August 10-16, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Pass us the ‘Salt’-

Summer concerts hit their groove, with a handful of acts coming to the new Morton Amphitheater (see below). We like the nickname “The Saltshaker” (in the vein of ESPN’s Chris Berman calling Baltimore’s stadium “The Big Crabcake,” and so on) but locally online seems to prefer “Saltstone” as part homage to the name of another shed. Time will tell, we guess…

Short of seeing Phoebe Bridgers live (like when she was in KC in 2022), the best way to experience her new album might be in a Planetarium, where some 40 venues will be holding a preview event. In KC, it’s at Union Station with a domed laser display, but alas, tickets are already gone (addl. shows are supposedly coming, so keep checking). Wichita is available as we write this, at Exploration Place.

August 12 Update– Rod Stewart has canceled the last 19 dates of his tour, including the Morton Amphitheater show (see below for details).

Let’s look at the week in Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from August 10^th to August 16^th.

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

MONDAY AUGUST 10

Lindsey Stirling, Aug 10, Starlight,$47.50 – $163.75

Lindsey Stirling, the innovative multi-platinum electronic violinist, dancer, and aerialist, is out on a 32-date North American run of her Duality Untamed Tour with special guest PVRIS. We caught the show last month in Florida.

Her sound is a mixture of pop, classical, and electronica, and is well-known for her dynamic live performances and her music has charted on Billboard’s Top Dance Electronic Album chart, the Classical Albums chart, and the all-genre Billboard 200 list.

The tour is named after Stirling’s most recent studio album, Duality, which is described as an extravagant soundscape that explores intricate questions of intuition and truth. Stirling’s social media channels are strong, amassing 14.3+ million subscribers and over three billion views on YouTube. She also has over 5.2M followers on Tik Tok, and 4.2M+ on Instagram.

Men at Work, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Shonen Knife, Aug 10, Steifel Theater, Salina, $70-$103

Who can it be now?! You might consider this eclectic summer concert package is worth a road trip west to Salina and their wonderful theater- Men At Work is out on a U.S. tour, with special guests Toad the Wet Sprocket and Shonen Knife. We caught the tour last month in NE Florida.

Of course, led by front man/vocalist Colin Hay, the band’s current lineup includes Jimmy Branly (drums), Yosmel Montejo (bass), SanMiguel (guitar), Rachel Mazer (sax, flute, keys) and Cecilia Noël (harmony vocals, percussion) … so it’s technically Men and Women at Work, haha.

Said Hay in a statement: “What has clearly stood the test of time, are the songs. Forty-five years on, I still hear them in the street, on the radio, in supermarkets, they are still going strong. I would never have predicted back in 1985, that 40 years on, I would still be fronting Men At Work, this version featuring Cubans, a Peruvian, an American, and me.”

TUESDAY AUGUST 11

WENESDAY AUGUST 12

Train, Barenaked Ladies, Matt Nathanson, Aug 12, Morton Amphitheater, 2 for $55 lawn to $167+

“Hey soul sister, do you need a sign?” -Multi-Grammy Award-winning band Train is out on their summer “Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in The Atmosphere Tour”. Can you believe their “Hey, Soul Sister,” is RIAA diamond-certified (that’s 10million plus sold_ and a #1 hit, while “Drops of Jupiter,” won them two Grammy Awards.

Barenaked Ladies and acclaimed singer-songwriter and one of our faves, Matt Nathanson are also on the bill, and another plus is that guitarist and producer Butch Walker is now an official band member of Train.

The 38+ city tour kicked off July 8 in West Palm Beach, FL and concludes on August 30 in Auburn, WA. Train has sold more than 10 million albums and 30 million tracks sold worldwide, 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, and 13 albums on the Billboard 200.

The band’s current lineup is frontman Pat Monahan (lead vocals), Hector Maldonado (bass, vocals), Jerry Becker (keyboards, vocals), Butch Walker (guitar, vocals), and Matt Musty (drums, vocals).

Wicked (Broadway Touring) Aug 12-30, Music Hall, $61-$231

Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz... but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent.

When she meets a blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” You likely already know the story from previous runs of this modern Broadway classic, the original book, or the recent pair of successful movies.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, inspired by Gregory Maguire’s novel about the untold story of the witches of Oz, it’s been a crowd favorite ever since its debut in 2003. The production has earned more than 100 major awards, including three Tony Awards and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

The refreshed touring production is said to have refined the lighting, sound, and automation to travel efficiently without cutting the magic, so expect the full Defying Gravity moment and plenty of Emerald City sparkle. Mexico City native Aline Mayagoitia is set to play the green girl herself “Elphaba” while newcomer Claudia Bennett in her National Tour debut will resume the role of “Glinda.”

