Thursday, December 19, 2013
Weekend Holiday Picks: Jokes, Gremlins, Baiowolf, Solstice Parties, and More
The holidays are almost upon us and we're taking our usual long winter's nap on the blog till after the New Year. See you on Twitter until then.
We've already showcased tonight's Muscle Worship homecoming show and Saturday night's "Very Shitty Christmas" event at Frank's, so let's see what else is happening.
Some folks are telling jokes at the Jazzhaus tonight. We're not really sure who they are, except for Gunnerson, but maybe you'll laugh. Probably you'll laugh more than you will at Anchorman 2, which is... not great.
Liberty Hall provides some holiday merriment with the Christmas classic Gremlins on Friday. This should be a treat.
The Gaslight hosts an interesting community event on Friday (though their poster needs an editor!).
Black on Black will sing some carols down at the Replay on Friday. And look: a BaioWolf sighting! And an image and line from Heathers on the poster! Sold.
And the Percolator celebrates the Solstice on Saturday with a potluck event and people reading stories about creatures from the Snipe Hunt show. Probably some hippies will prance around naked in the snow at some point, though that isn't listed on the FB event page.
See you in 2014.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
A Very Special Christmas Message From The Noise FM / Wednesday and Thursday Scenester Picks: Hidden Pictures and Muscle Worship
Readers, if you're like us, you checked the Bottleneck and/or Replay listings this week looking in vain for the annual "Noise for Toys" benefit show from The Noise FM. Sadly, you didn't find it. But don't panic: the show goes on this year in Kansas City at the Riot Room on Saturday. Visit the FB event page here.
Alex of The Noise FM sent along our annual "Very Special Christmas Message" to explain the details.
"To the kids of Douglas County: Christmas has been cancelled. Deal with it.
This is the first time in six years we will NOT be hosting our annual Noise For Toys Benefit Concert in Lawrence. Honestly, we had every intention of keeping the tradition alive, but Austin discovered “Dexter” on Netflix and Alex got a late start playing “The Last of Us,” and oops, next thing you know we realize we forgot to book a venue to host Noise For Toys. This is why we need a manager. And for someone to teach us how to use a goddamn calendar.
The
point is, you punk kids think YOU’RE sad you won’t be getting Christmas
gifts this year? Imagine how WE must feel – we normally get paid for
this show with unlimited pitchers of PBR and well whiskey, and we’ve
been known to keep some of the “damaged” or “inappropriate” toys for
ourselves. No doubt Noise For Toys is the highlight of our year.
But
fear not, kids -- we’ve found a new home for Noise For Toys at The Riot
Room in Kansas City. So if you feel like helping out your
less-fortunate peers over in Missouri (and aren’t they all
less-fortunate over in Missouri? Hey-o!), we’d love to see you on Saturday, December 21.
(A
note to you kids: unless you’re a 7 year old with an incredible fake
ID, don’t bother showing up as it’s an ages 21+ show. Sorry, kiddos.)
Joining us are Kansas City bands We Are Voices and Rooms Without Windows. The show starts at 9pm. It’s $8 at the door or only $4 with the donation of an unopened toy.
You
can expect lots of gaudy Christmas decorations, botched Christmas songs
from all of the bands, and most likely one of our friends from Cowboy
Indian Bear or Quiet Corral dressed as Santa Claus and drunk on
peppermint schnapps. Wear an ugly sweater because we’ll probably have an
ugly sweater contest at some point in the night if we remember to do
it."
*Here is a photo of our buddy Mike who hosts the Chicago Noise For Toys every year. We walked in on him in the bathroom taking a selfie.
[photo credit: Jim Vondruska / DoomsDayRobot]
Watch a funny one-minute promo for the event via Youtube here which includes a lot of sexy dancing.
*Here is a photo of our buddy Mike who hosts the Chicago Noise For Toys every year. We walked in on him in the bathroom taking a selfie.
