Did Santa bring you exactly what you wanted today? If not, light up a spliff and console yourself with this warm rendition of "Deck the Halls," performed by locals the Republic Tigers.
The Republic Tigers, "Deck the Halls" MP3
By ERIC BARTON
Terry Lee Franz probably hasn't had what you'd call a good year. The 52-year-old from Overland Park told police back in may that he was stabbed by his wife during an argument. That's not what you might expect from Mrs. Claus.
Franz is known as the Santa of cars, a guy who gives away free rides to the needy. He got his first bit of national fame from this CBS News report.
Despite his seemingly rough year, Franz and his organization, Cars 4 Christmas, are still giving away cars to those who need them.
Merry Christmas from all of us here to all of you there.
Please enjoy this classic, and don't get drunk and hit anyone like last year.
Resident Pitch cartoon-maker Josh Ziegler submitted his list today, with the following additional comments.
My list of music of 2007. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's popular acts. So sue me. I thought the local music this year was pretty bland. I'm still cool, right?
And I counted two for Radiohead because their B-sides that came with the deluxe discbox was separate.
Wilco, Sky Blue Sky
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
Radiohead, In Rainbows & In Rainbows B-Sides
Band of Horses, Cease to Begin
Bright Eyes, Cassadaga
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
The Shins, Wincing the Night Away
Feist, The Reminder
Lily Allen, Alright, Still
Our Best Online Radio Personality, Chronic the Hedgehog of Pop Free Radio, thinks you should know about the following.
Top 14 Songs from Local Artists That Played On Popfreeradio.com in 2007
(even if the songs are older)
14. Change Me - Kill.Pop
13. Convict's Lullabye - Select Five
12. Liking You - Pedaljets
11. 10,000 Black Eyes - National Fire Theory
10. I Wish I Believed - Rockesh
9. Be Still, Be Cool - Abracadabras
8. One In A Million - The Belated
7. The Scramble - Shudder
6. Examples Of The Cataclysmic - Walter Alias
5. The Badge - The Architects
4. Corporate's Ladder - Tripp Algiers
3. Back Burner - Caesura 2012
2. Road To Omaha - Distance To Empty
1. Made Concrete - The Republic Tigers
Top 10 Local Bands to See Live, as Voted by Popfreeradio.com Staff
10. Caesura 2012
9. Blackpool Lights
8. New Amsterdams
7. The Architects
6. Reggie And The Full Effect
5. Action Figure
4. Last Of the V8s
3. National Fire Theory
2. Shudder
1. Select Five
Top 10 National Releases with Songs That Aired On Popfreeradio.com in 2007:
10. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
9. Silver Sun Pickups - Pikul
8. Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead
7. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
5. !!! - Myth Takes
4. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - Living With The Living
3. Pinback - Autumn Of The Seraphs
2. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006)
1. Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8
By CHRIS PACKHAM
FRIDAY: From 3 to 6 p.m. at the Replay (946 Massachusetts in Lawrence), play pinball for free. Whoops, you lost a ball. Don’t worry: You won’t have to plug in another quarter — because the pinball is free! Whoops – lost another one. You’re not good at this, are you?
SATURDAY: It’s Over, the ACBS and OK Jones play at the Brick (1727 McGee, 816-421-1634).
Jah Roots, 77 Jefferson and Co-Signers play at Californos (4124 Pennsylvania, 816-531-7878)
Outlaw Jake and the Chain Gang, Abracadabras, All Sorts, Attack on Uranus at Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club (3402 Main, 816-753-1909).
SUNDAY: Family Bowling Night at Ward Parkway Lanes (1523 West 89th Street). From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., bowl for $2.70 per person per game. Shoe rental not included. Enjoy wholesome fun with the whole family; if your daughter’s shoe goes over the line, mark it zero, next frame, or she’s in for a world of pain.
John Hulston, owner of Anodyne Records (home to the Architects, Roman Numerals, Meat Puppets et al), sent in his list, too. Find out below how to join in on the listmania fun.
The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar)
Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (French Kiss)
Sunburned Hand of the Man - Fire Escape (Smalltown Supersound)
Karen Dalton - Cotton Eyed Joe (Delmore Recordings)
The Sterns - Sinners Stick Together (Omnirox)
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover (Jagjaguwar)
Various Artists - First Blood (OxBlood)
Drakes Hotel - Tell Me Everything (Reverb)
And of course..
Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees (Anodyne)
The Hearers - Flowers and Flames EP (Anodyne)
GOT A LIST, HOMIE?
Send your list of favorites, least favorites, etc. of 2007 to Jason.Harper@pitch.com, Re: Peep My List. We'll be publishing lists from just about anyone -- at editor's discretion -- through the first week of January. Please include a photo of either yourself or something that illustrates your list in some way. Best of 2007 albums lists should contain at least 10 items in order to be considered for publication.
By CHRIS PACKHAM
The hitherto unrecognized obsessive compulsive streak in the Jungian collective unconscious is apparent in the tendency of internet folk to compile lists. The whole unfunny fucking output of Cracked.com consists of nothing but Digg-bait lists of things they saw on TV. Note to Cracked.com editors: Making jokes about your own site’s tendency to compose every article in the form of a list does not excuse you from doing it. Believe me – if I went around all goddamn day making jokes about my compulsive peeping behavior, the state wouldn’t all-of-a-sudden start letting me live near parks or schools.
Therefore, this won’t be a list of the year’s best songs -- not just because I hate lists, but also because I can only think of one song that I’ve listened to over and over again that actually came out in 2007. And you won’t hear it on the radio, unless your radio magically picks up the transmissions of soundly defeated video game boss monsters.
By MEGAN METZGER
13 Records I Like That Came Out in 2K7:
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights
Various Artists: A Date with John Waters
ESG: A South Bronx Story, Vol. II
Jay Reatard: Blood Visions
The Capstan Shafts: Environ Maiden
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Wire: Read and Burn EP
Field Music: Tones of Town
Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends
MIA: Kala
Shout Out Louds: Our Ill Wills
Low: Drums and Guns
Republic Tigers: The Republic Tigers EP
Nine Concerts I Attended in 2K7 in the Kansas City Area That Didn't Suck Ass:
Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem at Starlight
Meatpuppets & the Hearers at the Record Bar
Battles at the Record Bar
Radio Birdman at the Record Bar
TV on the Radio at the VooDoo Lounge
Flaming Lips at the Uptown
Morrissey at the Uptown
Erasure at the Uptown
Four Trends I Hope Not to See Continue in 2008:
By PETER RUGG
This sign on the Boulevard says it all.
Ralph Roades was pushing his restaurant/hotel at Lake of the Ozarks when he figured it out.
“I just wanted to get some business in,” says the 56-year-old publisher of Wide Open magazine.
So began Roades’ signature brand of promotion. He’ll carry it on in Kansas City for the first time this January when he raffles off a free breast augmentation surgery at a bike show running January 12-13 at the 3-Trails Expo Center. It’s the third year of the bike show, but the first time you can win your old lady a new pair of breasts.
“I needed to add something special. I was just going to give away a $5,000 check because I couldn’t find a plastic surgeon out there to do it,” Roades says. “Then I ran into Carol and Michelle from Fantastic Plastic Surgery out in St. Louis, and they said they’d set up a draped-off booth at the show. You can get a consultation right there if you want.
“It’s something for the ladies, you know? You give away the bike that’s a lot of maintenance. They don’t have to change the oil on these or grease them or nothing. This is a maintenance-free prize.”
Roades describes the promotion as an almost historic moment. “You know, in the old days it all used to be beer and titties. No one has ever given away breasts at a bike show before. We’ll see how all the others copy it now.”
If the breasts aren’t enough to get you in the door, the event will also feature motorcycle awards, live music, the Wide Open Calendar Girls and Playboy model Debbi Davids.
Roades will give another free pair away at a February show in St. Louis. He plans to notify the winners by calling their phone number immediately after the drawing and broadcasting the conversation over the PA system. Roades also plans to use before-and-after pics in an upcoming issue of the magazine. The headline is already set: Breast two shows in the Midwest.
“If you got 12,000 people at a show, and 3,000 of them are women that register, that’s good odds. You can’t get them odds at a boat.”
You can buy tickets to the show on the magazine's site or, appropriately, at Hooters.
Kansas City is not a top-five beer city
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Big Rip Brewing Co. expands the Northland's beer universe
Rob Zombie is coming to Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
The Gaf has closed in Waldo
Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper are headed to Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
Why you shouldn't eat the snow cones at Minute Maid Park
KC Pride Festival 2013? Yes, it's still on