Kansas

10 Kansas City concerts you just have to see in January

Published

2 years ago

January 1, 2024

10 Kansas City concerts you just have to see in January

Whether you’re fulfilling a New Year’s resolution to more fully engage with the arts in 2024 or simply trying to shake off the bleak midwinter blues, live music is almost always a fulfilling pursuit.

Knowing where to begin, however, can be challenging. We’re here to help with our monthly concert guide. As usual, our recommendations range from high-brow art music to raucous rock and roll.

The homegrown opera star Joyce DiDonato’s concerts with the Kansas City Symphony open our picks, followed up with the luminescent pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, and WindSync, one of America’s leading chamber ensembles. They all make the month brighter for classical music enthusiasts.

Rock fans will be treated to performances by the storied troubadour Elvis Costello, a band led by Alabama native Jason Isbell and Kansas City’s beloved annual tribute to David Bowie.

A pair of ensembles from New York City, the Hot Sardines and the superlative party band Too Many Zooz, will heat up the Folly Theater and recordBar. A showcase by pop upstart Lyn Lapid and the praise-and-worship celebration Winter Jam round out our suggestions for kicking off a happy new year filled with rewarding music.

Joyce DiDonato: January 12-14

When: 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12; 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14
Where: Helzberg Hall, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets: Starting at $39

Michael Stern, music director and conductor of The Kansas City Symphony, characterizes Joyce DiDonato as “one of the preeminent mezzo-sopranos of our time” ahead of the star’s forthcoming appearance with the Symphony at Helzberg Hall.

DiDonato became an international sensation after growing up in the Kansas City area. With an imagination no less extraordinary than her voice, DiDonato continues to expand the possibilities of operatic music.

The hometown hero will apply her instrument to classic works by Charles Ives and Gustav Mahler, as well as to Joel Thompson’s recent composition “The Places We Leave.”

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: January 18

Alysse Gafkjen

Jason Isbell

Jason Isbell, third from left, acted in Martin Scorsese’s 2023 film, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18
Where: Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, Kansas 66044
Tickets: Starting at $71

The entertainment lineups at summer festivals are often the musical equivalent of buffet restaurants. Sampling a wide variety of flavors can be gratifying, but perfect main courses aren’t to be expected.

And though Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit were excellent as the top-billed act at the Boulevardia festival in Kansas City last summer, disruptive revelers and a condensed setlist disappointed some Isbell loyalists.

Neither limitation should be an issue at the sold-out Liberty Hall concert. Passionate aficionados will thrill to modern day Isbell classics like “Cover Me Up” without any distractions. It’s sure to be a lengthy night of literate root-rock.

Lyn Lapid: January 19

Lyn Lapid performed at the Asian American music festival Head In the Clouds last August.

When: 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19
Where: recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets: $22

Lyn Lapid creates the sort of frothy pop that has propelled peers including Olivia Rodrigo to stardom. The 21-year-old Filipino American songwriter is on the precipice of similar fame.

The giddy “poster boy” and the wistful “do u really?” reflect Lapid’s commercial potential. She’s signed to Republic Records, the label that’s also home to blockbuster stars like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande.

Having refined her sound and honed her style during several years as an increasingly prominent YouTube personality, Lapid should thrive onstage at recordBar.

Winter Jam: January 21

LeCrae’s 2012 release, “Gravity,” won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album. — Lecrae’s 2012 release, “Gravity,” won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album.

When: 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21
Where: T-Mobile Center, 1407 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64106
Tickets: $15 at the door

Evangelical tent revivals aren’t an antiquated aspect of America’s past. The old-fashioned Bible-based gatherings have made a successful transition into new-fangled arenas in the form of the annual Winter Jam tour.

A fast-paced mix of preaching, fundraising, and music, Winter Jam events in Kansas City are attended by youth groups from hundreds of area churches and individuals seeking spiritual solace.

Lecrae devotees will also squeeze into the T-Mobile Center. The Texas rapper is the conscience of the contemporary Christian music community. Lecrae calls out religious and social hypocrisy on songs like “Still in America.” Crowder and Katy Nichole are also part of Winter Jam’s expansive lineup.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: January 23

Isata Kanneh-Mason and her brother Sheku performed at the Folly Theater in 2022.

When: 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23
Where: Helzberg Hall, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets: Starting at $73

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performed on the 1981 K-Tel novelty smash “Hooked on Classics” and on the posthumous Elvis Presley album “If I Can Dream.” The storied institution is unapologetic about its crossover strategies.

The Orchestra proclaims it is “equally at home recording video game, film and television soundtracks and working with pop stars, as it is touring the world performing the great symphonic repertoire.”

The latter pursuit will be exhibited in a concert presented by the Harriman-Jewell Series. Vasily Petrenko will conduct the Orchestra and star British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason in works by Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Too Many Zooz: January 23

Matt "Doe" Muirhead of Too Many Zooz played trumpet on Beyoncé’s 2016 hit “Formation.” — Matt “Doe” Muirhead of Too Many Zooz played trumpet on Beyoncé’s 2016 hit “Formation.”

