Dusty Grooves

FRI 12/19

Remember back in the days before rap, when a DJ was a disc jockey and scratching records meant ruining them? Scott O’Kelley and Wendy Vit play records for other listeners, but they don’t have any tricks or fancy equipment with which to demonstrate them, which makes them DJs in the old-radio sense.You won’t see them juggling beats on two turntables, mixing back-and-forth with flicks of their wrists. In fact, you won’t see these two anywhere near a pair of SL 1200s. The usually-superior Technics turntables are of no use to these older-than-old-school jocks — their records spin at 78 revolutions per minute. Even with the pitch control all the way up, the Technics don’t get too far beyond 45 RPMs. O’Kelley and Vit play vintage hillbilly, country, Western swing and rockabilly on ancient 78s. If you’ve seen Crumb or Ghost World, they’re those kind of records. They’ve been diggin’ through dusty crates so you don’t have to. Hear what they’re hearing at the Hillbilly Hop, starting at 10 p.m. at Mike’s Tavern, 5424 Troost. There’s no cover, so you can drink more — which is necessary given the country theme and all. For details, call 816-444-3399.— Michael Vennard

Space Odyssey

Check the Artspace before the art checks out.

12/18-12/19

By Friday night, works from this year’s Charlotte Street Foundation award winners will be carted out of the H&R Block Artspace at 16 East 43rd Street. So it’s worth stopping by before 5 p.m this week to see what’s preoccupying area artists.The show’s curator, Heather Lustfeldt, hesitates to say there’s a unifying theme other than “ideas of space — from social space to dream space.” Into the latter would fall Leo Esquivel’s realistically crafted pillows, made of Styrofoam and gypsum plaster and imprinted with images such as the battered face of a little boy; Jennifer Field’s collages, made of cut-up tin, that pay homage to charming Hudson Valley landscapes; and an installation by D. Ross, also known as “Scribe,” featuring a panoramic blue sky peppered with falling bombs and a triumphant 6-foot rhino dragging a flaccid parachute. Also on view are photos from Art Miller, politically ambiguous paintings by Dean Mitchell and a site-specific graffiti piece by Gear. Call 816-561-5563.— Steve Walker

Art and Driver

No need for Maaco at the Leedy-Voulkos.

ONGOING

Admit it — you’ll get stuck in a traffic jam and curse the jackass who crashed at the height of rush hour, but when you finally pull up to the accident scene, you’ll sure as hell go as slowly as you can, lest you miss your chance to glimpse the twisted metal.At the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (2012 Baltimore), you can take your sweet time checking out the wreckage. The gallery is hosting an exhibit by We Ain’t Stupid, a group of creatively destructive Kansas City artists. Its members enter run-down cars in demolition derbies and display the junked aftermath. If you like junkyards, you’ll love this. For information, call 816-474-1919.— Vennard

Reaching Out

SAT 12/20

Maya Yoga (115 West 18th Street), where downtown’s stretchy sorts go, is collecting supplies for the local charity ReStart. Aspiring yogis should bring canned food, hygiene products or clothes to classes this season. Instructor Kathleen Kastner is encouraging students to volunteer with her at ReStart on Saturday as well. If you start classes real soon and put in your time volunteering, you might even get invited to the studio’s holiday party Saturday night. For a schedule, see mayayoga.com.— Gina Kaufmann