Black Oxygen. // photo courtesy the artist On Monday, June 24, Shifty Shellshock, frontman and cofounder of Crazy Town, passed away at the age of 49. Despite many trials and travails over the course of the musician’s short life, he made a mark with Crazy Town’s “Butterfly”—their 2000 single which was a massive worldwide success. At the beginning of this…
Photo by Zoe Strohm Friday night My Brother, My Brother and Me kicked off the 20-Fungalore tour at Uptown Theater. The podcast, known affectionately to insiders as MBMBAM, is hosted by brothers Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy. With technical help from tour manager Paul Sabourin, the show offers advice on life’s most burning questions, such as “How many times is…
Pallbearer. // Courtesy of the artist If you want to know what Arkansas doom metal quartet Pallbearer sounds like, look no further than the title of their 2012 debut, Sorrow and Extinction. Even as the band’s sound has evolved from lengthy, cyclical riffs to a wider sound that embraces elements of progressive rock, the heart of Pallbearer’s music has always…
In a photo distributed by his campaign, Republican Shawn Tiffany is seen filing as a candidate in the 2nd District congressional race. His campaign has released a series of attention-seeking ads. (Submitted) TOPEKA — A feedlot co-owner’s bravado-based campaign for Congress projects an image of a brawny cowboy eager to fight transgender children, non-Christians, fake Republicans, “illegals” and socialists. As…
Pineapple shaved ice at Lilo’s Shaved Ice // Photo by Tiffany Watts Lilo’s Shaved Ice It’s hotter than the devil’s armpit here in Kansas City, so this week I stopped by Lilo’s Shaved Ice stand in Parkville to treat myself to one of their stuffed shaved ice cups. Of course, your typical shaved ice refreshment is just shaved ice and…
Torture playing at Howdy on June 21st, 2024. // Photo by Miguel Gonzales Across the block from the industrial setting where Howdy is located, a line of semi trucks buzz by Stadium Drive with multiple trucks strapped tight onto their bodies. An old man drives by with a pile of ripped tire rubber in the back of a gray truck,…
Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs. // photo by Tom Pugh Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Monday, June 24 Former guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Mike Campbell brought his current band, the Dirty Knobs, to the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Monday night in support of their recently-released record Vagabonds,…
The 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s decision to toss a Kansas lawsuit challenging constitutionality of a law allowing warrantless searches of facilities that house and train hunting dogs. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Covey Find Kennel owners Scott Johnson and Harlene Hoyt refused to take sitting down a federal judge’s decision that Kansas…
The message “You are not alone, support is here” is painted on the window of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains on Friday in Overland Park, Kansas (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent) When Missouri outlawed abortion two years ago, Nicole was far more worried for her grown children than for herself. It had been two decades since she last gave birth, when she…
The Cuban bowl at The Hungry Hatch // Photo by Tiffany Watts I couldn’t afford a food coma. My schedule was packed and I needed a good lunch that wouldn’t take seemingly forever to wait on. To add to my panic, I was hangry. It was 11 a.m. and because I’m that friend who religiously skips breakfast, I needed to…
Second graders study in a classroom on May 7 at George Melcher Elementary School. Kansas City Public Schools changed its grading policy beginning with the 2023-24 school year. (Zach Bauman/The Beacon) Finish zero schoolwork, expect zero for a grade. Not anymore in Kansas City Public Schools. The district launched a different grading system during the most recent school year. The…
Jana Schmieding. // photo courtesy CAA Comedian, writer, and actor Jana Schmieding is rapidly becoming a force with which to be reckoned. Starting with her podcast Women of Size, moving on to working as a writer and star of the excellent and sadly-cancelled Peacock series Rutherford Falls, along with roles on the FX series Reservation Dogs and Disney+’s Echo, Schmieding’s…
Archival photo of the fountains at Crown Center. Amid record-breaking summer heat, information on where the public can find access to cooling centers and water resources is vital—especially for those in the community who are currently short on options. For both fun and safety, here’s a handy guide to many publicly accessible options in the metro area. Feel free to…
The Greeting Committee. // Photo by Tyler Krippaehne “I think the way that life is, at least for me, is just constantly getting hit in the face,” The Greeting Committee lead singer Addie Sartino says. “And it’s like, cool, just keep walking. What else are you gonna do?” It’s been quite the decade for Kansas City natives The Greeting Committee….
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly at a campaign event in 2022 (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector). Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday signed legislation that offers hundreds of millions of dollars to the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to relocate from Missouri. The legislation, an expansion of one of the state’s tax incentive programs, could help finance up to 70% of the cost…
The Peggy Lee at The Little Store on Knox // Photo by Ellen Beshuk The Little Store on Knox brings three summer drinks to North KC that caffeinate consumers while capturing the essence of the season. For $6 each, the “Peggy Lee,” “Honey, I Fermented the Berries,” and “The Catton” each focus on different summer staples and offer something for…
Motion City Soundtrack. // photo by Whitney Young Motion City Soundtrack with Gully Boys and Prince Daddy & the Hyena Wednesday, June 19 Minneapolis power-pop act Motion City Soundtrack is currently touring in celebration of I Am the Movie and its 20th anniversary, and they hit Kansas City on Wednesday to play that album in its entirety, along with other…
Mike Campbell. // Photo Courtesy of Chris Phelps Guitarist and songwriter Mike Campbell’s work with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers would be enough to secure his everlasting legacy, and the band’s 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a testament to that. Having co-written many of the band’s hits—“Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl,” and “You Got…
Empowerment Studio group shot. Pride Month celebrations have popped up across the Kansas City area all month, and The Empowerment Studio created a unique way to celebrate remotely. The #SelfietoSelfLove challenge is an online community that celebrates diversity, acceptance, and self-love. Beginning June 24 and ending June 28, participants will submit selfies to a private Facebook group. Each day has…
Photo Courtesy of MBMBAM As an expert in (not-so-great) life advice, dungeons and dragons, and minding your manners, Travis McElroy is no stranger when it comes to podcasting. Alongside his brothers, Justin and Griffin McElroy, he has hosted the podcast My Brother, My Brother, and Me since 2010, giving advice from the point of view of the middlest brother. He…
Unable to work after being shot at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade in February, Jacob Gooch Sr. initially received short-term disability payments. But that assistance abruptly stopped in May when he started seeing a new doctor who was in network with his health insurance. The issue was resolved in June, and he was expecting to receive back pay…
STOMP,. created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas. // Photo © Steve McNicholas STOMP—a percussion band known for their creative use of random objects and junk—comes to Starlight Theater to perform their iconic but consistent show. Photo by Ellen Beshuk Musically, this performance is impressive. Their coordination and accuracy stand out, as well as the variety of “instruments,” from the…
Courtesy of IFC films On the surface, Ghostlight sounds trite: A construction worker who has trouble expressing his feelings gets recruited into a community theater troupe where a bunch of colorful characters help him open up and reconnect with his troubled family. You’ve seen variations on this story before in The Full Monty, Calendar Girls, Brassed Off—you know, the kinds…
Photo by Emma Crouch KC Monarchs Update is our weekly look at what’s happening with hometown baseball heroes, both at Legends Field and on the road. Check out their season schedule here. Grant Gavin’s latest run of success has earned him a special recognition. The Kansas City Monarchs starting pitcher and Parkville, Missouri native has been named the American Association’s…
