It’s jam packed with great shows to go to along with a disturbingly nice basketball tournament. Could it set up any better for a Lawrence chap?
We’ve got KU on Friday along with Kepi at the Replay, St. Patty’s/barf at LIVESTRONG Saturday Night, more KU Sunday, then we all get jetpacks! Like we were promised.
Who’s with me?…
Thursday, March 15th
Galactic at Liberty Hall in Lawrence
Alongside The Meters and Dr. John, Galactic is probably New Orleans’ best known funk/soul band. But they’re not really just a funk/soul act anymore, as they’ve constantly evolved since forming in the mid 90s to encompass electronic, rock, jazz, hip hop, and jam elements. Over the years they’ve played with tons of guest musicians, from Widespread Panic to The Neville Brothers to Jurassic 5. 
Thursday’s show at Liberty Hall also features some special guests. One of them is none other than Corey Glover of Living Colour fame. An additional Corey – Corey Henry, a virtuoso trombone player who is a member of another New Orleans institution, the Rebirth Brass Band – is also appearing.
Opening up for Galactic is Orgone, an LA band that cut their teeth as studio pros and festival regulars. These guys are a prototypical “party band” that brings high energy funk and nasty beats to everything they do, which in the past has included opening stints for The Roots, Al Green, Thievery Corporation, and Snoop Dogg among others.
Friday, March 16th
Jane’s Addiction at the Uptown Theater in KC
This surprisingly un-hyped show will probably be a good one, especially since Jane’s performance last summer at the Buzz Beach Ball was somewhat panned as lacking in muscle and passion. No doubt, Perry wants to redeem himself.
Their most recent album, 2011’s The Great Escape Artist, has received mostly mixed reviews since its release in October. The band stepped outside of their comfort zone to embrace some of the current trends that have emerged since they last put out a record.
"We have options now to make music through technology and we’re taking advantage of it; we’re not afraid of it,” Farrell told Spin Magazine. “We’ll write some tracks and send them back and forth, and we’ll deconstruct a demo. Everybody’s ears need to be excited with fresh sounds, interesting chord structures, arrangements, and compositions. And it’s not easy to come up with something original and fresh. What can help you are electronics."
Kevin Seconds & Kepi Ghoulie at the Replay in Lawrence
Kevin Seconds is the former front man of punk band 7 Seconds who now plays solo in a mostly acoustic, stripped down, post-punk, Americana style. Nothing like an ageing dad rocker, huh? Hey, not so fast Pat Sajak. OK, maybe. Here’s what Stephen Bradley of the Washington Times recently wrote: 
“For someone who was never the most hard line punk to begin with, this seems like the perfect place for him to be at this point in his career. He’s content to play his set of heartfelt songs for a handful of people and have a good time.”
Kepi Ghoulie is the former frontman of Cali pop-punk band the Groovie Ghoulies, who disbanded in 2007 after the divorce of Kepi and his wife Roach, who was also the band’s bassist. Now, like Mr. Seconds, Kepi is doing the solo acoustic thing as well, digging deep through his discography and B-sides to offer a mellowed out, punk-ish time for you and your friends.
Saturday, March 17th
T
he Elders 10th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Hoolie at the Uptown Theater in KC
It’s the Elders. On St. Patty’s Day. At the Uptown. What else do I really need to say? Hmmm… there will be green beer! OK, I actually have no idea if the beer will be green or its normal color. If it was me, I’d just prefer the non-green stuff, personally.
Along with the band’s second to none Celtic-rock, there will also be Irish folk dancers. And the band is recording the whole deal for a DVD that will be put out later.
Bring your shillelaghs.
Tuesday, March 20th
We Were Promised Jetpacks at the Riot Room in KC
These four boys from Scotland are hitting KC on their way back from… wait for it… SXSW where they’re playing the Paste Magazine Showcase and The Rolling Stone Showcase.
I’ve heard that they’re cool.
I’m good. Thanks.
I’m hungry. Thanks.
Rebirth Brass Band is the best brass band in NOLA (although Dirty Dozen BB became more popular). Galactic is worth seeing alone, even more so with special guests. Add in spring break in Lawrence and this may be a half-empty heck of a show. We’ll see if Im burned out after watching streaming BB for 8 hours.
Frankly, Im waiting for Steve Martin’s show….
That could be a lot of fun.