Pitch

The Fast and the Fractured

A teenage motocross phenom follows his dad into victory lane — and the hospital.

• by Ben Paynter
• Tags: Feature, Editorial Feature, Brad Arnold, Kansas City, Harold Martin, Mike Olson

Opus Sam

The KC Strip is the sirloin of Kansas City media, a critical cut of surmisin' steak that each week weighs in on the issues of the day, dictating its column to Pitch writers.

• by David Martin
• Tags: Kansas City Strip, Columns, Sam Brownback, The Fellowship, Opus Dei, Jeff Sharlet

Not Exactly Skinhead Spam

• Tags: Backwash, Columns, Greg Montgomery, North Kansas City, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, Rod Jetton

Net Prophet

Standing Pat

• Tags: Backwash, Columns, David Glass, Allard Baird, AL Central Division, American League (Baseball)

This Week We Love...

Bob Thill

• Tags: Backwash, Columns, Bob Thill, Ron Burgundy, Kansas City, Susie Brown

Jill of All Trades

That woman onstage everywhere you go? KC, meet Kirsten Paludan.

• by Andrew Miller
• Tags: Interview, Feature, Kirsten Paludan, Sheryl Crow, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Kokomo

Back in the Groove

Two new record stores and a reopened Music Exchange are resurrecting the local LP culture.

• by Jason Harper
• Tags: Wayward Son, Column, Kansas City, Ron Rooks, Dave Schenk, Shawnee

Like a Hurricane

Truckstop Honeymoon was born of an unromantic getaway.

• by Jesse Nathan
• Tags: Bonus Tracks, Columns, Katie Euliss, Mike West, New Orleans, Lawrence (Kansas)

Redneck Rules

Gretchen Wilson shares her man-ropin' secrets.

• by Cole Haddon
• Tags: Bonus Tracks, Columns, Gretchen Wilson, Budweiser, Silverado, Skoal Chewing Tobacco

Download

• by Andy Vihstadt
• Tags: Bonus Tracks, Columns, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Wu-Tang Clan, Wutangcorp.com

Smoking Popes

Thursday, May 18, at the Bottleneck.

• by Aaron Ladage
• Tags: Critic's Choice, Preview, Smoking Popes, Josh Caterer, Chicago, Tom Jones

Lowry

Sunday, May 21, at the Hurricane.

• by Chris Glenn
• Tags: Critic's Choice, Preview, Alex Lowry, Brooklyn, Awful Joy, Kansas City

Starlight Mints

Saturday, May 20, at the Record Bar.

• by April Fleming
• Tags: Critic's Choice, Preview, Starlight Mints, The Flaming Lips

Youngblood Brass Band

Saturday, May 20, at The Granada.

• by Chris Glenn
• Tags: Critic's Choice, Preview, Youngblood Brass Band, Madison (Wisconsin), Fishbone

Vena Amori

Friday, May 19, at the Jackpot Saloon. Saturday, May 20, at El Torreon.

• by Andrew Miller
• Tags: Critics' Choices, Preview, Kansas, Dalton Murders, Kansas City, Marilyn Dalton

Emma Feel

Saturday, May 20, at Davey's Uptown.

• by Chris Glenn
• Tags: Critic's Choice, Preview, Emma Feel, Curtis Mayfield, David Yow, Iggy Pop

Mates of State

Bring It Back (Barsuk)

• by Aaron Ladage
• Tags: CD Reviews, Review, Mates of State, Jason Hammel, Kori Gardner, The New Pornographers

Placebo

Meds (Astralwerks)

• by Brooke Foster
• Tags: CD Reviews, Review, Brian Molko, Michael Stipe, Alison Mosshart, R.E.M.

The Stills

Without Feathers (Vice)

• by Jonah Bayer
• Tags: CD Reviews, Review, Interpol (Band), The Stills (Band), Dave Hamelin, Montreal

Blackpool Lights

This Town's Disaster (Curb Appeal Records)

• by Aaron Ladage
• Tags: CD Reviews, Review, Jim Suptic, Blackpool, Billy Brimblecom, Ewing

Insert Anal Bead Joke

It's JoCo, where everybody has a story of sex toys, flashing and one-night stands. It's JoCo, where everybody has a story of sex toys, flashing and one-night stands.

