This Summer is a swelter of good concert around Lawrence and Kansas City, but some of the best, big acts will be at the perfect Summer venue, The Crossroads. Later this month two awesome acts will be at the outdoor stage: Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones, followed four days later by Snoop Dogg. It's the kind of grade-A entertainment rarely seen in these parts, but it's there for the taking!
Friday, July 22nd Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones will make the first of two stops in the Kansas area, a great honor considering the band's busy schedule and the vast range of their tour. In the midst of their long, LONG tour, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones will be stopping in Kansas City at the Crossroads for a night of ridiculously intricate and mind-expanding bluegrass. Some fans will undoubtedly follow the band down to Wichita for their second show in these parts. They're that good.
This show features Bela Fleck, the world-reknowned banjo virtuoso and the Original Flecktones including Victory Wooten, "Best Bass Player of the Year" for three years according to Bass Player magazine, Future Man a.k.a. 'Futche' on percussion and Howard Levy on harmonica.
This Grammy-award-winning lineup will rock your socks off with their expertise and group dynamics. Recognized by actual music professionals as some of the top talents in the world today, Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones make every celebrity, pop-star and average big-shot look like a poser.
Also playing this show, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, a diverse band of jamming skills that range from jazz, blues to bluegrass, folk ane more. Bruce Hornsby used to play with the Grateful Dead, so he knows something about music. His band of veteran minstrels have played together for years, so the teamwork in this group brings out even more evocative jams. This is just one more reason this concert will be a feast for the ears.
It is a remarkably rare treat that we have the opportunity to see such a stellar show, so close to home. Tickets are $35, but get them fast, because they are sure to sell out soon!
As if bands of epic proportions weren't enough cause for excitement, a rap star of even greater fame is due to arrive on Tuesday, July 26th. Yes, this is a completely different kind of show from Bela Fleck, but any music lovers out there can see that it's another singular chance to see an artist of unrivaled skill.
Snoop Dogg hardly needs a description; if you do not have any of his albums or have not even heard one of his big songs then you need to seek medical attention, because you must be deaf, or you're trapped under a sound-proof rock. "Gin and Juice," "Lay Low," "Bitch Please," "Still a G Thang," the list goes on and on. Snoop is not just any famous rapper, he is THE rapper. The cool, fun hip-hop god began as Dr. Dre's protege, but has risen to become one of the most famous and well-loved artists of his scene.
On top of his wildly popular music performances, Snoop Dogg is a friend of his fans, a community leader in his home-town and a real down-to-earth person. Unlike most stars that get so big they cannot even relate to their own audience, Snoop Dogg is perfectly cool with chatting with fans like a regular guy, which is refreshing.
The Crossroads will be his first show in the U.S. after a tour of Europe. Snoop Dogg is a must-see show for anyone with even the slightest inclination toward rap, R&B and hip-hop. If you can make it, $34 is a small price to pay to enjoy a top-tier performance.
Comments