KC music
Show recap: KC Uncovered III - Shine A Light
Throughout the first day of the winter solstice, the streets of Kansas City glazed over with ice and various events around town were canceled. While much of Westport and surrounding areas were relatively desolate, a healthy-sized crowd gathered at the recordBar to pay tribute to the music, the work, and the life of Abigail Henderson.
It’s one thing to cover the music of a musician whose work you respect. It’s another thing to cover the music of a musician you know personally whose work you respect. It’s yet another thing to cover the music of a musician whose work and life was esteemed by every person in the room, from those who knew her best to others who had possibly not even met her. Though this was quite the challenge for each musician who took the stage, each one honored Henderson’s music in his or her own way.
The audience was somewhat subdued when The Clementines stepped up to the stage, perhaps fully beginning to grasp the fact that they would be hearing these songs live for the first time since Henderson’s passing. But as soon as the first note of “Gods, Guns, and Glory” (an early Gaslights tune) kicked in, a collective smile swept over the room. Throughout the band’s five-song set, Nicole Springer captured everyone’s attention with a vocal inflection and country twang very akin to Henderson’s. Her charismatic control over Tiny Horse’s “Ghost” and confident command over “Last Dollar” (The Gaslights) was reminiscent of Henderson’s range.
Katie Gilchrist picked up right where Springer left off, evoking the late singer’s grit and tenacious attitude with “15 Hands” (The Gaslights). Vi Tran Band interpreted some of these songs in a different way, with slightly different arrangements to highlight Gilchrist’s voice or to emphasize the weight of the words Henderson wrote—for instance, the band performed acoustic versions of “One Trick Pony” (Tran on lead vocals) and closed out the set with “Galveston” (Gilchrist on lead vocals). On Atlantic Fadeout’s “Better Run of Bad Luck,” Gilchrist channeled the brazenness of her friend, providing one of the many musical highlights of the evening.
Where the previous two frontwomen amazingly called upon Henderson’s voice with their similar vocal deliveries, the remaining acts put a different spin on the music. Power trio Not A Planet injected its own melodic, punctuated rock ‘n roll style into songs of a more country/Americana nature. Nathan Corsi proved that his own vocal pipes could stand up to the fiery deliveries of Springer and Gilchrist through Gaslights’ tunes like “Red Dirt” and “Wicked Love.” The band reinterpreted Tiny Horse’s “Ride” with a boldness that emphasized the story of the song and a delicateness that honored the song’s memory.
Next up was The Oil Lamps, a supergroup of Henderson's friends and former bandmates with featured guests. The main band included the event's co-founder Bill Sundahl, Mike Alexander, John Velghe, and Mike Meyers. Howard Iceberg appeared on guest vocals for "Lines and Wires," (The Gaslights) delivering his own punk rock resolve to the tune. Amy Farrand, who was the drummer for Atlantic Fadeout, stepped into the forefront to sing the band’s tunes “Blood and Bone” and “Break Your Heart.”
But one of the most compelling performances of the night was the band's performance of "On the Market," featuring Steve Tulipana on vocals. This was a Gaslights tune that Henderson sang in a quieter, more melancholy register than most of the band's work, perhaps more reminiscent of her vocal work in Tiny Horse. Tulipana turned this into a heart-clenching tribute, channeling the intensity of Tom Waits and Joe Cocker, each word calculated and phrased to drop like an atom bomb.
Finally, Sister Mary Rotten Crotch (pictured above) took the stage, a perfect choice to end a cathartic evening. The tears that had been shed throughout the night ceased when Liz Spillman Nord started spitting lyrics from old Gaslights’ tunes. Her fierce punk vocals turned up to eleven put a completely different spin on Henderson’s music, but kept in step with the late singer’s intrepid spirit. By the end of the evening, the tight-knit crowd was at the edge of the stage pumping fists and singing along with the band on tunes like “Sundays and Interstates” and “Old Blue Love.” The night ended on a high, celebratory note, preserving the memory and honor of an individual that helped bring the Kansas City music community closer.
