May 26-31, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Sporting joins the summer concert lineup!

Surrounding and following all the FIFA World Cup 26™ hoopla, Sporting Kansas City will host a lineup of live entertainment for at Soccer Capital Summer at Sporting Park featuring free concerts, high-energy DJs and local performing artists.

Third Eye Blind will headline the live music series with a free concert on July 18. Since 1997, they have sold more than 12 million albums worldwide with 10 best-selling studio recordings, two live releases and one career retrospective.

Travie McCoy and gymclassheroes. will take the stage on June 28 to kick off the knockout phase of the tournament. With nearly 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, they reshaped alternative hip-hop with hits like “Cupid’s Chokehold” and “Stereo Hearts.”

Logan Mize, a Kansas native and resident, will perform twice on Monday, July 6 with sets before and after a Round of 16 match.

DJs Coco & Breezy will cap off the festivities in conjunction with the highly anticipated World Cup final on July 19. The duo are globally recognized DJs known for a soulful, high-energy house sound that reflects their heritage and their mantra, Free Your Soul.

Let’s finish up the month with the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from May 26th to May 31st.

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

TUESDAY MAY 26

WEDNESDAY MAY 27

Rilo Kiley, May 27, Uptown, $62-$130

Indie rockers Rilo Kiley extended their critically acclaimed reunion run of first shows in 17 years with an encore North American and European trek titled the “Sometimes When You’re On You’re Really F**king On Tour” (our vote would have named it ‘More Portions for Foxes’).

The back together quartet of Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel—also recently released a reissue of their 2002 album The Execution of All Things.

Opener Jean-Luc Eldenwood is a French American LA-based singer with new single, “The Beach” out now and a full-length album out, just two days following this show.

Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers, May 27, Knuckleheads, $22

Winners of the 2026 International Blues Challenge and Best Guitarist, Derrick Dove & the Peacekeepers is a Southern-fried blues rock band hailing from Tifton, GA. Led by vocalist and guitarist Dove, the band fuses gritty blues with classic Southern rock influences.

Around 2010, Dove formed what would become the band we know now, and after years of relentless touring, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2018.

Their sophomore album, Rough Time was released in 2023 and dedicated to Dove’s late father, and last January, they released their third album, Burn It Down. Last August, they were named Entertainer of the Year at the International Singer-Songwriters Association (ISSA) Awards.

THURSDAY MAY 28

Primus, Les Claypool, Sean Lennon, more! May 28, Starlight, $47-$105

Claypool Gold! Legendary bassist Les Claypool is taking three of his bands—Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium (his psychedelic project with Sean Ono Lennon), and the jam-heavy Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog on a 30-date “Claypool Gold” US tour.

The run kicked off May 20 and features all three bands sharing the stage together for fluid and unpredictable shows (with Les working triple-time!). Expect different setlists, deep cuts, and surprise onstage collaborations.

Primus features the band’s new drummer, John Hoffman, who was added to the lineup via Claypool’s viral “Interstellar Drum Derby” and Tim “Herb” Alexander‘s sudden resignation from the band. It’s All Claypool, All Night!

FRIDAY MAY 29

Big Slick (comedy and music benefit), May 29-30, T-Mobile Center,$132-$482

Big Slick is a star-studded annual charity weekend hosted by KC native celebrities like Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, and Rob Riggle. It features comedy shows, live music, and celebrity events, with all proceeds benefiting pediatric cancer research and care at Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

Since its inception, the event has raised over $30 million to eradicate pediatric cancer and help recruit top medical and research talent to the hospital.

If schedules allow, expect to see KC’s Eric Stonestreet, David Koechner, and Heidi Gardner too, along with surprise guests, skits, and musical performances. The event promises a night of comedy, music and “one-of-a-kind chaos.”

This year, however, there will be no Celebrity Classic softball game, due to scheduling limitations with the FIFA World Cup, and the Kansas City Royals not being in town. In lieu of the softball game, Big Slick will host a VIP-ticketed, limited engagement fundraiser.

Kevin Morby w Liam Kazar, May 29, Uptown,$42-$131

Local hero Kevin Morby‘s 2026 tour is in support of his eighth studio album, Little Wide Open, which was released May 15 (via Dead Oceans) and produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner with contributions from Justin (Bon Iver) Vernon and Lucinda Williams.

“Little Wide Open is set to a backdrop of tangled highways, towns with populations less than 100,000, roadside crosses, a rock and roll romance, coupling butterflies, being an American entertainer, Econoline vans and more,” explains Morby. “This is, without a doubt, the most personal and vulnerable album I’ve ever made. Despite its title, this album is in fact, very wide open.”

Opener Liam Kazar is a Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter whose music finds folk, rock, pop, jazz, and alt-country within moments of each other. New album Pilot Light is out now on Congrats Records.

SATURDAY MAY 30

Kansas City Jazz Orchestra- Shaken Not Stirred, May 30, Gem Theater,$250-$25K

Be a secret agent for the evening! This is Kansas City Jazz Orchestra’s annual fundraising event for the current season, Shaken, Not Stirred: A 007 Jazz Gala. It’s an evening of 18th & Vine events starting with the Gala at the Zhou B Art Center (1801 E 18th St.) and concluding with a high-energy big band concert at the nearby Gem Theater.

Blending the iconic soundtracks of Bond films with full-bodied KC swing, the concert will feature Barnaby Bright vocalist Becky Bliss, who began her professional recording debut at the age of five, with world-renowned children’s producers/songwriters Elizabeth and Kay Gant.

SUNDAY MAY 31

Alpha Wolf, Gideon, Mugshot, Resolve, May 31, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $25

Alpha Wolf’s “Let It Rip USA Tour” is the Australian metalcore band’s major North American trek and features their punishing, heavy live sound, in support of 2024 album, Half Living Things and are joined by three special guests: Gideon, Mugshot, and Resolve.

Tuscaloosa, AL quartet Gideon have a recent track out, “4×4” along with the official video, via Sumerian Records. Previously, the band shared their earlier song “Wrong One” which has amassed over 1 million streams on Spotify and over 727k views on YouTube.

Meanwhile, opener Resolve has said they plan to rotate their setlists, which means fans may hear new material or surprise songs. Terry and the fine folks at toy and collectibles store 1313 Mockingbird Lane are helping bring this show to town.

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.