Photo by Maura Dayton Editor’s note: First names will be used in this article to refer to those running The Toilet Bowl, in service of privacy. Flooding your basement usually spells the end of a well-furnished subterranean hangout spot, but for Lawrence’s DIY concert venue, The Toilet Bowl, it was just the flush they needed to cement their legacy as…
Mayor Quinton Lucas giving opening statements in response to Missouri’s recent ban on gender affirming care and sports limitations for transgender people. // Photo by Joe Ellett Thursday morning, seven community members held a press conference at City Hall in response to Missouri’s recent ban on gender-affirming care and sports limitations for transgender athletes. The ban was signed June 7…
Jared Anderson vs. Andriy Rudenko. // Photo by Dominic Pellettiere The heat was on in Tulsa on Saturday night for Jared Anderson after his last performance against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin. Just 56 days prior, “Big Baby” scraped his way to a unanimous victory, though many criticized Anderson for ending his 15-fight knockout streak he had retained since his…
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas speaks at a vaccine clinic at the Morning Star Community Center in Kansas City. Lucas allegedly raised his voice and urged an activist to withdraw a Missouri Sunshine Law request, a lawsuit claims (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor’s Office). A Kansas City activist has filed a lawsuit alleging Mayor Quinton Lucas attempted to intimidate her…
A new lawsuit says Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody, top left, spearheaded the Aug. 11 raid of the Marion County Record in retaliation against the journalists who worked there. Reporter Deb Gruver’s desk appears at the bottom right. She filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal court. (Marion County Record screen capture of surveillance video) TOPEKA — Police Chief Gideon Cody…
First Fridays. // Photo by Brooke Tramel Hello, dearest readers, and welcome to the September issue of The Pitch. In an issue full of oversharing, I’ll go first: One of my most perverse traits—real sicko hours—is that ever since I was a little boy, I’ve been convinced that the 24-hour day is a personal slight against me. As a baby,…
Art by Cassondra Jones Looking for delicious plans? Whether you want to impress a date, show your fam the best of KC, or just get out of the house, we’ve got you covered… all while supporting (mostly) local. Here is your weekly roundup of the best food and drink offerings around Kansas City. Cheers! Something New Boulevard Brewing Co: Boulevard’s…
Of Course // Photo by Jordan Baranowski Of Course Kitchen & Company, located in southern Overland Park as part of the Bluhawk Shopping District, gives off quite the first impression. Former private chef Swetha Newcomb has brought South Asian and Indian influence to a number of elevated dishes, and the beautiful interior and inviting dining space all point to a…
Courtesy Punkie Johnson Imagine scoring your dream gig to become a featured player on SNL—only to have it happen smack dab in the middle of a global pandemic. Such was the case for comedian Punkie Johnson, who made the most of her debut season in 2020, amidst endless pandemic restrictions. Johnson got her start as a stand-up comedian before venturing…
In June of last year, legendary rock magazine Creem began publishing once again, and over the past year has proven that “a revived rock ‘n’ roll print magazine can still be successful in a digital age, with an uncertain media landscape every day.” The quarterly print edition does deep dives into lost or forgotten classics, the new hotness, and everything…
Raffaele Cipriano, YSKC Repertory Conductor // Courtesy of Youth Symphony of Kansas City The Youth Symphony of Kansas City (YSKC) has recently appointed new artistic faculty members to carry them into their 65th anniversary season. Concert violinist and nonprofit leader Keith Stanfield has been appointed as Artistic Director. Stanfield also serves as coach of the YSKC Academy and concertmaster of…
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 34: Hayden Kalp My name is Hayden Kalp, and I…
Waldo Pizza will be closing early Wednesday, August 30 at 3 p.m. to allow employees to mourn the death of beloved employee, Jon “Buddy” Paul. Paul passed last Saturday, after a hit-and-run accident in early August. Friends say Paul was known for his inappropriate jokes, movie reviews, and local restaurant recommendations. He had been performing with his band The Buddy…
Quesabirria and al pastor taco with consome at Taqueria la Nueva // Photo by Lauren Textor Taqueria la Nueva is here for your queso cravings If you’re out partying at Missie B’s and get a strong case of the munchies, then you don’t have to go any further than next door to satisfy your hunger. Taqueria la Nueva’s Westport location…
Sarah Fertig, state Medicaid director, says the first few months of the unwinding process has been difficult. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — After describing long wait times, sluggish mail returns and unprecedented call center volumes, Kansas Department of Health and Environment officials announced — two weeks after their initial update — that they are trying to turn things around in…
From Nov 24-Dec 31 guests can look forward to adventuring through the world’s largest Christmas lights maze. In addition to the maze, guests will be able to shop with local vendors and enjoy holiday-themed food and drinks in Christmas Village. Live entertainment for the event includes nightly caroling from Santa and his elves and performances from local musicians. Santa Claus…
Courtesy Heartland Book Fest The Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Humanities, and Missouri Affiliate for Library of Congress’ Center of the Book are partnering to host the Inaugural Heartland Book Fest downtown Oct. 6 and 7. The two-day fest will feature a variety of workshops, exhibitions, performances, and activities all centered around the theme “Find Your Story.” The festival will…
Jelly Roll. // photo by Isabella Galvan Jelly Roll with Ashley McBryde and Struggle Jennings T-Mobile Center Saturday, August 26. On Saturday night, there were a slew of musical choices throughout the metro, but none were a bigger show than country hip-hop superstar Jelly Roll’s show at T-Mobile. Singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde and rapper Struggle Jennings opened. Our photographer Isabella Galvan…
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks Jan. 20 to the Missouri chapter of the Federalist Society on the Missouri House of Representatives chamber (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey believes a push to allow St Louis and Kansas City to enact their own gun regulations would cost the state hundreds of millions and lead to a massive increase…
Tiffany (left) and Anwar (middle) Lee at an outreach event in St. Louis on June 22, 2023, where the state’s new chief equity officer, Abigail Vivas (in green), went through all the eligibility requirements for the cannabis microbusiness program (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent) The state began the process of doling out small-scale cannabis business licenses on Monday, announcing the winners of…
Signs of the Swarm at Granada in April 2023. // Photo by Maura Dayton The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) is bringing its Venue Operations eXperience (VOX) program to The Granada in Lawrence this winter—one of just six venues chosen in the entire country. The NIVF is a non-profit organization that assists independent venues through financial resources and workforce development…
ZZ Ward. // Photo by Charlie Ward Previously signed to a major record label, genre-blending artist ZZ Ward has recently branched out into independently creating under Dirty Shine Records. Ward has taken all her creative endeavors into her own hands, including her songwriting and production and the conceptualization and creation of music videos alongside her filmmaker brother, Adam William Ward….
Recs With Merritt. // Art by Cassondra Jones Records with Merritt is Marion Merritt’s vinyl store in Westport with partner Ann Stewart. As a staple in our community for nearly a decade, we’ve partnered with Merritt for a new monthly column, where the tastemaker shares her picks for the best wax releases to look forward to grabbing, divided by release…
Cookie Monster ice cream // Photo by Stephen Roberson Have you ever had two ice cream flavors for dessert, and one is so superior that you take your sweet time eating it and save it all for last? That is the predicament I found myself in while visiting Summer Salt Ice Cream Company. We are all familiar with the childhood…