—Michelle Bacon
Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine - Kansas City, and also plays drums Drew Black & Dirty Electric and bass in Dolls on Fire and The Philistines. #shinealight #voteformmf
Saturday’s show also kicked off the beginning of the voting period for Boulevard Brewing Company’s 10% of KC campaign. The campaign continues through December 31 and includes three area charities—one being Midwest Music Foundation. Visit www.voteformmf.com to vote for one of the charities, once per day, per IP address.
Artist Spotlight: The Philistines
One of the newer additions to Kansas City's musical family, The Philistines are making themselves heard on the strength of a playlist in which you can hear sounds inspired by the Velvet Underground, the Black Angels, and Calexico, among others. If bands aim to be greater than the sum of their parts, The Philistines will have their work cut out for them, as this sextet includes some of KC's most well-known and experienced players. The Deli KC would like to know more ...
The Deli: Give us a thumbnail description of the sound of The Philistines.
Cody Wyoming: Psychedelic rock. Sometimes heavy, sometimes dreamy.
Kimberely Queen: Go-go acid pop.
Steve Gardels: Loud, drippy '70s-era psych with a '60s pop attitude.
Rod Peal: Psychedelic pop stoner rock, the best of all my favorite genres.
The Deli: How did the band come to be?
Cody: While we were cold and snowed in last winter, we started making music and writing songs together. Then we did a few live shows as a duo and quickly decided that we needed to expand.
Kimmie: I wished REAL hard.
Steve: I found myself bandless after 4 years with Appropriate Grammar. Cody sent me a message about jamming together, and I wound up with an unexpected day off. I headed down to Midwestern Musical Co., jammed through a couple of things and decided to see where it went. Next thing I know, they're packing out the roster with talented people and I started to fall in love with the songs. Pretty cool for an informal afternoon jam!
Rod: Just sort of happened. Cody said he had something cooking he thought that I would like. It’s all been very natural, unlike any other project I’ve been in.
Michelle Bacon: Cody approached me shortly after we played the Rolling Stones tribute (in our respective bands), and I jumped at the chance to work with him and Kimmie, not knowing who else was in the project. Judging from how well the six of us have meshed in a pretty short time, he has a great sense of putting different levels/types of ability and personality together to make a band work.
The Deli: At your debut show at The Brick last month (which was excellent, by the way), it seemed that psychedelic-influenced sounds were the main path that you will follow in the future. What is it about that genre that’s so appealing?
Cody: I’ve always been in to psychedelic music, but for some reason its influence never showed itself in my original work. Since I took a turn down this path it’s like a dam broke. Both the quality and volume of my output has increased enormously. I like psychedelic music for its transcendent qualities. That’s kind of the point of it. To help you get “out there.” When done right, it works on you on a very subconscious level. I hope I do it right.
Kimmie: It's just what's been speaking to me the clearest artistically in music, film, and design.
Steve: I'm a metal head! I'm a big fan of anything dark or heavy, and what we play tends to do both; even at the same time! I find myself taking apart and repurposing licks from Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath a lot. The great thing about this is that everyone in our band has broad musical tastes, so I hear new stuff every week and try to take home things I like and see if I can't work them in to my parts.
Rod: It’s everything I want wrapped up into one package.
Michelle: I love the groove, weight, and atmosphere of psychedelic rock. Really, I just love playing gritty, unapologetic rock ‘n roll, and it’s new and exciting to me because I’ve only played bass in one other band.
The Deli: Who influences your music?
Cody: The Flaming Lips are a big influence, but also The Velvet Underground, Love and Rockets, Mazzy Star, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Black Sabbath. But hidden under the feedback and reverb, there’s some pretty basic early rock ‘n roll and even girl group influences. There’s some Buddy Holly and Elvis in there as well as The Ronnettes and the Crystals.