[photo credit: Jim Vondruska / DoomsDayRobot]
Watch a funny one-minute promo for the event via Youtube here which includes a lot of sexy dancing.
---
In the meantime, what's happening in LFK tonight and tomorrow?
Our pals Hidden Pictures are living it up out west these days (why must all of our favorite bands head west?) but they're back in town for the holidays and playing at Replay tonight. Supposedly they open the night's festivities, with Mr. James Dean Rose and others playing after. The FB event page includes this festive photo:
And it's not Christmas in LFK till shit gets LOUD, so catch Muscle Worship at the Replay on Thursday along with American Cream (great name!) and This Is My Condition. We expect they'll all be playing some holiday favorites, cranked up to 11. And you surely haven't lived till you've heard Craig Comstock's version of "Silent Night." (spoiler alert: it ain't very fucking silent).
Muscle Worship is just back from tour, and you may have heard that they've joined up with The Temp Agency. You can find all kinds of sweet press on the band via The Temp Agency's site, including one that proclaims them (as we often have) "the city's loudest band."
Also, how in HELL did we not realize that Müscle Wörship uses not one but two umlauts. As fans of unusually punctuated bands, we can dig it!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Our Interview With The Monarchs: "We are artists. Losing money is part of the contract."
The Monarchs are from KC. They enjoy pretty butterflies. You may not have heard of them (yet). They're playing a free album release show at the Bottleneck on Saturday with Rev Gusto and The Invisible World, and they're allowing you to name-your-own-price for the new album. That's putting a lot of trust in you scenesters! Don't let them down. Visit the FB event page for more info.
Check out their official website here and enjoy this interview with The Monarchs' Nathaniel in which we discuss butterflies, the differences in the LFK and KC music scenes, drugs, and orgies.
Chip: Based on your band name and the imagery on
your flyers and album, you guys really like butterflies. Could you
please describe your sound using some elaborate and pretentious
butterfly metaphors?
Richard: You guys are based in Kansas City but you seem to be popping up in Lawrence quite a bit recently. How do the music scenes differ, in your opinion? Can you weigh the pros and cons
for us. Also, do you find Lawrence audiences to be receptive to KC bands? I’ve seen some great KC bands (like The Grisly Hand) play very sparsely attended shows in Lawrence.
Nathaniel:
The difference in the Lawrence music scene and the Kansas City music
scene to me is that Lawrence has a lot of heart and Kansas City does not. I
love all the venues in Lawrence. Especially The Bottleneck. The
Bottleneck to me is my home away from home and I can not thank them
enough for how much support they throw behind the bands they book. Just
looking at
their past artists who have played the Bottleneck... no small venue really
rivals it. You walk in there and you just soak in this history of
timeless music and as an artist that is just so warming and engrossing
you can't help but get a little high from it. The magical thing,
though, is all the venues in Lawrence are like that. They are all just so
welcoming and homey. I could honestly sleep in those venues and feel at
home. The greatest part of the Lawrence scene though are the crowds and
the people that attend the shows. They all love music so much you can
almost smell it in their breath. [Chip: "That's mostly PBR you're smelling."]. You feel the energy once you play a
show in Lawrence. Most everyone is standing up and is standing up next
to the stage. The Lawrence crowds are there for the music. Kansas City, I
don't get that same vibe. I love Kansas City and I love venues like the Brick, RecordBar, the Coda. But no disrespect to the Kansas City
crowds, they just lack the openness and
enthusiasm at local shows. Maybe we haven't been playing the right
shows in Kansas City but I don't feel the love as much as we do
Lawrence. There are certain venues in KC, which will remain unnamed, that
tend to screw over bands, that I choose not to support or play at. Don't
get me wrong: we have had some unbelievable shows in KC that we won't
forget. I just have a special place in my heart for Lawrence. Our
biggest crowds and shows have been Lawrence. I can never thank Lawrence
enough for the support they give The Monarchs. We hope to show
Larryville how much we love them Saturday night!
