Epic goth act Dimmu Borgir (pronounced dim-MOO bor-GEAR) could freak your shit out in broad daylight, let alone a smoke-filled nightclub. On the 2004 Ozzfest main stage, only Judas Priest rivaled the Norwegians’ theatrics. Dimmu Borgir emerged in leather, spikes and full makeup, radiating sympathy for the devil. But there’s more than spectacle to what these palest of black-metal dudes…
“Power Player” by Clutch: Musically, the bisection of Southern and desert rock is Clutch — even if the band is from Maryland. For 16 years, the hardcore-turned-hard-rock five-piece has been morphing, grinding out everything from gritty barroom rock to the blues-influenced porn grooves of its latest album, From Beale Street to Oblivion. Sadly, despite a militant fanbase, Clutch has…
Hell hath no fury like a person who feels stifled by stereotypes. Yes, Otep frontwoman and namesake Otep Shamaya brings a feminine perspective to metal with her shrieking, death-metal singing style. And yes, it’s about time somebody did. (It’s also about time an out lesbian commanded the stage, as Shamaya does, in a genre still dominated by boneheads.) But…
Boasting nine bands and two venues for just $2, Spring Into Summer spans a dizzying array of genres. The festivities warm up at the Replay Lounge at 4 p.m. with local spin-meister DJ Konsept and groove through the night to the shimmery indie-rock of In the Pines and the distortion-laced grunge-punk pumped out by the Esoteric. Across the street, the…
“Open Container” by Joey Skidmore: There’s a case to be made for refusing to be serious. Kansas Citian Joey Skidmore, who had his song “Ozark Butt Steak” (“a politically incorrect song about food,” according to his Web site) played on the Dr. Demento show in the late ’90s, makes that case again on Ventriloquist Doll. Those who do not skip…
You probably haven’t heard of Cajun Dance Party yet, but across the pond, the indie-pop quintet is the next next big thing. Since winning its high school battle of the bands, the Party has been selling out shows and sorting through label offers. The debut 7-inch, “The Next Untouchable,” was limited to only 500 copies, but luckily, one was sent…
“Berlin” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: I took out a loan on my empty heart, babe/I took out a loan for my patient soul. Not the most celebratory opening lines from a fairly successful band. But that’s the setup of “Took Out a Loan,” from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s latest opaque opus, Baby 81. In between the trio’s well-worn, deceitful…
“You Have Killed Me” by Morrissey: Hi, Morrissey. You don’t know me, but I’m one of your biggest fans. Until I heard the Smiths and your solo work, I was a total grungetta, blasting my Nirvana and Pearl Jam. I soon turned into the type of geeky fan I’m sure you’re tired of hearing about. I wrote the lyrics…
Everybody wants Kansas City to blow up. People in the scene are dying for the world, the blogosphere, the pope — anyone — to see what a great music community we have. Some folks are cooking up schemes to make that happen. Among them are the people behind Bands Across Kansas City. Since its inception in mid-2005, BAKC has been…
Our foray to 99th Street and Holmes can be summed up in just two words: boobage and grindage. Now, we say grindage a lot, but this time it really does mean “near-sex on the dance floor.” The night started out innocuously enough. We ventured out south with Research Assistants Erik and John on a recent Saturday to visit a…
“Young Men Dead” by the Black Angels: The Black Angels are the Beach Boys’ archenemies — acolytes of the Velvet Underground, with their own sonic blueprint for vibrations. Instead of bright, bustling melodies and resplendent harmonies, these Austin, Texas, Angels build a hypnotic thrum of slowly shuddering distortion, buttressed by a primal beat. Although they’ve been tagged shoegazers, the Angels’…
Dear Readers: Gracias, gracias, gracias for ustedes who bought the Mexican’s book last week (deportation for those who haven’t). I’ve done mucho national press due to the interest — the list so far includes Talk of the Nation, FOX News Live, Paula Zahn Now, The Tom Leykis Show, The Glenn Beck Show, BBC and Reuters, with more to come. E-mails…
Janovy, May 3 Connect the ‘Dotte I absolutely loved C.J. Janovy’s column on the young Wyandotte County librarian! I learned some interesting things about my adopted county. I live near KU Med Center. My mom was a librarian, my cousin Patricia is a young librarian who takes books to youth detention centers, and I’m a library sub. I really like…
Hey, you, girl at that surreal vacant-house party. Yeah, you, the one who found herself alone in that empty room with the shirtless tattooed guy. You didn’t notice, but there were some people in the closet cheering you on. No, not in a pervy, creepy way. We ducked in there, much like R. Kelly, to avoid a police raid. A…
Recently, we heard that MidAmerica Nazarene University had opened a new performing arts hall. That struck us as a bit odd, considering that the Olathe school bans such sin-inducing things as dancing. So you can imagine our disbelief when we drove out to the school’s Bell Cultural Events Center and saw who was on the marquee: Gwar, Dismember, Godhead and…
For the past three years, shoppers have visited the Metro North Mall for standard items such as athletic shoes, department store garments, greasy food-court fare — and photos with wild animals that traditionally roam African savannas. For $10, shoppers could snap a photo while cuddling with bear cubs, baby tigers and juvenile lions that were kept in cages in…
How’s this for kooky: A city trying to shed its redneck image lays down big money on Wal-Mart. Raytown leaders have put together a deal to subsidize a new Wal-Mart on Missouri Highway 350. The package reeks of desperation. City officials say they’ll put $32 million toward the cost of the project — five times what they’re expecting Wal-Mart…
Jim Gasser clutches his 5-foot-5-inch great sword as he advances down the center of Walnut just south of the Plaza Library. He ignores the nearby apartment complexes, rental bungalows, parked cars and other signs of civilization. He wears baggy chef’s pants and an apron. His sword is made of industrial-strength foam, but that’s beside the point. As Gasser wags…
According to published reports, Kansas City-based Hallmark has discovered three previously unknown emotions that can be captured in greeting cards. They’re: requiapathy, “the combination of relief and guilt that comes with the sudden realization that you no longer miss a dead loved one”; seprudity, “the feeling of appreciating a coworker’s dedication without fully understanding his or her job function”;…
%{}% In this week’s Pitchcast, Nathan Darrow, the metro’s hottest actor, talks about his recent fame, staying in Kansas City and the taboo topic of being a straight man in theater. Get it through iTunes here. or … Categories: News
It’s for the song “The Block” and features Joe Good. The Block — CES Cru featuring Joe GoodAdd to My Profile | More Videos Bonus Track: The Miles Bonny remix Categories: Music
If an e-mail correspondant ever asks you for an overview of our fair Paris of the Plains — or for driving directions here — just pass them this video from the Heet Mob: Catch the Mob live at the Beaumont’s DJ Battle on Sunday, May 27. Categories: Music
When Kay Barnes made her big announcement yesterday that she’s running for Congress, she made it crystal clear that she’s trying to tap into her small-town roots. She made her announcement in her hometown of St. Joseph while standing in front of her mother’s home, with four generations of her family nearby. According to a statement on her Web…
The Wayward Son is actually wayward this week. It’s not clear where Jason Harper is right now, but we’re told it has something to do with west Texas and Penthouse magazine. So this week, expect some fill-ins in this space. Today, here’s a review by Pitch freelancer Richard Gintowt of The Killers show: It doesn’t take a major-label A&R…
