5 shows to see in the Wichita area this year

We’re not even close to knowing all the big-name entertainers that will pass through the Wichita area in 2017. In fact, local venues like Intrust Bank Arena, the Orpheum and the Cotillion have their calendars populated really only through late summer.

But what is on the calendar is pretty exciting so far.

Here are five on-the-book shows I’m looking forward to in 2017.

1. Neil Diamond, July 14, Intrust Bank Arena: Oh, “Sweet Caroline,” you should have seen the way I involuntarily jumped up from my seat and screamed when the news release about Diamond’s impending visit to Wichita landed in my inbox. Call me cheesy. Call Diamond cheesy. But I have loved this man and his music since I was a little girl and my dad would play the cassette tape of Diamond and Barbra Streisand singing “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” over and over. Once I saw “The Jazz Singer” in 1980 (“They’re comin’ to America, TODAY!!!”) I was full-on hooked. Seeing Diamond in concert has always been on my bucket list, but I never dreamed I’d get to cross it off in my own town.

$39.50-$149.50 at www.intrustbankarena.com or at 316-755-7328

2. Twenty One Pilots, Feb. 3, Intrust Bank Arena: I’m sorry to report that you can no longer get tickets to this sold-out concert. But I’m happy to report that this concert not only booked a stop at Intrust Bank Arena but also sold out the venue, meaning at least 11,500 of you will be there. The Ohio-based duo, whose alternative rock hits dominated the airwaves in 2016, is best known for “Stressed Out,” “Ride” and “Heathens.” The group also just earned five Grammy nominations.

Sold out

3. Tributes galore at the Orpheum and Cotillion: Your odds of seeing Led Zeppelin, ABBA or The Eagles in Wichita next year are zip. But The Orpheum is becoming known as a venue where fans of classic bands can see the next best thing: spot-on impersonations delivered by traveling tribute bands. Three will visit during a three-week period in early 2017. Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin II, which consists of top-rated musicians, will visit the downtown theater on Jan. 28. Hotel California, an Eagles tribute band, follows on Feb. 10. And then on Feb. 14, fans can relive the “Dancing Queen” days of Swedish super group ABBA when ABBA Mania performs. And lest you think that tributees must be from the 1970s, The Cotillion is bringing three 1980s acts back to life with a concert on Feb. 24: The Cure, David Bowie and Depeche Mode.

Check for tickets at www.thecotillion.com and www.wichitaorpheum.com.

4. Ben Folds, Feb. 23, Stiefel: His piano playing would sound amazing in any venue, but it’s sure to sound absolutely dreamy in the intimate, acoustically superior Stiefel Theatre in Salina. The popular piano rocker, who as leader of Ben Folds Five recorded hits like “Brick,” will be back in the area for the first time since 2009, when he played a solo show at The Orpheum. His tour is called, simply, “Ben Folds & a Piano.”

$39, $48, $59, www.ticketmaster.com, 785-827-1998

5. Gladys Knight, July 22, Stiefel: She’s a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member. She’s a seven-time Grammy winner. And even without The Pips, Knight is a musical legend who’s referred to as the “Empress of Soul.” She’s also 72, so fans who’ve never seen her belt it out might want to get a ticket for this summer show at Salina’s Stiefel Theatre. Knight, whose career has included memorable hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” most recently released an inspirational gospel album called “Where My Heart Belongs,” which came out in 2014.

$69, $79, $99, www.ticketmaster.com, 785-827-1998

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 2:47 PM with the headline "5 shows to see in the Wichita area this year."