Chip: Your album release at the Bottleneck this Saturday is not only a free show, it’s also a name-your-own-price for the album show. You guys are putting a lot of trust in cheap scenesters, who may very well give you one buck for the album and save their cash for PBR! Are you determined to lose money??
Nathaniel: Haha, I fucking love this question. My
parents ask me the same thing every time I go over to visit. All I want
is for people to listen to our music. That is all I could ever ask for.
And if it means that The Monarchs lose money in the process, so be it.
We are artists. Losing money is part of the contract. The Monarchs have
something to say and we want as many people to hear what we have to say
as humanly possible. Hell, my goal is to change the world. The Monarchs
and I want to change things; we want to make a difference with our
music. I'm going to make this dream of ours a reality. In order to do
that, many people have to hear our music and selling our music as of
right now won't make that happen. I'm here on this world to change it,
not buy it.
Richard: You fellows are ambitious. But many of our readers are not. Leave them with a blurb that convinces them they absolutely MUST attend this show.
Chip: Your album release at the Bottleneck this Saturday is not only a free show, it’s also a name-your-own-price for the album show. You guys are putting a lot of trust in cheap scenesters, who may very well give you one buck for the album and save their cash for PBR! Are you determined to lose money??
Richard: You fellows are ambitious. But many of our readers are not. Leave them with a blurb that convinces them they absolutely MUST attend this show.
Nathaniel:
If you wish to go on a journey that will
take you through space and time. A journey that will take your soul to
new dimensions it may have never witnessed before. I can't guarantee
you'll come back the same. The Monarchs, Rev Gusto, and The Invisible
World can guarantee that you will have the journey of your life this Saturday, Dec. 21st at The Bottleneck. The show is free, the albums are name your own price. You have nothing to lose.
Chip: Oh, one more thing. Your Facebook page describes your sound as “OrganicAlternative Psychedelic Sex Rock.” What kind of drugs are best for your music and how often do orgies occur on the dance floor at your shows?
Nathaniel:
I have to say, our music is glorious on shrooms. Peyote I imagine would
be pretty wicked. LCD, Molly, Opium, est. Anything that will take you
on a journey. I cant guarantee the trip will always be pleasant because
The Monarchs cover so many genres
and can get rather heavy at times but in the end you will join us in
the sun.
And there are always orgies on the dance floor at a Monarchs show. The orgies never stop! There are orgies before the show, during the show on stage and on the dance floor, and off course after the show. You can't finish the night until you finish in an orgy.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Holiday Theater Picks in LFK: Kansas Nutcrackers, Christmas Boners, and Mamet!
If you want to see a reverent version of A Christmas Carol, you better head to the KC Rep, because LFK likes its holiday theater a little more strange.
If you want to see a ballet full of Kansas historical figures, you've got the annual Kansas Nutcracker at the LAC for another weekend. Based on the L.com review, we're thinking that Jerry Mitchell steals the show (but, sadly, he's not playing Victor Continental...oh, if only there were a few more boner jokes in this Nutcracker).
A much better chance for Christmas dick jokes will occur at Frank's on Saturday as Card Table Theater serves up A Very Shitty Christmas featuring LFK's beloved Shitty Deal Puppets, local comedians, and (of course) an ugly sweater competition, because contemporary Christmas events can't exist without an ugly sweater contest. Details here on the FB event page.
If you prefer your theater without the holiday cheer, Third Thursday staged readings return to the Perc with David Mamet's "Bobby Gould In Hell" and Kurt Vonnegut's "Sun, Moon, Stars." Check out the great synopsis of the Mamet play below.
Oh, and Theatre Lawrence has a production of Shrek. Despite auditioning, Chip did not get the role of Shrek.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Weekend Picks: Drunken Christmas Fun and Stop Day Shenanigans
As we all know, getting drunk makes Christmas shopping more tolerable, and LFK's annual Sip & Shop makes it all very easy on you: notice that the "sip" is placed first. So head to Pachamama's ballroom on Friday, have a cocktail, and buy some gifts from local artists. Visit the FB event page here for more info on the artists involved.
