KC concerts June 14-20: Tech N9ne & Bleachers at Boulevardia, Mastodon, Steely Dan

Of the myriad beer and music pairings on tap at Boulevardia, no combination is more alluring than the opportunity to drink a Boo Lou beer while watching Tech N9ne headline the street festival on Friday. Inspired by the Kansas City rapper’s hit song “Caribou Lou,” Boulevard Brewing’s pineapple- and coconut-infused beverage makes its debut at the two-day beer-themed party. The grandiose pop band Bleachers is the main musical attraction on Saturday. More than three dozen additional national and locally based acts will appear on three stages.

Music schedule 4:30-11 p.m. Friday, June 15, 11:15 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, June 16. Stockyards District. General admission tickets are $25 per day through boulevardia.com. Additional ticket packages are available.

Dr. Dog’s sepia-toned songs might be best appreciated on a distorted stereo in a 1970s sedan alongside bygone pop-rock hits by the likes of Paul McCartney’s Wings and Three Dog Night. The Philadelphia band creates music that sounds decades removed from today’s sonic landscape. The out-of-favor approach makes Dr. Dog a modern-day Cheap Trick, a nifty trick that relegates it to cult status. The quintet is touring in support of its intentionally unstylish new album, “Critical Equation.” With Alex G.

8 p.m. Friday, June 15. The Truman. 816-205-8560. Tickets are $25 through thetrumankc.com.

Mastodon has thrived in an era in which the popularity of aggressive guitar-based hard rock has withered. The ascent of hip-hop, dance music and more processed forms of rock has made heavy metal acts seem like irrelevant anachronisms. Mastodon stands out as an exception to the rule. The band’s implausible success is merited. The monstrously heavy band from Atlanta attracts thousands of appreciative rock fans to concerts that pair inventive songs with mind-bending psychedelic visuals. With Primus and Jjuujjuu.

7 p.m. Friday, June 15. Providence Medical Center Amphitheater. 913-825-3400. Tickets are $34.50-$89.50 through providenceamp.com.

Even though Buddy Guy makes regular appearances in Kansas City, taking the blues legend’s late-career shows for granted would be a grave error. The energy and enthusiasm Guy displays at each concert make it easy to forget that he’s an octogenarian. That’s all the more reason to revel in the master’s presence on Friday as he commemorates the release of “The Blues Is Alive and Well,” a new album that features contributions from admirers including Mick Jagger. With Carolyn Wonderland and Quinn Sullivan.

8 p.m. Friday, June 15. Knuckleheads. 816-483-1456. Tickets are $58.50 through knuckleheadskc.com.

Russell Vitale, the Atlanta man who performs as Russ, is a leading force in a new wave of hitmakers. Much like his superstar colleagues Drake and Post Malone, Russ blurs the line between rapping and singing. His nonchalant mix of crooning and talking on the languorous but tortured hit “Losin’ Control” typifies the approach. Vitale didn’t happen upon the successful sound by accident. He honed his craft on 11 mixtapes before issuing his platinum-certified debut album last year.

8 p.m. Saturday, June 16. Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. 816-442-6100. Tickets are $29.95-$59.95 through silversteineyecentersarena.com.

Frances Quinlan, the frontwoman of Hop Along, possesses one of the most distinctive voices in indie-rock. Raspy and insistent, Quinlan’s intonation adds urgency to the songs of the Philadelphia band that build on the work of forbearers ranging from the Breeders to Matthew Sweet. Quinlan’s voice isn’t wasted on trite lyrics. Hop Along’s sparkling new album, “Bark Your Head Off, Dog,” includes smart, caustic and often funny compositions about doomed relationships, alcohol-induced humiliations and the meaning of life. With Bat Fangs.

8 p.m. Saturday, June 16. Riot Room. 816-442-8179. Tickets are $15 through theriotroom.com.

The death of Walter Becker saddened Steely Dan fans last September, but the legacy of the band’s co-founder lives on in the Summer of Living Dangerously tour. Donald Fagen, Becker’s longtime collaborator in the subtly subversive classic rock band, will oversee a band of hired guns in renditions of Steely Dan hits like “Aja,” “Don’t Take Me Alive,” “Hey Nineteen” and “Reelin’ in the Years” as well as a couple of selections from Fagen’s solo projects. With the Doobie Brothers.

7:30 p.m. Monday, June 18. Starlight Theatre. 816-363-7827. Tickets are $39.50-$159.50 through kcstarlight.com.

Brandi Carlile is a singer/songwriter in the distinguished tradition of Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens and Jackson Browne. Her approach isn’t particularly innovative, yet Carlile has found success in spite of her refusal to concede to trends. She has relied on the word-of-mouth enthusiasm of rabid fans to gradually elevate her status. “The Story,” the cathartic composition that has become her calling card, was released in 2007, but Carlile’s new album, “By the Way, I Forgive You,” may be her strongest collection of songs. With Secret Sisters.

8 p.m. Wednesday, June 20. Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. 816-283-9921. Tickets are $32-$37 through midlandkc.com.

This story was originally published June 12, 2018 at 7:00 AM with the headline "KC concerts June 14-20: Tech N9ne & Bleachers at Boulevardia, Mastodon, Steely Dan."