Last week we took a look at the most badass things we saw from touring bands in 2025, now it’s time for the locals! We ALWAYS prefer the local stuff. Scenes like Lawrence’s are where the biggest trends in live music take off. Every year, the local scene throws us for a loop, we never know what to expect!
Now remember, we didn’t get to EVERY show this year. There are definitely some moments that should be on this list, but are not because there are only so many of us. Luckily, Lawrence is a fountain of exciting and thrilling live music moments that have seared into our memory. Here are just a few of them in this year’s Top Ten Most Badass Things We Saw from Local Musicians list.
10. Corners of the Sky
We discovered Corners of the Sky the same way most folks in Lawrence discover their favorite new local bands: by walking into the Replay on a random night.
We gotta tell ya, we’re really digging this band.
We always think psych rock might calm down in Lawrence, and every year we’re proven wrong. Lawrence’s latest psych rock band comes to us from a group of wildly energetic musicians, who spent their EP release show in February thrusting about the Replay to a jazzed crowd. Electrify Your Mind is packed with endless rock riffs, smashing drums, and droning vocals, but it’s really the live show you’ve got to see. The band gives big Oh Sees vibes, keeping the verses minimal in order to get straight to the guitar breaks. The result is a good time for all.
View this post on Instagram
9. Punk vs. Metal
We are so thrilled to see Punk vs. Metal return year after year in Lawrence. We feel that the scene vastly underestimates how organized the metalheads are in town, and they’ve got a series of incredible shows with big turnouts to prove it. For the fourth year in a row, the punk and metal bands “squareed off” against each other at the Bottleneck. This is a wonderful way to bring two genres (and their fans) together for a night of eardrum-bursting noise and fun.
This year, metal was represented by Hellevate and Oxytoxin, while Bloodscent and White Line Nightmares repped the punks. Newcomers Flatline (who are just OUTRAGEOUS) and D-Fibs also joined in.
8. Hembree’s Homecoming
When Hembree threw their big ten-year anniversary show at Liberty Hall in August, it really felt like they had arrived. We’ve watched these musicians progress over the years, moving from one band to another, until they finally collided with their current lineup. But their big move to L.A. and nonstop touring has really brought them to a place that’s worthy of big stages.
We have to be very clear that this did not feel like a hometown show where a few friends got back together. It felt professional, choreographed, fine-tuned (and worthy of the massive stage at Liberty Hall). Hembree grew up, and we’re finally seeing them at a point in their development where they can headline big stages just as good as any other big indie rock band out there. Isaac Flynn, Alex and Austin Ward, and Eric Davis are at their performance peak.
7. Mike West’s Homecoming Show
It’s a little odd to have TWO homecoming shows on the same lineup, but here we are.
In Lawrence, bluegrass is always on top. Without a doubt. But, if you can believe it, there was what some might consider a golden age of bluegrass in recent years. These are the years where a lot of the vibes that gleefully encompass the Americana music scene were created by the can-do attitude of Truckstop Honeymoon. Mike West was already well-known on the bluegrass circuit, but when he relocated to Lawrence we saw more families and packed shows at the Replay Sunday matinees, an increasing number of bluegrass acts collaborating and recording music at West’s studio in the Pinckney neighborhood, and the infamous completely musician-run Mardi Gras parade that takes place downtown every Spring.
West moved to Wales– or, as he calls it, “the Kansas of the United Kingdom”– in 2019. The next year, we were struck with the pandemic shutdown, and honestly shows have not been the same since. But for one Sunday evening in September, we got a taste of how it used to be. Before attendance started dwindling at shows, before COVID wrecked our fragile little bodies, and before the venues started shutting down (RIP Jackpot, Kaw Valley Public House, and Frank’s).
It’s been YEARS since we’ve seen the Replay attendance the way it was on Sunday. We half expected it to be one-in-one-out. The occasion was West’s first show back here since moving away six years ago. He had scheduled tours, but they never panned out. Let me tell you, every bluegrass musician was there. And their kids. In fact, some of these kids were just children who used to run amok at the Truckstop Honeymoon shows. Now, they’re in their own bands (looking at you, Arlonious Rodeo King). And there was a new batch of children at this show. There were tables full of empty beer glasses right alongside tables full of sippy cups.
The entire night tugged at our heartstrings. The crowd got older, but the love was still the same. They knew all the words. There were songs about life, death, love, and audio technicians. It was like riding a bike, falling right back into that old vibe.
The highlight of the night came when River City Brass Band, who currently lead the Mardi Gras parades in Lawrence, surprised West with a live performance. They started at the back near the entrance. At first, West thought something was going on with the audio. When he spotted the band coming through, parade style, he was all smiles and leapt off the stage to play along with them. They transitioned into “Down By The Riverside,” a song we could all really use right about now, to be honest. When it ended, West told the crowd “Thank y’all. It’s good to be home.”
View this post on Instagram
6. Brass on Mass
SPEAKING of the River City Brass Band…
We’re so lucky to have a renegade group of jazz musicians out there making noise wherever they can. It used to be they just kept it to Mardi Gras. But now, don’t be surprised if you suddenly see these horns coming at you from down the street. River City Brass is…. everywhere.
This was one of those “only in Lawrence” kind of nights.
The “Live on Mass” concert series put a different twist on their Saturday night event by featuring all brass ensembles for this September show. The night began with Lawrence’s favorite Mardi Gras party conjurers, River City Brass Band. This time, we didn’t have to wait until Fat Tuesday to see them parade down the street and hype everyone up. They were followed by Band That Saved The World, who got the crowd warmed up with their signature funk and soul songs. Dead Bettys closed out the night with an extensive set full of covers and originals. The ska band has a knack for bringing the party out in everyone, so it was a full-on madhouse at the block party full of jovial dancing, singing, and horns blaring into the night.
View this post on Instagram
5. pure XTC
pure xtc is the is the coolest musician in Kansas City, and you can’t convince us otherwise.
We’ve been a fan of pure xtc’s music for at least two years, but until now haven’t been blessed with their live show (some Kansas City artists don’t make it to Lawrence very often). But it was worth the wait, because this music knocked us on our hot little asses. This is what pop music should sound like (shit, Taylor Swift WISHES she could write pop music like THIS). It’s fun, extremely danceable, and feels like freedom. Everyone was bobbing along hard when she hit the Replay up on Friday night, jumping between percussion instruments, her guitar, and the mic.
Everything about her presence onstage is unapologetically black and gay (let’s be honest, all the best pop music is black and gay). She even sold bumper stickers that said “Listening to pure xtc made me gay.” It’s gender expression in its finest form, and probably the first time we’ve seen a lesbian kiss their wife in the middle of a set. Everyone was feeling it. You can’t run from it: pure xtc will be your favorite local pop artist.
4. Split Lip’s Banner Year
Remember in the beginning of the article when we said we didn’t get to EVERY show? Well, we didn’t get to see Split Lip’s big anniversary set at Live on Mass at the time because we were on tour. In fact, every single I Heart Local Music photographer was working out of the state at the time.
But fear not! We’ve been getting our Split Lip fix in. Even though we missed their big accolade at Free State Fest celebrating their decades-long time in the local music scene, we got to see them at a surprise pop-up show under a secret name.
This surprise set fell during one of the busiest Lawrence weekends of the year back in May. We had Buskerfest, the end of school, thunderstorms… and buried in the middle of all this was a Split Lip set at Lucia.
The band billed themselves as “Constellation Prize,” a moniker created by their bandmate Kirk Rundstrom prior to his death, to keep the show at Lucia under wraps. The folk punk rockers’ “secret” show was not such a secret, as the venue was packed to the gills. You could barely move around, yet there was plenty of space to boogie. Being a holiday weekend, many locals were in the full vacation mode, chowing down on burgers and tots and downing beers. Everyone was there, even your neighbor! It was absolute heaven for local music fans.
Rather than headlining the show in a traditional manner, Wayne Gottstine, Eric Mardis, and Jeff Eaton started off the event with an impressive 90 minutes of nonstop fan favorites (the stamina!), inducing a few singalongs and plenty of stomping about. There are many lovely things about having Split Lip Rayfield in your backyard, but what constantly makes them a favorite is that they find new ways to bring good vibes to the show. Every show is full of the warm fuzzies, but they conjure them up in a new manner each time.
3. The Dead Bettys
We’re calling it: Dead Bettys are by far Lawrence’s favorite new band.
It’s ok to let loose every now and then. But Lawrence was, like, really ready to let loose at Liberty Hall on a hot summer day back in July. We know, we already went a little gaga over The Dead Bettys at their Christmas shindig at The Bottleneck last year. But the vibe was already there. Lawrence is ready for a ska comeback (but did it ever leave our hearts?).
