Awwww, what’s the matter? You partied too hard on New Year’s Eve? Well, go ahead and take it easy this morning. Sit down, have a cup of coffee, and peruse this lovely list we’ve compiled for you. January’s got a nice groove to it, so you can ease into the new year with easily digestible shows (and a few heavy hitters as well). But mostly, this is a time to get cozy with the locals. Here are the big concerts to keep an eye on as we kick-start 2024.
Winter Fidpick Fundraiser featuring The Fidpick Allstars
Northside Social | January 12
If you haven’t gotten familiar with Northside Social yet, here’s your chance. The venue, formerly known as Kaw Valley Public House, has been busy building up a roster of folk and bluegrass performers from the region. You can see several of those performers at once for the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships’ winter fundraiser. The lineup includes a hefty number of musicians, so more than anything, we’re just curious how they’re all going to fit inside the narrow North Lawrence venue!
The lineup:
Andrew Morris (The Matchsellers)
Brenton Bartz
Chris Millspaugh (House Jumpers)
Dave Learned (Old Fangled)
Jesse Carr (Signal Ridge)
Max Paley (Jenna and Martin)
Paul Schmidt (Kaw Tikis)
RIYL: Local music, duh
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Liberty Hall | January 18
Well, the big news this month is the Jason Isbell show. Believe me, we are not taking this lightly. It is a darn miracle this landed at a beloved independent theatre, and we’re sure that was no easy task. Predictably, it sold out in about two seconds. So expect to see some desperate, middle-aged stragglers hanging around the door looking for extra tickets. The Grammy-award-winning country artist is a favorite among sad dads everywhere and a perfect act for a mid-January concert when you think about it. They’ll be touting along tracks from their recently released Weathervanes before hitting the festival circuit this Summer (appreciate the fact that a band that normally plays amphitheaters and festivals is coming in for this cozy little show).
RIYL: Drive-By Truckers, The Roseline, Justin Townes Earle
Photo: Radkey at The Bottleneck by Fally Afani
Radkey / Pink Fuzz / Local Darling
The Bottleneck | January 26
You won’t want to skip town at the end of the month, no matter how cold it gets, because that’s when all the good stuff happens in the music scene. One of the can’t-miss events is Radkey’s show at the Bottleneck. The punk band plays globally but has consistently referred to The Bottleneck as their favorite venue, so their shows are always a little more outrageous here. What makes it special this year is they’re coming along with another Lawrence favorite, Colorado’s Pink Fuzz (two sibling-fronted bands on one lineup, oh boy!). We would have written up a preview article on just Pink Fuzz alone, as their live shows are unlike any other.
If you miss serious rock-and-roll with performers who know how to work the stage, this is the show of the month for you.
RIYL: Colfax Speed Queen, The Sluts, PEARS
Stillhouse Junkies
Lucia | January 31
January is essentially a warmup to Folk Alliance, so we’re bound to see a lot of roots music passing through the area. Stillhouse Junkies are a trio out of Colorado with a knack for combining their diverse musical backgrounds. Fans are quickly drawn to their harmonies and improvisations onstage. You could easily see this band hitting the stage at Kaw River Roots Fest or Winfield.
RIYL: Blue Station Drifters, Fireside Collective, Fidpick
This is the place where Nirvana & Green Day played in a small, standing-room-only shack. This is the place where Janelle Monae packed in her hometown crowd. George Clinton has funked up our streets and we “fought the power” with...
