Archives: October 2011

Music

Andrew Jackson Jihad, ‘Zombie By The Cranberries By Andrew Jackson Jihad’; show tonight at RecordBar

Nick Spacek,

Alyson Schill Phoenix, Arizona’s Andrew Jackson Jihad started out as an acoustic duo, playing bluegrass, country and Americana influenced by DIY punk. They’ve branched out on recent recordings to include a full band, even inspiring Dylan-at-Newport comparisons when they went electric on their last album, Can’t Maintain. Their newest release, Knife Man, out now on Asian Man Records, falls somewhere…
Music

Wild Flag, Wavves, James McMurtry: Wednesday’s Best Bets

David Hudnall,

James McMurtry An abundance of reasons to venture out to local music venues this evening. Bouncy lady pop-punk with Wild Flag at RecordBar. (Go early for Bob Walkenhorst at 7 p.m.)UPDATE: Looks like Wavves might be canceled. Snotty surf rock with Wavves at the Jackpot. Rooftop Vigilantes open.Literary country-rock with James McMurtry at Knuckleheads. Also Weirdo Wednesdays with Amy Farrand…
News

World’s creepiest mug shot belongs to Missouri sex offender

Ben Palosaari,

This is Michael Campbell, a 36-year-old Springfield sex offender who was arrested on Monday for coming within 500 feet of a school or public pool. He was booked into county jail and released. The photos on the left are from an arrest years ago. The more recent shots are on the right. Something tells us that he will not have…

A&E, News

Dead Wait‘s zombies are back! Here’s the season two premiere

Justin Kendall,

Locally produced zombie Web series Dead Wait returns for its second season today at noon. And the season picks up where season one left off, with paranoid shut-in Adam (Dan Hillaker) leaving his apartment with his nail-covered baseball bat and trying to survive the bloodthirsty undead horde. Show runner Justin Parlette promises that Adam will make it out into the…
News

Michelle Preston, ex-Shawnee Mission West teacher accused of sexing three students, shows up to court pregnant

Justin Kendall,

Former Shawnee Mission West teacher Michelle Preston was “visibly pregnant” when she showed up to her initial appearance on charges that she engaged in unlawful sexual relations with three students, KMBC reported. I’d say, after seeing the screenshot above (and credit to Hey Cameraman for being the first to point it out). Preston, 27, is accused of engaging in consensual…
Music

Titan Records vinyl reissues out now on Numero Group

David Hudnall,

Titan founders Tom Sorells and Mark Prellberg Titan Records, the late-’70s, short-lived Kansas City power-pop label, got a sort of rebirth a few years back when Chicago’s Numero Group released a two-CD box of the label’s highlights. Read former music editor Jason Harper’s very fine 2008 piece on that here. Yesterday we got word that the box set — 43…
Dining, Food & Drink

Are you a popcorn traditionalist?

Jonathan Bender,

Butter is no longer a revolutionary flavor topping. Kansas City is secretly a popcorn town with a long local tradition of cranking out some righteously popped kernels, thanks to Topsy’s, Vic’s and Velvet Creme. Whether it’s now a trend or simply one of those cyclical foods that gets reinvigorated during movie season, the rest of the country is catching on…
News

Missouri to explore conference affiliation; Bill Self says basketball Border War may end if Mizzou bolts

Justin Kendall,

Missouri is exploring its options. The University of Missouri is now in an open relationship with the Big 12. After the Big 12 proposed a long-term commitment to its members (the granting of TV rights for somewhere between six and 13 years), the Missouri Board of Curators granted chancellor Brady Deaton permission to explore Mizzou’s conference affiliation. In turn, Deaton…

Music

Motorboater, ‘Left Limb’ (video)

David Hudnall,

Up above these here words is a new video from Dan Eaton, aka Motorboater. It’s for the song “Left Limb,” a faded synth-pop track from this year’s full-length, Sport, which reminds me of Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More” in some weird way. The video is directed by the Record Machine’s Mike Russo and includes visual work from…
A&E

Out of Time & Space Astrology

Quan Tracy Cherry,

Libra/Libra Rising* (Sep 23-Oct 22): The strictly business Saturn etches his perfectionist ways in your sign until next October. Growing up takes time, and it brings growing pains. In America, we have been working on a new social order since November, 2008, when the face of ultimate power in some folks’ mind changed. The color of the face is different;…
Movies

The Ides of March

Scott Wilson,

What a bunch of assholes. (It’s OK to say assholes — we’re in a movie.) What a bunch of fucking asshole motherfuckers. (It’s OK — we’re in an R-rated movie.) What a bunch of … Democrats? (It’s OK — we’re in a George Clooney movie.) The Ides of March, in which Clooney stars as an impossibly fair-minded presidential candidate and…
Music

Explosions in the Sky’s instrumental blasts

Kyle Eustice,

Explosions in the Sky’s self-described “cathartic mini-symphonies” are built from a brave vision. Rather than appoint a frontman to lead the group, all four members carry equal weight in the creation of their intricate, experimental music. The Austin-based group, composed of guitarists Munaf Rayani and Mark Smith, bassist Michael James and drummer Chris Hrasky, just released its sixth studio album,…
Music

Andrew Jackson Jihad is uncomfortable with labels

Pitch Staff,

To casual fans and observers, Andrew Jackson Jihad is known as a folk-punk act with sharply funny lyrics. But singer and guitarist Sean Bonnette finds this description distasteful. He has been working to correct it. On the acoustic duo’s 2005 debut, Candy Cigarettes and Cap Guns, there is a song called “Cigarette.” The lyrics go: Smoking makes you cool/And smoking…