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The Z Show #352 by Skylar Rochelle

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Gravel & Grit with Silk & Soul: A Night With Leon Bridges & Kashus Culpepper
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Gravel & Grit with Silk & Soul: A Night With Leon Bridges & Kashus Culpepper

Above image: Leon Bridges at The Midland in Kansas City, MO, on May 20, 2025. | photo: Todd Zimmer

This Bridge concert recap is made possible by Blue Sage Deli.

It was one of those nights where the venue felt like part of the show itself. Kansas City showed up in full force — every seat at The Midland filled, every balcony packed, a true sold-out crowd on a Tuesday night. My ticket took me all the way to the top — to the Chandelier Bar — for my first time. From that vantage point, everything looked miniature, but it also made the energy clearer: the crowd below moved like a living, breathing mosaic, buzzing with anticipation.

A sold-out top-level view of The Midland, in anticipation of Leon Bridges and Kashus Culpepper. | all photos: Todd Zimmer

Kashus Culpepper opened the night backed by a six-piece band, but his presence alone filled the room before he even sang a note. When he did, his voice hit like a freight train – husky and textured, carrying the weight of soul, country and blues. It’s the kind of voice you only get from someone who grew up in Alabama, found his voice in church, and picked up the guitar to play covers around military bonfires. With just an acoustic guitar, a harmonica and unfiltered storytelling, he didn’t need much else to command the room. 

His single, “Jenni,” brought out the kind of hush that only happens when people are really listening. It was classic country heartache with a modern edge, steeped in the nostalgia he says drew him to the genre in the first place. No frills. Just real, lived-in emotion. His cover of Grover Washington Jr.’s “Just the Two of Us” was a seamless pivot, lighting up the room and showing just how wide his range really is.

Kashus Culpepper at The Midland in Kansas City, MO, on May 20, 2025.

Then came Leon Bridges. A spotlight cut through the dark and landed on him, alone in a black suit, centered between a seven-piece band. From the first note, the energy shifted. The magnitude of his presence was quiet but undeniable. He moved with an effortless groove – his smooth, silky vocals gliding over the room like second nature. It wasn’t flashy or forced – just pure, easy charisma that invited you in and made you feel at home.

Bridges has a way of commanding attention without ever asking for it. It’s a presence shaped by his roots. His hometown of Fort Worth, TX, has always been central to his story, from the throwback soul of his 2015 debut “Coming Home” to the more expansive, nostalgic textures of his latest album “Leon.” That record feels like a personal tour through the streets and sounds that raised him — classic soul, dusty R&B, pedal steel country and gospel all woven into rich, stylized soundscapes.

Leon Bridges at The Midland in Kansas City, MO, on May 20, 2025.

That blend came through beautifully live. Some moments were soft and stripped-down, like the pedal steel-laced “Texas Sun,” where fingerpicked guitar slowly swelled into a full-bodied psych-folk Khruangbin shimmer. Others, like “Coming Home,” pulled the room into something warmer – sweet, intimate and full of sway. Couples reached for each other’s hands. Friends leaned in. His music didn’t just fill the room – it invited everyone to get closer.

The encore featured two tracks, closing with “Beyond,” a dreamy R&B ballad about finding lasting love. Bridges’ voice – silky and understated – felt timeless, neither retro nor modern. Even the biggest hits carried a patient, unhurried grace. Occasional disco-tinged flashes kept the mood fresh, a subtle reminder that soul can shimmer just as much as it soothes.

I’ve always been told you can gauge a concert’s greatness by how many people are nodding along. And even from up there, in the very last row, I could see everyone nodding until the very end. It was one of those shows where each element felt built to hold space for something bigger than itself. Kashus brought the gravel and grit. Leon brought the silk and soul. Together, they filled the room with something steady and glowing — the kind of warmth that lingers long after the lights come up.

Leon Bridges Set List

When a Man Cries
Panther City
Better Man
Flowers
Laredo
Coming Home
That’s What I Love
Never Satisfied
Mariella (Khruangbin & Leon Bridges song)
Steam
Ain’t Got Nothing On You
Texas Sun (Khruangbin & Leon Bridges song)
You Don't Know
Bad Bad News
If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)
Can’t Have It All
God Loves Everyone
River
Peaceful Place
Smooth Sailin'

Encore:
Lisa Sawyer (Leon solo)
Beyond

James Williams (Leon Bridges' band) behind the drum kit.
Davin Givhan (Leon Bridges) on guitar.
Brandon Marcel (Leon Bridges) on percussion.
all photos by Todd Zimmer