Archives: June 2026

Art, Culture

Local artist Remy Wharry opens creative studio and retail space for Raw Art acrylic paints

Raw Art Creative Studio on Troost Avenue offers arts and crafts workshops, Afro-American centered art, and a space for creatives.
Ava McCluer,

Remy Wharry with painting “My Beloved” at Raw Art Creative Studio // Photo by Ava McCluer Raw Art Creative Studio is not only named for owner Remy (Abigail) Wharry, but also for her business values: reliability, advocacy, and wellness. First came Raw Art Paint, the Midwest’s first black and woman-owned paint company. Now, located at 3004 Troost Ave, Kansas City,…
Movies

Disclosure Day tries to remind us what summer movies can be

Abby Olcese,

Courtesy Universal The biggest discussion point around Steven Spielberg’s latest film Disclosure Day (other than its many surface-level Kansas City references) is its status as a big-budget, true four-quadrant movie in a time when those are scarce. So let’s start there.  If you went to the movies in the 90s and pre-Marvel 2000s, you’ve probably found yourself saying “they just…
Culture

Science as an art: Brian Blake and his research-backed aquarium designs

Kolby Brown,

Photo by Brian Blake Having a beautiful aquarium can be a wonderful addition to a home—but for the average family, maintaining a luxury fish tank is no simple task. Building a thriving and attractive tank requires a deep understanding of aquatic life plus an eye for design. Local businessman Brian Blake has just that: With a degree in Biology studying…
Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Chicken quesadilla at Tiki Taco

Lilyanne Harris,

Chicken quesadilla // Courtesy of Tiki Taco Over at University Academy on Holmes Rd., Mr. Ryan Hall’s 8th-grade English class has a long-running practice of learning about food writing through the “Eat This Now” column from The Pitch. Given the chance to put words to any restaurant in town using our format, the students have a rare opportunity to tackle…

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Culture

Jennifer Holliday headlines intimate fundraiser show to benefit KC’s own Melinda Ryder

Michael Mackie,

Courtesy Jennifer Holliday Jennifer Holliday has spent the better part of four decades being introduced as the original Effie White from Dreamgirls. It’s a title she’s earned. After all, her earth-shaking performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” helped turn a Broadway musical into a cultural touchstone and made Holliday one of the most recognizable voices in theater…
Art, Culture

Vulpes Bastille exhibits donated art to help local families feel at home

"I know the difference between living somewhere and feeling like you’re at home.”
Kolby Brown,

Photo by Elinore Noyes As I walked through the doors of the Kansas City art gallery, Vulpes Bastille, I was greeted by Julia Cole—one of the organizers of the one-night-only Making Do/Making Special, a diverse art exhibit with a heartwarming cause.  Cole had a grateful smile on her face as she told me that this was a special art show….

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Music

Les Claypool pulled triple duty at Starlight

Mike Dotson,

Les Claypool. // photo by Mike Dotson It was a rainy day on Thursday, May 28, when Les Claypool came through Kansas City with his triad of musical misfits at Starlight Theater. The “Les is more” tour is a night of a combination of Claypool’s bands: Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and of course,…

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Sports

Photos: Mavericks dominate Everblades in Electric Kelly Cup Finals opener

Eli Ralls,

Photo by Eli Ralls The atmosphere inside Cable Dahmer Arena felt different from the moment the puck dropped Friday night. Every hit was louder, every scrum lasted a little longer, and every shift carried the intensity that only playoff hockey can deliver. In front of a packed and energized crowd, the Kansas City Mavericks opened the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals…

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Sports

Photos: Mavericks punch ticket to Kelly Cup Finals in overtime thriller

Eli Ralls,

For nearly 60 minutes Tuesday night at Cable Dahmer Arena, the Kansas City Mavericks and Fort Wayne Komets traded momentum in a playoff battle that had fans riding every emotion imaginable. With a trip to the Kelly Cup Finals on the line, the Mavericks appeared to have control of the game after building a lead through the first two periods…
Movies

