We♥KC! June 8-11, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
The ‘Morton era’ begins!
Early reports from the new Morton Amphitheater in Riverside, seem to be mostly positive, with mostly short parking and entry lines, good sight lines from most vantage points, and supposedly $2 hot dogs and $5 beers at concessions- we’re eager to get a firsthand look soon.
World Cup group stage games are just around the corner as well, with the four teams who have local base camps (Argentina, England, Netherlands, and Algeria) already here and practicing or making their way this coming week, with some friendly matches ahead of the FIFA Tournament. Will there be celeb player sightings around the metro, or will they be too focused on match play? – we’ll see.
Let’s look at the weeknights of Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from June 8th to 11th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
MONDAY JUNE 8
Christian Death, June 8, recordBar,$35.72
After almost fifty years, the founding fathers of American goth rock are again on the road. Christian Death (Valor Kand– vocals, guitar and Maitri– vocals, bass) will lead the ‘Baby Bats Parade‘ across more than 20 US stops with support from equally worthy acts, Gene Loves Jezebel, Descartes a Kant & Black Season Witch.
The tour just started in St. Louis on June 3rd and wraps up on June 28th in Worcester, MA. and the band will be performing songs from their four-decade plus legacy including tracks from the most recent album, Evil Becomes Rule. It’s a rare chance to see these legends and the great openers, in a relatively small venue, so is recommended.
Ape Vermin, June 8, Warehouse on Broadway, $22.50-$24.50
Is there a better band name?!- The North Carolina progressive sludge metal trio is out touring for their “The Riders of the Damned Tour Part 2,” across the U.S. alongside stoner metal trio Mean Green. Formed in 2017 by Brett Lee, drummer Seth Lynn, and bassist Jared Edge, Ape Vermin has carved out a reputation for no‑frills, high‑volume heaviness. The tour launched May 16 in Durham, NC, and closes June 12 in Chattanooga, TN.
The run supports latest full‑length “Andromedas Colossus,” described as the band’s most dynamic, melodic, and brutally expansive release to date and featuring latest single, “Awakened,” which Lee says “is my personal favorite. Hell has come back to life. The Colossus is awake. Prepare for your imminent obliteration.”
TUESDAY JUNE 9
Joe Jackson, June 9, Uptown Theater,$57-$75
You there, …steppin’ out?
Grammy‑winning artist Joe Jackson recently released his new studio album, Hope and Fury (via earMUSIC) which presents nine new songs recorded between Berlin and NYC. Dividing his time between NYC and Portsmouth, Jackson describes himself as “bicoastal” both geographically and musically, and the new album as Bicoastal LatinJazzFunkRock.
On the album, he is joined by his longtime band – bassist Graham Maby, who has recorded and toured with Jackson since his debut album Look Sharp!, guitarist Teddy Kumpel, and drummer Doug Yowell, all alongside Peruvian percussionist Paulo Stagnaro.
All in all, Jackson will perform an impressive 80 shows across 14 countries to celebrate the new album. We caught the tour recently in Minnesota.
Haute & Freddy, June 9, recordBar,Sold Out
L.A.-based alt-pop duo Haute & Freddy (aka Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp) is out with their anticipated debut album Big Disgrace, via Atlantic Records, which follows their breakout 2024 debut “Scantily Clad.”
The 13-track project introduces listeners to the duo’s decadent, larger-than-life pop universe and the album itself fully embraces the duo’s signature blend of drama, glamour, and unapologetic individuality.
“Big Disgrace is all the eccentric, over-the-top parts of ourselves we thought we had to hide, on full display,” Haute & Freddy explain. “Like a sonic topless shimmy where said shimmer holds direct eye contact with the one person in the room giving a judgmental scowl.”
WEDNESDAY JUNE 10
Rufus du Sol, June 10, Morton Amph,$59-$144
Grammy Award-winning Sydney electronic trio RÜFÜS DU SOL (Jon George, James Hunt, and Tyrone Lindqvist) is currently headlining their massive “Inhale / Exhale” World Tour. The North American leg will wrap up in Toronto in September, but not before making a local stop at the newest KC venue. The performances center around their 2024 album, Inhale / Exhale. With a setlist that features tracks like “Music Is Better,” “Lately,” and fan favorites like “On My Knees” and “You Were Right”.
They closed out the 2025 leg of their Inhale / Exhale World Tour after nearly 50 dates worldwide and selling over 750,000 headline tickets, performing to more than 1.5 million fans across festivals and solo shows.
Arrive early for NYC electronic duo, FCUKERS (Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis), pronounced, “Eff-Cee UK-ers”). In 2023, they released their debut single “Mothers” and the next year, their debut EP entitled Baggy$$ was released through Ninja Tune’s Technicolour Records.
Trey Anastasio w KC Symphony, June 10, Kauffman Center, Sold Out
Phish guitarist and vocalist Trey Anastasio‘s 2026 14-show tour centers primarily on an intimate acoustic performances with longtime collaborator and keyboardist Jeff Tanski, which follows the Phish residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. In addition to the acoustic dates, Anastasio has blended in special orchestral and symphonic performances, including what should be a special and is a long sold-out show at Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
Anastasio has previously performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, among others and back in 2013, he was nominated for a Tony Award and two Drama Desk Awards for the original score of the Broadway musical Hands on a Hardbody.
Son Little, June 10, Knuckleheads, Canceled
THURSDAY JUNE 11
Glenn Miller Orchestra, June 11, Kauffman Center,$66.50-$87.50
“It don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing!” The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra brings timeless classics like “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” “String of Pearls” and “Tuxedo Junction” back to the stage. Even 85 years after founding his famous orchestra, Miller’s music is alive and well.
Over 18 musicians and singers bring their unforgettable sound and perform those timeless songs that everyone remembers. The legendary Glenn Miller was the most successful of all the dance bandleaders back in the Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s and was a huge musical presence during World War II.
Like Six o’ Clock (play), June 11-26, KC Melting Pot,$21.50-$32.50
Lewis Morrow’s work has a world premiere right here in KC with this initial run and concludes another successful season for KC Melting Pot!
In a quiet tire shop owned by Bennie, the shock of a nearby factory shooting reverberates throughout the city. With the shooter still at large, business grinds to a halt as Bennie, Claudette, and Roderick find themselves grappling with the chilling reality that they may have personal connections to the shooter, forcing them to confront their own emotions, biases, and moral dilemmas.
As they navigate their uneasy reflections, the weight of their shared history and the aftermath of violence hang heavily in the air. Like Six O’Clock is a raw unflinching look at the choices we make and how we justify them.
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.