Kansas City concerts: Kathy Mattea, Mac Lethal, White Reaper, Stacy Kent

Soul icon Mary J. Blige, hip-hop architect GZA and groundbreaking rapper Roxanne Shante appear in the music video for Rapsody’s “Ibtihaj.” The song named after a woman who competed for the United States in the 2016 Olympics is an homage to R&B and hip-hop of the 1980s and ’90s. Rapsody, the North Carolina native born Marianna Evans in 1983, is out of step with contemporary trends, but her ferocious flow and socially conscious lyrics are transcendent. With Sa-Roc and Heather Victoria. 785-842-1390. Tickets are $20 through thegranada.com.

Holly Marie Wilson, the Ohio native who performs as Hollyn, isn’t strictly a Christian pop artist. Although her songs appear on streaming-service playlists like “Christian Dance Party” and she collaborates with Christian stars including TobyMac and Andy Mineo, Wilson doesn’t let her faith define her music. Secular songs such as “I Feel Bad For You” reside in the sweet spot between Ariana Grande’s mainstream pop and the indie-pop of Clairo. This will be the opening night of Hollyn’s Bye, Sad Girl tour. 816-753-8665. Tickets are $20 through uptowntheater.com.

The audio equivalent of energy drinks, the songs on the 2009 debut album of We Were Promised Jetpacks are invigorating bursts of nervous energy that can revive exhausted bodies recovering from rough nights. The tone of the Scottish indie-rock band’s output has grown increasingly weary but no less desperate. Vocalist Adam Thompson sighs, “I lost all hope,” in a thick brogue on the title track of We Were Promised Jetpacks’ 2019 album, “The More I Sleep, the Less I Dream.” With Slaughter Beach, Dog. 816-753-5207. Tickets are $20 through therecordbar.com.

Becoming the most highly touted new band in rock would have afforded immediate fame and fortune decades ago. In 2019, the distinction translates into headlining a budget-priced concert in a midsize venue for a radio station’s promotional event. White Reaper’s jagged electric guitars and sneering vocals set the Louisville band apart from the synthetic sounds of acts currently dominating the playlists of alternative rock radio stations. With the Aquadolls. 816-205-8560. Tickets are $10 through thetrumankc.com.

During a time when confrontational gestures and maximum volume are the most effective means of grabbing attention, Stacey Kent’s understated form of jazz sounds as if it’s from a different galaxy. The nuance the New Jersey native brings to interpretations of standards distinguishes Kent from her brassy counterparts. Kent’s approach initially seems demure, but close listening reveals a smoldering essence. Kent’s whispery voice and economical style are a major attraction on the European jazz circuit. 816-474-4444. Tickets are $20-$55 through follytheater.org.

Mac Lethal pauses to announce, “I will now rap for 49 seconds without breathing,” in the middle of his recent “Kansas City Chiefs Anthem 2020.” The stunt once would have been unthinkable for the Kansas City man born David McCleary Sheldon in 1981. His quick wit and rapid flow earned him a reputation as an elite battle rapper 15 years ago. His 2008 album “11:11” is a tour de force. Yet Sheldon has since reinvented himself as an acerbic prankster. With Crypt and Feral the Earthworm. 816-753-5207. Tickets are $15 through therecordbar.com.

Much is made of Kathy Mattea’s stint as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Ken Burns’ documentary “Country Music.” Mattea’s immersion in the history of the form likely shaped the time-honored sound of her hits, including the peppy “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” and the tearjerker “Where’ve You Been.” Buoyed by the renewed interest generated by Burns’ film, Mattea is touring in support of her lovely new acoustic album, “Pretty Bird.” 785-864-2787. Sold out; face value of tickets is $40. lied.ku.edu.

A few years before the Michigan band Greta Van Fleet impressed international audiences with its Led Zeppelin-influenced rock, the equally talented sisters in Stonefield entertained audiences in their native Australia with metal-oriented covers of classic rock songs by the likes of Led Zeppelin and Santana. The mature new album, “Bent,” by Amy, Hannah, Holly and Sarah Findlay was co-produced by two members of the like-minded Australian band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. With Pale Tongue and The Moose. 816-753-5207. Tickets are $12 through therecordbar.com.

This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Kansas City concerts: Kathy Mattea, Mac Lethal, White Reaper, Stacy Kent."