We♥KC! March 8-14, 2026 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
Radio woes continue–
We spoke recently of Topeka’s six Cumulus-owned stations centralizing to KC, now the company has just filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This follows competitor, Audacy’s own filing in early 2024 and High Plains Radio Network, later that same year. Online radio and streaming continues to gain market share, with many terrestrial stations becoming more automated and the age of the DJ as celebrity, seems bygone.
Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the week from March 8th to 14th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
SUNDAY MARCH 8
Porgy and Bess, KC Lyric Opera, Mar 8, Kauffman Center, $63.50-$243.50
Final Show! The classic Gershwin tale is presented for the first time in Lyric Opera history- Porgy and Bess is the quintessential American opera. The source of some of the twentieth century’s most beloved songs—including “Summertime”—this jazzy Gershwin score is unforgettable. The opera paints a picture of life in the Charleston neighborhood Catfish Row, where a poignant “opposites attract” romance unfolds alongside a portrait of a community that unites in the face of tragedy and triumph.
Based on the original production from George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin, with these performances conducted by Michael Ellis Ingram and directed by multi-Olivier Award winner, Francesca Zambello.
Note the three days above for ticket availability and know that there is a mature content advisory for themes and content. In English with English translations projected above the stage.
MONDAY MARCH 9
TUESDAY MARCH 10
Albert Lin, Explorer: In Search of Lost Cities March 10 Kauffman Theatre, $45.50-$68.50
Albert Lin is a professional explorer, blurring boundaries between human and machine, while uncovering the lost wisdom of
our past. In 2016, Albert lost his leg below the knee as a result of a car accident but his transformation through the use of innovative prosthetics drives his quest into the farthest reaches, from Mongolia to the Mayan jungle, employing a technologist’s approach to unearth lost cultural stories and rituals.
Since 2019, he has hosted the National Geographic series Lost Cities with Albert Lin. The show focuses on the use of drones and LIDAR (light detection and ranging) imaging to reveal otherwise hidden archaeological structures within and beneath modern cities and remote landscapes.
Peter McPoland w Girl Tones, Mar 10, Truman,$34.39-$65.92
The Texas-raised and LA-based artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer still embraces those Lone Star state roots that inspired him to make music in the first place. As a child, he was involved in musical productions and at 14, taught himself guitar, both of which sparked his inspiration for the artist he is today and kind of music he performs.
An early DIY track, “Romeo & Juliet,” amassed 60 million Spotify streams and paved the way for his Slow Down EP. Following sold out headline shows and a major arena run with Twenty One Pilots, he unleashed his full-length debut, Piggy, in 2023. The new album is Big Lucky, which refers to an actual four-leaf clover he found and still keeps- KC should be so lucky that he’s playing a local gig.
Arrive early for South Kentucky sisters, Girl Tones, whose debut album is imminent. Sisters Kenzie and Laila are both classically trained musicians, and their fuzzy, grungy debut releases were produced by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant and released via his label Parallel Vision. We caught them live in Lawrence, providing support for The Velveteers.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 11
THURSDAY MARCH 12
Long Time Since Yesterday (Play) Mar 12-21, KC Melting Pot, $21.50-$32.50
Update: March 12 performance canceled due to actor illness
The play by P.J. Gibson, set in suburban New Jersey, is about black women learning to deal with the world without their close friend in the 1980s. These former college classmates are prosperous, professional Black women who have gone through the sixties and come out on top of the eighties. At the wake, they confront the truth about their own lives and about the suicide which has again brought them together and the play is a literate, humorous, sensitive look at the lives of contemporary Black women. Directed by Lynn King.
Cast:
Young Laveer Swan – Jordan Nevels
Young Janeen Earl – Zaria Redick
Laveer Swan – Haley Johnson
Babbs Wilkerson – Maya Zayn
Alisa Mers-Reynolds – Jabrelle Herbin
Thelma Carlson – Aalayah Norwood
Panzi Lew McVain – Kim Crane
Janeen Earl-Taylor – Jackie Price
FRIDAY MARCH 13
Subtronics, Mar 13, Cable Dahmer- Independence, $48.65
Subtronics‘ Fibonacci Tour 2026 is a major 16-date headlining run that started in late January in Toronto, supporting the two-part Fibonacci album (Part 1: Oblivion, Part 2: Infinity). The tour is aka EDM DJ and producer Jesse Kardon’s first in over two years and should feature immersive, bass-heavy beats, and a high-energy playlist.
The tour wraps a week later at Boston’s Fenway Park, which is much bigger than this mini-arena in the eastern suburbs, and he previously sold out six nights at LA’s Shrine Expo Hall, so appreciate that we’re blessed with a local appearance.
Lucero, Mar 13, Knuckleheads, $39.09
It would be difficult to find a band that is more self-aware than longtime touring band Lucero. The indie rock/alt punk-country bar band formed in Memphis in the late 90’s, have twelve studio albums to their name, and have established themselves as one of the best live club/bar bands touring.
Their music curiosity has evolved and embraced everything from southern rock to Stax-inspired Memphis soul, while still maintaining their distinctive sonic foundations.
Their newest is an unplugged live album that followed up 2023 studio release, Should’ve Learned By Now and on this tour, the band is celebrating twenty years of breakout album, Nobody’s Darlings.
Robert Jon & The Wreck, Mar 13, Knuckleheads, Sold Out!
The SoCal band is riding high on the release of their Dave Cobb–produced album Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes last year. Their latest single, “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is,” leans hard into the grit, urgency, and no-frills energy that’s become a hallmark of their live shows.
Since forming in 2011, Robert Jon & The Wreck have built their reputation the long (and old fashioned) way- constant touring, evolving songwriting, and a live show that consistently converts new fans. They’ve shared stages with artists like Joe Bonamassa, Rival Sons, Walter Trout, and KC’s own Samantha Fish, and balance their distinctive blend of classic Southern rock muscle with a modern edge.
SATURDAY MARCH 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.