Kimmie: Love and Rockets, the Velvet Underground, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sabbath, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are probably the most obvious influences. Some others are Italian and British horror cinema of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Hugh Hefner, and The Monkees.
Rod: Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, The Beatles, The Stones, The Sonics, The Stooges, Expo ‘70.
The Deli: Everyone in The Philistines either is or has been involved in other projects as well; does having so much going on outside the group make it easier or more challenging to create new music?
Cody: I have always had a short attention span, musically speaking. I’m interested in a lot of different and sometimes seemingly disparate things, and I feel that I need to cultivate them all. Sometimes it leaves me a little scattered. But I think it’s important to explore your interests. I’m glad everybody in this band does other things; I want everybody in my band to be as creatively fulfilled as they can be. I never want somebody to get resentful of the band because they’re feeling stifled or something.
Steve: The other groups I've played with are SO different from what we do that no one is in direct competition with another. I learn new tricks at each practice, so I get to apply things across all of my bands to see what works. I'm broadening my abilities as a drummer and learning new styles at the same time. It's pretty wonderful.
Rod: I’m one of the only ones that hasn’t had a project recently. I think that everyone else’s projects have been an attribute to this one.
Michelle: All of my projects teach me different techniques and allow me to express a different part of myself. None of them interferes with one another. It certainly keeps me busy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
The Deli: You’re a new band trying to get gigs; obviously most of you are already well known in the music community and have name recognition, so how much does that help when it comes to finding places to play?
Cody: Yeah, fortunately we all independently have fairly good reputations and relationships with venues. And obviously that helps immensely. But since we’ve only played a couple gigs so far, only time will tell.
Kimmie: Yes, I guess we are all well-known in certain circles. Which means we all work really hard towards our interests. It's a product of our time, work, and efforts if anyone wants to beef over it.
Steve: I'm happy to say that we have no problem finding shows as a result. We've only played three, but we seem to get great lineups at cool venues with little to no difficulty.
The Deli: Cody, what’s it like to be in a band with Kimmie? Kimmie, what’s it like to be in a band with Cody? Everyone else, what’s it like to be in a band with Kimmie and Cody?
Cody: It’s a blast. I’ve never worked creatively with a significant other before. It presents its own sets of rewards and challenges. Because Kimmie is so damned talented and she’s also my best friend, the rewards significantly outweigh the challenges. But also challenges are bitchin’, because overcoming them is how you learn. I love collaborating, and I think we collaborate well together.
Kimmie: Being in a band with Cody is like being on the Zipper at Santa-Cali-Gon with my best friend who I have a big crush on. Being in the band with the rest of The Philistines and Cody is like being on the merry-go-round with the Lost Boys.
Steve: They're adorable. And smart. And hilarious. I've gotten to know them a lot better over the last few months and they are great friends and walking encyclopedias of cool stuff. They demand nothing less than the best, but they make us want to put it forward. It's a really great and creative working environment with a family atmosphere.
Rod: Cody and Kimmie are the duke and duchess of the Kansas City music scene. They are pure, 100% unadulterated rock ‘n roll.
Michelle: Cody and Kimmie make me pop all of my Latenight Collars. Their collective energy and musical abilities simultaneously challenge me and make them a blast to work with. Same thing goes for Josh, Rod, and Steve.
Note: Josh Mobley is the band’s keyboardist, and was unable to participate in this interview.
The Deli: With whom would you like to work in the future, locally or otherwise?
Cody: There’s a lot of great psych stuff going on in the area these days. I’m a big fan of The Conquerors, Bloodbirds, Expo ’70, and Monta At Odds, among many others that we would love to play with. But I’m always thrilled to share a stage with any kind of good music and I’m a big fan of diverse bills. I’d love to share a bill with a sword swallower, a DJ, and a string quartet.
