Fine Ideas, Pitch

Garment House has dropped its open-bar price

David Hudnall — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:10:00 -0500

Last month, I wrote up Garment House, a new-ish private club downtown. (It's not really that private; apply here.)…

CES Cru officially sign to Tech N9ne's Strange Music

David Hudnall — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:12:00 -0600

It has seemed like a foregone conclusion for almost a year, but it's now official: Local rap duo CES Cru are now a part of the Strange Music family. Could be big for Ubiquitous and Godemis — the Strange clan is fiercely loyal to, and supportive of, its artists.…

Eleven Productions is throwing a giant Lawrence party in November

David Hudnall — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:29:00 -0500

Pretty much every band in Lawrence is slated to play a festival being put on by Eleven Productions in November. 11/11/11 is the name, and also the date, of the show, which will be held at all the main Lawrence venues: Granada, Jackpot, Replay, Taproom, Bottleneck.…

The Concert for Global Peace, featuring Muza, the UMKC Conservatory, and Trio Aztlan

David Hudnall — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:29:17 -0500

It was a year ago this month that the Chilean mine collapsed, trapping 33 miners half a mile underground for more than two months. A primary contributor to their rescue was Layne Christensen Company, a locally based drilling company.…

Meat Puppets discount with Elvis Costello ticket stub

David Hudnall — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:49:12 -0500

Thursday's an embarrassment of riches here in town. Elvis Costello and the Imposters are playing Crossroads KC at Grinders, and later in the evening the Meat Puppets are at RecordBar. (Read about both on our Forecast page.)…

Hermon Mehari and friends celebrate 85 years of the 'Prince of Darkness'

Jenny Kratz — Tue, 24 May 2011 10:47:04 -0500

. you can find him at Crosstown Station this Thursday.

Miles Davis -- also referred to by those in the jazz know as the "Prince of Darkness" -- would have turned 85 years old this Thursday.…

2nd annual Rock the Crossroads combines live music with exercise

Jenny Kratz — Mon, 23 May 2011 10:54:03 -0500

If you're one of those athletic types, it's the season for you to be hitting the pavement and grinding out some 5K and marathon successes. And if you're one of those types who also likes live music, then the second annual Rock the Crossroads 5K run is especially for you.…

Mix live music and art with the Nerman Museum's Light Up the Lawn series

Jenny Kratz — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:29:58 -0500

The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art -- one of the better assets of the Johnson County Community College campus -- is kicking off its 2011 spring and summer concert series, giving you the chance to experience some setting sun, modern art, and local music all at the same time, for free. The Light Up the Lawn concert series begins this Friday with Cowboy Indian Bear and Sam Billen, and if those local weathercasters whom I, um, trust, are correct, it should be perfect weather for indie rock and art.

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Hermon Mehari is putting together a tribute to Miles Davis at Crosstown Station

Elke Mermis — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:00:17 -0500

Well, this sounds rad: On Miles Davis' birthday, May 26, Diverse's Hermon Mehari -- who's been an integral part of lots of awesome jazz and hip-hop tributes in this city in the last year, including the 18th and Vine tribute to A Tribe Called Quest -- is putting together a jazz show devoted to the legend.

Here's what the preview from Crosstown Station says:

Kansas City's best horn player, Hermon Mehari, is uniting the best of Kansas City's finest jazz musicians to pay tribute to the great Miles Davis on his Birthday.…
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Dust off your unused musical instruments for the kids (and the troops!)

Jenny Kratz — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:58:33 -0500

Do you have your old trumpet or clarinet from high-school band still sitting in the back of your closet? Did you once have fantasies of becoming the next guitar prodigy, only to discover that you couldn't read a tab to save your life?…

Kick off the Kauffman Center's grand opening season with a jazz throwback

Jenny Kratz — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 06:00:49 -0500

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City's newest and most-anticipated live-music venue and skyline addition, still has several months to go before the two-day grand opening on September 16 and 17. But the Kauffman Center Encore group isn't letting that stop the new center from getting in on some summertime celebrations, and thus is kicking off a grand-opening season this Saturday by sponsoring Throwback 2011.

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Help Hidden Pictures score some press from across the pond

Elke Mermis — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 07:34:07 -0500

Have you heard Hidden Pictures' new album? It's called Synchronized Sleeping, and it's the perfect soundtrack to these balmy, lengthening springtime afternoons.…

Five acts to catch at Middle of the Map Fest tonight and tomorrow, including Small Black, Candy Claws, Daniel Johnston and more

Elke Mermis — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:45:38 -0500

We're on a roll around here when it comes to national festivals. Scion Garage Fest descended on Lawrence last summer with armloads of lo-fi pioneers.…

It's festival season: here are your headliners for 80/35, Wakarusa, Norman Music Festival, LouFest and Winfield

Elke Mermis — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:02:27 -0500

Wakarusa, 80/35, Winfield, LouFest and Norman Music Festival are all festivals that are within reach, if you're willing to fork over a little cash for gas and a day behind the wheel. (For example: If you're not so keen on KQRC 98.9's Rockfest on May 14, you can also hit up Rocklahoma May 27-29, where headliners include Staind, Motley Crue, Poison, Papa Roach, Whitesnake, Hinder, Seether, and more.)

We have your headliner lineups for Wakarusa, Winfield, Norman Music Festival, LouFest and 80/35 right here.…

Songstress Katie Gilchrist revives her weekly cover-song chill session tonight

Jenny Kratz — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:55:18 -0500

It's not a new concept to the theater crowd of Kansas City: last year Katie Gilchrist hosted a weekly unwind session every Thursday at One80 that included friends getting together, jamming through some cover songs, catching up on the week, and throwing back some cocktails. However, when her partner at the time, MFA student Nick Gehlfuss, moved to New York and One80 changed its concept to Beer Kitchen, the weekly chill session fizzled out.…

Bid to win your own private performance from some of Kansas City's finest

Jenny Kratz — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:51:56 -0500

KKFI 90.1, Kansas City's community radio, does a lot for our local music scene. And starting on Thursday, they're kicking off a massive, on-air local band auction to raise money for the station, giving you a chance to win a private two-hour set from more than 100 local groups.…

Win tickets to every show at Crossroads KC at Grinder's this summer by giving money to Japan

Elke Mermis — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:07:37 -0500

ScionLAB is hosting a benefit for the disaster victims in Japan. Part of the benefit is a raffle -- tickets are $5 -- to win two tickets to every show at Crossroads KC this summer.…

Quixotic collaborates with the Kansas City Symphony

Elke Mermis — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:30:06 -0500

You might have caught the aerial dance troupe Quixotic opening for DeVotchKa at the Midland on Saturday night.

Now, the troupe is pairing up with the Kansas City Symphony to fuse classical music with modern dance, aerial acrobatics and contemporary design in an event called Symphonic Quixotic.…

All aboard! Mumford and Sons and more team up for the Railroad Revival Tour

Jenny Kratz — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:45:28 -0600

Beginning at the end of next month, indie darlings (and Grammy nominees) Mumford & Sons will join forces with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and the Old Crow Medicine Show for a short tour -- on vintage rail cars. Their venues?…

The Decemberists want you to be their video producer

Jenny Kratz — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:35:31 -0600

Indie-Americana poster kids the Decemberists recently released images from a Polaroid photo shoot they did with rock photographer Autumn de Wilde. Fans of the band, and de Wilde, have been able to snag original photos from the shoot with the purchase of special-edition copies of their latest album, The King is Dead.…

'Louder Than Bombs' brings Smiths fans out of their bedrooms and into the dance party

Jenny Kratz — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:16:58 -0600

Louder Than Bombs, the 1987 compilation album released by the Smiths, has taken on a new meaning in Kansas City. Craig Klein and Brian Klein (no relation, just coincidental) have moved their Brit-rock and shoegaze dance party from a Mexican restaurant in the burbs to Westport, where it will become a regular monthly love affair for the whiskey-and-PBR-swigging hipsters to get down and get it on.…

Does your band have the power to make people run, in flocks, away from you? Enter to play the Hospital Hill Run!

Elke Mermis — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:57:57 -0600

Do listeners usually flee from your band? If so, the Hospital Hill Run is looking for you!

At 7 a.m. on June 4, 2011, thousands of runners will hit the streets of Kansas City for the 38th annual Hospital Hill Run!…
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Local writer talks to Rush, Gillian Welch, Alice Cooper, Rufus Wainwright and more about their worst gigs

Elke Mermis — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:54:48 -0600

Any music writer worth his or her chops knows that questions about tour malfunctions can offer some pretty vivid, disgusting and raunchy stories. The best question, though, is simple: What's your worst gig?…

God Come Black: Bob Marley tributes and other reggae shows this week [updated]

Berry Anderson — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:00:43 -0600

UPDATE, Wednesday, February 2, at 2:59 p.m.: Anthony B's show at Crosstown Station has been canceled and replaced with a date at The Granada in Lawrence. The new show time is tomorrow, February 3.…

Catch the Clapton from Ernie Ball

Jenny Kratz — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:28:15 -0600

Local guitar players: Need new guitar strings? Then we suggest you head to your nearest Guitar Center and pick up a pack of Ernie Ball electric or acoustic strings, and nab yourself a chance to fly to London and hang with Eric Clapton.…