Concert Calendar: Dixie Chicks, Def Leppard, Milk Carton Kids, the Used, A Silent Film and more

Dixie Chicks
On Tuesday, the Dixie Chicks — lead singer Natalie Maines and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer — will take the stage at the Sprint Center on their first tour in a decade. It’s been a spectacular year for a group with such a fiery political history — you’ll recall Maines’ comments at a 2003 London concert in which she disavowed the Iraq invasion and actions of former President George W. Bush (a moment which forever tainted the country darlings for some fans and made them heroes to others). Still, let’s hope that, despite a deep well of material for side-eyed political commentary, the Dixie Chicks will lean more on an extensive musical catalog to fill the bill. There’s something about most Dixie Chicks songs that begs singing along to, and we’ve already been holding regular car-ride-home-from-work rehearsals of “Goodbye Earl.”
Tuesday, August 30
Sprint Center, 1407 Grand

Def Leppard
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” remains a sleazy strip-club anthem — a reputation that would make the songwriters swell with pride, no doubt. But it would be a shame to overlook some of Def Leppard’s more recent work. The British band’s 2015 self-titled release might not be glorious glam-rock cheese — the time for that expired with ’90s grunge — but it does offer a clear lens into the perseverance of one of the least likely bands to survive past the new millennium. Plus, have you seen singer Joe Elliott lately? Dude looks like he’s going to outlive us all. REO Speedwagon and Tesla open.
Friday, August 26
Sprint Center, 1407 Grand

Milk Carton Kids
Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan — the singer-songwriters behind Milk Carton Kids — seem to have it all figured out. The California duo’s latest album, Monterey, is further proof of what they can do with two guitars and their made-for-each-other vocal harmonies. The result is a collection of melancholy folk tunes that evoke James Taylor or Simon and Garfunkel. Monterey exists in the same timeless vacuum where the folk heroes to whom the Milk Carton Kids occasionally pay homage reside. These songs, as patient and quiet as they can be, resonate louder — and for far longer — than most contemporary Americana crowding the microphone today.
Sunday, August 28
Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Thursday 8.25

Larry June
Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway

Mike Deleon and Carte Blanc
Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Bart Crow
The Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Matt Hopper Trio
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Robben Ford, Lee Roy Parnell, Joe Robinson
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Foxy by Proxy Revue
Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts, Lawrence

The Life and Times, Molly McGuire, Dibiase
RecordBar, 1520 Grand

Wildings, Innermodal, Laissez-faire
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Belphegor, Origin, Shining, Abigail Williams
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

The Philistines, Secret Colours
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Luke Bryan
Providence Medical Amphitheater, 633 N. 130th St., Bonner Springs

Friday 8.26
Hermon Mehari with George Johnson
Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Dead Voices Trio, Rough & Tumble,
Scott Stanton & the Butter Band
Brick, 1727 McGee

Coyote Union, Tahmona
Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Otis 13, Pamper the Madman
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Morgan Heritage
Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Max Groove with Ernest Melton
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Twice on Sunday
Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.

Jeff Bergen’s Elvis Show
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

M80’s Top Eighties Music Infusion
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

The Bluehealer, the Grasshopper Lies Heavy
MiniBar, 3810 Broadway

Cimino, Cudo
RecordBar, 1520 Grand

Maw, the Knobtown, Skiffle Band,
Uncle Baccy Juice
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

The Rackatees Record-Release Show
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

VX34, the Black Order, RimJob, Dark Apostle
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Fresh to Def
Tank Room, 1813 Grand

Saturday 8.27
Peter Schlamb with Tivon Pennicott
Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Be Like Jay, Truth Cell, Amenaza
Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

KC CannaFest
Crossroads KC, 417 E. 18th St.

Cantankerous, Heroes and Villains
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Max Groove Quartet
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Flannigan’s Right Hook
Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.

Mojo Moji featuring former Collective Soul members Ross Childress and Shane Evans
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Candy Coburn CD Release
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

The Itch, Electric Lungs
Minibar, 3810 Broadway

The Uncouth, Red Kate, No Quarter
RecordBar, 1520 Grand

The Sluts, Scruffy and the Janitors,
Schwervon
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Dirty Machine, BluntRap
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Sunday 8.28
Stan Kessler’s Cornerstone
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

POP Fest Afterparty with Loaded Goat and Freight Train Rabbit Killer
RecordBar, 1520 Grand

Kirsten Paludan, Aubrie & Rylee, Lily Pryor, Iris Hyde
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Shook Twins
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Monday 8.29
New Jazz Order Big Band
Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Gerald Spaits Trio
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

David Crosby
Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway

Tuesday 8.30

A Silent Film
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

DJ KIlla Watt
Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Downtown Brown, Pinky Doodle, Poodle
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Joe Cartwright Trio
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

The Used, Night I: Self-Titled
The Midland, 1228 Main

Wednesday 8.31
Diamond Empire
Brick, 1727 McGee

Cowtown Playboys
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

12th Street Jump
Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

The Bon Ton Soul Accordion Band, Jimmie Bratcher, Rick Gibson Band, the Blueswreckers
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

The Used, Night II: In Love and Death
Midland, 1228 Main

Meyhem Lauren, Ebony Tusks, Melo Miles
RecordBar, 1520 Grand

Guitar Wolf, Hans Condor, Stiff Middle Fingers
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway