From the editor's desk: Mr. Fish, Soft Serve Assault, 2007
Nothing is more awkward than a child getting an ice-cream cone full of mint chocolate chip shoved in his eye. The person attached to the "hate" tatted hand wielding the cone of punishment is unknown, but it's my guess that he (or a hairy she) hates obese children who have missing teeth and cry. Mr. Fish, the self-labeled "colorcore" band, recently released its second album, Like Insects. The album is available at Love Garden in Lawrence, Kansas.
As you can imagine, Wayward receives a ton of albums. Talented writers review many of these albums but rarely mention an album's cover art. Well, those days of silence are now behind us.
I recently raided the music editor's desk at The Pitch in search of awkward album covers. Within five minutes, I found a dozen. To add to the art-mocking fun, I decided to go through my dad's old record collection, too. I've only been through one row and have already found a few painfully weird gems.
Hmm. We noticed that concrete seems to be replacing the infamous wood chips at Crossroads KC behind Grinders at 18th and Oak. Could the Crossroads' outdoor venue be undergoing a bit of a face-lift?
Spotlight is on you, Kansas City: What do you think is the worst concert announcement of the year so far?
Of course, we have to be honest: The recent press release that we received about a double bill between Maroon 5 and Train on September 4 at Starlight was the inspiration for this post. (Gavin DeGraw and Matt Nathanson are opening.)
But don't let us influence your opinion. Tell us in the comments: What's the show that you wouldn't be caught dead at this summer?
It's been a handful of years since The Golden Republic -- one of the biggest indie super-bands to come out of the area since the late 1990s -- split up and went their separate ways. Lead singer Ben Grimes keeps the local scene fresh with his new band Soft Reeds, drummer Ryan Shank slays the skins in both Roman Numerals and Be/Non, and guitarist Kenn Jankowski is best-known these days for his newest indie incarnation, the Republic Tigers.
Justin Vernon, the mastermind behind indie-folk soundscape artists Bon Iver, has been known for his bizarre style. While his music is ghostly and beautifully haunting, his descriptive, suggestive lyrics are supported by richly layered harmonies that often need entire rooms of people singing them to achieve the desired quality of sound. Bon Iver's live performances often utilize the audiences themselves, passing out lyric sheets to the crowd, encouraging people to sing along in order to create a collective vocal symphony.
UPDATE, March 17, 2011, 11:17 a.m.: Tickets are now on sale for the Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks date at the Sprint Center. They range from $49.50 to $126, and you can get them here. Tickets for Bob Seger go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.
Damn, son. The Sprint Center is going old-school in this emerging concert season: We have Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart coming together on April 12, and Jimmy Buffett hits up his sold-out show at the arena on April 30. Then, on May 5, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band are in KC, too. That's a lot of '70s fever for a month and a half, don't you think?
What baby-boomer act do you want to see at the Sprint Center this summer?
In a partnership with LifeStyle, Ke$ha is blasting thousands of condoms from her glitter cannon (no, that's not a euphemism) onstage during her shows for her "Get $leazy" tour -- and they all have her face on them. (Check our list of musicians we wouldn't want gracing our condom wrappers here.)
So, what should other musicians start blasting their fans with?
Some of the best dumb games are riddled with hyphens: would-you-rather, never-have-I-ever and F-M-K (that's fuck-marry-kill, for the uninitiated).
Inspired by Kid Rock's date at the Sprint Center this Friday, we've concocted a would-you-rather poll about the trashy musicians. Click through and choose which musician you'd rather spend the night with, having hot, sweaty sexual relations. After all, trashy can be fun, right?
Some of the best dumb games are riddled with hyphens: would-you-rather, never-have-I-ever and F-M-K (that's fuck-marry-kill, for the uninitiated). Making fun of people is always a good way to stave off boredom, so we've concocted a would-you-rather poll about the ugly musicians in this world. Click through, view the musicians we've chosen, try to hide your horror, and choose which musician you'd rather spend the night with having hot, sweaty sexual relations.
We dare you.
Wayne Coyne, of the Liberty Hall-bound Flaming Lips, just wants your full attention
Dancefestopia, a hip-hop and pop-oriented festival, arrives this weekend
Summer 2012 music concerts
Music Forecast May 31-June 6: DJ Ozgood, Blitzen Trapper, New Edition, Disney classics and more
The Rumblejetts' Jud Kite on drums, art and the band's latest, Motor Honey
Q&A: Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper
Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart on art, human angst and naps
Joe Pug on touring, giving music away, and becoming an adult