Steve: BLACK MOUNTAIN. Or Nick Cave. The Conquerors. Snake Island!... It's really hard to make a short list because there's just so much cool stuff going on around KC as well as coming through. The possibilities are endless! I'm just excited to see who we wind up with and where. 3 shows out and we're playing with bands that I LOVE seeing live. Here's hoping for a continuing trend of badass rock and roll.
Rod: I owned a store called Halcyon and met almost everyone in this music scene through that experience. There are very few that I would not like to work with. But in particular I’d like to work with Justin Wright of Expo ‘70, Jeremiah James of Redder Moon, and Dedric Moore of Monta At Odds.
The Deli: This goes out to whoever is brave enough to answer: what’s your musical guilty pleasure?
Cody: This is kind of a copout. But I refuse to feel guilty for anything that I like. But I do feel a little occasional twinge for Sting’s work in the ‘90s.
Kimmie: ‘80s Casio funk.
Rod: Yacht rock. In particular, Loggins and Nicks duets.
Thank you to The Philistines for taking some time for The Deli KC. Best of luck in your future endeavors!
The Philistines are:
Cody Wyoming – guitar, vocals
Kimberely Queen – vocals
Michelle Bacon – bass
Rod Peal – guitar
Josh Mobley – keys
Steve Gardels – drums
The Philistines will be opening up for The Besnard Lakes on Tuesday, November 26 at The Riot Room. Pioneer will begin the show at 9 pm. Facebook event page.Ticket link.
--Michael Byars
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Michael's musical guilty pleasure is Air Supply (I KNEW it!). Don't tell. |
Spotlight on Tim Finn, music writer at The Kansas City Star
Tim Finn has covered the local and national music scene for The Kansas City Star for over two decades. In that time, he's seen hundreds of concerts and interviewed hundreds of musicians. Barry Lee, host of KKFI's Signal To Noise, felt it was time someone interviewed Tim.
The Deli: When you first started your career as music writer for The Kansas City Star, what ground rules did you set for yourself for writing concert reviews?
Tim Finn: Foremost: don't use a live review as a format for critiquing (or disparaging) the music. A review of a live show is different from a review of an album. The music itself isn't the primary focus, the performance is. No one attends a rock concert like they do a movie or a restaurant. You buy a ticket to a rock show because you've already decided you like/love the music. Likewise, no one goes to a movie knowing they hate the genre, or a to restaurant knowing they hate the cuisine. So, even if I must go to a show to see a band I don't like or whose music I don't like, I don't trash the music itself. Instead, I do some consumer advocacy: was it long enough? Did they do most of their hits? How did the crowd react? How was the sound? And in the middle of that, I may lay down a context that may illuminate my opinion of the music: "they're a mainstream hybrid/derivative mix of Band X and Band Y..." and leave it at that.
We typically stick to the large shows, the ones that attract big crowds (and more readers). Occasionally, we will review a local show. But I'd rather preview local bands/shows and mention the high quality of the music and the live shows and hope the exposure gets more people to those shows.
The Deli: During those first years covering the local music scene, which bands or artists caught your attention as being the most interesting?
Finn: Those were the years of Outhouse, Season To Risk, Shiner, Molly McGuire, Tenderloin, Frogpond, Grither, The Gadjits, Mike Ireland, Iris DeMent.
The Deli: What role, if any, did local record stores play in KC's music community?
Finn: Well, Anne Winter had a profound influence on me on my role as a writer and reporter, then as a friend. She either introduced me to people or bands, or advised me to get in touch with them. Recycled Sounds was the nerve center of the local scene for so many years. For awhile, I was going in two or three times a week, not just to buy music, but to hear about what was going on. Or see an in-store.
The Deli: Historically, local artists often felt that it was necessary to leave Kansas City if they wanted to be successful and make a living playing music. Do you think that's still true today?
