Valerie June, Young Jeezy and Daya bring soul, rap maturity and irresistible bubblegum to this week’s concert calendar
Valerie June
In 2013, Valerie June’s breakthrough record, Pushin’ Against a Stone, shook the majority of the music-listening population — or, anyway, the NPR crowd. That album breathed fresh life into the roots-and-blues genre, thanks in no small part to June’s stop-you-dead-in-your-tracks voice. It’s an odd instrument, with a deep Tennessee twang built in and a lonely howl on the outside, but June knows how to use it. Her newest effort, The Order of Time, retains the earthy rhythm she found on her debut and pursues a few new sounds. There’s a bit more jazz, and June seems to have found a new power (and some poignancy) in restraint. This is an album you’ll return to, so it’s worth seeing June at Knuckleheads on Saturday (with opener Oh Pep, from Australia).
With Oh Pep
8:30 p.m. Saturday, February 25, at Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Young Jeezy
Despite his moniker, Young Jeezy is not new to the rap game. Born Jay Wayne Jenkins, the Atlanta artist has come a long way since his 2001 debut — and some might argue that last year’s Trap or Die 3 brings him full circle. Perhaps it’s his artistic maturity that led him back to the basics, but one of rap’s foremost voices is in his comfort zone here. The album is riddled with appearances from hip-hop heavyweights, but Jeezy’s pacing keeps Trap or Die 3 anchored to his game. Wednesday at the Uptown, join the Snowman as he returns to form.
7 p.m. Wednesday, March 1 , at the Uptown, 3700 Broadway
Daya
Fresh off a Grammy win for Best Dance Recording for her song “Don’t Let Me Down,” with the Chainsmokers, Pittsburgh’s Daya (born Grace Tandon) is hitting the road. Kansas City is the only Midwestern stop for this 18-year-old pop star, and even though her show is on a school night, it’ll be worth staying out for. In October, she released her debut full-length, Sit Still, Look Pretty — 14 tracks of EDM beats meet good old-fashioned bubblegum that will keep you dancing until the lights come on.
6 p.m. Tuesday, February 28, at RecordBar, 1520 Grand
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
John Paul’s Flying Circus
7:30 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Kansas City Latin Jazz All-Stars
7 p.m., Blue Room, 1615 E. 18th St.
Turnpike Troubadour
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Guitar Elation
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Cartwright, Clark & Strait
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys
8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Earl & Them
8 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Tesla, the Cringe, the Raskins
8 p.m., Midland, 1228 Main
Momma’s Boy, Dreamgirl, Shortsweather
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Aegaeon, By the Thousands, more
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Coyote Bill Band
9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Indigo Hour: Just a Taste of Jazz
5 p.m., Blue Room, 1615 E. 18th St.
Eclipse
8:30 p.m., Blue Room, 1615 E. 18th St.
’80s New Wave Goth Dance Night
9 p.m., The Brick, 1727 McGee
Phaze II, Vibralux
9 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, 3402 Main
Common Kings
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Tim Whitmer Quartet
5:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Stan Kessler’s Cornerstone
8:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Boogaloo 7
10 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Wonderfuzz
10 p.m., Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.
Jeff Jensen
8:30 p.m., Knuckleheads, 2517 Rochester
Michael Stouffer and the Reason He Drinks, Robot Monkey Madman
9 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway
Shiner, Milemarker, Drop a Grand
7 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
James Rose, Joe Avery, Luke Paul
6 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Tamarron, CS Luxem, Youth Pool
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Max & Iggor Cavalera Return to Roots
7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Randy Rogers Band
8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway
Fresh to Def with Adam & Kizzie
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Mama Ray’s Jazz Meets Blues Jam
2 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Sax Pistols
9 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
James Ward Band
8:30 p.m., Blue Room, 1615 E. 18th St.
Shelf Life with David Wayne Reed
9 p.m., The Brick, 1727 McGee
The Shady Burrows, Foxfat, Electric Lungs, Astronaut Merit Badge
8 p.m., Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club,
3402 Main
Blizzard Music Festival with BTSM
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Molly Hammer Quartet
2:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
OJT
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Gerald Spaits Quartet
9 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Stan Kessler’s Crossroads Quartet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Stolen Winnebagos
10 p.m., Kelly’s, 500 Westport Rd.
Farout, Eyenine, SK
9 p.m., MiniBar, 3810 Broadway
MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser
8:30 p.m., RecordBar, 1520 Grand
Maeret Lemons, Anna May Smith, Amber Lehman, Jeffrey Nelson
7 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Macemouth, Keef Mountain, the Sluts, Red Kate
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
The Bon Ton Soul Accordion Band
7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Momma’s Boy, Scruffy & the Janitors, more
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26
The Confessors
6 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
7 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Roger Wilder Trio
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Steve Lambert Quintet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Weird Omen, Drugs & Attics, Pale Tongue
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Godless Prophets & the Migrant
7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27
Louis Neal Big Band
7 p.m., Blue Room, 1615 E. 18th St.
Every Time I Die
6 p.m., Granada, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence
Danny Embrey & Rod Fleeman
12 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Matt Hopper Trio
6 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Steve Martin Trio
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Electric Guest
7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Ernest James Zydeco Mardi Gras
7 p.m., B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th St.
Chris Hazelton Trio
7 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Gerlad Spaits Trio
11:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
The One Nite Stands, Heidi Gluck & the Pony Show, Youngest Children
10 p.m., Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts, Lawrence
The Japanese House
8 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Dropkick Murphys
8 p.m., Uptown, 3700 Broadway
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1
12th Street Jump
7:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
OJT
8:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Ernest Melton Quartet
10:30 p.m., Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand
Ne-Hi
7:30 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway
Middle Kids, Whales, Mobley
7 p.m., Tank Room, 1813 Grand
