And so Disney’s immense, booty-busting, pro-piracy epic comes to a conclusion. I doubt very much that Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the last we’ll see of Captain Jack Sparrow and, you know, all those other people. How could it be? Treasure remains to be squeezed from moviegoers, great swaths of whom are evidently captivated by this imbecilic…
Last week, Kaite Stover and Paul Smith of the Kansas City, Missouri, Public Library were kind enough to ask shy, retiring little me to introduce the first “Eclectic Eats” event at the Central Library. The ethnic-restaurant-appreciation series opened on May 15 with the owners of Em Chamas Brazilian Grill offering samples of churrascuria. It concludes with a program featuring food…
If you believe most history books, dinosaurs vanished about 65 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period. There are dozens of theories — some pretty wild — as to why this happened: a biblical flood, a giant asteroid slamming into the Earth, a volcanic eruption, global climate change. The “gravitational hypothesis” suggests that Earth’s gravity changed and…
Two Heavy has been a mainstay at the Empire Room for five years. Maybe that’s because of his love for the house music so prevalent in KC clubs. Maybe it’s because he looks like a taller version of techno heavyweight Carl Cox (minus the black-frame glasses). Two Heavy got his start at Empire after the previous DJ no-showed, and…
Unsane, the definitive East Coast noise-hardcore hybrid, incorporates Wild West elements into its recently released sixth record, Visqueen. Chris Spencer, the lone remaining founding member in this two-decades-old power trio, uses twangy reverb on the album’s opening riff and plays a wicked harmonica solo during the sludge-blues number “This Stops at the River.” Taken alone, these sounds conjure images…
“The Charred Heart Of The Tin Woodman” by the Cripple Lilies: The Cripple Lilies, at first listen a lovely, melodic, perhaps benign folk collective, sets itself apart by delighting in unusual perspectives. Take, for example, “Henry Darger,” which is sung from the point of view of the titular outsider artist. The Chicago recluse was so moved by the news story…
“Bulldozers” by King Kong: The groove is simple, but the stories aren’t. King Kong’s 1995 album, Me Hungry, did, after all, follow the epic saga of a caveman and his beloved yak at the cusp of the Ice Age, as played by a guy who’s been doing this for some 15 years yet still always sounds like he’s singing…
Fans hoping for new material from the Pixies might have to wait awhile. Black Francis (Frank Black) is gearing up for Bluefinger. But if the first single is any indication, you won’t mind the delay. “Threshold Apprehension,” which is already available at Emusic (and rumored to appear as a hidden track on next month’s Best of Frank Black ’93-03), summons…
“Boogerfunk & The Bear” by Mr. Marco’s V7: Like a walrus at a passion party, Mr. Marco’s V7 has spent most of the past decade not fitting in. An identity-crisis mashup of instrumental prog, interstellar funk, lost film soundtracks, and sounds mistaken for jazz has made the band one of the area’s most consistently intriguing acts. The group celebrates the…
“Caroline” by the Terrible Twos: Kids can be so cruel. So can rock critics. Unfortunately for Matt Pryor, he’s going to have to face the wrath of both. The local wunderkind brought it on himself when he graciously bowed out of his old gig as an emo granddaddy in the Get Up Kids to spend more time with his wife…
Midtown foot soldier Raymond Hardy II takes pride in the fact that he’s never had a driver’s license. “Before I was old enough to drive, I’d steal my folks’ car,” he admits. “I got in four accidents. I’m scared of driving.” Understandably so. Burly Record Bar bouncer ‘Toon sports a beard and a headful of dreads, a booming voice (especially…
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, our thoughts turned — as usual — to a bar tour. To us, warm weather says barhopping and drinking in dank holes instead of, say, hacky sacking or Frisbee throwing. We rustled up Research Assistant Cece and set off for our first downtown bar tour. But, as it turned out, our only stop was…
“The King’s Brass Knuckles” by Hundred Years War: Chris Wagner stands in a puddle with his hands crossed before him, crotch-level, like a soldier at ease. His bass guitar wags gently as he shuffles in the shallow pool of rainwater, no more than a quarter-inch deep — a quarter-inch too deep for electric instruments. “Stay on the rug, and you…
Homegrown director John Stewart Muller has returned to Kansas City to film the indie flick “Lie To Me.” He explains how his flick – and the star of “Superman” – ended up in KC boutiques and art galleries. Get it through iTunes by clicking here, download it on the Web by clicking here, or click the bar below to listen:…
Dear Mexican: I have no problem with immigrants. My grandparents were Dutch on one side and Irish on the other — but they came here legally, through Ellis Island. What I can’t stand are a bunch of fence-hopping, river-wading illegals telling me I owe them a free education, free health care and free transportation, then making me speak Spanish at…
Martin: “Grocery Sacked,” May 10 Sugar Fix Thank you so much for David Martin’s story on Sugar Creek. I just moved here from the Northeast area. The clean grasslands; all the old, big, tall trees; no trash all over the place — perfectly quiet. Now we find out that we are being kicked out. For what? Money. Who is really…
Hey, you, 20-something Brookside-Plaza residents and JoCo transplants. I’m talking about those of you who leave your expensive cars in the garage and ride the MAX bus on First Fridays to feel more urban. No, you cannot use your daddy’s Amex to pay your $1.25 fare. It’s also not necessary to spray all of that perfume. And please, don’t talk…
Custom T-shirts with goofy catchphrases are not new. But custom T-shirts with catchphrases tailored to the owner’s varying levels of drunkenness? That seems to be the thought process behind Loozerware.com, which bills itself as “a purveyor of fine t-shirts, for boozers, loozers, and the occasional slut.” Denny King, a 45-year-old welder from Parkville, says his sartorial enterprise was conceived by…
Kansas native Paul Shirley isn’t just a former towel-waving, ass-slapping NBA scrub. Shirley just may be basketball’s best-known benchwarmer. Shirley earned this honor thanks in part to his blog, which he began writing when he was the 11th man for the Phoenix Suns. His blog is now carried at now carried at ESPN.com, and he’s covering the NBA playoffs…
This brief aside about a video in our May 10 feature story, “Using Their Noodle,” opened a Mississippi River-size can of worms: “Forced to watch a clip from Girls Gone Grabblin’ in which a woman in protective gloves effortlessly pulls a limp catfish from the water, a disgusted Gary Webb scoffs, ‘Them girls ain’t noodling. That fish was already…
I couldn’t tell you if God was a tenor, a bass or a soprano. There was no echoing, booming voice. But it wasn’t small. The words just came to me. But not the way a thought comes to you. All I got were three words: “End your transition.” I was walking through an alley on my way to work…
The Kansas City Star reports that the Supersonics are in very, very preliminary talks about moving, possibly to Kansas City. We know we’ve been abused before by moving teams — we’re talking to you, Pittsburgh. But just in case, here are some reasons we’d like to see the Kansas City Supersonics: 10. Using an umlaut to spell Mickaël Gelabale….
It has been banned by YouTube and may be the subject of a copyright lawsuit. Well, now watch the Westboro Baptist Church take on “We Are the World,” titled “God Hates the World.” Categories: News
