Last night, in front of a sold-out, packed-to-the-rafters Sprint Center audience of nearly 17,000, Elton John sparkled. Quite literally: the 71-year-old superstar entertainer has never met a sequin or crystal he didn’t like. But his talent as songwriter and piano man shone most brightly, through a set that spanned nearly three hours. There were no opening acts. John arrived onstage just…
Countries on opposite sides of the world provide the backdrops for two bracingly alive movies, opening Friday in Kansas City in limited release. Although Donnybrook (filmed in Ohio and set in Midwestern meth country) and Lebanese film Capernaum (nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars next weekend) both profile the lives of poverty-stricken people struggling to stay alive,…
It’s not unusual to find beer incorporated into a cocktail, but around here it’s exceedingly rare to find a modified beer on a cocktail menu. Krokstrom Klubb and Market has one, though, in its Pickled Beer, a favorite at the midtown eatery.The drink was developed by bar manager Scott Deigert, who says he was inspired by his past work at…
Netflix’s Queer Eye was filming in and around Kansas City for much of the back half of 2018, and we’re all very excited to see how our city is portrayed in the new season. Today, Netflix announced when we can see the finished product. Season Three of Queer Eye hits Netflix in about a month: March 15. Here’s the little promo…
Originally released six months ago, “Pop Shit” is a catchy track cooked up by local producer 1Bounce, featuring muscular verses from Ray Muney, Lil Mal, NBG Welch, and Vonnie. The track’s music video had racked up several thousand views by the end of 2018. Now, though, the song has gone local-viral, with over 100,000 views, most of them from the last…
Based on the screen-printed posters covering the walls in Sister Rat’s practice space — Neurosis, Elder, High on Fire — you might assume that the band was pure doom metal. And if you saw Sister Rat’s early shows, which had a heavy, sludge-metal thing going on, you’d be right. But things have changed. It’s now more of a “Velvety Underground…
It’s not just you: going out to eat is way more expensive than it used to be. Food prices have risen 24 percent since 2008, with costs expected to continue to escalate 2-3 percent a year moving forward. Now compare that to your salary ten years ago. Now, health insurance. And so on. Even at mid-range restaurants in Kansas City,…
Monday, February 11Those who aren’t exactly fans of Valentine’s Day should consider heading over to the ‘Love Stinks, Let’s Drink’ anti-Valentine’s party at Zocalo (620 West 48th Street). The event, which runs from 4-8 p.m., will feature games, drink specials, and a photo booth.Tuesday, February 12A four-course beer dinner paired with beer from Bell’s Brewery is on tap tonight at…
As per usual, our latest local music video roundup from in and around the Kansas City area is a mix of high-profile and under-the-radar performers. Folk, Latin, hip hop, and indie pop — it’s all here this month, and these folks make it all look good. Good Saint Nathaneal, “Lightning” Nate Allen’s Good Saint Nathaneal project, and the album he released,…
Dear Dan: Can I still be considered sex-positive if I personally do not have sex? I’ve never had sex or masturbated — all my life, any type of sexual stimulation has been very painful and I’ve been unable to experience orgasm. I simply get a migraine and feel mildly nauseated instead. I am not looking for a possible solution, as…
Valentine’s Day gifts, particularly if you’re in a new relationship, can be a minefield. Flowers and chocolates seem a little impersonal (and a lot cliché). But grand gestures and heartfelt homemade crafts can backfire, too. Ever been held hostage while a nascent boyfriend tried to play you a Ryan Cabrera song on guitar?You say it best when you say it…
Angela Braun describes herself as “sober-curious” — she drinks occasionally but is interested in exploring a social life that isn’t built around alcohol. So, this past New Year’s Eve, she tried something new, transforming her Waldo hair and yoga studio, Hagoyah, into a nightlife venue, with a dance floor, live music, food, and drinks. The drinks, though, were mocktails, with…
In this age of social media supremacy, young and completely unknown musicians can upload a track to the internet and become a chart-dominating star quite literally overnight. That’s not quite what happened with Oliver Milmine — it’s harder when you’re making guitar-based music — but the Wichita teenager does have social media to thank for the shot he’s been given to…
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Musician Damien Sneed’s latest album is titled We Shall Overcome, and it features music inspired by Dr. King, as well as songs from the era in which he marched, fought, and spoke. It’s a powerful release, combining jazz, gospel, and soul, and Sneed is taking the show on the…
Can you smell that? The sticky-sweet scent of gooey romance, cheesy dinner dates, and cards that cost, like, seven dollars? It’s nearly Valentine’s Day. Though some of us at The Pitch are a little heartless, not all of us are. Here’s a list of events that we suspect capable of melting our cold, bitter hearts — and maybe yours. Early celebrations…
A bimonthly series from David Wayne Reed, Shelf Life picks a common theme — this time around, it’s “Guilty Pleasures” — and builds an evening of object-based storytelling around it. On the bill for this show: Cathy Barnett, Jose Faus, Benji King, Kristen Thomas, and the man himself, DWR. ♦Shelf LifeThursday, February 7The BrickFacebook event page
Samantha Slupski started writing poetry sometime around sixth grade, and she even posted some of it on a Tumblr account as a freshman in high school. But she hadn’t really considered sharing her work out loud until December 2015, when a friend suggested she stop by Poetic Underground’s weekly open mic at Uptown Arts Bar. She was immediately drawn to…
A guy in mid-15th Century swashbuckler attire beckons you forward and up the walkways of the student center at Johnson County Community College. Rather than his usual feathered chapeau, the cartoon drawing dons an orange hard hat, with arrows pointed to show you how to safely pass through the boarded-up area that will one day be the college’s new front…
Monday, February 4The city’s newest board-game-centric bar and restaurant, Boardroom Family Pub (8725 Metcalf Avenue), is holding its soft opening tonight from 4 to 11 p.m. Get in for $5 (the regular entrance fee) and enjoy access to hundreds of board games as well as food and drink for purchase. The Boardroom will offer pub fare, including burgers, sandwiches and salads,…
Dear Dan: I’m a 21-year-old woman, and I have an IUD. I’ve had sex with quite a few men, and one thing seems to be almost constant among them: trying to fuck without condoms. Many of the men I’ve been with seem to be perfectly fine and terribly eager to have sex without condoms. This has always angered me. They…
Six months after 96.5 The Buzz declined to renew her contract — and four months after hosting The Pitch’s Best of Kansas City party — radio host Afentra announced this morning she will be joining X105.1 FM as its new weekday afternoon host. Her show, The Afentra (Show), will air Monday through Friday, 3 to 8 p.m. Local comedian Patrick…
A Broadway show that could shock New York audiences — the premise might seem laughable now. But Paula Vogel’s Indecent, now playing at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, traces the story of a play that did just that. Indecent follows the real production (and prosecution) of God of Vengeance, a Yiddish play by writer Sholem Asch that premiered in 1907. Asch’s script…