When: 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23
Where: recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets: $23

Making an impression on the bustling streets of New York City isn’t easy, yet Too Many Zooz gained a following by busking on sidewalks and in subway stations.

Frenetic, fun-loving, and internet-savvy, the trio adds sprightly pop and infectious electronic dance music to its foundation in the New Orleans brass band tradition.

Too Many Zooz selections, such as a charming cover of Miley Cyrus’s recent hit “Flowers” and a delightful arrangement of the Gloria Gaynor anthem “I Will Survive,” are capable of inciting uncaged parties. Cloudchord opens the show.

The Band That Fell to Earth: January 25-27

The Band That Fell to Earth’s first Bowie tribute was in 2016.

When: 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25; 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26; and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27
Where: recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Tickets: $50 on Thursday, and starting at $25 on Friday and Saturday

Kansas City audiences love cover bands, and few locally-staged tributes are more beloved than the annual homage to the late icon David Bowie.

More than a dozen of Kansas City’s most prominent musicians comprise The Band That Fell to Earth. Michelle Bacon on bass, Katy Guillen on guitar, vocalist Steve Tulipana and drummer Stephanie Williams are among the ensemble’s ringers.

The band invests interpretations of Bowie songs like “Golden Years” with admirable energy. This year’s tribute opens with an interpretation of Bowie’s 1971 album “Hunky Dory” on Thursday. Evenings of eclectic Bowie-mania follow on Friday and Saturday.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters: January 25

Elvis Costello first played the Uptown Theater in 1978.

When: 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25
Where: Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64111
Tickets: Starting at $69

Elvis Costello’s gradual evolution from angry young man to genial elder statesman is documented in an astoundingly varied discography that includes 38 studio albums and six live recordings.

The 69-year-old has tackled punky new wave with “No Action,” classic country on “A Good Year for the Roses” and arty chamber music in “I Thought I’d Write to Juliet.” His collaborations with the Kansas City native Burt Bacharach are no less compelling — take “Toledo” for example.

Abetted by his veteran band the Imposters and guitar slinger Charlie Sexton, Costello is expected to offer an expansive career retrospective at the Uptown Theater.

The Hot Sardines: January 27

Regular appearances at Joe’s Pub in New York City enhance Hot Sardines’ reputation.

When: 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27
Where: Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St., Kansas City, Missouri 64105
Tickets: Starting at $25

Gypsy jazz, the life-affirming music perfected by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli in 1930s France, has never gone out of style. The form is now more popular than ever.

The Hot Sardines are leaders of the current gypsy jazz renaissance. The New York group’s renown is reflected by its multiple bookings in the Folly Jazz Series.

Nostalgic seniors and younger fans are smitten with the Hot Sardines’ ebullient renderings of vintage material like “When I Get Low I Get High” and “I Wanna Be Like You.”

WindSync: January 28

WindSync hosts the annual Onstage Offstage chamber music festival in Houston.

When: 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28
Where: Polsky Theatre, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Tickets: Starting at $25

WindSync celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2024. The quintet of flutist Garrett Hudson, oboist Emily Tsai, clarinetist Graeme Steele Johnson, bassoonist Kara LaMoure and French horn specialist Anni Hochhalter has big plans for the year.

The Houston ensemble is slated to release an album recorded at the hallowed Studio Two at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Known for unusual instrumentation and performing its forward-thinking repertoire without sheet music, WindSync opens 2024 with an extensive tour of the United States.

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Kansas

Free rides offered for Kansas Mobility Week including Election Day

Published

21 hours ago

October 30, 2025

Press Room

Free rides offered for Kansas Mobility Week including Election Day

OCCK Transportation is offering free rides on Election Day, Nov. 4, as part of Kansas Mobility Week.

The free rides will be available on Salina CityGo, regional paratransit, GoAbilene, GoConcordia, 81 Connection and KanConnect, according to a community announcement. However, OCCK OnDemand services in Salina are not included.

Kansas Mobility Week, which runs from Nov. 2-8, is a statewide initiative aimed at promoting efficient and safe transportation choices. Public transportation providers, mobility managers, the Kansas Department of Transportation and other partners will host events throughout the week to encourage the use of multimodal transportation options and introduce new initiatives and policies.

OCCK normally offers free rides on Election Day each year to help increase voter turnout.

“We are excited to provide free rides again for Election Day and as a way to celebrate Mobility Week,” said Trell Grinter, transportation director for OCCK. “It’s a great opportunity for people to experience public transit and increase their mobility choices.”

For more information about OCCK, visit occk.com. For more information about CityGo and OCCK Transportation, visit salinacitygo.com or contact the OCCK Transportation Center at 785-826-1583.

More information on how to participate in this year’s Mobility Week is available at ksrides.org/mobility-week.

More information about the state’s Mobility Managers can be found at ksrides.org/our-team.

