Well, we hope you like street parties, Lawrence, because they’re coming!
This summer will be all about taking it to the streets. Don’t you deserve to kick back and enjoy a little dance party every now and then? From bluegrass baddies to more horns than we can handle, this is the season of enjoying live music outdoors. Some of it is even free! Take a gander at our best bets for the month of June, and be sure to check out the other live events to keep on your radar at the bottom.
Maidens of Metal
The Bottleneck | June 6
Listen up, metalheads. We’ll be very disappointed if you don’t check out this show. The Bottleneck is becoming a second home to some of the best metal bands out there. This summer, they’ll be hosting an all-local lineup of exquisit metal acts. The lineup includes: Khaos Theory, Oxytoxin, Horned Wolf, Pit Hag, and Galdrar. The show starts early, 5:00 p.m., and runs all night.
RIYL: headbanging for hours on end
Kaw River Roots Fest
Downtown Lawrence | June 11 – 15
At this point, we don’t know how we’d get through a Lawrence summer without Kaw River Roots Fest. The bluegrass festival is one of the biggest highlights of the year for music fans, drawing out fans from near and wide. With the festival’s recent move from late summer to early summer, bluegrass fans are now finding they can balance both Kaw River Roots Fest AND Winfield at in the same season (hooray!).
This year’s event stretches across three locations within the same block: Lucia, The Granada, and Live on Mass. The block party is not to be missed, as it draws out enough visitors to fill the entire block and then some.
This year’s lineup is a local music lover’s paradise:
Split Lip Rayfield
Front Porch
Unfit Wives
80 Proof Alice
Foggy Memory Boys
Cameron Keeling & The Runaway Train
Signal Ridge
High Country Hustle
The Lost Keys
3rd Kansas Cavalry Unit
Betsy O & The Hollaback Boys
DJ Proof
RIYL: drinking beer in the street and listening to the best music in town
Colin Halliburton / Suzannah Johannes / CS Luxem
The Replay | June 14
We know not everyone’s into wild and crazy street parties, so we wanted to make sure this show got included in our list this month. For those of you who prefer solo artists, singer-songwriters, and a calmer atmosphere (with an agreeable bedtime!), please head straight to the Replay for their early show on June 14. Colin Halliburton (of the Roseline) will be teaming up with fellow longtime musicians Suzannah Johanne and CS Luxem. This one’s for the townies who are needing a sense of calm from three of the best crooners out there.
RIYL: Acoustic guitars, expert songwriting, and early shows
The Wallflowers
Liberty Hall | June 23
It’s hard to believe it’s already been 30 years since The Wallflowers burst onto the scene in the 90’s with their album, Bringing Down the Horse. This Summer, they’ll be heading out on an extensive tour across the United States and Europe to commemorate the 30th anniversary. Word on the street is that in addition to performing the album in its entirety, the band will also be performing a tribute set dedicated to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Long After Dark.
RIYL: alt-rock from the 90’s
Brass on Mass
Downtown Lawrence | June 26
This was an absolute hit last year and was such a success that we named it one of the top ten events of the year. Now, Brass on Mass is returning (and somehow even brassier??). This free block party features a host of brass-focused Lawrence bands, including The Dead Bettys, The Band That Saved The World, SUNU, and River City Brass Band. Get there early and bring the family, River City Brass Band kicks the whole thing off with a parade and dance party in the street! Best part? The entire thing is FREE.
RIYL: Marching bands, trumpets, and ska!
Other events to keep on your radar:
SPITE
The Granada | June 3
The Arcadian Wild
The Bottleneck | June 4
Trans Punk Showcase
The Replay | June 6
The Rackatees / Shidiots / Death Pig
The Replay | June 12
Midsummer on Mass Block Party
The Granada | June 26
Chuck Mead
The Bottleneck | June 26
Lawrence City Band Concerts
South Park | Every Wednesday
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...
