It’s a big, big, big weekend for Intrust Bank Arena.
The venue will be home to three major concerts over four days, and the show’s headliners will draw thousands of country, pop and metal fans downtown.
One of those concerts is even on track to set an attendance record at the 9-year-old venue.
Here’s the breakdown of the shows headed into town. To get tickets for any of them, visit the Select-A-Seat box office at Intrust Bank Arena, go to www.selectaseat.com or call 316-755-7328.
Country star Dierks Bentley will perform in Wichita on Friday.
Friday: Dierks Bentley
7 p.m., tickets are still available and are $34.75, $54.75 and $69.75
Country star Dierks Bentley, who was just nominated for two big Academy of Country Music awards — Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for “The Mountain” — is bringing his Burning Man tour to Wichita on Friday. The last time he was here was May of 2017, when he performed as part of his What The Hell World Tour.
Bentley is also a three-time Country Music Association award winner and is known for hits like “I Hold On,” “Say You Do,” “Burning Man” and “Drunk On a Plane.”
His opening acts will be Jon Pardi, Tenille Townes and Hot Country Knights. During recent shows, he’s performed around 20 songs, including one with opening act Townes.
Kelly Clarkson will perform at Intrust Bank Arena on Saturday. VICTORIA WILL Invision/AP
Saturday: Kelly Clarkson
7 p.m., tickets are still available and are $29, $79, $89, $99 and $169
On Friday, pop superstar and original “American Idol” winner Clarkson will take the stage at the arena for a stop on her “Meaning of Life” tour. The last time she was in Wichita was in 2008, when she performed at the Kansas Coliseum as part of a double bill with her then future, now former mother-in-law Reba McEntire.
Clarkson, now a popular judge on NBC’s “The Voice,” has a unique set on the tour. It includes a bar right up against the stage, where premium ticket holders will sit and sip while they watch the show.
Her opening acts are Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli, who won Season 14 of “The Voice.” The two openers have been joining Clarkson on stage for a powerhouse performance of “Miss Independent” during the tour. She also opens the show with a shortened a capela version of “A Moment Like This,” her first single after winning “American Idol” in 2002.
Metallica, including James Hetfield, right, and Lars Ulrich, will perform in Wichita on Monday at an in-the-round concert. Chris Pizzello Associated Press
Monday: Metallica
7:30 p.m., limited tickets still available for $42.50, $65 and $135
Metallica hasn’t been to Wichita since it performed at the Kansas Coliseum in September of 2004, and fans are excited — so excited that the Monday-night concert is poised to hit the arena’s record attendance of 14,680, which George Strait set with his 2014 show here.
The concert will be performed “in the round,” which means that the stage will be set up in the center of the arena floor and every seat will be available for purchase.
The group is in the midst of its WorldWired Tour, and it’s been touring North America since last September. The group — singer, guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ullrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo — have been performing about 18 songs on previous stops, including newer tracks and classics like “One,” “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets.”
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 8:52 AM.
Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.
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