eTown Presents Calvin Arsenia

Date and Time

• Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026  7pm - 9:30pm

Location

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Details

Musician, author and podcaster Calvin Arsenia has built a reputation for turning the arts world on its head. Voted Kansas City’s Best Musician seven years in a row (PitchKC), and featured on Billboard.com, NPR.org, NEWNOWNEXT, Pride.com and Grammy.com.

Calvin’s angelic stylings on voice and harp create rare harmonies and arrangements that look past the boundaries of his traditional gospel and classical upbringing. Known for his elaborate and ceremonious sensory concert experiences that merge jazz and electronic influences, “Calvin has consistently deliver(ed) genre-bending (and gender-bending) shows that tackle sexuality, religion, and race in a stunningly unorthodox manner - somewhere between sacred and sacrilege." A healthy serving of indie rock, neo-soul, R&B and a splash of art pop, this multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter is a shimmering force to be reckoned with.

Calvin has built a reputation for turning the arts world on its head. While the harp has allowed this Kansas City native to become a man of the world (gaining followings in Paris, Edinburgh and at the Outlyre Harpist Festival in Austria), it’s his unique ability to craft a stimulating setting at his live shows that has all eyes fixed on this conspicuous musician and his breathtaking approach to harp music.

Jason Scott of Pop Dust Magazine writes that "Arsenia slips between the cracks of reality into an Alice in Wonderland kind of fantasy, while also drawing from his classical training.” In Atwood Magazine, his music is described as “glowing with warmth, vulnerability, and a heavy heart,” with “intimate reflections” that “depict the past and present wrestling within the individual as he endeavours to chart his own course in the world.”

Writing for INKC Magazine, Tim Finn highlights Calvin’s presence onstage, calling him “a charismatic 6-foot-7-inch harpist with natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.”

The music is just one part of his prodigious performances, for Calvin believes the art is in crafting the perfect moment. His music is best served live, with sensational performances and high fashion from the visually striking performer who stands at 6’6”.

Alongside his best friend and co-host, New York-based comedian Justin Randall, Arsenia explores the ups and downs of being a queer person raised in the Evangelical Church in the 2020-2021 podcast We Were Christian Kids.

In 2021, he released a book of poems and stories called Every Good Boy Does Fine; Both a journey of individual healing and a call for action, these poems show that, with a little love and acceptance, anyone can flourish.