Finn: There's evidence to support that. Janelle Monáe being one example. And it was sad to see Miles Bonny move away. But I don't think it's necessary, especially today. I think you can certainly start lots of momentum here and then generate it elsewhere. Look at Radkey. Or Making Movies. Or Beautiful Bodies. Or The Architects. The Republic Tigers. The Elders. The Wilders. Tech N9ne still lives here.
The Deli: What's your assessment of the current state of our local music scene?
Finn: I listen to more local bands just recreationally now than I ever have. Too many to name. So, there are more good bands these days, in every genre, I feel safe saying, whether it's indie-rock/pop, singer-songwriter, hip-hop, hard rock, country... There is more variety, too. And what I like most of all: way more collaborations, whether they are side projects or tribute shows. There has always been a strain of jealousy (or envy) within this music community. But I think this has subsided and there seems to be way more collaboration and internal support than there used to be, especially across genres. I love it when, say, Hermon Mehari, a jazz trumpeter, jumps in on a set with a rock band.
The Deli: Are there any local bands or artists that are not yet well know that should be?
Finn: So many local bands have been given the big label opportunity over the past 15 years, and many have come so close. But very few have cashed in on it, mostly because you have to be as lucky as you are good, it seems. Or maybe luckier. Music isn't sports, where the spoils go to the most skilled.
If I had to name one that I think has the sound, the recordings, and the live show to be a successful touring band I'd say The Grisly Hand. And I've always thought Mikal Shapiro was a good a songwriter and performer as many I've seen.
The Deli: You've been to every kind of venue to see and hear music, from Sprint Center on down to house concerts. What do you consider to be your optimum place to experience music?
Finn: It depends on the show. I've been to shows at the Uptown Theater when it's full, and it's as intimate or satisfying as a house concert (Sigur Rós and The Swell Season come to mind). Starlight Theatre can be the perfect venue. As long as the crowd is attentive and engaged and the sound is good, any venue can work for me.
The Deli: If you could assemble an all-star band using KC and Lawrence musicians, who'd be in that band?
Finn: That's too hard to answer. I'd start with Ernie Locke, though.
The Deli: What's the best local concert you've seen so far this year?
Finn: I have to list a few. The performance of Beck's "Song Reader" by Project H (Mark Lowrey, Jeff Harshbarger, Shay Estes, and many others) was brilliant. The recordBar was pretty much full that night, and everyone was hearing every song for the first time. Yet, for the most part, everyone gave the band and the music full attention that night.
Awhile back, I saw The Grisly Hand at Knuckleheads and for part of the show they brought up a three-piece horn section and created this country/soul sound that was delicious.
At this year’s Warped Tour, the Beautiful Bodies and Mac Lethal were performing at the same time at contiguous stages. I bounced back and forth between both. Each drew a big, rowdy crowd. Both are so much fun to watch, the way they engage their fans.
And The Pedaljets album release show was great. They are such a good live band. And the more I see Ghosty live, the more they impress me.
And I have to plug Middle of the Map, which showcases the breadth and depth of local music in this town.
The Deli: What advice would you give to an aspiring area band who are just getting started in the music world?
Finn: Don't do it for the money, glory or fame. Do it because you love it. And do it with the people you love.
Tim Finn: Foremost: don't use a live review as a format for critiquing (or disparaging) the music. A review of a live show is different from a review of an album. The music itself isn't the primary focus, the performance is. No one attends a rock concert like they do a movie or a restaurant. You buy a ticket to a rock show because you've already decided you like/love the music. Likewise, no one goes to a movie knowing they hate the genre, or a to restaurant knowing they hate the cuisine. So, even if I must go to a show to see a band I don't like or whose music I don't like, I don't trash the music itself. Instead, I do some consumer advocacy: was it long enough? Did they do most of their hits? How did the crowd react? How was the sound? And in the middle of that, I may lay down a context that may illuminate my opinion of the music: "they're a mainstream hybrid/derivative mix of Band X and Band Y..." and leave it at that.
