The voice-mail message begins with the caller identifying himself in a clear, sharp tone: “Hey, this is Chris Thompson, executive producer of Action and Ladies Man, and I hear you’re trying to get a hold of me…” Long pause. “For some ungodly reason.” Then, in a split second, the voice goes hoarse and harsh. “God knows I have nothing…
I ate dinner the other night in the Twilight Zone. The time? 7 on a Friday night. The place? Aladdin’s Restaurant in the Holiday Inn Citi Centre. There, the dining room was empty, except for the table I shared with my dining companion, who was quite happy with the solitude: “It’s like having our own private dining room,” he…
27 Thursday A fire-breathing, three-headed dog; kissing robots; revolving fire cages; and a jaw-snapping flamethrower barbecue? What’s this, FAO Schwarz for the underage deranged set? The fire marshal says this art show must go outside because something might catch fire. Seemen will present an evening of interactive art at Johnson County Community College’s Commons Plaza at 6 p.m. Based…
The fliers touted “The Human Buffet,” “Aliens,” “Body Painting,” and “Frogpond,” all brought to you by AntEye.com. Depending on how closely you follow local music or the Internet, this alternatively looked like a four-band bill, or a night of Jim Rose-style side circus antics. Fortunately, since everyone from the club kids who own the Granada on Saturday nights to the…
The very word “vaudeville” conjures up images of grand old theaters, nickel matinee shows, and a bevy of oddball and animal acts that would make Broadway Danny Rose proud. The modern perception of this lost style of entertainment is one of smoke-filled halls where borscht-belt comedians ran patter-shtick routines while parades of plaid-suited hucksters pleaded with stubholders to “take…
He’s no stranger to miracles. Northwest Missouri State University senior Alan Buckwalter would be wise to put down a few bucks on the lottery or try his chances in Las Vegas. Buckwalter, a defensive end for the NCAA Division II national champion Bearcats, didn’t even start in high school football until his senior year. Now he has a fighting…
Childless couples need only point their critics to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing at Theatre for Young America, where a chorus of child actors is playing a pack of child terrors with utterly too much conviction. After an hour in this company, even the pushiest of grandparents would say, “Well, of course. You’re right.” This Bruce Mason adaptation…
Adolescence, the mysterious process that transforms innocence into experience, never completely exits one’s psyche. During those years, dreams become solid plans, play becomes work, and an undetermined future becomes a mad-dash present. The experiences gleaned during this hard-fought transformation contribute to the successes and failures of adulthood. When artist Mike Kelley moved from Detroit to teach at CalArts, his…
With the thrill of traveling to see well-respected icons comes the risk of bitter disappointment. Monday night’s show at The Bottleneck started out intriguingly enough, with The Sub-Debs offering their two-woman take on that point where pop and punk meet. The Sub-Debs’ songs rarely exceeded the two-minute mark, and often the group’s banter between the songs lasted longer than its…
Any time you shell out more than $10 to see bands at The Bottleneck and you know only one or two of the four groups on the bill, you’re taking your chances. A $12 hip-hop show, given that this is a genre in which national acts rarely devote more than 45 minutes of stage time to the Midwest, is even…
This just in … punk’s not dead, it’s just really tuckered out from its brush with greatness. The not-so-few faithful came to bear witness to the resurrection of the once great and trendy art form Thursday night at The Bottleneck, where, unbeknownst to the vast majority of the populace, the California-based boutique label Fat Wreck Chords came with a caravan…
It is both disconcerting and enjoyable to enter The Bottleneck for an early/all-ages show. After spending countless nights in a smoky, dark club filled with jaded rockers, patrons can take advantage of the venue’s skylights (sunlight can actually enter The Bottleneck!) and gaze upon fresh-faced youngsters. Proudentall offered the kids a mixed bag of tricks that included songs from its…
With a dazzling retro-sci-fi cover and song titles such as “Lunar Love” and “Dr. Solar,” Pioneers of the Intergalactic Frontier comes wrapped in the perfect package for an album’s worth of “Man or Astroman?” style space-out surf rock. The Silvermen’s music doesn’t come anywhere close to fitting this profile, but although listeners might initially be confused, they probably won’t be…
Given this group’s name and party-band sounds, it’s likely that Slanted Plant doesn’t mind if some weed grows in its garden. And with its mix of wah-wah guitar funk and choppy rapped vocals, the KC-based group apparently also harvested plenty of Chili Peppers when concocting its recipe. Slanted Plant actually name-drops Flea and company on the self-congratulatory “The Sauce,” as…
“There are a lot of different benefits for a ton of different things, and by no means is this a Save the Children of Kosovo type of thing,” acknowledges Paul Krowas, speaking of Rock for Cheetah — a benefit at El Torreon Saturday, April 29, which he put together. “It’s more like, ‘Hey, what can local musicians do to give…
In an attempt to convince Lisa of the menacing influence of “the Simpson gene,” Grandpa Simpson does a flipbook-style run-through of Bart’s quizzes, and the happy faces that marked the upper-right-hand corner of his earlier efforts degenerate into harsher and harsher frowns before eventually becoming a skull and crossbones. Internet surfers can witness the same effect by checking out the…
At a time when the blues market is enthralled with all “the next Stevie Rays,” there are still those who mine the depths of blues without the pyrotechnics and stadium-rock mentality. Rick Holmstrom’s debut, Gonna Get Wild, demonstrates that the young cats can still uphold the idiom of barrelhouse blues. Sometimes something as seemingly easy as a blues shuffle can…
It looks as if the Pinehurst Kids have done a bit of shopping lately. After saving up their allowances for months, they went and spent the whole load at Hooks ‘R’ Us, and it was a wise investment for this Portland trio. While the band’s members haven’t cheered up a whole lot since their debut (1999’s Minnesota Hotel), one would…
When the Klammies nominations were announced, one of the most persistent questions from indie scenesters was “Where’s Shiner?” The absence of these local luminaries from the ballot was easily explained, as it’s difficult for bands that didn’t release an album during the calendar year in question to show up in the voting. Based on the brilliance of Shiner’s latest release,…
When 20th century music is finally codified and classified in history books, Duke Ellington will almost certainly be considered the era’s preeminent composer. Perhaps only Stravinsky has a chance to rival Ellington on the world stage; nobody in American music can compare to the jazz master’s contribution in regards to sheer breadth and excellence. This year marks a century since…
For some reason, pop punk as a genre just hasn’t been too exciting in the past few years. The same bands that were going strong before Green Day became huge are still plugging away, making pretty much the same record over and over. The groups that ended up on major labels as part of the signing binge that immediately followed…
Knowing that profits from a great show are going to a worthwhile cause can make the experience even more enjoyable, so Saturday night’s benefit concert at El Torreon should prove to be satisfying on several different levels. Jim Strahm, co-owner of Midwestern Music, is the beneficiary of the toils of an impressive rock and roll lineup. Strahm has worn several…
Prop comics have always enjoyed a dicey popularity. From Rip Taylor to Gallagher to Carrot Top, there’s perpetually some exaggerated comedian with peculiar hair who is wielding mallets or throwing confetti or wearing a toilet-seat necklace in front of an audience. But what about prop bands? There are musical groups traveling the globe that have found modest success by manipulating…
It seems as if it would be the perfect mix — teen movies, teen shows, teen music. However, when the makers of these films and series look for songs to accompany the melodramatic ebb and flow, they often find themselves drawn to more mature compositions. Apparently, using Korn tunes to reflect anger and Britney Spears ditties to convey glee lacks…
