Abortion ban protest in Lawrence on June 4, 2022. // Photo by Chris Ortiz Lauren Conaway didn’t expect to see her abortion on the news. Conaway, founder and CEO of InnovateHER KC, had planned to give an interview about the Supreme Court’s leaked Roe v. Wade decision impacting women entrepreneurs. But as the interview went on, she unexpectedly shared her…
Illustration by dvjstock/iStock Images In June 2021, Congress, with a unanimous vote in the Senate and support of all but 14 Republicans in the House of Representatives, passed legislation designating June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day, commemorating the end of slavery for Black Americans. But what does it really mean? In the years to come, will it be embraced…
Katherine Waddell as Poppy Valentine in “Balloon Animal.” // Courtesy of Katherine Waddell When you think of indie films, your mind may immediately go to A24 and their oddball, slow-burn horrors, or coming-of-age romantic comedies. These films can often have a strong presence, but the depths of indie film go much deeper than what is advertised. Katherine Waddell is an…
John Wigner and Caroline Nelson can summon their respective characters even while out of costume. // Photo by Lauren Textor Flowing capes, brightly colored spandex, iconic insignias, and cunning accessories; a costume is only half the requirement when it comes to creating real-life superheroes like those of the Just-Us League, a local nonprofit that organizes cosplayers for charity events. It’s…
J. Rieger. // Photo by Weston Martellaro One part of Kansas City’s history that stands out looks at the world of alcohol production, and one company that embraces Citians’ enthusiasm in regards to booze is J. Rieger & Co. Midwesterners share a deep love for whiskey, and J. Rieger has some of the best blended whiskey in the region with…
This week on the Streetwise podcast we discuss horror books, enjoy a reading of Liz Cook’s story on pop-up restaurants, bop to The Way Way Back’s track “After Ever After”, and interview Lauren Sobchak from Missourians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Streetwise is hosted by Brock Wilbur, Editor-in-Chief of The Pitch. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify. Subscribe to the Streetwise newsletter, a weekly meditation on Kansas City…
Giovannie & The Hired Guns. // Photo by Kade Wilcox Texas rock ‘n’ roll/country act Giovannie & The Hired Guns have, in the last couple of years, gone from playing local venues in their area to becoming seasoned road dogs, thanks to a series of cinematic music videos and brilliantly catchy tunes. They’re bringing their show to the second night…
Bon Iver. // Photo by Cory Weaver Bon Iver Starlight Theatre Wednesday, June 15 You don’t have to be a great musician to fill amphitheaters, let alone a great person. Justin Vernon seems to be both. Bon Iver, helmed by Vernon, appeared at Starlight on Wednesday night. As the band filed onstage, each taking places at stations framed by angular…
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt addresses the Missouri House of Representatives Feb. 23, 2022. // Photo by Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications Office) More than four dozen Republican state lawmakers – including nine seeking higher office – want U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt to reverse his position and oppose the U.S. Senate gun control deal he helped negotiate. Blunt was part of a…
Bottled in Bond. // Courtesy J. Rieger & Co. The crew at J. Rieger & Co. certainly knows how to throw a party. Spirits were high on June 1st at the distillery, as investors and members of the media gathered on the patio for a highly anticipated release. We were one day away from the brand’s first bourbon release since…
Blackstarkids live at The Truman. // Photo by Aaron Rhodes Until midnight tonight, the team over at Bandcamp are holding their third annual Juneteenth fundraiser, wherein they donate 100% of the platform’s share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund—to support their ongoing efforts to promote racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education. Here’s a handful of KC…
Two drinks served at Mitch e Amaro’s Tiki Night. // Photo by Hannah Scott If you have a signature cocktail when you go out, you may have considered trying to recreate it at home, but then decided that’s too complicated for your time. Though mixology can feel out of reach for those with minimal knowledge, the process doesn’t have to…