THURSDAY AUGUST 13

FRIDAY AUGUST 14

Foreigner / Lynyrd Skynyrd Aug 14, Morton Amph,2 for $55 lawn, to $136+

Legendary rock bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner are co-headlining the “Double Trouble Double Vision Tour” with support from Six Gun Sally. The 19-date tour spans runs through late August, celebrating Foreigner’s 50th anniversary and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s enduring legacy.

“The energy the band has felt knowing we’ll be touring with Skynyrd this coming summer has been electric,” Foreigner (and former Dokken) bassist Jeff PIlson said. “Two bands with plenty of iconic songs, dueling guitars, double trouble and double vision are gonna set each and every stage on fire!”

Skynyrd vocalist Johnny Van Zant adds, “I’m excited to share the stage with Foreigner and hear all their amazing hits! I’ve always been a fan, and I believe the audience will love this tour. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner together- it doesn’t get much better than that.”

SATURDAY AUGUST 15

Rod Stewart w Richard Marx, Aug 15, Morton Amph, Canceled

AUGUST 12 Update – Canceled

Rod has had a few medical issues, the latest being in Cincinnati, which has now resulted in a heart procedure and causing him to cancel the last 19 dates of the tour, including this show. We wish him the best and a full recovery.

Two-time Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rod Stewart continues on his highly successful “One Last Time” tour with Richard Marx joining on as special guest. As the tour name implies, this is likely the last major outing for the still-spry Stewart, so make plans for that one last time.

He kicked off his One Last Time World Tour in 2024, hitting North America, Europe, Asia, South America. Expect a hits-packed setlist that includes songs like, “You Wear It Well,” “Maggie May,” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy,” “The First Cut is the Deepest,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Every Picture Tells A Story,” “Infatuation,” “Forever Young,” “Ooh La La (I Wish That I Knew What I Know Now),”” Young Turks,” Have I Told You Lately That I Love You,” “Rhythm of My Heart,” “Broken Arrow,” “Forever Young,” and many more.

Richard Marx is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer whose career has spanned four decades. With over 45 million albums sold, one billion streams, and fourteen No. 1 singles to his name, he is the only male artist to have his first seven singles reach the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, and one of only two (alongside Michael Jackson) to write a #1 song in four different decades.

SUNDAY AUGUST 16

Empire of the Sun w/ Polo & Pan, Midnight Generation, Aug 16, Morton, 2 for $55 lawn to $161+

Still Walking on a Dream! The Australian electropop duo Empire of the Sun are out on a rare North American tour in support of their 2024 LP Ask That God (first new album in eight years) with support from Polo & Pan and Midnight Generation.

The Ask That God: Afterlife 2026 Tour kicks off on August 11 at Red Rocks and makes its way to KC shortly after- we’re frankly happy and surprised they’re making a local stop and the tour wraps up on October 9 in Las Vegas. The tour is described as the “final installment” of the Ask That God journey.

“It feels like a very pivotal time,” frontman Luke Steele said in a statement, “We have a new song to sing, we have to step into a new doorway- a new chapter. The world is changing. It feels like a revolution in the world and we have to unite. Love is the power weapon. (It) feels like a tour of unknowns and possibilities- new visions, new plateaus, fragile breakthroughs.”

John Mulaney (comedy) Aug 16, Starlight, $75.75-$173.75

John Mulaney is a four-time Emmy Award, Critics’ Choice Award and WGA Award-winning writer, comedian and actor, currently out on his latest stand-up tour” Mister Whatever.”

Last year, Mulaney hosted, wrote, and executive-produced the Netflix talk show Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, which featured monologues, guests, pre-taped sketches, musical segments and more. His previous Everybody’s Live in LA was a six-night live comedy series that explored Los Angeles during the Netflix Is A Joke Festival in 2024. Veteran comic Mike Birbiglia is also on the bill.

Out in Front, Aug. 16, Encore at Uptown, $24.50

Out in Front is an alternative pop-punk trio based in LA and composed of Madie Renner (vocals/piano), Isaiah Volk (drums), and Ryen Wagner (bass), who met in 2024 while working as instructors at a tennis club. Their anthemic, emo-tinged SoCal pop-punk is recommended for fans of Paramore, Yellowcard, and blink-182 and their 2025 debut EP, Straight Up to Space, featured the viral streaming track “fLoAT”

New single “Medicine” is out now, via AWAL, which came together after Renner forgot her father’s birthday. The song explores the feelings of selfishness and disconnectedness that come with prioritizing oneself in pursuit of a dream.

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.