Concert Calendar: Florence + the Machine, Josh Ritter, Bloc Party, Nada Surf, Rogue Wave, Motion City Soundtrack, Spring Fling and more

Florence and the Machine
It’s easy to be impressed by Florence Welch: The sheer volume she can reach is enough to prove her skill, and volume — mixed with some beefy operatics — is what propelled Welch to the top of the charts with her 2009 debut album, Lungs, and 2011’s Ceremonials. But last year’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful takes the usual Florence and the Machine formula and flips it. Rather than relying on massive vocal power to stun her listeners into adulation, Welch builds her case slowly, song by song, sounding quieter than she ever has before — and, in turn, stronger. Canadian singer-songwriter Claire Elise Boucher, who performs as Grimes, opens.
Tuesday, May 24
Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
633 N. 130th St., Bonner Springs

Bloc Party
Bloc Party’s newest album, Hymns, stacks midtempo electro-rock songs on top of each other as though building the most elaborate Jenga game. One block at a time, the four band members (two of whom are original, two new as of Hymns) are reinventing the sound that shot them to buzz-band status in 2005. But don’t get it twisted: Hymns, while perhaps more subdued than the club-roasting record fans might expect from Bloc Party, still contains most of the band’s hallmarks — namely, Kele Okereke’s silken, powerhouse voice, which here guides listeners through Bloc Party’s newfound gospel. New York rock duo MS MR and viral-ready act Oscar open.
Wednesday, May 25
Madrid Theatre, 3810 Main

Josh Ritter
Last year’s Sermon on the Rocks was the first post-divorce release from Americana singer-songwriter Josh Ritter, and longtime fans were pleased to find that there was still plenty of heart left to him. Stylistically, he pushes himself quite a bit; the verbose “Getting Ready to Get Down” is perhaps the best (and least successful) example of this, in which Ritter practically speeds through the lyrical delivery. Slow-burning, diamond-in-the-rough tracks like “Homecoming” and “The Stone” redeem him entirely, though, and it’s in those songs that Ritter lets us know that there is hope for a broken heart. Saturday, you can air your grievances in his good company.
Saturday, May 21
Madrid Theatre, 3810 Main

Also this week

Thursday 5.19
Shades of Jade
The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Ivory Black, Some Good News From Kansas, Future Kings
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Brett Jackson Quartet
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Asleep at the Wheel
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Wet Ones, Faultfinder, Kool 100’s
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Off With Their Heads, the Uncouth,
the Bad Ideas
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Nothing but Thieves
Tank Room, 1813 Grand

Friday 5.20

Flogging Molly
Kansas City Live Block,1330 Grand

Lady D, Doug Tally Quartet, featuring
Kathleen Holeman
The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Truckstop Honeymoon, My Oh My
The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Eric Nassau, Stonecutters Union, Shipiro Brothers, MGD’s
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Matt Hopper Trio
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Pure Prairie League
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Plan B
Midland, 1228 Main

Jason Aldean
Providence Medical Center Amphitheater, 633 N. 130th St.

Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy, Glen Thomas
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

The Phantasics, AZP
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Deftones with Code Orange
Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway

Saturday 5.21

Motion City Soundtrack
with Blk Flanl, Ebony Tusks, Gallant, Vince Staples
The Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Charlotte Fletcher and Soinge, featuring Gwen Yvette
The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Snuff Jazz, the Young and the Restless
The Brick, 1727 McGee

Psychic Heat, Paper Buffalo,
This Is My Condition
The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Hipshot Killer, the Revolvers
Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main

Dee Dee Bridgewater & Irvin Mayfield with the New Orleans Jazz 7
Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St.

Todd Wilkinson Quartet
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Atlantic Express with Hal Wakes
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Katy Guillen & the Girls
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Ray Bonneville
The Gospel Lounge at Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Gnarly Davidson, the Sluts, Young Bull
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Red Velvet Crush, Aluna, the Perfect Pursuit
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Purple Party: A Celebration of Prince
Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway

KC Spring Fling with Maria the Mexican, Hearts of Darkness, Flannigan’s Right Hook
Crossroads KC, 417 E. 18th St.

Sunday 5.22
Big Band
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Max Fred Band, Donkey Show
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence

Rogue Wave, Hey Marseilles
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Monday 5.23
Logan Richardson
The Blue Room, 1616 E. 18th St.

Matt Hopper Trio
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Tuesday 5.24
Verskotzi, Lovergurl
The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire, Lawrence

Sequel Quartet
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Devil Makes Three, with Zach Schmidt
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

Rising Appalachia
Riot Room, 4048 Broadway

Wednesday 5.25

Nada Surf
with Movin Panoramas
Crossroads KC, 417 E. 18th St.

Diamond Empire
The Brick, 1727 McGee

OJT
The Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand

Victor & Penny
Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester

CS Luxem, Terror Pigeon, Curt Oren
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence