August sees great entertainment in the Topeka area including “Weird Al” Yankovic, Melissa Ethridge and Ann Wilson.
Some lesser known and emerging artists will also be in the area. Here are some of the musical artists and comics to check out over the coming weeks.
Jonnie W. Comedy is coming to the Jayhawk Theater
The Jonnie W. Comedy – Music Tour brings laughter with family-friendly humor mixed with music at 7:30 p.m. at the Jayhawk Theater, 720 SW Jackson St.
For a taste of what comedy will bring to the capital, check out Topekan’s The United States Hate Each Other Jonnie W. – Full Special, Comedy’s appearance on YouTube’s Dry Bar Comedy, which has more than 5 million views.
“I guess you’d call it musical comedy,” Comedy said. “I do a bit of traditional standing and then mix that with some music as well.”
“So I do a little bit of country and a little bit of rock, and sometimes I use music to parody a certain genre or style of music … like I do a little run where I’m parodying country artists.”
Comedy said he doesn’t parody the actual music per se, but rather the culture of the music.
“When I was a kid, the country artists, the guys who wrote country songs, were all ugly, and I think ugly country artists write better songs because they have pain to draw from,” he said. “So Keith Urban is talented, but what pain has he ever experienced?
“Yeah, so he’s married to Nicole Kidman. Amen.
Concert Series welcomes the winner of the 2020 International Blues Challenge
Blues guitarist Hector Anchondo will take the stage at NOTO Art District’s Summer Concert Series on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Redbud Park, 935 N. Kansas Ave.
The 2020 International Blues Challenge winner and Memphis Cigar Box Guitar Award winner is a largely self-taught musician who began playing guitar at the age of 16. It wasn’t until he took jazz guitar lessons that he got going.
“By my mid-20s, I had hit a little plateau,” he said. “And then that just sent me in a really great direction.”
Anchondo made it his mission to take his art to where he and his band found an audience. There were many lean times along the road.
“We did a tour where we bought a few cases of ramen,” he said. “We didn’t do anything but sleep in the van and eat ramen.
“I think we toured for a month, when we got home we were all fed up with ramen…because a lot of times we didn’t even get a chance to cook the ramen. So we chopped them up like chips and eat it.”
Anchondo was eventually drawn to the intense visuals and haunting beauty of the blues. He said his brand is a down-to-earth sound mixed with the higher energy of rock-blues, though he said his band doesn’t play super loud.
With Khayman Windfield on drums and Carl Brown on bass, Anchondo plays acoustic and electric guitar.
Here are some other exciting events in the Topeka area in August
5th of August
Good Sam Club Band, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., NOTO’s Redbud Park, 935 N. Kansas Ave.
Caleb Nelson, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Doughboyz Pizzeria, 1312 N. Kansas Ave.
Duke Mason with Cowboy, Inc., 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., The Vinewood, 2848 SE 29th St.
Baile Como en el Rancho con el Nono, 9 p.m., Venue The Villa, 2941 SE Fremont St.
6th of August
Colin Nichols, 2-5 p.m., Prairie Fire Winery, 20250 Hudson Ranch Road, Paxico.
Delta Haze, 7 p.m. Brass Rail Tavern, 401 NE Emmett St.
Howard Mahan Solo Act, 7 p.m. Happy Basset Brewing Co., 6044 SW 29th St.
Josh Vowell Blues Band, 7:30 p.m., Happy Basset Barrel House.
August 11th
Zach Neil, 6:30 p.m., Happy Basset Barrel House.
12. August
Up To No Good Improv Co., 7-9 p.m., Helen Hocker Theater, 700 SW Zoo Parkway.
Reflection’s Ghost, 7-9 p.m., Doughboyz Pizzeria.
Changeover time, 8 p.m., Happy Basset Barrel House.
13 August
Restless Native, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Happy Basset Barrel House.
Alter Ego, 8 p.m., Happy Basset Barrel House.
Alex Miller, 8-11 p.m., The Vinewood.
August 14th
Music by The Dullards, 2-5 p.m., Crooked Post Vineyard & Winery, 7397 K-92 Highway, Ozawkie.
Melissa Ethridge: One Way Out Tour, 8 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St, Lawrence. Ticket Prices: $69 to $122.
18th of August
Ann Wilson of Heart, 7 p.m., Prairie Band Casino & Resort, 12305 150th Road, Mayetta. Ticket prices: $65 and $75.
August 19th
Kaw Tikis and a Beach Party, 6 p.m., Compass Point, 800 N. Kansas Ave.
The Bash, 7pm-10pm, Doughboyz Pizzeria.
The Hoodoo’s, 7:30pm – 11:30pm, Happy Basset Barrel House.
19-20 August
Laugh Lines, 8 p.m., Topeka Civic Theater & Academy, 3028 SW 8th Ave. See website for ticket prices.
20th of August
Kelley Hunt Acoustic Quartet, 7 p.m. Jayhawk Theatre. Visit the website for ticket information.
WVP (Wood Valley Pickers), 7:30 p.m., The Classic Bean Espresso Coffee House & Deli, 2125 SW Fairlawn Road.
THTP, 7:30pm to 11:30pm, Happy Basset Barrel House.
Megan Luttrell, 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Brass Rail Tavern.
26th of August
Andy McKee and Friends – Concert for a Child, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 SE 8th Ave. Concert tickets: $40 and $100.
August 26th and 27th
Slash and Bash: Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, Topeka Performing Arts Center. Ticket price: $19.99.
August 27th
Platinum Express – A Funky Dance Party, 8pm, The Vinewood.
August 31st
“Weird Al” Yankovic, 7 p.m., Topeka Performing Arts Center. Prices: $46, $76, $99, $333 (VIP).
Catheryn Hrenchir is a feature writer for Topeka-Capital Journal. She can be reached at chrenchir@gannett.com or (785) 817-6383.