She’s the He! is a campy reclamation of the gender-bending sex comedies

Siobhan McCarthy’s directorial debut satirizes conservative nightmares.
Ava McCluer,

Misha Osherovich (Ethan) and Nico Carney (Alex) in She’s the He! // Courtesy of Obscured Releasing Conservative groups have been claiming for years that transgender people are a threat to private spaces like bathrooms and dressing rooms. With She’s the He!, first-time director Siobhan McCarthy turns that wrongheaded notion on its head and fights trans panic with laughter On the…
Food & Drink

Avec Amour: Lawrence roastery Repetition Coffee leads by example

Emma Goulding,

Courtesy Amy Pope Nestled in a corner of East Lawrence is Repetition Coffee, a roastery and incubation office space where founder Amy Pope has created a safe haven for the community, as well as fostering direct relationships with coffee growers all around the world. In a culture of latte art and syrupy sweet drinks, Pope aims to put focus back…
Food & Drink

KC Sipps: Eat your way around Kansas City at these festivals, plus three downtown openings

This week's Kansas City restaurant news.
Sarah Sipple,

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:…
Culture

Lawrence PRIDE 2026! parade to kick off the month with flair and inclusivity

Annual Lawrence Pride festivities, June 6 in Downtown Lawrence
Emma Goulding,

Lawrence Pride // Photo by Fally Afani Kicking off the first week of Pride Month this Saturday, June 6, is Lawrence PRIDE 2026!, Lawrence’s annual Pride parade, which starts at 11:00 a.m. at 7th & Massachusetts Street in Downtown Lawrence and will be immediately followed by a block party.  Nonprofit organization Lawrence PRIDE has been running the event since the…
Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Rasta pasta at Wah Gwan

Lataya Reid,

Rasta Pasta at Wah Gwan // Photo by Sarah Sipple Over at University Academy on Holmes Rd., Mr. Ryan Hall’s 8th-grade English class has a long-running practice of learning about food writing through the “Eat This Now” column from The Pitch. Given the chance to put words to any restaurant in town using our format, the students have a rare…

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Movies

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas fall flat in Power Ballad

Director John Carney’s musical comedy lacks sincerity and polish.
Ava McCluer,

Director John Carney has made a career in musical movies that have blown audiences away, like Once and Sing Street. His latest has a Jonas Brother and Paul Rudd, which sounds like an unbeatable combo, but Power Ballad ends up disappointingly out-of-tune. 15 years ago, Kansas City native Rick Power (Paul Rudd) had a dream of playing at Madison Square Garden. But when he…

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Music

Ten Times Fast is growing quicker than their name

Alex Agueros,

Ten Times Fast. // photo by Alex Agueros You may have already heard Ten Times Fast. Among the hardest-working rock bands in Kansas City, you may have seen them at one of at least 40 gigs since forming two years ago. Comprised mostly of members of Perfume USA, you may have heard three of their five members in action opening…

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Music

The Pitch staff’s most anticipated concerts of the summer

Pitch Staff,

Rocking out to Suffocation. // photo by Jason Colvin As we’ve already noted several times thus far, it’s hot as Hades outside and with Memorial Day well in the rear view, it means it’s time for summer concert season. With an eye toward providing you with a plan to navigate the sheer excess of offerings on hand for 2026, we…
Food & Drink

Dark Horse Coffee’s debut Summer menu experiments with bold flavor combinations

"People don't go to a coffee shop to have the same thing they had somewhere else, especially locally."
Ava McCluer,

Abbey Hansen and Holly Holcomb of Dark Horse Coffee // Courtesy of Dark Horse Coffee As the year of the horse, 2026 is said to be a year of independence, confidence, and forward momentum. So when sisters Abbey Hansen and Holly Holcomb, in the process of opening Dark Horse Coffee in Blue Springs, realized they’d be launching during a horse…