August 21-23, 2026, Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Back to school–

With summer days waning, the KU campus will be humming again, meaning more concerts again in Lawrence (including the Oct return of Day on the Hill), after their usual less busy summer bookings.

We’ve already seen a flurry of Fall listings including the return of JoBros to T-Mobile on November 3rd (with ‘bonus Jonas’ brother Franklin opening) as well as some recent announcements of 2027 shows, including a big Arrowhead stop by Luke Combs on May 15th. FIFA prevented any Arrowhead concerts this summer but looks like the slate is already starting to fill for next summer.

Let’s look at the weekend in Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from August 21^st to August 23^rd.

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

FRIDAY AUGUST 21

Tim McGraw, 49 Winchester, Aug 21, Morton Amph,$45-$207+

Country superstar Tim McGraw is out on his Pawn Shop Guitar Tour, a 33-date North American summer headline run that kicked off on July 9 in NY and will run through September 26.

The three-time Grammy Award-winning includes three stadium shows (including Target Field in Minneapolis) and is named from a new track entitled “Pawn Shop Guitar.” “The band and I are so excited to get back out on the road this summer. This will be a great night of incredible songs and musicianship.” said McGraw.

Openers 49 Winchester are a rising Appalachian country rock and alternative-country band from Castlewood, VA. Formed in 2013 by childhood friends, the group takes its name from the actual street address of frontman Isaac Gibson’s childhood home and are in support of their Dave Cobb-produced album Change of Plans.

Flatland Calvary w Randy Rogers, Aug 21, Starlight,$30-$92.50

The band’s Work of Heart Tour is the band’s extensive run supporting their fifth studio album, Work of Heart. The shows began internationally in New Zealand and Australia (supporting Lainey Wilson), followed by a big Spring headlining run and now, KC finally gets a local date.

Over the past two years, the band has garnered consecutive ACM Award nominations in the category of Group of the Year for both 2024 and 2025 and earned their first RIAA Gold certification for their breakout single “A Life Where We Work Out.”

Support is from Randy Rogers, a TX singer-songwriter and the frontman of the Randy Rogers Band, a renowned group formed in San Marcos, TX in 2000. Raised in Cleburne, TX, Rogers began writing songs at age 11 and built a celebrated multi-decade career blending traditional country, roots, and Americana.

Planet Anime, Aug 21-23, Bartle Hall,$45-$80

Planet Anime Kansas City is the three-day celebration of anime fandom held at the Convention Center (aka Bartle Hall). It’s a dedicated companion event to Planet Comicon Kansas City, offering an immersive weekend of specialized anime programming, cosplay, and pop culture.

Celebrity Guests this year include voice actors and talent from popular series like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Avatar: The Last Airbender including Zach Aguilar, J. Michael Tatum, and Colleen Clinkenbeard.

There are also cosplay gatherings, contests, and the specialized J-Fashion Show celebrating Japanese street fashion, along with a massive vendor floor featuring unique art prints, apparel, collectibles, and the Asobi Arcade. Look for interactive fan panels, industry workshops, and themed meetups too.

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

(See our coverage here: Wicked (Broadway touring musical) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2026-08-12 to 08-30) – W♥M) 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.”

SATURDAY AUGUST 22

Greg Mendez w Maria BC, Aug 22, recordBar,$25.55

Greg Mendez is on the road in support of his anticipated new album, Beauty Land (out now via Dead Oceans). On the record, Mendez showcases his raw and quietly devastating sound, evidenced on the album’s singles “I Wanna Feel Pretty,” “Gentle Love / Frog,” “No Evil,” and “So Mean,”

Lyrically, the album is guided by a wry but forgiving narrator, an underdog who has learned to balance cynicism and faith. The bulk of the album was recorded directly to tape, almost entirely alone in Mendez’s makeshift home studio in Philadelphia – a small room with no natural light. It’s his first full-length album since his breakthrough self-titled album in 2023.

Maria BC is an Ohio-born, Oakland-based ambient-folk singer-songwriter and classically trained mezzo-soprano. Their melancholic and atmospheric music blends delicate vocal arrangements with field recordings and sparse guitar and are signed to Sacred Bones Records.

SUNDAY AUGUST 23

45th Annual Kansas State Fiddling & Picking Championships, Aug 23, South Park-Lawrence, Free

The Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships- locally known simply as “FidPick” — began in 1976 in Lawrence and originally was open only to county residents, but the dream to evolve the contest to the state level became a reality in 1981.

FidPick has since grown to feature two stages, nine contests and professional concerts from local, regional and national acts. Throughout the past four decades, FidPick remains a grassroots event celebrating traditional American acoustic music.

The event will feature Don Flemons, a solo artist and founding member of the Grammy award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dom is a multi-instrumentalist American songster and foremost, a banjo player. He is scheduled to take the Doug DuBois Harmony Stage around 3:30p.

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.