There’s sexy and then there’s sexy, but far be it from me to drill down too far in differentiating the complexities of the term.
Instead, simply consider this weekend’s malleably sexy entertainments that somehow or another manage to encompass male strippers, tribute rock and angry stand-up comedy.
Got it? Good. Now, if you could explain it to me, that’d be super sexy.
Attention ladies: There definitely will be skin when the touring strip-o-rama Magic Men Live! makes its way to Kansas City. However, no matter how many muscles are eventually exposed, it’s also the buildup to the bodies on display that matters in this attraction, which will feature blistering original music, teasing choreography and comedy skits intended to hit just the right spot. Happy Easter. Well, you’ve got to be forgiven for something!
Sunday, 8 p.m.; Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland, 1228 Main St., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $33-$53.
2. ZOSO: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
As 1970s rockers Led Zeppelin shared in their sexy ditty, “Black Dog”: “Hey-hey, mama, said the way you move/Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove/Oh-oh, child, the way you shake that thing/Gonna make you burn, gonna make you sting.” Too much? More like not enough. The Stairway to Adulation will be climbed all the way to the top when veteran Zeppelin tribute band Zoso rocks and rolls the night and your inhibitions away.
Friday, 8 p.m.; Voodoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino, 1 Riverboat Drive, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $14, $28.
3. Lewis Black: ‘Rant, White & Blue Tour’
If saying what’s on your mind can be sexy, then stand-up comedian Lewis Black might be the sexiest man alive. Black doesn’t merely express himself, he rants and raves with both hilarious and intellectually stimulating results. His tirades about the stupid stuff that bugs him – yes, it’s a long list – can be about almost anything, but are usually unified by the dependable disappointment of human folly. As his fans know, once Black gets going, it’s hard for him to stop. So have a laugh. Or a wince. Hey, whatever turns you on.
Friday, 8 p.m.; Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland, 1228 Main St., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: $39.50, $59.50.
This French sex farce about a duplicitous romancer of three airline stewardesses who don’t know about one another was adapted from the stage into a 1965 movie comedy starring Jerry Lewis and Tony Curtis. More than 50 years later, it’s still perfect fodder for guffaw-hungry audiences at the New Theatre Restaurant, where celebrity guest-star Debra Jo Rupp (funny mom Kitty Forman on “That ’70s Show”) plays the affronting bachelor’s smart-aleck housekeeper, whose duties include switching out framed photos of her swinging employer’s lady friends each time one pays a visit. That’s just wrong!
Thursday through Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 12:15 and 6:30 p.m.; New Theatre Restaurant, 9229 Foster St., Overland Park, Kan.; tickets: $42-$59.
5. Kansas City Symphony: ‘Bond and Beyond: 50 Years of 007’
The man, the myth, the music. They all add up to the sexy aura of definitive movie spy James Bond by way of more than half a century of Bond film scores and title tunes as performed by the Kansas City Symphony, including such classics as “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds are Forever.” Vocalist Debbie Gravitte will be sitting in for the late Shirley Basse and other famed Bond soundtrack singers. Whether the Bonding experience leaves you shaken or stirred, try to stay focused if only to keep one step ahead of Blofeld.
Thursday, 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Helzberg Hall at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, 1601 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: start at $40.
6. John Mayer
The sexy singer/songwriter/guitarist who hit pop pay dirt with “Your Body Is a Wonderland” and other romantic hits is currently on his “The Search for Everything” concert tour. Meanwhile, more than a few folks may be searching for a decent ticket to Mayer’s virtually sold-out show in KC. Those still in need might be able to nab a face-value ticket behind the stage. Or maybe just pop for a better seat on the secondary market. If you can afford to pay extra, that’s always sexy.
Friday, 7:30 p.m., Sprint Center, 1407 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.; tickets: start at $70.
Brian McTavish is a regular arts and culture contributor for KCUR 89.3. You can reach him at brianmctavish@gmail.com.