April 24-30, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO /Lawrence, KS)

Rocktober is already getting penciled in-

We’re still in April, (with outdoor venues just opening) but are already getting word of some fall tours hitting the area. Lambrini Girls have had to schedule to October 1 at the Granada, longtime alt-rockers Failure return to the Bottleneck on October 22, and you can spend Halloween with Sombr (and The Last Dinner Party!) at T-Mobile Center. Modest Mouse just announced (pretty much an annual gig for them!) a September 23 date at Grinders KC as well.

Plenty of Spring and Summer shows first though and as mentioned, Starlight just opened for the season, and ZZ Top and Dwight Yoakam open the Sandstone Azura season, shortly. The mighty Morton has its first show in early June, but lost the Meghan Trainor date, after she recently canceled her whole tour.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the rest of April- from April 24th to 30th.

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

FRIDAY APRIL 24

Colin James, Matt Anderson, Terra Lightfoot, Apr 24, Knuckleheads,$53.39

The “Coast to Coast Tour” starring Colin James, Matt Andersen and Terra Lightfoot brings these friends and fellow musicians together for an 18-city Spring 2026 tour celebrating blues and folk to rock and soul. Audiences can expect individual sets and inspired collaborative performances from three of Canada’s most acclaimed and distinctive roots artists.

Multi-award-winning blues/rock guitarist Colin James’ last US tour in 2024 was cut short due to an automobile accident. Now fully recovered he’s bringing his exciting blend of blues and rock music to fans this April and May. Joining him on the tour are Andersen and Lightfoot to celebrate the rich legacy of Canadian blues and roots music.

SATURDAY APRIL 25

CMAT, Apr 25, Granada- Lawrence,$32-$35

CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) is bringing “The Very Sexy CMAT Band” to downtown Lawrence for a stop on her 2026 headline tour, with runs to May 16, and includes appearances at Coachella and also support of Florence + The Machine, all in support of her smash release and third album, the Mercury prize-nominated, Euro Country.

The Dublin singer-songwriter is already having a great year, celebrating a BRIT Award nomination in the Best International Artist category in February, alongside stars including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan (all losing to Rosalia?!). We took in the live show last fall in Minneapolis as well.

ZZ Top w Dwight Yoakam, Apr 25, Azura Amph,$50-$202

For the first time ever, two legendary forces are teaming up: Dwight Yoakam and ZZ Top are hitting the road together this spring bringing some Texas twang, blues, and swagger to stages everywhere.

Though longtime friends, this marks their first major tour collaboration. Yoakam and ZZ’s front man Billy F Gibbons forged their bond decades ago in Hollywood—an unexpected stint as housemates sparking a friendship that has lasted over 30 years. Now, they’re bringing that connection to the stage.

With over 60 million albums sold, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top continue to define Texas rock with their unmatched legacy. Yoakam is a multiple Grammy Award winner with more than 25 million albums sold, remains one of country music’s most iconic and influential voices. No reports of any on-stage collabs, which seems like a missed opportunity, but this still looks fun. We caught Tres Hombres live, back in 2023 in Kansas City (ZZ Top w/ Uncle Kracker at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2023-08-16) – WeHeartMusic )

SUNDAY APRIL 26

Devon Allman, Apr 26, Knuckleheads,$47.96

Devon Allman is continuing on the 20 Years Strong Tour, celebrating 20 years since the release of his first album and national tour. The tour is a special retrospective show featuring music from across his celebrated career— including his latest release, Blues Summit, and classic songs from the Allman Brothers Band catalog.

In addition to his famous legacy, he first gained widespread recognition with Honeytribe and later as co-founder of the supergroup Royal Southern Brotherhood. Since then, he has carved out an independent career that honors the traditions of blues and the jam-band world while delivering a modern sound and original songwriting voice. Allman is known for electrifying live performances, top-tier musicianship, and a signature style that blends blues, rock, soul, and improvisation into a distinctly contemporary Southern sound.

MONDAY APRIL 27

Powfu, Apr 27, recordBar,$28-$84

The genre-defining lo-fi artist Powfu is on the road with the Lofi Library Club Tour, a run that kicked off in Houston on April 7 and marks the official launch of his new music label and community imprint, Lofi Library Club. This tour will not only showcases Powfu’s signature sound but also features performances from other artists within the imprint’s family, creating an intimate and immersive experience for fans. Fans can expect cozy venues, raw performances, and a celebration of lo-fi culture like never before.

Powfu says “I’m so excited to see my fans in person and to start this new company to feature the music and artists I love. 2026 is going to be a big year!”

TUESDAY APRIL 28

Avatar, Apr 28, Liberty Hall- Lawrence,$46-$75

The Swedish heavy metal visionaries, Avatar (vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin, and drummer John Alfredsson) unleashed their latest full-length, Don’t Go in the Forest, fittingly last year on Halloween. The North American tour kicked off on April 16 in Sacramento and runs through May 20 in Hampton Beach, NH. Fleshgod Apocalypse and Frozen Soul will serve as support.

Eckerström offers, “USA. It started off innocently enough. Hiking along on a trail. Sunny. Pleasant. Safe. Then night came, and the trail slowly faded. You can’t go back, as you don’t know where you came from. You don’t even dare to turn around, as you can feel someone, or something, watching. What you were, all the way back in the warm embrace of civilization, doesn’t matter. Here. it’s just you and the trees. We will be seeing you.”

Chicago (musical), Apr 28, Lied Center- Lawrence, $24-$65

Set a century ago, in Prohibition-era Windy City (aka the city of big shoulders), it’s a satirical story that invokes questions around the power of publicity (good or bad), sensationalistic grandstanding despite the committing of a serious crime, and attempting to be above the law while undermining the judicial system (waitaminute?!- are we still talking about Chicago in the late 1920’s?).

It must mean the classic musical Chicago is back in the area – “A story of greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery” (to quote the opening prologue). We saw the production last year, when it played in Kansas City: Chicago (Broadway Touring musical) at The Kauffman Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-07 through 01-12) – WeHeartMusic

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29

Barns Courtney (solo unplugged) w Belle and Chain, April 29, Bottleneck, $25-$30

UK favorite Barns Courtney’s “Unplugged Solo Sessions” tour is an intimate North American acoustic tour running through May and features stripped-back performances focusing on raw vocals and songwriting, differing from his typical high-energy rock shows.

He’s lived through more industry upheaval than most artists- A&Rs disappearing, catalogs sold off, years stuck in dead-end contracts — yet is still standing. Signed at 19, reduced to sofa-surfing and odd jobs, he clawed his way back when Bradley Cooper hand-picked his voice for Burnt, just as his DIY single “Glitter & Gold” quietly went platinum in the US.

Since then, multiple Top 10 alt-radio hits and a reputation for chaotic, unmissable live shows have made him one of rock’s best-kept secrets. Now, a decade on and free on indie label Avenue A, he isn’t making a comeback — he’s proving the music always connects, even when the machine fails.

Latest full-length was 2024’s third studio album, Supernatural and we caught the full and fun rock show in KC, back in 2022: Barns Courtney at recordBar, Kansas City MO (2022-09-17) review – WeHeartMusic

THURSDAY APRIL 30

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.