We typically stick to the large shows, the ones that attract big crowds (and more readers). Occasionally, we will review a local show. But I'd rather preview local bands/shows and mention the high quality of the music and the live shows and hope the exposure gets more people to those shows.
The Deli: During those first years covering the local music scene, which bands or artists caught your attention as being the most interesting?
Finn: Those were the years of Outhouse, Season To Risk, Shiner, Molly McGuire, Tenderloin, Frogpond, Grither, The Gadjits, Mike Ireland, Iris DeMent.
The Deli: What role, if any, did local record stores play in KC's music community?
Finn: Well, Anne Winter had a profound influence on me on my role as a writer and reporter, then as a friend. She either introduced me to people or bands, or advised me to get in touch with them. Recycled Sounds was the nerve center of the local scene for so many years. For awhile, I was going in two or three times a week, not just to buy music, but to hear about what was going on. Or see an in-store.
The Deli: Historically, local artists often felt that it was necessary to leave Kansas City if they wanted to be successful and make a living playing music. Do you think that's still true today?
Finn: There's evidence to support that. Janelle Monáe being one example. And it was sad to see Miles Bonny move away. But I don't think it's necessary, especially today. I think you can certainly start lots of momentum here and then generate it elsewhere. Look at Radkey. Or Making Movies. Or Beautiful Bodies. Or The Architects. The Republic Tigers. The Elders. The Wilders. Tech N9ne still lives here.
The Deli: What's your assessment of the current state of our local music scene?
Finn: I listen to more local bands just recreationally now than I ever have. Too many to name. So, there are more good bands these days, in every genre, I feel safe saying, whether it's indie-rock/pop, singer-songwriter, hip-hop, hard rock, country... There is more variety, too. And what I like most of all: way more collaborations, whether they are side projects or tribute shows. There has always been a strain of jealousy (or envy) within this music community. But I think this has subsided and there seems to be way more collaboration and internal support than there used to be, especially across genres. I love it when, say, Hermon Mehari, a jazz trumpeter, jumps in on a set with a rock band.
The Deli: Are there any local bands or artists that are not yet well know that should be?
Finn: So many local bands have been given the big label opportunity over the past 15 years, and many have come so close. But very few have cashed in on it, mostly because you have to be as lucky as you are good, it seems. Or maybe luckier. Music isn't sports, where the spoils go to the most skilled.
If I had to name one that I think has the sound, the recordings, and the live show to be a successful touring band I'd say The Grisly Hand. And I've always thought Mikal Shapiro was a good a songwriter and performer as many I've seen.
The Deli: You've been to every kind of venue to see and hear music, from Sprint Center on down to house concerts. What do you consider to be your optimum place to experience music?
Finn: It depends on the show. I've been to shows at the Uptown Theater when it's full, and it's as intimate or satisfying as a house concert (Sigur Rós and The Swell Season come to mind). Starlight Theatre can be the perfect venue. As long as the crowd is attentive and engaged and the sound is good, any venue can work for me.
The Deli: If you could assemble an all-star band using KC and Lawrence musicians, who'd be in that band?
Finn: That's too hard to answer. I'd start with Ernie Locke, though.
The Deli: What's the best local concert you've seen so far this year?
Finn: I have to list a few. The performance of Beck's "Song Reader" by Project H (Mark Lowrey, Jeff Harshbarger, Shay Estes, and many others) was brilliant. The recordBar was pretty much full that night, and everyone was hearing every song for the first time. Yet, for the most part, everyone gave the band and the music full attention that night.
Awhile back, I saw The Grisly Hand at Knuckleheads and for part of the show they brought up a three-piece horn section and created this country/soul sound that was delicious.
At this year’s Warped Tour, the Beautiful Bodies and Mac Lethal were performing at the same time at contiguous stages. I bounced back and forth between both. Each drew a big, rowdy crowd. Both are so much fun to watch, the way they engage their fans.
And The Pedaljets album release show was great. They are such a good live band. And the more I see Ghosty live, the more they impress me.