This story was created by reporter Charles Rankin, crankin@salina.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

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Kansas

The North Kansas City stadium site might just be the best one

Published

2 days ago

October 29, 2025

Press Room

The North Kansas City stadium site might just be the best one

A lot has happened since John Sherman, principal owner of the Kansas City Royals franchise, first floated the idea of a new stadium in November of 2021. The road since then has been winding and frustrating, and four years and one failed vote later and we don’t know where the stadium is going or what it will look like.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Royals’ lease with the Truman Sports Complex ends after the 2030 season, which means they have to start on construction relatively soon to be ready by the 2031 season. Missouri and Kansas have both passed state-level funding. And the Royals had planned on announcing their final plan earlier this year, which implies they are close to an answer themselves.

Lately, there has been a lot of smoke surrounding the North Kansas City option. The office of NKC mayor Jesse Smith put out a press release on October 16 stating that:

The City of North Kansas City continues to have conversations with the Kansas City Royals regarding the possibility of a stadium and related development in North Kansas City. These discussions are substantial and will ultimately involve collaboration among the State of Missouri, Clay County, and the City in any final framework.

Additionally, the Missouri legislature had previously passed a bill that allows Clay County to create a sports complex authority that would govern the stadium. And we can’t forget that North Kansas City was one of two initial proposed sites by the Royals back in August 2023.

Like many folks, my reaction to the proposed Clay County site was one of skepticism. What was the point? To just leave a suburban area to go to another suburban area? Why not just stay in Kauffman Stadium?

I have since come around, and not because I am being paid off by the Royals. I have no idea what they’re doing and they have declined to comment on media requests about the stadium for a while now. No; I genuinely think that the North Kansas City site is the best one outside the East Village site, which seems dead. Let’s dig into why.

The Royals’ new stadium goals

So much has happened that it’s worth re-visiting the first real piece of official communication the Royals put into the world: an open letter from Sherman about what the Royals wanted to accomplish.

There are two things that stand out as clear benchmarks for what the Royals wanted the stadium to be from the very start of this project. First, though downtown was the primary goal, the Royals were cognizant that there were other sites that could work. They were pursuing sites “both in downtown Kansas City and close to it.”

Second, and most importantly, the Royals wanted to build a ballpark district, with “residential, commercial, and community components.” As Sherman wrote, their version was to construct “a new ballpark district and all that comes with it – one that is woven into the fabric of our city, can host events and concerts, and boosts our local economy.”

Why North Kansas City works

Kauffman Stadium is a beautiful park that exists within an ugly car dystopia that sucks the life out of the entire area. It’s surrounded by acres and acres of useless concrete. It’s cut off from goods, services, housing, and lodging. It is an unwalkable island wasteland.

Contrast that with walkable areas, where you don’t have to drive a car to get to where you want to go. More importantly, there are people already there. People live in walkable areas in multiunit apartments and condos, and walkable areas have narrower streets, more public transit, and a significantly higher density of resources and services than car-centric areas.

Downtowns are usually the only areas in American cities that have walkability and density. But suburbs can be walkable, too. Consider the area around Johnson Drive and Lamar in Mission, Kansas, versus the area around 119th Street and Strang Line Road in Olathe. Both Kansas City suburbs, but one is significantly prettier, more lively, and livable than the other.

North Kansas City is one of the only areas in the metro that has the ingredients for significant walkability. Indeed, the Armour Road area is already walkable and bikeable.

The above screenshot of Google Maps shows roughly where the Royals have proposed their site: bordered by Armour Road on the north and 16th Avenue on the south, and from Erie Street on the west to Howell Street on the east. North of Armour Road, there are rows and rows of houses, a public library, North Kansas City High School, and multiple new apartment complexes.

Add the streetcar into the equation, and the area quickly becomes an opportunity to transform into the type of urban neighborhood that is a destination. RideKC has already created an extensive and recent study of what an extension would look like up to North Kansas City, and their plan is to extend the line over the Heart of America Bridge and then up Swift Street.

And though walkability is key, car access is still easy. I-35 is immediately to the east, and there’s access to I-29, I-635, and Highway 169—along with access to downtown and I-70 via Highway 9.

So why wasn’t NKC the first choice?

No site is perfect, which I’m sure the Royals have grappled with significantly.

At the same time, there are some pretty big reasons why downtown is a better option than North Kansas City. One is population; the downtown KC population is about 32,000 people, compared to under 5,000 people in NKC as of the 2020 census. Furthermore, Jackson County has over two and a half times as many residents as Clay County, which is a significant difference when it comes to tax revenue and the inevitable “public” part of the “public-private partnership” that the Royals want.

And, of course, that streetcar thing? It’s already downtown.

But at this point in the juncture, North Kansas City is also the only place that fulfills all of the Royals’ initial desires for the project. The Washington Square Park site downtown is tiny and there is not space for a “ballpark village.” No site in Johnson County or Wyandotte County makes much sense for that, either, and a Legends site would end up as Kauffman Stadium West (derogatory).

If the Royals aren’t going to pull the trigger on the East Village site—which has always been the best choice—for whatever reason, North Kansas City provides a way to catalyze some public transit investment and transform the area into something the Royals can be proud of.

At least, if the public isn’t on the hook for too much money. But that, as they say, is a whole different ball game.

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