We♥KC! June 12-14, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence, KS metro)
It was Broadway’s biggest night!
The Tony Awards were recently held, hosted by Pink! (?!) and the night featured ‘Schmigadoon’ winning Best Musical and three other awards (the producers sarcastically thanked Apple+ for canceling the series!). ‘The Lost Boys’ was another popular production, and ‘Ragtime’ claimed Best Musical Revival and both Best Leading Actor trophies.
We mention all this because the award-winning popular shows often are taken on the road the following year, so we may see one or more of these productions, play an area stage soon.
In concert news, Rush started their run with a solid opening show in LA, featuring new drummer Annika Nilles. Videos already online show that, while no one can replace the late Neil Peart, Nilles has more than enough chops behind the kit. Ticket prices are high, and no KC date yet scheduled, but perhaps we’ll see the trio play locally, if they add another tour leg.
Let’s look at the weekend in Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from June 12th to 14th.
(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)
FRIDAY JUNE 12
Godsmack, June 12, Morton Amph, $27-$120+
After releasing a live album earlier this year, Sully and co. are back on the road so you can experience Godsmack in the flesh again. Their current Rise of Rock World Tour kicked off its 32 dates on May 10 in Bristow, VA and will play all summer before wrapping September 26 in Nampa, ID.
To date, the band has accomplished over 20 million records sold, 11 #1 singles at mainstream rock radio, including “Bulletproof,” “Unforgettable,” “When Legends Rise,” and “Under Your Scars,” all from the band’s most recent album, 2023’s Lighting Up the Sky. They can also boast of four Grammy nominations, and were named Billboard Music Award’s Rock Artist of the Year in 2001.
Arrive early for solid openers Stone Temple Pilots (with singer Jeff Gutt) and Dorothy, who we’ve seen live in Minneapolis in 2018 and 2022, and who is still out in support of newest album, The Way, a deluxe edition of which was released last year via Roc Nation. 
Radkey, June 12, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $15-$20
The three alt-punk brothers from St. Joseph, MO have an upcoming new album, Bedroom Sand (out July 14), recorded at Syracuse University mid-last year while students were gone for the summer. With help from a professor, Radkey snuck onto campus to record in the School of Music’s state-of-the-art studio.
The new record features the lead single “Victory- they have taken back their rights and shown what true “Victory” is and victory is what one feels when they see the band perform live. The band will be back in KC a week following, for a benefit at the Rino as well.
Openers are Sage Cornelius Band and Godzillionaire with a $2 surcharge at the door for anyone under 21. This show is on Dee’s birthday, so should be a fun one!
Like Six o’ Clock (play), through June 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.
SATURDAY JUNE 13
Dierks Bentley, June 13, Morton Amph,$34-$118+
Multi-platinum Country entertainer Dierks Bentley is out on his Off the Map Tour, a six-week limited run of amphitheaters through July. This run follows stadium dates with Luke Combs earlier this spring, and support comes from none other than the legendary Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and newcomer Owen Riegling.
“‘Off The Map’ is a song about going to that place where you take a break from it for a little bit, whether it’s a bar stool sipping something cold, or a back porch down a back road. I like to think that our shows are a place where our fans can go off the map for a few hours and recharge the batteries,” Bentley says. “The band and I are so excited about sharing the road with the one and only Ricky Skaggs, as well as with the other guys and girls on the shows with us this summer.” We last caught his very entertaining show back in 2023, in Topeka KS.
SUNDAY JUNE 14
Future Stages Festival, June 14, Kauffman Center, Free
Since 2014, the Kauffman Center’s Future Stages Festival has provided a platform for the upcoming generation of local youth creative performers to showcase their talents and for everyone within the community to be connected to exceptional arts experiences. Featured acts highlight diversity in the arts, from powerful vocalists and breathtaking aerialists to rhythmic jazz bands and graceful folk dancers.
The day spotlights more than 600 hundred local performers, ages 5-18, as they showcase their talents throughout the day on four stages: Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage, Helzberg Hall stage, the Saint Luke’s Outdoor Stage and the Kansas City Symphony’s Mobile Music Box stage. Additionally, family-friendly arts activities are hosted on the south lawn and indoors in Brandmeyer Great Hall. With more than 30 youth performances as well as entertaining and educational arts activities, there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Check their website for a full schedule of events.
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.