Here are ten great things to do in Kansas City this weekend, February 23-26, including: Ukrainian folk-punk band DakhaBrakha, Japanese performance group Kodo and KC Brew Fest at Union Station.
Cinderella
One of the world’s most timeless and beloved fairy tales, Cinderella, is retold through the world premiere of Devon Carney’s stunning choreography performed by the Kansas City Ballet and accompanied by Prokofiev’s enchanting music, along with classic characters like the bubbly Fairy Godmother and the foot fetish-y Prince Charming.
February 23–26. Times vary. Kauffman Center.
Boots & Pearls: Wine & Whiskey
This wine and whiskey tasting event challenges guests to sample a variety of spirits courtesy from J. Rieger’s mixologists, hors d’oeuvres, and live entertainment. All proceeds from the event ticket sales go toward helping the visually impaired through non-profit organization Alphapointe, dedicated to empowering people with vision loss to achieve their goals.
February 24. 6 pm VIP, 7 pm general. J. Rieger & Co.
The Future feat. Lee Langston & Eboni Fondren
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra embraces the future of music by showcasing current and future legends. Along with The Future’s lively big band, vocalists Eboni Fondren and Lee Langston put their modern spin on classics from legends like Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole, along with some of KC’s rising stars from Soundwave Academy and KCK Community College.
February 24. 8 pm. Helzberg Hall.
DakhaBrakha
Ukrainian “ethno chaos” band DakhaBrakha creates unexpected new sound by experimenting with Ukrainian folk music and adding surprising rhythms from around the world. The folk-punk group was created in 2004 at the Kyiv Center of Contemporary Art by avant-garde theater director Vladyslav Troitskyi. Their name means “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language. The elements of their theater background are evident in their performances, which always include striking visual elements.
February 24. 8 pm. Polsky Theatre.
Kodo
The Harriman-Jewell Series presents Kodo, the performing arts group from Japan that mixes old-world tradition with modern art-forms of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko. Kodo can have two meanings: “heartbeat,” as in the source of all life, or “children of the drum,” a reflection of their desire to play the drums simply and purely.
February 25. 7 pm. Helzberg Hall.
KC Brew Fest
The KC Brew Fest returns to historic Union Station, featuring over forty five local and international breweries, over one hundred types of beer, along with lively music and local favorite food trucks.
February 25. Noon. Union Station.
The Doobies KC and The John Cougar Project
The mashup we didn’t know we needed—the midwest premier Doobie Brothers tribute band The Doobies KC and The John Cougar Project, who unsurprisingly plays the hits of John Cougar Mellancamp—are playing back-to-back, in what’s sure to be an all-out-dad-fest.
February 25. 7 pm. Aztec Shawnee Theater.
Opus 76 Quartet – ‘Haydn and Schubert’
Artists-in-Residence at the Midwest Trust Center, the Opus 76 Quartet, will play works by Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert. The KC-based string quartet plays over fifty shows nationwide and in addition to their residency, runs The Sunrise Program, which provides free lessons and performance opportunities to local students.
February 26. 2 pm. Yardley Hall.
Kimbra
The New Zealand indie-pop singer and songwriter skyrocketed to fame with Gotye’s inescapable hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” over a decade ago. Since then, she’s had a few albums and singles, most recently turning to more of a surprising mix of electropop and jazz.
February 26. 7 pm. recordBar.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
With acclaimed music director Riccardo Muti and violinist Julia Fischer, the Chicago Symphony plays Robert Schumann’s Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony. Founded in 1981, the Chicago Symphony is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world, strengthened even more so in the last decade with Muti’s renowned skill and leadership.
February 26. 7 pm. Helzberg Hall.
