Kansas City hasn’t gotten its fair shake from hip-hop in 2026. Baby Keem, A$AP Rocky, and Isaiah Rashad all skipped over the City of Fountains. In contrast, J. Cole made sure KC felt the love when he returned to the T-Mobile Center just two years after his back-to-back shows at the venue, headlining alongside Drake on the “Big As The What?” tour. 

As support acts on Poppy’s “Constantly Nowhere Tour,” Thousand Below and LANDMVRKS proved their trajectory is anything but stagnant during their stop at The Pageant. While the tour title suggests a destination of uncertainty, both bands are moving with clear direction, continuing to carve out their place in the heavy and alternative music scene.

I sent the “Animaru” album to my friend Ash, telling him to check it out and let me know if he wanted tickets to go see it live. He was in.

Sometimes the best concerts are the ones you walk into without knowing exactly what to expect. At Cal in Red’s recent show in Columbia, Missouri, a night of indie rock turned into a dreamy pop experience.