CONCERT: Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker Coming to Iowa

As of this morning, Machine Gun Kelly announced his "Mainstream Sellout Tour" will be coming to Des Moines on Tuesday, August 9 of this year, according to KCCI. He'll be accompanied by Travis Barker, drummer for the famed band Blink 182, and WILLOW, where they will perform in Wells Fargo Arena.

The most recent time I could find that MGK visited the Hawkeye State was in the fall of 2021 when he stopped in Council Bluffs for his “Tickets To My Downfall” tour. He performed at the Westfiar Amphitheater in Council Bluffs on Friday, September 30th with special guests Jxdn and Kennyhoopla.

Though Barker and Machine Gun Kell are a bit of a strange pairing on its face, the two have become close and their touring together is not a surprise.

Apparently, they met by happenstance and built a deep friendship. MGK said they first encountered one another outside a tattoo shop in Los Angeles at 2 AM. This is what he told triple j:

I was on the other side of Sunset (Boulevard) and he either yelled out, or I yelled out 'Travis!'...we got in [the studio] and just didn't stop recording for a month and a half straight.

According to ShowBiz CheatSheet, "Over the last decade, MGK and Barker have evolved to be the best of friends. As a matter of fact, their bond is so strong that fans are now wondering whether the duo is permanently working together. Machine Gun Kelly explained that Travis Barker created a 'family support system' for him. They both share the same interests and love living life."

Their tour is also being done internationally. Tomorrow, the trio will perform in Asuncion, Paraguay. Then, they'll head to Brazil, and following that, Colombia, before they return to the states.

Tickets for the show in Des Moines go on sale Friday, March 25 at 10 AM.