If you don't get enough partying tonight on Stop Day Eve with the free Cowboy Indian Bear show at the Granada, stop by the Jackpot on Friday for a big Stop Day party with Haunt Ananta and many more. The poster makes us giggle. FB event page here.
On Saturday the drunken Santas come out to play for the fourth annual LFK SantaCon pub crawl. They begin at 3:00 at the Sandbar and end up way the hell over at...the Bottleneck at 6:00. Check out the FB event page here for the full itinerary and gaze upon these Santas drinking some Old Overholt:
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Midweek Scenester Picks: The Leotards Take Kansas City and Cowboy Indian Bear Celebrates Stop Day Eve
When we last heard The Leotards they were howling their beautiful obscenities from a rooftop in East LFK sometime over the summer. We assume they spent the intervening time in jail (or "the big house," as they call it). But tonight they're on the loose and playing their first-ever KC gig at the Union in Westport. We'll be damned if we can find any info on the lineup, or even an official website or Facebook page for the club, but that makes it even hipper, right? So head over to see King Tosser and Stephanie Stix win over a mid-week Westport crowd with mature new songs like "Ghost" (listen here via Soundcloud) and presumably old favorites such as "Sugar Dick."
Closer to home, our friends in Cowboy Indian Bear are playing a big KJHK-sponsored Stop Day Eve show at the Granada which will surely be full of young scholars taking a much-needed break before finals. Also on the bill: Middle Twin; Forrester; and the ever-present Psychic Heat. We're hoping that the bands all play some wizard rock/dragon rock tunes as this show coincides with the release of the dumbly-titled Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Things We Like This Week: Sam Billen's Annual Christmas Record ; The Return of Film Church; KU Volleyball in the Sweet 16
Your friend and ours, jolly ol' Sam Billen, released his annual free Christmas album yesterday, a beloved holiday tradition in LFK. This one opens with a Wham! cover and features extra helpings of Suzy Johannes. What's not to like? Head over to Bandcamp and download it now, you grinches!
---
Film Church is back at Liberty Hall on the 15th and this time it's in the evening for some reason! (perhaps because scenesters loved the idea of Film Church in theory but weren't very good at actually waking up before noon on Sundays).
This month's choice: Terry Gilliam's beloved holiday classic (?) Brazil. This'll be good. More info here via Liberty Hall.
---
Sure, the men's basketball team suffered a discouraging loss to Colorado last weekend (leading Chip to burn his KU diploma and declare the team to be "the worst during my lifetime"). But don't worry, Chip. We're primarily a volleyball school these days, and on Friday the ladies will play in the Sweet 16 for the first time ever as they take on Washington in the regional matches out in LA.
Did you know that hardcore KU Volleyball fans painted themselves for the matches? We didn't. But here's a cool pic via a KU Sports gallery that reveals it to be true. Presumably it says "Team Crush?"
Monday, December 9, 2013
Our Interview With Bottle Rockets: "Our audiences these days are the best they've been."
If you've paid much attention to our hijinks over the years, you'll know that we have a special fondness for the kind of rough-around-the-edges 90's "alt-country" that seems to have given way these days to...a lot of polished posers hijacking the roots scene. And you can bet we STILL dig ourselves some Uncle Tupelo, some Old 97's, some Whiskeytown, some Slobberbone, and (obviously) some Bottle Rockets. So it was a real treat for us to get to interview original Bottle Rockets' drummer Matt Ortmann on the occasion of Bloodshot Records' 20th anniversary reissue of the band's long out-of-print first two albums: 93's Bottle Rockets and 94's The Brooklyn Side, a reissue which also contains 19-unreleased tracks and a 40-page booklet on the band's history. Yes, it's badass.
Visit the band's page on the Bloodshot site here for a lot more info on the reissues and drop by Soundcloud to stream a song from the release: the Bottle Rockets' very cool '91 demo of "Indianopolis" featuring Tupelo's Mr. Tweedy and Mr. Farrar.
