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Northeast Kansas Weekend Concerts
Hey! This weekend’s Northeast Kansas weekend concerts calendar is stacked. Most of it comes from our NEKS.show live music calendar — I’ve added my personal picks below for the shows I’m most excited about.
Topeka’s scene is leveling up: Compass Point (home of Dirty Girl Adventures) in NOTO is becoming a regular live-music spot, and 6th & Polk is settling in as the city’s premier listening room. On top of that, ArtsConnect is teaming up with Sound Music Cities to study Topeka’s music scene and figure out how to grow it — the same thing Lawrence did two years ago. I’ve peeked at our own Topeka Nightlife Survey data too, and it’s genuinely encouraging.
Take both surveys — ArtsConnect’s is Topeka-focused; ours covers the whole Northeast Kansas weekend concerts scene. Take the Topeka Music Census → Take the Dystopeka survey →
Want to help the local scene?
- Repost this Northeast Kansas weekend concerts calendar wherever it fits.
- Forward it to your friends — then round a few up and go to a show together.
Got a gig to list? Make a Facebook event page for it, then email the link to submitshow@neks.show and dystopeka@gmail.com — as early as possible. A flyer on Instagram alone won’t cut it; we help people who help themselves.
Bookmark neks.show for the always-current Northeast Kansas weekend concerts calendar, and check dystopeka.com for these weekend write-ups.
📋 Northeast Kansas Weekend Concerts: Two Local Music Surveys
Topeka Music Census — “We want to hear your voice!” ArtsConnect Topeka is currently running a community-led census to map out who and what makes up Topeka’s music ecosystem — musicians, venues, promoters, engineers, DJs, photographers, and more — as part of a statewide “Kansas Music Cities Together” effort led by Sound Music Cities and the Kansas Arts Commission. It’s open now through Mon, Aug 3, takes about 8 minutes, and wraps with a “Final Countdown Party” that evening from 6–8 PM @ ArtsConnect Topeka. Take the census → ArtsConnect info →
And hey — take ours too. The Dystopeka Nightlife Survey is our own anonymous, 15-minute deep-dive into what’s actually going on with the Northeast Kansas weekend concerts scene — what you’re into, which venues you actually go to (Topeka, Lawrence, KC, Manhattan, Wichita, wherever), whether you feel safe going out, and whether you’re thinking about leaving town for good. No corporate market-research spin, no wrong answers, just the real talk we can’t get anywhere else. Takes 15 minutes, tell your bandmates. Take the survey →
This Weekend’s Northeast Kansas Weekend Concerts, Day by Day
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Common Room // Mannequins For Friends // Kissy Fit
Early Show · Thu, Jul 30 · 6 PM · Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS
New single “Suitcase” from Mannequins For Friends dropped today — catch them live the same night.
- 6:00 PM Common Room // Mannequins for Friends // Kissy Fit ~ Early Show at Replay Lounge [Lawrence] ★ Editor’s Pick
- 7:00 PM Pearl & The Oysters, Fullbloods at recordBar [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM The Format (Unplugged) at The Bottleneck [Lawrence]
- 7:00 PM Argo & The Violet Queens / Comet Tide / Joshua James & The First Aid Kit at The Ship [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM In My Defense / Fighting Sleep / Ernie Miller / Bite! at Farewell KCMO [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Baby On A Rampage / Chimera / Warrior Princess Starlight XLNT at Howdy [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Ben Wendt | Jeremy Nathan | Christian Dixon at The Rino [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Bike Night with Coyote Bill Band! at The Kickstart Saloon [Topeka] FB Event
- 7:00 PM Envista Eats & Beats at Evergy Plaza [Topeka]
- 7:30 PM The Texas Headhunters ft. Jesse Dayton, Ian Moore & Johnny Moeller at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 7:30 PM Emerson Woolf & The Wishbones at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 7:30 PM The Vincents at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM Babyface Ray and 42 Dugg – 4 The Trenches Tour at The Truman [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM TONY’S JAZZ CABBAGE at Hillsiders [Kansas City]
- 10:00 PM Perfect Worker // Drastic Plastic // Discotek Mama at Replay Lounge [Lawrence]
Friday, July 31, 2026
Sam Locke Ward w/ Wayne Gottstine
Early Show · Fri, Jul 31 · 6 PM · $5 · All Ages
Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS
Sam Locke Ward is a prolific Iowa City home-taper, avant-pop songwriter, and comic zine artist with 60+ releases spanning folk-punk to grindcore over nearly 30 years — collaborators include Mike Watt (Minutemen), Jad Fair (Half Japanese), and Joe Jack Talcum (Dead Milkmen). Wayne Gottstine is a mainstay of the Lawrence singer-songwriter scene.