And I have to plug Middle of the Map, which showcases the breadth and depth of local music in this town.
The Deli: What advice would you give to an aspiring area band who are just getting started in the music world?
Finn: Don't do it for the money, glory or fame. Do it because you love it. And do it with the people you love.
--Barry Lee
Tune in to KKFI 90.1 FM on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. and listen to Barry’s show Signal To Noise, a two-hour free-form radio program dedicated to the proposition that all good music transcends its genre.
Also, you can check The Star's music blog Back To Rockville, which Tim writes for, and you can often see him out at many local and national shows. He'll be the tall guy.
Show review: The Latenight Callers' Lost Weekend Brunch, recordBar, 11.16.13
Kansas City music fans got a rare treat when the recordBar hosted The Latenight Callers for the Lost Weekend Brunch, featuring the complete brunch menu and their famous (in certain circles, anyway) Bloody Mary bar and generous pours. If you aren't familiar with either the recordBar (located at 1020 Westport Rd., on the northwest corner of Westport Rd. and Southwest Trafficway) nor The Latenight Callers, get acquainted with both. The bar has been around for just over eight years and is Kansas City's premier live music venue, and the band pretty much invented the noir a go-go genre.
It was a rare free show—rare for both the band and the bar. The music got started about 12:30 pm and the band played two sets. It wasn't too loud, so the folks who were there for brunch and conversation weren't crushed by a wall of sound, but the people who were there for the music weren't disappointed either, because the band brought their A-Game to a brunch show. Krysztof Nemeth never missed a note on lead guitar, Nick Combs was smooth as silk with the melody lines on the keyboards and percussion—don't ask how he pulled it off, just accept the fact that he managed to do so and move on—Gavin Mac kept the groove on bass, and Julie Berndsen vamped it up like nobody's business while belting out hypnotic vocals; and she looked divine, in a red sweater dress and black beret. She looked as if she had stepped off the page of a Neiman Marcus catalog, circa 1945—and as Martha Stewart would say, “that's a good thing.”
All in all, it was a treat for all the senses. The food served at the recordBar is probably the best bar food in town, and in Kansas City, that is a pretty bold statement, but one I'm willing to go out on a limb and make. The atmosphere at recordBar is always cordial and pleasant, which is definitely a reflection on the owners Shawn Sherrill and Steve Tulipana, and the staff they have hired. Shawn and Steve deserve every bit of the success they've had, and more. Two nicer guys you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere, and when you consider that they are in the live music business, it approaches unicorn rarity.
The Lost Weekend Brunch was the first Saturday brunch the recordBar has hosted, and the only one the bar has ever hosted with live music, but based on the turnout, it was quite a success and something they ought to consider doing regularly... if not weekly, perhaps they will do it once a month. I know that every one they host, I will attend, and you should, too.
--Tammy Booth/Blue Girl
Tammy also blogs for They Gave Us A Republic and Show Me Progress.
Show recap: Apocalypse Meow 6
On any given night in KC or Lawrence, there are bands playing to groups of varying sizes and intensity levels. Some of the audience is on its feet dancing. Some of them have their noses stuck in their electronic habitats. People order a few drinks at the bar during a quiet song, maybe smoke a cigarette between songs. The Friday night kick-off party of Apocalypse Meow 6 was one of those rare nights when the audience unified to experience and be captivated by the music.
This is the first Apocalypse Meow show since the death of Abigail Henderson, who—along with friends and husband Chris Meck—founded Midwest Music Foundation after friends held a benefit for Henderson when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. On Friday, Meck debuted his trio The Guilty Birds (pictured above), the first project without his wife since they began 10 years ago in Trouble Junction, and his very first project as primary singer/songwriter.
