2025 Live Concert Wrap-up
Whether you’re a fan of alt-rock grooves, eccentric bass lines, or complex progressive masterpieces, 2025 was a legendary year for the rock stage. From nostalgic album anniversaries to high-voltage reunions, the concert calendar is packed with “bucket list” performances that remind us why live music is irreplaceable.
In this post, we’re diving into the rock bands I was able to witness first-hand as they made their way through Kansas City this year.
Side note: I will say, the lack of interest (and/or financial reward) for top tier bands to play Kansas City is one of the things that makes me miss living in LA.
We’ll cover Incubus celebrating the legacy of Morning View (my personal favorite Incubus record), the unmistakable weirdness of Primus as they usher in a new era with drummer John Hoffman, and the triumphant return of Mike Portnoy to the Dream Theater drum throne for their Parasomnia tour. Plus, we’ll look at the return of jam-band royalty and a couple other lower-key performances from earlier in the year.
Here is everything you should know about the best KC-area shows of 2025… No earplugs or tour tee needed.
Trey Anastasio @ Uptown Theater, March 19, 2025
Trey Anastasio’s 2025 solo acoustic tour was his most extensive run of its kind in years, marking a significant departure from his usual high-energy electric outings with Phish or the Trey Anastasio Band (TAB). The show was a deep dive into the “storyteller” side of Trey. Without the wall of sound from a full band, the focus shifted to his intricate acoustic guitar work and the narratives behind his songs.
For the first half, Trey performed completely alone, often sharing long, humorous, or poignant stories about song origins, Phish history, and life off the road. A highlight of the show was the inclusion of Jeff Tanski on piano for some of the latter songs. Tanski’s accompaniment allowed for more “progressive” acoustic arrangements of complex epics like “The Divided Sky” and “Fluffhead.”
I wasn’t planning to write this blog back in March of 2025 so I didn’t take the kind of notes needed for a full review… Here is one by Allison Scavo (with additional pics): https://www.thepitchkc.com/photos-phish-frontman-trey-anastasio-brought-an-intimate-solo-show-to-uptown/
Incubus with Manchester Orchestra and Paris Jackson @ Starlight Amphitheater, July 8, 2025
In 2025, Incubus hit the road for a major summer run celebrating their landmark album Morning View. Building on the momentum of their Morning View XXIII re-recording, the tour was a massive celebration of the band’s legacy, featuring a complete performance of the 2001 classic followed by a set of their greatest hits. Fans heard Morning View from front to back, including the heavy grooves of “Nice to Know You” and the atmospheric finale of “Aqueous Transmission.”
The band made an effort to keep these old songs fresh by weaving iconic covers into their own tracks—most notably blending Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” into “Are You In?” and opening “Under My Umbrella” with a snippet of Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” This tour served as a standout showcase for new bassist Nicole Row, whose presence brought a fresh energy to the classic rhythm section.
Paris Jackson opened the evening with a low-key soulful energy, performing a stripped-back, acoustic-driven set.
Known for their explosive dynamic shifts, Manchester Orchestra provided the fire before the main event. Their set was a masterclass in intensity, anchored by a powerful performance of “The Silence” that left the assembling crowd buzzing before Incubus even took the stage. Unfortunately, I spent much of their set watching and listening from the merch line (ugh).
Here’s another full review of the show by Andrew Dodderidge with additional photos by Daniel Fuchs: https://www.thepitchkc.com/photos-incubus-brought-a-morning-view-to-starlight-last-night/
Primus with Ty Segall @ Grinders KC, July 12, 2025
Primus’s “Onward & Upward” Summer Tour 2025 marked a pivotal new chapter for the band following the 2nd departure of longtime drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander. The tour was a high-energy introduction to their new drummer, John Hoffman (affectionately dubbed “Hoffer”), who was selected from over 6,100 applicants in the band’s very public “Interstellar Drum Derby.”
It was great to hear rare tracks like “Dirty Drowning Man” and “Bob’s Party Time Lounge” that hadn’t been performed in years (and were apparently added to the setlist at Hoffer’s request). Set against a backdrop of surrealist visuals, the shows felt like a return to the experimental, jam-heavy roots of the Frizzle Fry and Sailing the Seas of Cheese eras, but I would have preferred a bit more light on the actual band because they ended up being hard to see for those of us that did have press passes.
Garage-rock visionary Ty Segall served as the opener… Segall’s raw, psychedelic energy was a perfect stylistic match for Primus. He performed high-decibel, fuzzy sets that warmed up the crowd for the technical precision of the headliners.
