Kansas City owes the Texas Rollergirls a debt of gratitude for being the trailblazing team that laced up some skates and set off the neo-roller-derby frenzy back in 2003. The resurrection of the nearly forgotten sport won followers from coast to coast, and the Kansas City Roller Warriors joined the fold in 2004. But now, the students have surpassed the…
It’s a damn shame how many tattoos are drunkenly selected off the artist’s wall of flash art after the artist rejected your first seven ideas because he couldn’t draw them from memory. Attending this weekend’s Tattoo Rendezvous convention, held by the Alliance of Professional Tattooists Inc., should go a long way toward helping you understand what’ll be cool in 20…
Mike and Bob Bryan seem like a Disney Channel show turned into reality: Identical twins both make it big in tennis and end up playing as the world’s No. 1 pair. When the Bryan brothers knock into each other in their signature chest bump, it looks like somebody running into a mirror. Mike is even right-handed, while Bob plays with…
Sure, High Times named him the 2006 Stoner of the Year. And, yes, he was co-creator, star and writer of The Marijuana-Logues Off-Broadway, and he recently released his Super High Me doc on DVD. But Doug Benson isn’t just about pot humor. The Best Week Ever talking head is just as good when he’s befuddled by McGriddles, the word ginormous…
El Torreon has been many things: a jazz club in the ’20s, a punk club in the aughts and home to the Cowtown Ballroom, a short-lived but dynamic concert space. Open between 1971 and 1974, the Cowtown Ballroom booked Frank Zappa, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Van Morrison. The venue deserves a proper memorial, and that’s why filmmaker, amateur historian…
Any good sheepherder knows that the best way to move a flock is to bait the animals with food. Lost Family Productions came up with an equally effective way to lure people to its Gaea Retreat: jam bands. The festival’s promise of a spiritually charged “Earth awareness” experience would likely be a tougher sell without the draw of bands such…
Kansas City poet and teacher Christina Pacosz joins Minnesota poet LouAnn Shepard Muhm at the Writers Place (3607 Pennsylvania, 816-753-1090) for a 7:30 p.m. poetry reading from the anthology Letters to the World, a collection of some of the best work of the Wompo women’s poetry listserv at usm.maine.edu/wompo. “It’s a unique anthology. All of these poems were contributed by…
Let’s make one thing clear: The upcoming Ladies Time Expo is not a convention of tampon manufacturers. It is, however, a fun night of fashion and relationship advice — plus freebies such as skin-care products, massages and T-shirts — at the Madrid Theatre (3810 Main, 816-753-8880). Loveline personality Diane Farr will give a talk called “How to Empty the Trash…
We’re all immersed in the local legend and lore of such Kansas City notables as Tom Pendergast and J.C. Nichols, storied luminaries who monopolize the attention of those who pen history. But it wasn’t all corrupt pols and machine hacks who helped grease the wheels of Kansas City’s early days. There was also the pious and decent industrialist whose story…
Today, the familial unit is flexible. Adopting friends as “relatives” is commonplace in 2008, and even more so for the folks who hang out at Tootsie’s (1818 Main, 816-471-7704). Bringing everyone together is the first king of Kansas City gay pride, Buttwiser. Throw a curve in the midweek routine and celebrate family at Buttwiser’s Bash Show. The cast of about…
Kaye Johnston sure likes to share the spotlight. Recently, the contemporary folk singer started co-hosting an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays at Bar Natasha (1911 Main, 816-472-5300). And since February, Johnston has been booking other local singer-songwriters to perform with her at Blayney’s (415 Westport Road, 816-561-3747) for Wednesday Acoustic Night from 6 to 8 p.m….
Author, poet and University of Kansas associate professor Joseph Harrington says that around 37 percent of Lawrence’s nearly 90,000 residents either write poetry or are reincarnations of people who have.Among the nearly 33,000 Lawrencians who claim poet status are Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Chantel Guidry, Nancy Hubble and Dixie Lubin. In addition to writing poetry, Mirriam-Goldberg sometimes teaches at Goddard College in…
If you observe the Jewish sabbath, you’ve probably missed some gigs, a few barhops and every First Friday ever. Not to worry: Tonight, the Young Professionals Initiative of the Jewish Federation sponsors a Summer Fling at the Arts Incubator, giving young area Jews a chance to meet, mingle and enjoy the social heat of summertime in the cool of downtown…
For the most part, the only things that separate American football and American rugby are pads, a few rules and the fact that Americans don’t know shit about the latter. Honestly, could you or anyone you know define a “scrum,” a “ruck” or a “maul”? But you don’t have to be a rugger-bugger (heavy drinker) or an alickadoo (old fart)…
Strap on your feedbag, Kansas City. Fringe Fest 2008 crams a year’s worth of art, dance, music, theater, film and whatever into less than a week — more than 250 performances of 67 shows. Tonight’s kickoff party begins at 7 at 1915 Main. Before you open wide and gorge, here’s a look at some festival highlights.• The Coppelia Project clown…
Playing trivia in a bar has the potential to be an emotional affair. There’s the frustration of players and noncompetitors who shout out answers, but there’s also the delicious tingle of excitement felt for a teammate who knows that the Riddler’s henchwomen are Echo and Query and the glow of confidence radiating from the ultimate winners. For those who enjoy…
Live Salsa Band, Professional Salsa Performances, Salsa Lessons, Spanish-Style Tapas (Appetizers) Wine & Spirits, Silent Auction to benefit the young fathers of our community who have no resources, no guidance, no mentors and provide these necessities to help these fathers become productive members of our community while learning valuable parenting skills and raising children with the same qualities. Thu., July…
The Saucy Hound opens for an “Evening of Art” the second Friday of every month featuring a different local artist. Each artist’s work will remain on display until the following month and 10 percent of all proceeds from sales will go to the artist’s charity of choice. Second Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m., 2006 Tags: 2639, Night & Day
Most of us associate quilts with grandmothers cheerfully piecing together blankets for newborn grandkids or stay-at-home moms looking for an outlet for their pent-up creativity. But quilting’s history — and its future — is about much more than what’s produced in the cul-de-sac.Tonight between 6 and 9, the Belger Arts Center (2100 Walnut) opens African-American Quilts From the Collection of…
Part of the fun of ballet recitals is the fact that a whole slew of ballets have roots in mysterious, macabre folklore. Swan Lake is a centuries-old tale about lovely maidens turned into swans by a wicked sorcerer. In The Red Shoes, based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, a young girl is seduced by vanity, then forced to dance…
Last year, Vanity Fair caught heat for the article “Why Women Aren’t Funny,” an investigation of the “humor gap” between the sexes. In April, the magazine made amends with a cover story about the women of comedy. Still, the gripe remains: Comedy is a sausage fest. Too few girls are encouraged to pursue careers in self-deprecation, even though so many…
Costume contest, prizes, King and Queen of the Prom competition. Wed., July 16, 2008 Tags: Night & Day
Conventional wisdom says the Kansas City Wizards will have to be winners if they want to attract local sports fans who are fed up with KC’s other two underachieving pro franchises. Or they can just keep roping in Disney Channel stars such as Selena Gomez, whose June 28 appearance helped draw a sellout crowd, despite the fact that the Wizards…
A hairstravaganza of an event takes place tonight at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural and Heritage Center (3800 Blue Parkway). At Ms. Khadijah’s Styling Artist Hair Show, local hairstylists and barbers show off their best work when their models take the runway. The latest trends, such as extensions and asymmetrical haircuts, will be on display — along with different braid…
