We♥KC! February 8-14, 2026 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
Benito Bowl is almost here!
The Bad Bunny halftime show of Super Bowl LX promises to be a high-energy performance by the Puerto Rican artist that has ruled the airwaves, and is hot on the heels of his big Grammy wins the last weekend.
There’s alternatives as well, from the usual Puppy Bowl XXII and a conservative concert featuring Kid Rock (who, when we saw him live in 2022, didn’t allow media coverage, or even his name to be spoken over the loudspeakers).
The musical Super Bowl of events, Record Store Day, happens on Saturday, April 18, and also just released their full list of exclusive and limited edition releases, which include live albums from Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen, so start saving those dollars now.
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for this week from February 8th to 14th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8
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.
MONDAY FEBRUARY 9
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10
Conor Knighton is a correspondent for “CBS News Sunday Morning” and creator and producer of “On the Trail,” a CBS series on national parks. When he took off on a journey to visit each of the United States’ 63 national parks, he was looking for adventure. What he found was a new perspective.
That experience eventually turned into a book, “Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park” (Crown/Penguin Random House, 2020). A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery and resulted in the unexpected stories, colorful characters and profound lessons he unearthed along the way.
Milk Carton Kids, Sierra Hull, Feb 10, Folly,$39-$79
The Milk Carton Kids are an indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, CA consisting of singer-guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. They began making music together in early 2011 and have recorded and released six albums. Recent albums include 2023’s GRAMMY-nominated “I Only See the Moon” and their latest album, “Christmas in a Minor Key.”
Sierra Hull is a seven-time IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year, two-time Grammy nominee, and one of the most dynamic voices in bluegrass and Americana. Her latest album, A Tip Toe High Wire, marks a bold new chapter – her first independent release – spotlighting her songwriting and instrumental prowess. Featuring guest appearances by Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien, and Aoife
O’Donovan, the album balances tradition with innovation.
The acts are longtime friends, so it made natural sense to hit the road together, and seem to be in sync with each other’s music, we might expect some on stage collaborating, which we always love to see between co-headliners.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11
Magic City Hippies, Feb 11, Madrid, $33.50-$56
Magic City Hippies are a lively indie folk soul jam band that blend Miami’s sun-soaked swagger with infectious funk, psych-pop, and danceable grooves. What began as the Robby Hunter Band evolved in 2015 with the release of Magic City Hippies, the album that gave the trio its name and solidified a sound both laid-back and relentlessly kinetic.
Their early Hippie Castle EP (2015) introduced their signature mix of poolside melodies and weekend-ready rhythms. Modern Animal (2019) expanded that palette with a beachside sensibility, while Water Your Garden (2022) served as a psychedelic celebration of connection and self-expression. In 2024, the band returned with a run of diverse singles, from the disco-funk of “Givin’ Up On Lovin’” (featuring NoMBe) to the psych-pop of “I Can’t Let You Go”, culminating in Enemies (2025), a groove-centered breakup album full of rhythmic tracks, marrying an indie-rock punch with nostalgic, synth textures.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12
Austin Meade, Feb 12, Warehouse on Broadway,$25.50-$30.50
Austin Meade Feb 13, The Pitt- Pittsburg, KS, $21.40-$26.50
Austin Meade, Feb 14- The Hat- Manhattan, $23.05
We’re loving this mini-tour of Kansas before heading back to the Lone Star state!
Rising Texas-based singer songwriter Austin Meade is out in support of newest release, Almost Famous (released last November), a collection of songs that features his guitar-fueled tracks and confessional storytelling. Raised by a Southern Baptist preacher, Meade grew up immersed in gospel on Sundays and rock concerts at night, which shaped his cathartic, guitar-driven, and emotionally charged sound.
His career launched in the 2010s when he moved from teaching drums at School of Rock to fronting his own band. He began releasing his early projects then turned heads with the Heartbreak Coming EP in 2016. In 2019, Meade released Waves and that momentum carried into Black Sheep in 2021, which featured hit single “Happier Alone.” In 2024, he dropped the EP Pretty Little Waist and last year’s Almost Famous, in his latest full-length.
Arrive early for fellow Texas boots kickin’ rocker Aaron McBee, who we caught live last March in Lawrence, and who’s high-octane, no F’s given performance, will start the night very enthusiastically.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14
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.