• by Jen Chen
• Tags: Night Ranger, Columns, Air Supply (Musical Group), Overland Park, Einstein and Noah Corp., Antioch

Fun House Food

Dave & Buster's leaves us midway satisfied.

• by Charles Ferruzza
• Tags: Restaurant Reviews, Dining Review, Dave & Buster's Inc., Lou Jane, Santa Claus, Wheel of Fortune (Game Show), Dave & Buster's

A New Hombre in Town

The new River Market location makes more than dos Dos Hombres.

• by Charles Ferruzza
• Tags: Fat Mouth, Columns, R.J. Samuels, Annie Chambers, Kansas City, Wyandotte

Cracked Code

Da Vinci's leap to the screen leaves no room for surprise.

• by Luke Y. Thompson
• Tags: Film, Film Review, Paul Bettany, Robert Langdon, Akiva Goldsman, Audrey Tautou

Being Bettie

The Notorious Bettie Page never quite pins down the pinup.

• by Jim Ridley
• Tags: Film, Film Review, Bettie Page, Mary Harron, Gretchen Mol, Pleasantville

No Place Like Home

The Rep's Bountiful is full of memories we don't really have.

• by Alan Scherstuhl
• Tags: Stage, Stage, John McAdams, Cheryl Weaver, Eric Rosen, Chicago

Melt With Us

Our annual Summer Guide scoops up the season's best diversions.

• Tags: Summer Guide, Summer Guide, Kansas City, David Hudnall, Lawrence (New York), Elvis Parade

Everywhere a Sign

Robert Cottingham's lithographs say much more than they show.

• by Ray T. Barker
• Tags: Art, Columns, Robert Cottingham, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Burger King Corporation

I Am Hot

Summer's perfect for navel-gazing.

• by Anneli Rufus
• Tags: Summer Guide, Summer Guide, Norah Vincent, Dana Reinhardt, Hal Niedzviecki, Clare Allan

Art Capsule Reviews

Our critics recommend these shows.

• by Ray T. Barker, Annie Fischer, Alexandra E. Fox and Santiago Ramos
• Tags: Art Capsules, Culture Listings, Ryan Humphrey, Baltimore, Michael Sinclair, Darwin Arevalo

Get Inside

Your three-month forecast of the summer’s top movies.

• by Jordan Harper, Melissa Levine, Luke Y. Thompson and Robert Wilonsky
• Tags: Summer Guide, Summer Guide, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Stage Capsule Reviews

Reviews and previews of upcoming shows.

• by Alan Scherstuhl
• Tags: Stage Capsules, Listings, Kansas City, Neil Simon, Mitch Albom, Horton Foote

Summer of Ham

Don’t sweat the concerts, just dig these hits.

• by Jason Harper
• Tags: Summer Guide, Summer Guide, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, John Fogerty, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Festival Circuit

Need a weekend or two to kill? Look no further.

• by Jason Harper
• Tags: Summer Guide, Summer Guide, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Wakarusa Music Festival, Verizon Communications Inc., Warped Tour

This Time It's Serious

The week's new DVD releases.

• by Robert Wilonsky, Jordan Harper and Michael Atkinson
• Tags: DVDish, Reviews, Napoleon Dynamite, Robert Wilonsky, Michael Haneke, Michael Atkinson

The Brain Game

Can Nintendo really make you smarter?

• by Gary Hodges
• Tags: Game On, Reviews, Nintendo Co. Ltd., Ryuta Kawashima, Discovery Communications Inc., Japan

Our top DVD picks for the week of May 16.

• Tags: What Else Is New?, Reviews, Buena Vista Home Entertainment Inc., Sony Corporation, MTV Networks Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

¡Ask a Mexican!

• by Gustavo Arellano
• Tags: Ask a Mexican®, Columns, Tenochtitlan, Louis Armstrong, Swiss Army Brands Inc.

Auto Focus

Letters from the week of

• Tags: Letters, Letters, Kansas City, Clay Aiken, David Martin, Chicago