We♥KC! February 1-7, 2026 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
Grammy Week has been eventful on the West Coast-
Mariah Carey was this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year in the lead-up the Sunday night ceremony, and one of the musical highlights was a couple tunes played by Dave Grohl and Pretty Reckless vocalist Taylor Momsen, from Carey’s late-90s never-released grunge-leaning album.
In terms of the ceremony itself, look for Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar to take home multiple awards, and live performances from the likes of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars. An all-star band (including G n’ R’s Slash and Duff) will pay tribute to Ozzy and D’Angelo and Roberta Flack, will be remembered as well.
Our hearts remain with our Minneapolis office and all the brave citizens there (check out our Morello/Springsteen/Rise Against show review) and if you’re based in Greenland, Neil Young just gave you access to his entire catalog for free (Neil Young offers Greenland free access to his catalogue).
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for this week from February 1st to 7th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1
Rent (musical) through Feb 22, White Theater at The J, $20-$39
KC Melting Pot and The Mark Edelman Theater Fund help present this modern classic detailing those 525,600 minutes in the year in the life of a group of struggling NYC East Village young artists and musicians.
“Rent” is about falling in love, finding your voice, and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Rent” has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.
Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson‘s “Rent” follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble.
Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. Directed by Zane Champie with Music Direction from Barbara Jurgensmeier.
Jenna Paulette, Feb 1, Knuckleheads, $27.75
Rising Country singer/songwriter Jenna Paulette is Back in the Saddle with a 26-date tour in support of her 20-track Horseback (Deluxe) album, which expands on the 2024 original album and features three previously unreleased songs, including a duet rendition of “The Dirt” with John Morgan.
The record also add covers of Tim McGraw’s “Cowboy In Me” and Tanya Tucker’s “Texas (When I Die),” recorded live. While Paulette took a step back from touring in 2025, she did launch her Sunrise and Sunset Boots collection as well as a new Fall collection of her women’s rangewear line, CowboyGirl.
MONDAY FEBRUARY 2
Murals, Thomas Erak & The Ouroboros, Feb 2, the Rino, NKC,$18.50
Progressive post-hardcore bands Murals (feat. members of Hail The Sun, Sufferer, slenderbodies) and Thomas Erak & The Ouroboros (feat. Thomas Erak, singer-songwriter, guitarist and founding member of Seattle experimental post-hardcore band The Fall of Troy) are out on their 13-date winter 2026 co-headline tour.
Additionally, Murals- (Shane Gann (guitar/vocals), Blake Dahlinger (drums) and Tony Bautista (bass/vocals) – have released the music video for “dopamine,” the latest single to be lifted from the band’s self-titled debut EP released by Equal Vision Records in November 2025.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3
Runarounds, Feb 3, Granada– Lawrence, $25-$35 (low tix)
The Runarounds are a five-piece alt-rock band—Axel Ellis (guitar/vocals), Jesse Golliher (bass/vocals), Jeremy Yun (lead guitar), William Lipton (guitar/vocals), and Zende Murdock (drums) who got their start with a weekly residency at a beach bar in Wilmington, NC.
They released first EP, The Runarounds Live at USC (produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads), but it’s onstage where they truly shine, as also shown through their Amazon Prime series, The Runarounds.
Recent single “Chasing The Good Times” (via AWAL) was co-written & produced by Brad Shultz (guitarist for Cage The Elephant) and mixed by Rich Costey (Foo Fighters, Sigur Ros, Muse, HAIM).
Shultz said of working with the band: “Starting a creative process I try not to go in with an expectation of easy success. However, within the first hour of the writing/recording of this song, I knew something special was in the works. I loved the genuine excitement and enjoyment that the band brought to the studio. It was refreshing to see that energy and enthusiasm.”
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5
Nothing More, Feb 5, Harrah’s Voodoo NKC, $47-$159
The San Antonio, TX heavy band are out touring in support of 2024’s Better Noise Music triumph, Carnal and have been hitting cities, both in support of Disturbed, and headlining on their own. Singles from the newest album include “Angel Song” featuring David Draiman of Disturbed, “Freefall” featuring Chris Daughtry and “House On Sand” featuring Eric Vanlerberghe of I Prevail.
This leg of their Carnal Nature Tour will started in Silver Spring, MD on January 14th and plans to close out in St. Louis, MO on March 16th. Catch Your Breath with Archers and Doobie take on the opening duties.
New Edition, Boys II Men, Toni Braxton, Feb 5, T-Mobile Center, $88-$2008
The New Edition Way Tour brings together three of music’s most enduring and influential acts: New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton. Kicking off January 29 at the Oakland Arena in California, it will span 30 cities across North America before concluding on Saturday, April 4 in Houston. This landmark event celebrates music, legacy, and connection—offering fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience these legendary artists performing together in one dynamic 360° view, delivering an up-close and immersive concert experience like never before.
Collectively, the members of New Edition have amassed multiple #1 singles, American Music, and Soul Train Awards, and over 50 million albums sold. The tour also marks the first time that New Edition and Boyz II Men, two groups forever linked through Michael Bivins’ discovery of Boyz II Men, will share the stage.
With four Grammy Awards and timeless hits like “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” and “One Sweet Day” (their record-breaking collaboration with Mariah Carey), Boyz II Men redefined vocal harmony for the world.
Seven-time Grammy Award-winning icon Toni Braxton adds another layer of excellence to the lineup. featuring hits such as “Un-Break My Heart,” “Breathe Again,” and “You’re Makin’ Me High.”
Together, these artists have sold nearly 200 million albums, earned dozens of major music awards, and built legacies that continue to shape pop and R&B culture across the globe.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7
Joshua Redman, Feb 7, Folly, $35-$70
Celebrating over 30 years at the forefront of jazz, Grammy-nominated saxophonist, composer and bandleader Joshua Redman returns with Words Fall Short—his new Blue Note Records release and follow-up to the critically acclaimed, where are we.
Drawn to a new generation of players, Redman assembled a rhythm section featuring bassist Philip Norris, drummer Nazir Ebo, and pianist Paul Cornish—musicians whose fresh perspectives helped shape the album’s sound. “Until I can play a tune with other human beings,” Redman notes, “it remains more theory than reality.”
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.