Music Forecast 8.6-8.12: Shania Twain, Charli XCX, Bleachers, Idina Menzel, Trombone Shorty, and the Far West
%{[ data-embed-type=”image” data-embed-id=”57150b5889121ca96b937c57″ data-embed-element=”aside” ]}%
Shania Twain
Friday night’s Sprint Center show may be your last opportunity to see Shania Twain in concert. The ’90s country superstar and singer of the megahit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” has declared that her Rock This Country tour — her first in 11 years — is her last, as she slides into retirement at 49 years old. But Twain isn’t really retiring. Though she doesn’t intend to perform live once this tour wraps, she’s working on an album of new material, her first since 2002’s Up! (if you’re not counting last year’s Still the One: Live From Vegas compilation). So listen to that voice inside you that desperately wants to belt out lyrics to “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and pay tribute to the original country-pop crossover queen by getting thee to her concert.
Friday, August 7, Sprint Center (1407 Grand, 816-949-7000)
Charli XCX, Bleachers
You will definitely remember Charlotte Aitchison — better known as Charli XCX — from last year’s summer smash “Fancy,” if not her fantastic full-length Sucker. The Englishsinger-songwriter is co-headlining at the Uptown Saturday night. Don’t worry: Iggy Azalea, Aitchison’s “Fancy” duet partner, will not be there. Instead, Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers makes up the other half of the bill. Antonoff is a master of high-fructose pop anthems, as evidenced by his band’s debut Strange Desire. He’s also a fine match for Aitchison’s irreverent, bad-girl antics.
Saturday, August 8, Uptown Theater (3700 Broadway, 816-753-8665)
Idina Menzel
So you’re not going to make it to a Broadway show for Idina Menzel. There’s a consolation prize: The Grammy Award-winning singer and actress — famous for, among other things, her rendition of “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen — stops in town with a tour that highlights her better-known numbers (audience members can expect the epic “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent) and some choice covers. Though the 43-year-old is now a tween icon, thanks to Frozen, don’t expect an entirely G-rated show; Menzel’s live performances are dotted with colorful repartee and humor. Still, this show should offer you the chance to hear Menzel’s powerful pipes in real time — something that both show-tune nerds and Disney kids can appreciate.
Wednesday, August 12, Starlight Theatre (4600 Starlight Rd., 816-363-7827)
Trombone Shorty
Troy Andrews, the 29-year-old trombone player who performs as Trombone Shorty with his band, is in town for a free show at the KC Live Block. If you haven’t yet immersed yourself in Andrews’ brand of music, in which New Orleans jazz and funk meet the Delta blues, you’re missing out on so much joy. In 2013, Andrews released Say That to Say This — an album so full of sultry beats and brassy riffs, you’d have a hard time keeping still. You won’t have to Friday, when Trombone Shorty gives us a soundtrack worth coming out for.
Friday, August 7, KC Live Block (13th Street and Grand, powerandlightdistrict.com)
The Far West
Everyone’s the next Monroe, everyone’s the next James Dean, Lee Briante drawls in “On the Road,” the first track off Any Day Now, the most recent release from his Los Angeles band, the Far West. At first glance, it’s an Americana album not unlike those that followed in the wake of Dawes’ breakthrough a few years ago. But over the course of Any Day Now, just as in “On the Road,” Briante’s voice is coiled with a sliver of irony. His references to Marilyn Monroe and James Dean intentionally place the record in the past, and the dusty western rhythm and rattlesnake cymbals are far from modern, but there’s something fresh about this band. Hear for yourself Tuesday at Davey’s Uptown.
Wednesday, August 12, Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club (3402 Main, 816-753-1909)
