Bam Keith. // Courtesy the artist KCMO native songwriter, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist Bam Keith has been writing music and making beats since he was 11 years old. What started as a private escape from the trials and tribulations of life has evolved into an opportunity to empower himself and the artists in his community. At sixteen years old, his mother’s…
Trombonist Trevor Turla. // Photo by Ben McBee In April, trombonist Trevor Turla released his first EP, And We Continue, debuting a lineup of his compositions. Turla describes the EP as a series of sketches. “I wanted to release the authentic things I was actually hearing. I put it out, and then let my music evolve from there,” Turla says….
Pinball in KC. // Photo by Kelcie McKenney Pinball machines hold some serious nostalgia. Maybe you remember a busted-ass Terminator 2: Judgment Day machine in the corner of a pizza joint. Maybe there were a few intimidating specimens lined up at the arcade in the mall. But it doesn’t have to be confined to memory. Kansas City has a thriving…
Quite Frankly. // Photo by Hannah Strader On Friday, Aug. 26, three of KC’s best local bands took the stage at The Truman to support E3 Academy. The benefit show raised nearly $3,000 in donations and featured the Apple Scruffs, Quite Frankly, and Paramount. Apple Scruffs opened the show with a set full of Beatles covers that got the crowd…
Hawaiian Pizza at Devoured. // Courtesy Devoured Pizza Devoured Pizza’s Hawaiian Dream pie Ah, yes. The pizza that has people so divided you’d think it was a politician. Devoured Pizza, a pop-up specializing in wood fire oven-baked pizzas, is trying to snag the haters with their take on this controversial Hawaiian pizza flavor combo. The Hawaiian Dream pie has a…
In horror movie music, there is nothing funkier than Claudio Simonetti. Be it the proto-electro of Tenebrae, the progressive rock of Zombi, or the jazzy fusion of Profundo Rosso, Simonetti’s work with the seminal band Goblin is legendary among genre fans. While the composer and musician has branched out into solo work for the likes of Lamberto Bava’s Demons, or as part of…
Boys aged 14 to 16 commit to a two-year position to work on the BoysGrow farm and learn vocational skills. // Courtesy BoysGrow BoysGrow is a local nonprofit that educates urban male youth through hands-on experiences in farming, culinary arts, and construction. The two-year program equips the boys with soft skills and applied knowledge in entrepreneurship. We’ve previously featured the…
Alicia Keys. // Photo by Chris Ortiz Alicia Keys Starlight Theatre Wednesday, August 24 The former Voice coach took the stage at Starlight Theatre to relive a Y2K moment and bring all listeners on a trip to the past. The show served as Kansas City’s installment of the Alicia + Keys World Tour. Opener D Smoke enveloped onlookers in a lyrical…
“Probably one of my favorite things to make is a good fruit pie,” Courtney Hill says. “But I save that for special occasions.” // Photo by Ryan Hill As a kid, Courtney Hill dreamed of having her own cooking show. She loved spending time in the kitchen and dreaming up new recipes—like a miniature Martha Stewart, without the prison record. …
HUMP! Film Festival promotional graphic. // Courtesy Index Media Co Dan Savage, creator of the Savage Love advice column, recently announced the return of the HUMP! Film Festival on a nationwide tour—including a stop in Kansas City. The indie porn festival is a collection of short-erotic films featuring a realistic portrayal of intimacy. The festival encourages sex-positivity and celebrates body…
Josh Hawley Fun Run. // Photo by Jim Nimmo “Go woke and go broke!” is a saying that conservatives like to toss out whenever they see a small business supporting a progressive cause they disagree with. The idea, of course, is that the risk for small businesses taking a stand on a social or political issue is simply not worth…
The Pitch’s Infinite Playlist. // Illustration by Shelby Phelps Welcome to The Pitch’s Infinite Playlist, a forever-growing playlist of songs picked by people in KC. View/follow the full playlist on Spotify and you can always go back and check out the full run of articles. Throw the playlist on shuffle and enjoy away! Playlist Guest #22: Matilda Jane Kennedy Who…
