Photo by CJ Bown Sheng Wang has been doing standup comedy for a while now, but it’s only recently that his star has begun to truly rise. Fans of the podcast-turned HBO series 2 Dope Queens may remember Wang’s set from that show extolling the virtues of guacamole. His 2022 Netflix special Sheng Wang: Sweet and Juicy further capitalized on…
Photo Courtesy of DJ Stewart Skateboarding has always been an integral part of DJ Stewart’s life, having grown to love rolling around on four wheels since a young age. While living in Columbus Park a little over a decade ago, he and other local skaters brought their heads and hands together to innovate the KC scene. The concrete carvers reimagined…
Kansas City Royals versus Athletics on June 15, 2025. // Photo by Stephen Fuller The Kansas City Royals hosted the Athletics for a three-game series this past weekend. All three games resulted in a loss for the hometown team, resulting in the ‘Yals being on the wrong side of a second sweep in a row. The team continues to struggle…
Buzz Me In. // image courtesy Thames & Hudson New book Buzz Me In: Inside the Record Plant Studios, out this week from Thames & Hudson, sees veteran rock journalists Martin Porter and David Goggin telling the story of the legendary Record Plant recording studios from the original New York City location to the California iterations in Los Angeles and…
I’m With Her. // photo credit Alysse Gafkjen I’m With Her, the trio of Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz, and Sara Watkins, released their sophomore album, Wild and Clear and Blue, early last month. Coming seven years after their debut, See You Around, the album is worth the wait, with the harmonies and melodies even stronger, and it sees the group…
When you picture the course of American Ninja Warrior featuring daunting obstacles like the Quad Steps, the Spin Cycle, the Lunatic Ledges, or even the dreaded Warped Wall, you might imagine it to be a young person’s game. But for 64-year-old Kansas City native Greg Justice, aging doesn’t mean he has to get old, too. Season 17 of American Ninja…
For fans of cocktails and supporting charities, the perfect opportunity to satisfy both urges has arrived at Meat Mitch. The Leawood, Kansas, barbecue staple is donating $1 of every “Smash and Burn” cocktail to CASA of Johnson & Wyandotte Counties through August 31. Meat Mitch is also partnering with Holladay Distillery and Kansas City Bourbon Club, with Holladay matching the…
Billy Strings. // photo by Kylee Gregg Billy Strings T-Mobile Center Wednesday, June 11 There is something truly mind-bending about seeing bluegrass guitar virtuoso Billy Strings in concert that goes beyond just seeing the musician and his four bandmates perform with astonishing proficiency. The brain-melting light and video projections are part of the whole getting your jaw dropped to the…
Kansans protest President Donald Trump at the June 14, 2025, “No Kings” rally at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Thousands of Kansans rallied Saturday at the Statehouse in Topeka as part of a nationwide backlash to President Donald Trump, hoisting signs, joining in pro-democracy chants and speaking out against immigration raids. Organizers for the “No Kings”…
Protesters fill the stairs leading up to the Missouri State Capitol during the “No Kings” protest Saturday in Jefferson City. The protest and march drew over 1,000 attendees, according to event organizers (Michael Baniewicz/Missourian) Thousands turned out in Columbia, Jefferson City and dozens of towns across Missouri on Saturday to join a nationwide mobilization against the expansion of executive power…
The longest-standing Black-owned bookstore in Kansas City continues its fight to remain a part of this community. Losing Willa’s Books and Vinyl would not only be a loss of history but also of owner Willa Robinson’s hard work and unique inventory that holds interest for people everywhere. The store specializes in used and rare African-American books, first editions, as well…
Photo by Julian Schnittker Original pictures by Julian Schnittker taken at the peaceful protest in Kansas City on June 14th, 2025. More protests took place across the metro. Missouri’s governor preemptively activated the National Guard to intimidate gatherings like this one. Categories: Politics Tags: Anti-ICE, Donald Trump, Mill Creek, No Kings, protests
Photo Courtesy of Brett DeHart Chef Brett DeHart doesn’t mean to brag, but in his 30-plus years in the culinary field, he’s whipped up pretty much every kind of cuisine imaginable. “I started out in a mom-and-pop restaurant where I fell in love with food,” he says. Since then, he’s done it all, from fine dining to gastro pubs. Dare we…
Photo by Luis Rivas Original pictures by Luis Rivas (Stutter X on Twitter and Instagram) taken at the peaceful protest in Kansas City on June 10th, 2025. More protests are being organized for Saturday, June 14 at various locations across the metro. Missouri’s governor has preemptively activated the National Guard to intimidate further gatherings like this one. Categories: Politics Tags:…
Kansas City Royals versus New York Yankees on June 12, 2025. // Photo by Tarik Sykes On Thursday, June 12, the Kansas City Royals lost a low-scoring match-up against the New York Yankees, 1-0. With Seth Lugo on the bump, he managed to keep the Yankees scoreless through five innings. But the New Yorkers would go on to claim the…
If the budget reconciliation package before the U.S. Senate becomes law in the coming weeks, reproductive health advocates say the provision that would cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood clinics could serve as a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, eliminating access to 1 in 4 abortion providers. The Republican-led bill, which already passed the House by a slim margin, is more than…
A federal judge in California late Thursday ordered President Donald Trump to relinquish command of 4,000 National Guard troops the president called to help contain Los Angeles protests over immigration raids. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard was illegal, and ordered the return of control to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had opposed the deployment….
Courtesy Universal I’ll make this short and sweet: the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon is not a bad movie. It’s perfectly fine. But, like so many of the Disney live-action remakes that Universal is taking cues from, it’s totally unnecessary. It’s the same story, note for note. Original co-director and co-writer Dean DeBlois is running the show….
Office of the Governor In an audacious act of political power, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has activated the Missouri National Guard in “anticipation” of protests planned across the state. There is currently no widespread violence or disruptive actions being undertaken in any Missouri city—and no reported situations where local law enforcement, like the KCPD (with its yearly budget of $343…
Kansas City Royals versus New York Yankees on June 11, 2025. // Photo by Tarik Sykes The Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees took over Kauffman Stadium for the second game of a three-game series where the Yankees topped the Royals 6-3. After jumping off to a 5-0 lead in the second, the New Yorkers never looked back. While…
KC Sipps logo by Theodore Rosen Life in KC is pretty delicious. In fact, there is often so much going on that it can be hard to decide where to go and what to try. That’s where I come in. I’ve curated this weekly list of events, openings, deals, and celebrations to keep you in-the-know. Cheers! Something New News Bites:…
Samantha Crain. // photo by Sequoia Ziff Regardless of whether you know the name of Choctaw singer-songwriter Samantha Crain, you’ve likely heard her music, especially if you’re fan of Oklahoma-set must-watch series like Hulu’s Reservation Dogs or Disney+’s Echo. In addition to Crain’s own compositions, both series saw her cover songs from other artists in her own inimitable style. She…
Illustration by Shelby Phelps Understanding the full spectrum of human sexuality is complicated and nuanced. The judgmental type might call it ‘trendy’ to play with labels for gender, orientation, or relationship structures. But consider that the people taking on a new label are seeking solace and camaraderie, and they want to embrace a newfound understanding of themselves. While there is…
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent) In promoting his bill to fund professional sports stadiums, Missouri Republican state Sen. Kurtis Gregory warned about the potential hit to jobs and tax revenues if the state were to lose a team. But during Missouri Senate debate last week, he acknowledged that pride was…