Here’s another full review by Allison Scavo with better pics: https://www.thepitchkc.com/photos-primus-lit-grinders-up-on-saturday-night/
Brad Mehldau & Christian McBride @ Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Oct 9, 2025
While the 2025 concert season was mostly dominated by high-decibel rock reunions, a quieter but equally powerful masterclass in musicality was taking place on the jazz circuit. Legendary pianist Brad Mehldau and eight-time Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride spent a portion of 2025 touring as a duo, celebrating a friendship and musical partnership that spans over 35 years. Having collaborated on iconic albums like MoodSwing and RoundAgain, their duo performances are intimate, sophisticated, deeply spontaneous, and a rare opportunity to see two “titans of jazz” stripped of a full rhythm section.
The duo’s stop in Kansas City on October 9, 2025, at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre was a standout highlight of the fall leg. Performing to a reverent, near-capacity crowd, the night was a perfect balance of technical virtuosity and emotional depth. McBride performed his homage to Cedar Walton, “The Shade of the Cedar Tree,” while Mehldau introduced “August Wind,” a piece written specifically for this collaboration.
Each artist took a solo turn... Mehldau offered a hauntingly deep rendition of Fred McDowell’s “Jesus on the Mainline,” while McBride delivered an extraordinary and funky version of “Fly Me To The Moon.” I actually attended middle school and high school with Brad so it was really gratifying to see him perform after so many years.
Here’s a review by Plastic Sax: https://www.plasticsax.com/blog/mehldaumcbride
Dream Theater @ Midland Theater, Oct 13, 2025
2025 has been a monumental year for Dream Theater, defined by the long-awaited homecoming of founding drummer Mike Portnoy. After wrapping up a sold-out global 40th-anniversary run in early 2025, the progressive metal titans pivoted to the Parasomnia Tour this fall, supporting their 16th studio album, Parasomnia (released February 2025).
The show was divided into two distinct acts, designed to showcase both their brand-new creative peak and their legendary past. The first set opens with “In the Arms of Morpheus” and “Night Terror,” taking fans through the dark, sleep-themed narrative of the new record in its entirety. Amazing visuals were projected behind the band for the entire show, creating an extremely impressive and immersive experience.
After a brief intermission, the band returns with a set of fan favorites and technical staples like “As I Am,” “The Enemy Inside,” and selections from Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. The night reached a fever pitch with a complete performance of the 23-minute masterpiece “A Change of Seasons,” marking Portnoy’s first time performing the full suite with the band since 2004.
The entire band was super-tight, but the interplay between Petrucci and Portnoy felt rejuvenated. While Portnoy’s signature energetic drumming drove the momentum throughout the show, fans and critics alike praised James LaBrie’s vocal performance noting a newfound nuance and precision in his delivery which hasn’t always been the case.
Here’s a proper review and additional pictures by John C: https://wheartm.com/2025/10/18/dream-theater-at-the-midland-theatre-kansas-city-mo-2025-10-13/
Blues Traveler @ Star Pavilion at Ameristar Casino KC, Nov 8, 2025
On November 8, 2025, Blues Traveler brought their high-energy jam session to the Star Pavilion at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City. This was my first time seeing a show at this venue, and the intimate setting provided a “front-row” feel for the entire audience; not a bad seat in the house, really, for what was a celebration of musicianship over production.
The night was defined by long, interconnected jams. John Popper’s harmonica solos on “But Anyway” and “Run-Around” were “breath-defying,” as usual, while drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson held down the groove.
While the hits were fun to sing along with (and yes, apparently I can still belt out the middle section of “Hook” like it was 1994)… the covers the band chose to play were the real icing on the cake. Tom Petty’s “Last Dance with Mary Jane” was a solid jam, but Charlie Daniels’ classic “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” was stellar with the fiddle solo swapped out for a 100 MPH John Popper harp solo. The most surprising choice of cover song came in the form of Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher.” Not what I’d expect from Blues Traveler, but it absolutely delivered with Popper and (criminally under-rated) guitarist Chan Kinchla trading off on the solo section (not to mention a solid lead vocal by keyboardist Ben Wilson who wore a Batman mask for the entire show for some unknown reason). Snippet of that song below, but please excuse the shitty cinematography effort by yours truly.
Conclusion
From the early-00s nostalgia of Incubus and technical homecoming celebration of Dream Theater to the intimate, virtuosic “conversations” shared by Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride, 2025 has proven that live music’s greatest strength lies in its variety. Whether it’s the experimental “psychedelic-weirdo” energy of Primus or the stripped-back, storyteller intimacy of Trey Anastasio, this year’s KC concert calendar delivered a rare string of “I was there” moments. As I sit writing this wrap-up now, I’m left with a powerful reminder: whether a band is celebrating forty years or forty days with a new drummer, the magic only truly happens when the house lights go down. I need to see more live music in 2026... How about you?