums at a KC stop earlier in the year. Led by the vocals and guitars of Axel Ellis, the six piece band also includes Sal Defilippis on guitar, Hunter Olshefke on bass, Nick Deputy on drums, Phil Pistone on trumpet and Quinn Dolan on sax. 2022 saw the band complete two headlining tours as well as release four new singles that have amassed millions of streams globally.
Their debut album So Much To Tell You is out now on Arista Records and they recently released the single, “Oasis,” the band’s first release since July’s Constant Change EP. Ellis provides “aspirationally optimistic” lyrics and the live show often involves into a group party.
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 3
Post Animal, Dec 3, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $22-$25
Post Animal return to the area, after spending most of the warmer months on tour with Djo, which we caught this summer at a very sold-out show at Grinders KC. Stranger Things actor and Djo singer Joe Keery was a former member of this band, and they mixed it up live together, when we saw them last.
Keery and Post Animal have collaborated on a new album, Iron, out now, which represents the first album made with original band member Keery in over seven years. Three band members relocated away from Chicago and all explored other projects and toured with other friends, but in 2024, the stars aligned and everyone was able to come together to record and complete the album.
“This record felt like a revitalization of our friendships and our band,” the band says. “We always work collaboratively, but it’s amazing how reintroducing Joe into the mix brought back that dynamic from 2017. We got back to our roots, hanging out and writing music without the expectations or pressure.”
If you missed them this summer and/or want a taste of more of what you saw and heard, this is a fine and intimate chance to see the band live (expect no Keery appearance though, as he’s busy promoting those last Stranger Things episodes).
THURSDAY DECEMBER 4
Death of a Salesman, Dec 4-13, KC Melting Pot Theatre,$21-$32
The American Dream crumbles under the weight of truth in this contemporary re-imagined take on Arthur Miller’s classic. Willy Loman, an aging salesman, clings to the illusion of success, but his relentless pursuit has driven a wedge between him and his sons, Biff and Happy. As decades of sacrifice unravel, the family is forced to confront a heartbreaking reality:
what happens when the dream was never meant for you? This powerful reinterpretation centers voices often left out of the narrative, making Willy’s tragedy even more resonant and urgent today.
Showtimes:
Thursday, Dec 4 at 10:00am (Preview, Talk back after performance))
Thursday, Dec 4 at 7:30pm (Preview)
Friday, Dec 5 at 7:30pm (Opening)
Saturday, Dec 6 at 7:30pm
Sunday, Dec 7 at 2:00pm (Talk back after performance)
Wednesday, Dec 10 at 7:30pm
Thursday, Dec 11 at 7:30pm (Talk back after performance)
Friday, Dec 12 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Dec 13 at 7:30pm
FRIDAY DECEMBER 5
Sevendust Acoustic, Dec 5, The Truman, $65.40
The Southside Double-Wide Tour is a tour from Sevendust that has been over two decades in the making. To celebrate the 21st anniversary of their acoustic album Southside Double-Wide Acoustic Live, the band is hitting the road for an exclusive, intimate tour. Fans can expect stripped-down versions of their hardest-hitting tracks, deep cuts, and favorites including “Black,” “Beautiful” and “Angel’s Son”. This rare acoustic journey brings a unique perspective to the band’s signature sound, offering an unforgettable night of music, memories, and connection. It’s also a hometown show for singer LaJon Witherspoon, who has lived in the KC metro for years. This is a seated show.
Aaron Lewis, Dec 5, 6 Ameristar,$98-$276
It’s been a while, but Staind singer and band, Aaron Lewis and The Stateliners return to the familiar confines of Ameristar, this time with a two-night stand as he’s always a popular draw when in town. We caught Staind earlier this summer, but Lewis’ solo music is more patriotic Country in nature.
His series of solo Country projects have led to two No. 1 Billboard Country Album debuts beginning with Town Line (2011) and Sinner (2016) – plus a certified-Platinum single with heroes George Jones and Charlie Daniels (“Country Boy”), and a Gold-certified Billboard No. 1 with “Am I The Only One” in 2021. Lewis’ 2022 solo album followed, Frayed at Both Ends, which topped the Country sales charts.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 6
Trans Siberian Orchestra, Dec 6 T-Mobile Center,$74-$289
With the holiday season in full swing, it’s also time for Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) currently on the annual Winter Tour to ring in the holidays with their trademark symphonic rock. This year’s tour will feature an all-new production of their beloved “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” alongside a special second set of hits and fan-favorites that includes a 25th-anniversary salute to Beethoven’s Last Night. “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: the Best of TSO and More” Tour promises to continue TSO’s tradition of captivating audiences nationwide with their unique blend of rock, classical, and theatrical spectacle, complete with pyrotechnics, lasers, and memorable storytelling.
A product of the imagination of TSO’s late founder Paul O’Neill and based on TSO’s multi-platinum special, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” follows the journey of a runaway who breaks into an abandoned vaudeville theater on December 24th. Following this rock opera, the 2025 tour will also deliver a second set with more of TSO’s greatest hits, fan-favorites, and unexpected delights.
We’ve been TSO fans since the idea first germinated with O’Neill and Jon Oliva and Savatage, and continue to be impressed how this evolution has turned into a huge sensation and annual favorite.
Greyhaven w Fox Lake, Dec 6, The Rino-NKC, Sold Out
Louisville KY band Greyhaven recently shared the visualizer for the new single “Where the Light Leaves Us.” “Last year was a bit of a struggle for me,” says singer Brent Mills. “I dealt with a lot of things, and I was dealing with them poorly. It’s a conversation I was having with myself. I’m saying, ‘You’ve got to dial it back. It’s not going in the right direction.’ The moment we wrote it in the basement, I knew it was special.”
The group has remained a singular presence since their 2013 arrival and naturally progressed over the course of Empty Black [2018], This Bright and Beautiful World [2022], and the Stereo Grief EP [2024]. They’ve toured with the likes of Silverstein, The Devil Wears Prada, Better Lovers, and latest is their third full-length album, Keep It Quiet [Solid State Records].
Arrive early for Denver nu-hardcore trio Fox Lake in support of latest record, New World Heat. They announced a UK/EU tour with Poppy next spring and recently collaborated with Phase One for a remix of their lead single. “Freestyle” (Phase One Remix) via Sounds of Mayhem.
SUNDAY DECEMBER 7
National / International act coming through the Midwest / Kansas City area? Please email details to johnc@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time to be considered for Show Preview and Show Coverage consideration.