The Beer Bellies + East of Abilene
Fri, Jul 31 · Gates 6 PM · $12 · Compass Point (Dirty Girl Adventures), Topeka
Astronauts Tour: Cowboys & Aliens — Dread & $trange
w/ Nödda Clüe, Forrest Savage, Reup Von Wolfgang, Syndrillical, Kreepy Isotope, Kyo Youngin
Fri, Jul 31 · Doors 8 PM / Show 9 PM · $10 at door · All Ages, BYOB
6th & Polk Music & Event Space, 624 SW Polk, Topeka, KS
Dread & $trange is the duo of AJ the Dread and A-G Strange, touring their “Cowboys & Aliens” run through the Midwest with a stacked local support bill. This one’s currently only confirmed via Facebook — it isn’t showing on 6th & Polk’s own site widget yet.
Dread & $trange — Cowboys & Aliens
Fri, Jul 31 · Doors 8 PM · $10 · 6th & Polk, Topeka
- 6:00 PM Sam Locke Ward w/ Wayne Gottstine ~ Early Show at Replay Lounge [Lawrence] ★ Editor’s Pick
- 6:00 PM Live Music – The Beer Bellies and East of Abilene at Compass Point (Dirty Girl Adventures) [Topeka] ♥ Special Love
- 6:30 PM Metal Mayhem Meltdown w/ Pure American Filth at Warehouse On Broadway [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Back 2 KC: Snake Lucci at Sk8Bar [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Joey Chingasos Presents: The Ulysses Effect at The Bottleneck [Lawrence]
- 7:00 PM Darius Rucker at Starlight Theatre [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Combo Diablo at Warehouse On Broadway [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Patrick Sweany, Brody Buster at MiniBar [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Cellar Ratt w/ Special Guest Crue Nation Live at Aztec Shawnee Theater [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Black Light Animals | Sweet Magnolia | Malek & The Vibes at The Rino [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM EZ Pieces at Philip Billard VFW Post #1650 [Topeka] FB Event
- 7:30 PM RipTide – Yacht Rock at Happy Basset Barrel House [Topeka] FB Event
- 8:00 PM Dallas & Janell at Sunset Grill Restaurant [Kansas City] No dedicated site/FB event found — check restaurant directly
- 8:00 PM Spyro Gyra at Uptown Theater [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM Waylon Wyatt at The Truman [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM Jason Boland & The Stragglers at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM SHARED WALLS at Hillsiders [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM Astronauts Tour: Cowboys & Aliens — Dread & $trange w/ Nödda Clüe, Forrest Savage, Reup Von Wolfgang, Syndrillical, Kreepy Isotope, Kyo Youngin at 6th & Polk Music & Event Space [Topeka] ★ Editor’s Pick ♥ Special Love
- 9:00 PM Third Kansas Cavalry Unit at Lucia [Lawrence]
- 10:00 PM FINKEL // MellowPhobia // Paul Jesse at Replay Lounge [Lawrence]
Saturday, August 1, 2026
w/ special guests Snodgrass & Stevensons, All My Senses
Sat, Aug 1 · Doors 7 PM / Show 8 PM · All Ages
Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO
First KC show in roughly a decade from ALL — the punk band featuring all the surviving members of the Descendents lineup minus vocalist Milo Aukerman. Support comes from Jon Snodgrass (Armchair Martian, Drag the River, and Frank Turner’s “Buddies” collaborator) teaming up as Snodgrass & Stevensons, plus All My Senses.