Sadly, Mark and the boys aren't hitting Lawrence on the current anniversary tour (though they DID just play in Colombia, MO over the weekend...damn it, fellas, you were so close!). But you could ostensibly catch them in Chicago at the Hideout on December 13 before they head overseas for a sweet tour with the great Marshall Crenshaw.
Enjoy this interview with Mark in which we evaluate the old scene, the new scene, the old fans, rowdy shows, and a very weird long-ago Bottleneck jam-session with A.M-era Wilco and...the drummer of the Presidents of the United States of America!
Richard: First off, thanks for doing an interview
with our silly blog! I’ve always been a big fan of you guys and that whole scene from back when
the “alt-country” term was still more prominent. Why do you think
today’s musical climate has shifted toward the more polished sound of
“roots” bands like the Mumfords and the Lumineers and such? And how do
you feel about those kind of bands? (I often think of it as roots-lite).
Mark:
It's a natural progression for a musical style to become more polished
as it develops in following generations. For example, classic rock
sounds more polished than rock n' roll from the '50s, and today's music
sounds even more polished than that. Of course that raises the debate
about music losing bits of its soul along the way as it becomes more
polished, but then does that mean the Sgt. Pepper album had no soul when
it was released? Historically, "roots" music hasn't had a large
audience, but the current popularity of scruffy-bluegrassy-folkie-old- timey-acoustic-bands-with- beards-and-vests-and- suspenders
(a.k.a. roots-lite) has indeed exploded into a successful formula that I
believe is connected to the popularity of the acoustic-jam-band
formula. It's not too much of a stretch to connect dots between Yonder
Mountain String Band and Old Crow Medicine Show and Mumford And Sons.
Although The Bottle Rockets are typically too electric to fit those
trends, it would be cool to share some of their enormous success!
[laughs]
Chip:
I’ve been checking out the tunes on the awesome Bloodshot reissues of
your first two out-of-print albums and I particularly love rocking out
with the songs that are about chicks like “Gas Girl” and “Trailer Mama.”
What are your personal favorite tracks from that era? And tell us in
general about how this early work fits into the “bigger picture” of the
Bottle Rockets sound?
Mark:
The subjects of love and lust in songs like "Gas Girl" and "Trailer
Mama" are universal emotions that people share and can relate to.
However, some personal favorite songs of mine from that era are "I Wanna
Come Home" and "1000 Dollar Car." These two early albums are good
examples of the guitar-driven sound we've used throughout our career.
We've never drifted too far from that being the Big Picture.
Richard: I love the angry tone of “Wave that Flag,” with its take on redneck, rebel-flag-waving culture. How did a song like that go over early in your career when you were no doubt playing to some pretty rowdy crowds in Missouri? Also, can you tell us a tale or two about a few memorable shows from those early days?
Mark:
I can't think of a time when playing "Wave That Flag" has caused
problems. Actually, I'm surprised how often that song gets requested in
the most unexpected situations and is received with enthusiasm. But
there was that one rowdy time we played the Altamont Speedway while a
Hells Angels biker attacked a fan... wait, I'm getting confused...
Chip:
Our readers love stories about Lawrence and I know you guys have played
here a lot over the years. We caught you not long ago with James
McMurtry and I’m pretty sure I have a drunken memory of being at a
long-ago Bottleneck show that may have had local heroes Arthur Dodge and
the Horsefeathers on the bill. Do you have any favorite memories or
funny tales from Lawrence shows? Did you ever get to party with Split
Lip Rayfield very much?
Mark:
I think I remember playing once with Arthur Dodge at the Bottleneck,
but the details of the show have escaped me now. And I know we've played
with Split Lip Rayfield a few times, but I don't remember if it included
Lawrence (I remember a time at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO.) However, I
distinctly remember a time at the Bottleneck when we played with
A.M.-era Wilco and the drummer of the band Presidents Of The United
States Of America jumped on stage and sat in. I never liked their
annoying song "Movin' to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches" and I
don't like ironic bands in general. Anyway, POTUSA had played elsewhere
earlier that night and some of their band/crew came bar hopping to the
Bottleneck after their show. The drummer sat in during the encore of the
Wilco set, which was a haphazard group jam where the Bottle Rockets
joined Wilco on stage. I don't remember the song we played, but I'm sure
it was a mess.