The trio (including Tiny Horse members Zach Phillips and Matt Richey) played a short but poignant rock/soul-infused set, while a packed crowd locked eyes and ears to draw in each note; to admire the musicianship, the ability, the fire, the obstacles and the affirming end result; to feel the anguish of a noticeable absence, but to honor and celebrate its legacy. The Silver Maggies kept the audience at attention with dark Americana propelled by intelligent songwriting. Hundreds of raffle tickets for Meck’s custom-built (with assistance from Phillips, Chris Wagner, and Paul Marchman) Fender Telecaster were purchased on Friday alone, and that spirit of generosity graciously carried into Saturday evening.
With a larger-capacity venue at Knuckleheads, eleven bands/solo performers commandeered the indoor and outdoor stages on night two. She’s A Keeper began by grabbing and enveloping the filtering-in crowd with its brand of colossal folk rock. The entrancing, aggressive outlaw blues of the duo Freight Train & Rabbit Killer (pictured below) demanded attention with its minimalistic setup, menacing costumes, and otherworldly presence. Meanwhile, the acoustic stage was occupied by a few KC music legends, all of whom were dear friends of Henderson’s. This connection translated into each musician’s cathartic sound, beginning with heartstring-pulling stories from Tony Ladesich (pictured below). Betse Ellis followed (and guest starred with the other acoustic stage performers later) with a fierce fiddle that could have sliced through any act on the main stage.
As the evening grew colder, warm bodies migrated toward the front and moved their hips to power trio Not A Planet (pictured below), pushed by the dynamic rhythm section of Liam Sumnicht and Bill Surges and steered by Nathan Corsi’s steady, pitch-perfect vocals. And no matter which stage you chose or floated to and from, each remaining act performed with no shortage of moxie. Howard Iceberg—KC’s answer to Bob Dylan—played a quiet but potent, storied set that included a duet performance with Michelle Sanders, a dulcet complement to Iceberg’s earnestly gruff voice. Federation of Horsepower frontman Gregg Todt (pictured below with Ellis) traded in his distorted axe for to round out the acoustic stage with a bluesy soul tone.
The second half of main stage featured three acts with female powerhouses at the forefront. The Latenight Callers’ Julie Berndsen allured the crowd with a coy sensuality that developed into a fiery, lascivious character, enhanced by the band’s electrifying, mammoth noir sounds. The Philistines continued in that same vein of ferocity from Kimberely Queen, whose appropriately unbridled theatrics amplified the band’s barbaric psychedelic rock sounds. The musical climax came when Sister Mary Rotten Crotch (pictured below) was welcomed to the stage right after Meck’s guitar was raffled off and subsequently auctioned (Artie Scholes, the raffle winner and also owner of The 403 Club, gave the guitar back to MMF for this purpose) to the highest bidder. But outside of this positive gesture and outside of the fact that many fans had been waiting for Sister Mary to take the stage again (the band’s last performance before taking a five-year hiatus was Apocalypse Meow 1 in ’08, and they only recently reunited to play a couple weeks before), frontwoman Liz Spillman Nord injected the hungry audience with an acrimonious punk vitriol. The veteran band showed old and new fans alike that they still pack a mean, purposeful rock punch and they still don’t give a fuck what you think.
Midwest Music Foundation and Abby's Fund for Musicians' Health Care made $12,000 at Apocalypse Meow this year, thanks to the efforts of all that were in attendance or made a donation of time, money, and/or resources. And though it was impossible for each moment of Meow weekend to have been as uninterrupted and uplifting as its inaugural set was, a sense of community was felt by each attendee and volunteer/staff member, each auction bid, each raffle ticket that fell into each bucket, each embrace or tear shed, each note or beat played.
On behalf of Midwest Music Foundation and The Deli Magazine—Kansas City, we thank you for your support of local music and those who work to make it happen. We thank you for honoring Abigail and helping us continue to carry on her legacy.
--Michelle Bacon
Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine - Kansas City, and also plays drums Drew Black & Dirty Electric and bass in Dolls on Fire and The Philistines. Thanks to everyone who made this weekend beautiful. #shinealight