As host of the new Screen Time movie podcast for The Pitch, I’m Patrick Moore and I’m thrilled to be launching this new slice of joy for the publication’s audience. You probably know me from writing about incredibly awful experiences on drugs, or from being the resident film critic on Great Day KC over at Fox 4. But I’m much…
REO Speedwagon // photo credit Chris Ortiz REO Speedwagon & Styx with Loverboy Starlight Theatre Tuesday, June 14 The crowd at Starlight. // Photo by Chris Ortiz Everywhere you look, there’s a sea of people clapping off beat, wearing khakis, baseball caps, and band t-shirts that might have actually seen the ’80s. The crowd is mostly seated—a congregation of mostly…
Picture courtesy Chris Meyers Crane Brewing Company co-founder—and brewmaster extraordinaire—Chris Meyers tells us he keeps his bio “short and sweet. I’m a dad, husband, animal lover, brewery owner, and community cheerleader.” Even before he teamed up with the brewery’s namesake, co-founder Michael Crane, Meyers was a fan of great beer and homebrews. Now Meyers oversees operations at the Raytown microbrewery…
Frank the Tank cheesin’ hard. // Courtesy of Scott Poore and Chain of Hope This week’s “Creature Feature” is thanks to the help of Scott Poore from Mission Driven. Meet Frank the Tank, a star player at Chain of Hope. The Tank is a sweet pittie who is all smiles. He’s a bit of a ladies man but DOES NOT…
Jason Sudeikis, Paul Rudd, and Rob Riggle are pictured at a previous Big Slick event. Let’s start off with two of the sexiest words we could ever type: Paul Rudd. Don’t deny the sexiness, we know you say the cover of People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2021. Marvel’s Ant-Man is planning a visit to the metro, and just wait until you…
New York artist Steve Keene might not be a household name to most, but for those in the indie rock world, he’s as well-known as Pablo Picasso. With artwork for Pavement’s Wowee Zowee and The Apples in stereo’s Electronic Projects for Musicians, along with his remarkably egalitarian and affordable approach to art–pieces usually sell for $5-10 and are made in…
Richard Garcia of Big Mood Natural Wines. // Photo by Liz Goodwin Drink-related defiance has been a movement for centuries. Think Boston Tea Party, the bootlegging days of Tom Pendergast, or teenage indulgence—which “is very bad” as J-Kwon said in his 2004 club banger, “Tipsy.” For those of legal drinking age, natural wine is the modern take on a sentiment…
LFK Pride sticker from Wonderfair. // Photo by Emeline Hutton Okay, nobody freak out, but it’s happening! Welcome back LGBTQ+ community, it is officially June, and you know what that means. Happy Pride Month! Hopefully, you’ve been spending the previous days letting your freak flag fly, or just simply existing amongst the comforting ambiance of ROYGBIV (we all still remember…
Social Symphony. // Photo by Travis Young There are so many experiences that we took for granted in our youth. I used to translate Latin poetry every day, do chemistry experiments in a lab, and play music alongside scores of other students in band. It’s totally normal as a kid to spend hours and hours each week on such varied…
Empty Screenland Armour really hurts to see. // Photo courtesy Adam Roberts It doesn’t take much to send wayward viewers into a downward spiral on YouTube. Whether it be watching your favorite gameplay, DIY videos, or funny pet compilations, there’s no hate here. If any of these interest you, or you shamefully admit to indulging in the YouTube void, we…
Babapop from Baba’s Pantry. // Photo by Tyler Shane To experience Middle Eastern hospitality smack dab in the middle of the Midwest, head to Baba’s Pantry, a Palestinian-American café and grocer. This family-owned bodega style deli has includes staples like Baba’s Ghanoush, falafel, hummus, kebabs, and more. Fresh and crisp vegetables overflow on Palestinian plates, and despite their sizeable portions,…
Summer soundtrack. What better way to guide your musical tastes toward some new listens, as part of the titular Summer Guide issue, than this roundup of new releases coming from artists in and around the metro? Whether your tastes lean toward electronic, indie, country, rock, or hip-hop, we’ve got treasure for you here. Let us be the eclectic soundtrack to…