Richard:
So let’s talk about some of the authentic “roots” acts that I do like.
Lyrically, my favorites are probably James McMurtry and Drive By
Truckers. Both of those acts write songs that are better than most
novels! Who are your personal favorite roots/Americana acts right now
and why? And are there some lesser-known artists (perhaps on Bloodshot!)
that we and our readers should be watching out for?
Mark:
We've co-toured with James McMurtry a couple times and he's currently
my favorite roots artist. His lyrics are so rich and literary without
sounding forced or contrived, and I like his dark sense of humor and
guitar playing. I also like Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Justin Townes
Earle and of course the Drive-By Truckers. However, I'm embarrassed to
admit that I'm out of touch with many new artists, but have been told to
check out Lydia Loveless on Bloodshot.
Richard: I've caught her in Lawrence on at least two occasions. She's great.
Chip: With these reissues on the way, are you digging deep into the back catalogue at live shows? And how are your audiences these days? Do you still get some rowdy crowds or are they mostly checking their watches to make sure they get home in time to relieve the babysitter?
Richard: I've caught her in Lawrence on at least two occasions. She's great.
Chip: With these reissues on the way, are you digging deep into the back catalogue at live shows? And how are your audiences these days? Do you still get some rowdy crowds or are they mostly checking their watches to make sure they get home in time to relieve the babysitter?
The boys in '95:
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Weekend Picks: Smelly Pirate Hookers, Bluegrass, Grunge, and More
It's a big sports weekend around these parts, with KU volleyball hosting and playing in the NCAA tournament at Allen Fieldhouse and Sporting KC competing for the MLS Cup. (And, oh yeah, everyone's favorite third-place winners in the Battle 4 Atlantis also have a game).
For the families, LFK's beloved Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade ("the horse parade") is Saturday morning. It's gonna be bone-chilling cold!
But what else?
You smelly pirate hookers should kick off the weekend tonight with a screening of Anchorman at the Granada at 9:30. Is there any way the impending sequel can match everyone's unreasonable expectations?
If you'd rather stay warm with some tunes, duck into Love Garden on Friday evening at 7:00 to see Stiff Middle Fingers play a set and release their recent live recording at the Replay. Will you hear yourself being obnoxious in the background on this recording? The FB event page is here . Also on the bill: All Blood and Kind Horse (a band which we expect is much noisier than it sounds).
If you want a quieter evening, how about the impeccable picking and grinning of Nashville's The Infamous Stringdusters at Liberty Hall on Friday. Plus, the band is also raising money for Colorado flood relief, so you can enjoy some bluegrass AND help out. L.com has a story about the show here.
Then keep the pickin' going with the official afterparty over at the Bottleneck with Colorado's Whitewater Ramble and Mr. Monzie Leo.
Or venture across the river to Frank's for 40 Watt Dream and Wells the Traveler. Katie and the 40 Watt gang were absolutely ON and scorching the last time we saw them at the Replay. The FB event page is here.
---
We like to think we were early champions of those Hillsdale, KS scoundrels known as Mr. and the Mrs: reread our 2012 interview here, in which Ben offered Chip some life-changing advice:
"...if you put peanut butter on your man-junk or woman-junk, it will attract most any mammal."
Anyway, the duo is back at the Replay on Saturday and Ben sent us this blurb:
"This Sat Dec 7th at the Replay Lounge it's the grunge rock duo Mr. and the Mrs. with LFK's own The Gleaners and Hidden Planets. Bring your boners out for a night of gettin' down and dirty. Protection optional but recommended. Cum on down to the Replay Lounge."
