The Esoteric

Hot off a homewrecking house fire and the release of their first full-length studio album “With the Sureness of Sleepwalking,” Lawrence’s The Esoteric return home for a between-tour gig. Gawk as they unload months of pent-up anger; gasp as they shred the bejeezus out of credit-bought gear; rejoice as they celebrate life and the pleasures of ear-scorching metalcore. And don’t forget to buy a T-shirt so they can buy some toilet paper. The Esoteric joins Atlas at 10 p.m. Saturday at The Jackpot Saloon, 943 Mass.

Peter Cincotti

Hollywood has already discovered Peter Cincotti. The musician recently landed a feature role in the Bobby Darin biopic “Beyond the Sea,” after filmmaker/star Kevin Spacey asked him to play the part of his best friend and musical director. In music circles, the 21-year old pianist-singer-songwriter has created quite a reputation for what The New York Times calls a “proud pop-jazz throwback.” Cincotti performs 7 p.m. Sunday at Starlight Theatre, 4600 Starlight Road., Kansas City, Mo.

Abateria

Regularly captivating ever-growing dance crowds at The Music Cafe in Columbia, Mo., Abateria is a Latin jazz powerhouse armed with infectiously spicy beats and equipped with a battery of percussive artillery guaranteed to annihilate one’s inhibitions for dancing. Fusing influences from all over Latin America, the six-piece act handles a variety of styles including salsa, merengue, cumbia, cha-cha, samba and more. The group performs at 10 p.m. Saturday at The Jazzhaus, 926 1/2 Mass.

‘Past in Reverse’

It’s possible to make innovative, new artwork while still giving a nod to the traditionalists that came before you. That’s the premise of “Past in Reverse,” an exhibition opening today at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. The show features more than 20 Asian artists who combine ancient techniques and expressions with new technologies. In “Game Series: Plant Contest,” left, photographer Cao Fei adds a modern advertising sensibility to her image of women re-enacting the ancient Chinese pastime of composing poems in homage to flowers they have picked. An opening reception will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. today at the museum, 4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, Mo. The show remains on view through Aug. 28.

‘Extreme’ Art show

For a recent show filmed in Kansas City, Kan., ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” tapped the Kansas City Artists Coalition for original artwork for the new home they built. A still life of a row of old trucks by Lawrence photographer David Bartholomew was among the works chosen. He and other artists featured in the home are the focus of the “Extreme” Art Show, which opens with a reception from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at the Monarch Gallery, 3829 Main, Kansas City, Mo.

Cornerbank Exhibit

The next exhibition at CornerBank offers a study in contrasts. Herbert Friedson uses hard enamels to create “lively color relationships, richly textured areas, embellished surfaces and exotic subject matter.” Conversely, the Kansas Art Quilters have used the soft medium of fabric to interpret the theme “Calico Forest.” Friedson has a degree from Kansas University, where he taught basic design, jewelry and enameling. The Kansas Art Quilters has more than 60 members from seven states; eight Douglas County members are featured in this show. A reception will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the bank, 4621 W. Sixth St.