It’s rare to find a band that takes off with this big of a following. But with this many members, it’s easy to see how they’re already a big draw. A full horn section, covers that everyone can get down with, and expert showmanship on the stage are all it took to get Lawrence hooked. It really feels like this band gives a damn about their performance and puts in the work behind the scenes so that when they hit the stage, they’re ready to deliver.
When they announced their Liberty Hall show, we knew the place would be packed (we were right). Folks were donning blinking headbands and light-up gear, giving a real party vibe to the show. The audience was eager to dance and sing along, making the lengthy set fly by (there were no openers, it was just Dead Bettys on the bill). The cherry on top? This was a fundraiser (most Dead Bettys shows are) for Lawrence Human Society. So there were ACTUAL PUPPIES hanging out until the music started (gotta protect the doggy ears). Puppies and dancing? What is this, a happiness factory?!
2. Flatline at the Gaza Fundraiser
We discovered something wonderful about the local music scene this year. If there’s an all-local lineup at a venue, it will do well. But if that exact same lineup makes it a fundraiser, the town REALLY turns out. This was warranted in 2025, as we saw nightmare scenario after nightmare scenario with funding shutdowns, dangerous political stunts, and an out-of-control war machine.
The Gaza fundraiser back in March was really a who’s who in the local rock scene at the Bottleneck. Rockers of every age from various backgrounds came together to show their solidarity in a massive fundraiser for Palestine. Five (five!!!) bands squeezed together in a small amount of time at the longtime Lawrence venue in an effort to raise funds to send directly to families in need in Palestine (specifically, Gaza).
The event, orchestrated by Bloodbank LFK, KU Students for Justice in Palestine, and I Heart Local Music, had everyone’s solidarity on full display doing what the music scene loves the most: rocking out. All fundraising aside, this was also a unique opportunity for various generations of rockers to get to know each other more (both on and offstage). We saw the new young bands in town share the stage with some of the more established acts, introducing their fans to each other and throwing down hard in the pit.
One of the big standout bands of that show ended up being Flatline. Flatline, we have decided, are absolute maniacs. We love the carefully curated chaos their fans brought to the pit, and they’re the epitome of what a fresh young punk band should be: energetic, righteous, and just bananas. It was hard to single out just Flatline, because every band on the lineup was incredible. But we’re seeing an energy from Flatline that has been absent in the scene for a while.
View this post on Instagram
1. The Anti-ICE Fundraiser at the Bottleneck
Say it with us now (with your whole chest): FUCK ICE!!!
If there’s one single issue you should have paid attention to this year, it’s the ICE raids ripping across the country.
Back in August, ICE raids caused a chicano musical act to cancel their tour, leaving the Bottleneck without a show on a random Tuesday night. So the Lawrence music scene came together in solidarity to support the immigrant community and hosted a fundraiser that night instead. I Heart Local Music, Bloodbank LFK, and Heartland Organizing hosted a show at the Bottleneck to raise funds for Sanctuary Alliance Lawrence and SOMOS Lawrence. ICE crackdowns are immoral and illegal, and the goal of this event was to raise funds for anyone facing legal issues due to immigration raids.
Tape Room kicked off the night, followed by a solo set from June Henry. Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse killed it with their set, starting off by singing in Spanish. Make no mistake, Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse were the standouts at this show. They’re the sludge band of our dreams. We simply can’t get enough of these rockers who embody what it means to be truly underground (half their shows are in basements, so that applies in a literal sense as well). We’ve seen them tackle tricky covers, debut originals, and have audiences eating out of the palm of their hand. Mickey Mouse Slaughterhouse have come a long way since they first debuted, and they’re a must-see for Lawrence music lovers.
Young Mvchetes rounded out the night with an outrageous and physically jarring set (ah, the good old days). The night was peppered with inspiration speeches and poetry, as well as help from local organizations tabling at the event (including a food donation table).
It seems that in the immediate future, concerts need to have more intention than just performing music. We are in, uh, unprecedented times (we’re so fucking sick of unprecedented times, y’all), so using the arts as a vehicle of resistance is going to be incredibly important in the coming months. Never forget: it’s the arts that always lead the way. This show on a random Tuesday in August was the picture-perfect example for where the youth are leading us with their actions within the live music community.