MAYA: The Exhibition. // Photo by Pierson Kubel The Auschwitz Exhibit at Union Station was a unique moment in Kansas City. In a collective moment of clarity, the entire metro was buzzing over the moving, enveloping, gruesome, horrific—and ultimately—important display. After such a breathtaking experience, the city shared collective anticipation for Union Station’s opening of MAYA: The Exhibition. Focusing on…
A sign outside the Truman concert venue in Kansas City advertises its fifth anniversary. // Photo by Lucie Krisman In September 2017, the site of a former auto parts shop officially became a concert venue and opened its doors to Kansas City. At 601 E. Truman Road in Kansas City, Missouri, the Truman sprang to life on the site of…
Nancy Oglesby. // Courtesy Nancy Oglesby To call Nancy Oglesby a renaissance woman would be an understatement. From graphic design to hospitality, she’s dabbled in quite a few fields before finding her niche as a certified health/habit coach here in the metro. Now, the Kansas City author and educator—who calls herself “creative, direct, and irreverent”—is on a mission to support…
Carswell & Hope. // Photo by John Knepper One sweaty evening in August, I met up with musician Nick Carswell out front of the Bourgeois Pig in downtown Lawrence to talk about his new album with Carswell & Hope, Sign of the Times. The album marks the band’s first new recordings – outside of some pandemic cover videos – in…
Theory with the Money Bank. // Courtesy WWE Pro-wrestler Austin Theory made his WWE debut a mere three years ago—and now his accolades have accolades. “I’m the youngest United States champion and the youngest Mr. Money in the Bank ever in WWE history,” he brags. “I could soon become the undisputed WWE universal champion.” (If you’re not up to speed,…
The best wing on the planet is at Q39. // Photo by Tyler Shane When patrons walk through the door of Q39, one of Kansas City’s most notable barbecue restaurants, their senses are activated immediately. The smokey aroma of open fire begins to provoke the tastebuds, along with the smell of sweet barbecue sauce and cuts of savory and juicy…
Brock plays arcade games with Vivian Kane and Alejandro. Welcome, dear readers, to the September issue of The Pitch. This month, we’re digging into the story of an extremely online Missouri politician, a hyper-specific tale of a new local mill, and deep dive into what the hell is going on with the lack of state funding for filmmakers in the…
Photo by Brock Wilbur The League of Women Voters of Missouri (LWVMO) and the Missouri NAACP filed two lawsuits this week against the state and Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to combat perceived voting suppression legislation. H.B. 1878 goes into effect Aug. 28 and will impose new restrictions on voter identification, registration activity, and engagement efforts ahead of the November…
The three personality types are “Person Who Hasn’t Seen The Office,” “Person Who Quotes The Office Constantly,” and “Person Who Loved The Office But Is Tired Of Reading About Pams Looking For Their Jim In Tinder Profiles.” As someone who quotes The Office too much, I really wish I was reviewing this from inside either of the other two camps….
Taylor Hughes had one heck of a summer. Under her musical moniker pure xtc, Hughes played Boulevardia, dropped the singles “Shadow” and “Cell” (the latter featuring Gatto Black), and just spent the weekend at Raytown’s Crane Brewing crafting her very own beer. The Summer of Pure XTC Orange You Happy Yet? beer is a blood orange IPA with spices and…
Photo courtesy Gwendolyn Kiste Writer Gwendolyn Kiste’s new book, Reluctant Immortals (out now from Saga Press), is one which appeals to a wide variety of interests. The story of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre “madwoman” Bertha Mason and Lucy Westenra of Bram Stoker’s Dracula living as friends in 1960s Los Angeles while dealing with the recently-reanimated villains of the novels from…
Joel Bonner’s musical project, Serene Fiend, is many things and all of them are on display on the long-in-the-works and just released full-length, Elegies and Effigies. When I last spoke with Bonner about the album, it was nearly two years ago, but it was pushed back due to a desire to have a proper release show. Thankfully, this Saturday, Aug….
