Feeling a little funny in the head?
You might as well go with it this weekend, with help from brain-frying guitar players, crazy thrill rides and more.
Keep in mind, you could get carried away and totally lose your mind with all the insane fun out there. But something tells me you can handle it – yeah, that funny little voice in my head. Good luck!
1. Generation Axe: A Night with Guitars
Here’s a dream concert for fans of frantic string benders: Internationally renowned guitar slingers Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi all shredding at the same time onstage. Insane! This fivesome’s over-the-top talents are sure to keep the sonic fury going all night. My father used to call this sort of music “noise,” but always with a little smile. He was a kidder. But no kidding: Wail on.
Friday, 8 p.m.; Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $39.50-$125.
2. Opening Day at Worlds of Fun
For those about to scream, I salute you – with both feet firmly on the ground. Only those brave or foolish enough to do so will embark on Worlds of Fun’s cracked collection of world-class rollercoasters and other thrill rides, including the Mamba, Ripcord, Fury of the Nile, Detonator, Prowler, Spinning Dragon, Boomerang, Patriot, SteelHawk, Zulu, Bamboozler and Timber Wolf. Sure, you could check out the 43-year-old theme park’s five new family rides this season at Planet Snoopy, but only one – the Linus Launcher – sounds good enough to lose your mind on.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., Kansas City, Mo.; admission: $31.99-$71.99.
3. Twiztid’s Juggalo Invasion Tour 2016
Veteran hardcore hip-hop duo Twiztid – Jamie Spaniolo (aka Jamie Madrox) and Paul Methric (aka Monoxide) – tops this head-thumping bill with Blaze Ya Dead Homie, Boondox, Lex the Hex Master, Davey Suicide, Trilogy and E the Hustler. Making the case that conventional ideas about mental health may be overrated? At least.
Sunday, 7 p.m., Riot Room, 4048 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $25.
If everyone brought their dogs to this weekend’s Bark in the Park, then the fabled men in white coats carrying nets might be needed – not for the dogs, but for the people. A human being can take only so much barking. Still, enough dog lovers and their faithful companions are sure to show up to make it a memorable event. In addition to frolicking with their fetching Fidos, folks can shake paws with adoptable dogs and visit with vendors offering pet products and services.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Kenagy Park, 79th Street and Raytown Road, Raytown, Mo.; admission: free.
When robots rule the world, the subjugated human race will look back and say, “We were insane to invent robots in the first place.” But who knew? Certainly not the youngsters (ages 4 and older) and their well-meaning parents attending the Robot Workshop for Kids using Robotics Play 600 kits, followed by a mini-robot programming demo. Enrollment is free, but space is limited, so register at eventbrite.com. Your future robot overlords will appreciate it.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; the Disruption Institute, 751 E. 63rd St., Suite 304, Kansas City, Mo.; admission: free.
It’s insane that the shimmering rock ’n’ roll songs created by Marshall Crenshaw in the 1980s didn’t make him a bigger star. Even though his fantastic knack for crafting sunshiny hooks propelled by pure-pop vocals didn’t take over the charts, the impact of the man’s talent lives on in such wonderful ditties as “Cynical Girl,” “Mary Anne” and “Whenever You’re On My Mind,” to name only a few. Let Crenshaw’s ear-pleasing tunes take you to that special place between your ears, along with his road band the Bottle Rockets from St. Louis, who will open the show.
Thursday, 8 p.m.; Knuckleheads Saloon, 2715 Rochester Ave., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $20.
Brian McTavish is a freelance contributor to KCUR 89.3. You can reach him at web@kcur.org.