John Prine, Ben Folds (with the KC Symphony) and the Allah-Las are this week’s concert musts

Natalie Gallagher,

John Prine

With Amanda Shires

John Prine is a pillar of American songwriting, a lyricist with an intuition that seems as deep and old as the man himself, who turned 70 last year. The wider music community has long recognized his gifts — his music has been recorded by the likes of Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt and Carly Simon — and a new generation of exciting country and folk-rock artists (think Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell) properly revere him. Despite his profound influence and catalog, though, Prine has never quite achieved Bob Dylan status. (Dylan himself is one of Prine’s many avid fans.) Well, there’s still time. Texas singer-songwriter and violin player Amanda Shires (below) — a bona fide star in her own right — is also on deck this evening.

8 p.m., Saturday, March 11, at the Midland, 1228 Main



Ben Folds, with the Kansas City Symphony

Ben Folds was last in town in 214 for back-to-back concerts with the Kansas City Symphony — shows that were so successful, he was bound to come back. This time, it’s a one-night-only performance that will span his catalog, from Ben Folds Five through his increasingly esoteric projects. For those who were fortunate enough to attend one or both of the 2014 performances, you’ll recall that the piano man’s energy was infectious. Some folks are talented musicians, and some are born entertainers. Folds is both.

8 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway



The Allah-Las

Nostalgia is one thing, but few bands exhume the glittering So-Cal psych-rock of the 1960s as convincingly as the Allah-Las do. Witness the band’s 2012 self-titled debut — and last September’s equally effective Calico Review. By the grace of its reverb-soaked riffs and jangly, Zombies-like melodies, the band has distinguished itself not just as a skilled re-creator of a beloved era’s signature sound — it’s also managed to make a record that sounds fresh and relevant for a modern audience. Canadian rocker the Babe Rainbow — real name David Reed — has a similar affinity for psych’s golden era; see him when he opens the show on Monday night.

9 p.m. Monday, March 13, at RecordBar, 1520 Grand



THURSDAY, MARCH 9 

Sno tha Product 

9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence 

Ben Summers, Nicholas Johnson & the Unrefined 

8 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main 

Guitar Elation 

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Joe Cartwright 

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Courtney Patton & Jason Eady, Chubby Knuckle Choir 

8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

Grateful Dead Experience: The Schwag 

8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

The New Riddim, Go Generation, Boss Hooligan Soundsystem, more 

6 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Zach Peterson, Amber Lehman 

7:30 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence 

Jared and the Mill, Crystal City 

8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway 

FRIDAY, MARCH 10 

Dhaka Brakha 

7 p.m., Polsky Theatre, Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park 

Starhaven Rounders 

9 p.m., Brick, 1727 McGee 

Truckstop Honeymoon, KC Bearfighters 

9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence 

Violent Affair, American Discord, Corrupted Youth, the Virus 

9 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main 

Molly Hammer Quartet 

8:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Boogaloo 7 

10 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Keith Harkin (of Celtic Thunder) 

7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

Sunny Sweeney 

8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

Conor Oberst with the Felice Brothers 

8 p.m., Madrid, 3810 Main 

Sound Machine Series, the Valley Hush 

6 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Extraordinary, Vedettes 

10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence 

Wrld X Smle 

9 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway 

Paper Bird, Heidi Lynne Gluck 

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand 

SATURDAY, MARCH 11 

Old No. 5s 

9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St. 

MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser 

9 p.m., Brick, 1727 McGee 

Page 7 

9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence 

Counterfeit, Beyond the Grey 

8 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main 

OJT 

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Natalie Bates Quartet 

9 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

New Transition Quartet 

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Steve Kaufman with Dirty River Ramblers 

8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

The Elders 

8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

The Shy Boys, Fullbloods, Loud Sun 

9 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway 

Mickey Avalon, DeeJay Spinstyles 

8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway 

Billy Currington 

8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway 

Magic City Hippies, Pink Royal 

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand 

SUNDAY, MARCH 12 

Slothurst 

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand 

The Confessors 

6 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St. 

Polyphia, Jason Richardson, Covet, Via Luna 

7 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence 

Kathleen Holeman Trio 

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Steve Lambert Quintet 

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Marah in the Mainsail, the UK’s, Westerners, Good Morning Bedlam 

7:30 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Karma Vision, Toughies, Mountain Song 

5 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence 

Living Body, the Sextet 

10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence 

MONDAY, MARCH 13 


Danny Embrey & Rod Fleeman 

12 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Matt Hopper Trio 

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Stan Kessler’s Crossroads Quartet 

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Joe Bonamassa 

8 p.m., Midland, 1228 Main 

The Fame Riot 

8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway 

TUESDAY, MARCH 14 


Moving Units Presents: the Songs of Joy Division 

9 p.m., Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence 

Chonixx 

7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence 

The Griswolds, Dreamers 

8 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15 


Roger Wilder Quartet 

6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Ernest Melton Quartet 

10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand 

Albert Cummings, Connie Hawkins and the Blues Wreckers 

8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester 

Total Voltage, Kool 100s, Tongues 

10 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway 

Bob Walkenhorst & Friends 

6 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand 

Juicy J 

8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway 

Mike Mains 

7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand 

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