Instead, Wednesday-night slots were often filled by local comedians and a few singer-songwriters, usually playing on beat-up, out-of-tune acoustic guitars. For a short period of time, at least, Billy Beale was one of the regular performers, new to me (but not to the small entourage that seemed to follow him in each week). I was more impressed by Billy's high tolerance for Crown Royal than his guitar skills. Most of the time, he ordered his bourbon and followed it up with a "Please, just for me, honey?" or an "I love the ladies and I love the Crown!" He stood out in a sea of wannabes, a weathered old man with a seemingly checkered past and a propensity for binge drinking.
By M.T. Richards
The Joy Formidable first achieved popularity in 2008, when their quixotic debut single "Austere" became a hit in the United Kingdom. The Welsh rockers have since signed to Atlantic Records, but the Joy Formidable vocalist Ritzy Bryan notes little difference between fans on her native soil and those across the pond.
"We've got a very loyal fanbase," Bryan says. "Both sets [of fans] share a passion for music and are quite exuberant."
The enthusiasm is understandable. With discordant riffs and mesmeric, thunderous vocals to spare, the Joy Formidable are a face-melting rock band in the vein of Sonic Youth. The band's songs have a woozy, punishing sense of grandeur that is equally suited for a live atmosphere or the studio.
Maps for Travelers is making inroads in Kansas City's music scene. (You can read about the band's progress in this week's issue of The Pitch.) We've got a little behind-the-scenes talk from the band about the history that lies behind Maps for Travelers' riffs -- and what the band hopes lies ahead.
Soundgarden's sludgy sound, last night at the Midland (review)
Kansas City is not a top-five beer city
WWE's Monday Night Raw returns to Kansas City October 14
Homer's Drive-In: the oldest drive-through in the metro
Don't mess with the Army, feds remind two local businesspeople
KCPD will breathalyze patrons at Tanner's tonight
Potbelly Sandwich Shop opens June 4 on the Plaza
Voltaire - the saloon, not the philosopher - opens tonight