- 12:00 PM RocklaHogan 2026 — Youth Spotlight + Haunts N Hearts, UnHinged, Basement Melons, Spaced Out, Untitled, 11 After, Claim to Flame at Happy Basset Barrel House [Topeka] FB Event
- 6:00 PM Funk Ink: Dinner Matinee Show at The Ship [Kansas City]
- 6:00 PM The Floozies – Funk Street 10 at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 6:00 PM System Of A Clown at Warehouse On Broadway [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Turnpike Troubadours at Starlight Theatre [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Cryin’ Out Loud w/ Strawbilly at Lucia [Lawrence]
- 7:00 PM ALL — Summer Tour 2026 w/ Snodgrass & Stevensons, All My Senses at Warehouse On Broadway [Kansas City] ★ Editor’s Pick
- 7:00 PM Violenteer, Burn Barrel, Circling Over, Drifter at MiniBar [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Vinyl Revival at Aztec Shawnee Theater [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Cat Voltron | Phase Distorter | Foxlin at The Rino [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Mud Creek at Louie’s 10th St. Lounge & Laundromat [Topeka] No FB event found
- 8:00 PM Judgement Day – Jungle Law at Uptown Theater [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM The Budos Band at The Truman [Kansas City]
- 8:00 PM The Yachties — Brandy’s B-Day Party at Knuckleheads [Kansas City]
- 9:00 PM Groove Jazz with KC Green (Matinee Show) at The Ship [Kansas City]
- 9:00 PM Selekto Show! – Live Latino Music Dance Party at The Ship [Kansas City]
- 10:00 PM holy joke // Giovanni Ventello // Jacob E.chord at Replay Lounge [Lawrence]
Sunday, August 2, 2026
w/ Second Chance, The Unfinished, The Utilitarians & Conductor
Sun, Aug 2 · Doors 7 PM · $20 ADV · All Ages
SK8 Bar, 209 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO
- 6:00 PM Allin and the John Boats // Ramblers Union // Super Tremolo Brothers ~ Early Show at Replay Lounge [Lawrence]
- 6:30 PM Young The Giant at Starlight Theatre [Kansas City]
- 7:00 PM Geena Fontanella – The Millennial Tour at The Bottleneck [Lawrence]
- 7:00 PM Loathe at The Granada [Lawrence]
- 7:00 PM Radolescents w/ Second Chance, The Unfinished, The Utilitarians & Conductor at SK8 Bar [Kansas City] ★ Editor’s Pick
- 8:00 PM Josh Weathers at Encore at Uptown Theater [Kansas City]
About This Northeast Kansas Weekend Concerts Roundup
Gimme Some Money. I don’t sell advertising on this website. I make little person trades with local businesses that I like and respect. This calendar and many of the articles on here are a labor of love. I do it for free hoping that it will rekindle the sparks of a music scene. But it gets very frustrating when I see the bands artists and venues not even bothering to promote their own shows. But i DO enjoy the part where they cry about no one showing up after their gig, with the hopes that maybe this time they will learn the lesson. In the mean time, these websites do incur a certain expense, that I pay for out of my own pocket. So would it really hurt you to throw me a few bones? Below are my donation routs.
That’s this week’s Northeast Kansas Weekend Concert Roundup – see you out there.
Event feed sourced from NEKS.show. Come for the guitars. Stay for the weird.
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📍 3310 SW 6th Street • Topeka, KS 66604
Come for the guitars. Stay for the weird.
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