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Concert Recap: Jeff Tweedy at Uptown Theater Plus Our Top Seven Favorite Jeff Tweedy Responses to the Drunken Fan Down Front
In between bouts of a ninety-minute debate with a drunken, chatty, occasionally nonsensical, irrhythmic clapper of a fan, Jeff Tweedy managed to play a gorgeous solo set for a nearly full house at the Uptown last night (while the rest of KC spent an evening up the street with Yeezus at the Sprint Center).
"Most of these songs usually live in a very different world, so some of them are gonna suck tonight," Tweedy warned, but the truth is that, with songwriting this good, the songs still work even when Wilco's increasingly ornate arrangements and scorching guitar wizardry are stripped away (not that the evening was entirely Wilco-focused: we even got some Golden Smog and Loose Fur material). By the end of the evening, Tweedy even embraced the trend so popular among today's folk and bluegrass shows by abandoning amplification entirely and playing Tupelo's "Acuff-Rose" at the foot of the stage: "Name me a song that everybody knows / And I'll bet you it belongs to Acuff-Rose."
Name us a better lyric than that? At that line, the wolf-whistle from the guy three rows back of us was fucking deafening.
Here's a top-seven list of Tweedy's responses and retorts to the drunk guy down front (paraphrased but not far off]:
"Your clapping is like something sparking in a microwave."
"Your clapping is like a shoe rattling around in a dryer."
"Why don't you try sitting on your hands?"
"I don't wanna piss you off...but I don't wanna make you happy either."
"Really, this evening is not all about you."
"You're doing better now. I don't want to call you out ONLY when you're misbehaving."
Fifteen or twenty minutes into the set: "Kanye would have been outta here by now if he had to deal with this."
Thanks for making KC the first step on the short solo jaunt, Tweedy!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Local Sign of the Week: Biemer's / Video of the Week: The Grisly Hand's "Country Singles" / Plus, Yeezus vs. Tweedy!!
Our pals at Biemer's recently hosted a contest to see who could come up with the best innuendo for their new sign. Chip's entries were sadly rejected for their lack of subtlety, but we can't quibble with the winner. Gaze upon it:
---
We were intrigued by the new "Country Singles" video from KC's The Grisly Hand by the press blurb alone:
"If you like good music, drive-ins, movies about Satanic hippie cults, true love, truckers, CB radios, Singles magazines and tridents, then this music video is for YOU!"
Sold!
Watch it via Youtube right here:
---
And tonight's the night, folks. Kanye West is in the area (at Sprint Center). Apparently he's got his Yeezus LED lights functioning again after cancelling some tour dates. Obviously, he can't be expected to perform without all his...bling! Let us know if it's awesome. We'll be twenty or so blocks away at the Uptown with Mr. Jeff Tweedy, getting our "dad-rock" on.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Stuff We Like This Week: Snipe Hunt; Oldest Working Theater in US; And Our First Christmas Scenester Pick
The Percolator has easily out-weirded Wonder Fair with their current Snipe Hunt exhibit, so make sure you get out there and check out this obsessively curated show (from Kent Smith and Matthew Lord) that relies heavily on stories solicited from the community about their encounters with strange creatures. Make sure to look for the story about the magical guy who works at the Douglas County Fair.
During the opening, we spotted a Sasquatch skulking along the fence out front while people were reading the stories aloud around a campfire. But it turned out to be KT Walsh in a Sasquatch costume.
---
Did you know Ottawa, Kansas has what may well be the "oldest working theater in the U.S? We didn't either. Check out the cool story via LJ-World with photos from Mike Yoder:
And visit the Plaza Grill and Cinema website here to read about (and contribute to) their plans to turn the site into "an interactive historical experience").
---
And it's December, folks, which means there's something Christmas-related every damn day in LFK from here on out. Tonight brings a booze-fueled and burlesque-filled option as the Thieves' Guild celebrate their anniversary by drinking and drawing pretty girls (and Roscoe "Bandit" Jenkins). Go join 'em.