Rebel Flag
Yell leader: Regarding Andrew Miller’s “Rebel Yell” (August 7): The venue formerly known as the Outhouse is four miles outside of Lawrence on 15th Street. It is under the jurisdiction of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department — not the police, as was stated in the article. The venue was grandfathered as a party house in the ’50s and was used for frat parties, etc., until Bill Rich started booking punk shows in the early ’80s. More than 1,000 people paid to see Bad Brains, but maybe only 650 were able to squeeze inside for the actual show. It was an insane fiasco!
I booked the Nirvana show along with Dave Budin. Tad Keply booked the GWAR show, and as far as my foggy memory serves me, Hole never played the Outhouse. Jeff Fortier was still in the Army, and Brian Saunders was a skinhead who worked security in order to get in for free.
I booked shows in KC and Lawrence for ten-plus years. Most people are cheap and don’t care about the music; they just want to socialize. It’s hard to make a living doing shows. Bands cost! PAs cost! Security, etc.
To all the people who whine about the scene — or the absence thereof — well, DIY or shut the F**K up.
P.S.: You can’t compare the Outhouse to the Kansas City scene. Different states, different cities, different times.
Timothy N. Kearns
Kansas City, Missouri
Double Vision
Eat, drink and be married: I just read Jen Chen’s “L-U-V Hangover” (July 31) and thought it was interesting. One theme that returned was that KC was a bad place for singles because we’re not social. I don’t think we are.
In her article, she talked to a lot of people who had lived out of town, people who, I guess, were not born or raised in this city. I think we do have social skills, just not the kind that people think. Just a different kind.
When I read the Forbes.com article, they bashed Midwestern cities because they have conservative views. Well, so? I don’t think anything is wrong with trying to find a good woman you would marry. And that’s the point I think she missed. In NY, LA and SF, a man or woman in their forties who has never been married is OK. Here … well, it is, but it’s still a little weird. Get where I’m coming from? I think there, it’s all about sex. Here, I think it’s about getting married.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with KC for singles. If you want to meet a good person, here’s a tip. Look at work, look at church, or don’t look. It will happen when it happens.
Brian Johnson
Kansas City, Missouri
Long-ranger plans: I’ve been reading Night Ranger regularly. Jen Chen is hilarious! Not only the stuff on the bars and the sense of humor, but her “L-U-V Hangover” article and the best yet, the comment about the guy with the booger in his nose hitting on her at Oceans of Fun (Wet Bar,” August 21).
I think she must have the coolest job in the world, going to all these places then actually being paid (I guess?) to write about them. Great job. Love her work and all that.
Mark Lidman
Gladstone
A few good men: I’m a 45-year-old, single, white male. The problems of pairing up aren’t exclusive to Kansas City. Frankly, I’d rather stroll through a minefield than date today (“L-U-V Hangover,” July 31).
Women are too picky. For example, in a survey, single women were asked for their criteria in men. Over 60 percent of the respondents wanted men in the top 2 percent bracket. Ironically, most of these women were not in the top 2 percent bracket themselves.
I often hear women complain (while parked on a bar stool) that they can’t meet good men. I consider myself a good man, and I know a lot of good men as well. Yet women will frequently reject good men and go for some loser instead. In fact, it’s “fashionable” to kick a guy while he’s down. It’s no wonder most good men are “gun-shy.”
It’s popular to bash men today. Just watch Oprah, or the Lifetime and Oxygen channels. Men are depicted as shallow, superficial and unrealistic when seeking a woman. Women deserve to have it all, and if they don’t have it all, it’s men’s fault. Further, words like “hot” and “buffed” frequent many women’s vocabulary. Men are shallow, superficial and unrealistic when seeking women? Yeah, right! A man’s world is often cold, competitive and cruel. Perhaps this dilemma would change if women gave average guys a shot.
David Youmans
Merriam
Singles game: I was sitting at the Chipotle restaurant on 39th Street today reading Jen Chen’s article about the single life in KC. After twelve years of marriage, I suddenly find myself back in “the game.” Things have changed since I was single in the late ’80s!
I agree that the best people to try and date are the friends of friends. I am currently seeing someone who keeps telling me that she is my “rebound girl.” This is a term that I am unfamiliar with. She seems comfortable with the fact that we are not going to make it. I never was much for trying to hook up with someone in a bar (usually drinking too much and trying to find a safe way home). Chen’s article gave me hope that I can have fun and still maybe get lucky.
The newfangled diseases out there now really scare me. Since when do the stores lock up condoms behind glass doors? You can get a handgun easier than buying a box of condoms! I remember the worst thing that could happen is that you might have to sneak the girl out so no one would see that you lowered your standards.
I am so out of the loop. I am staring forty in the face, not an easy thing to deal with. Please help. Do an article on places for soon-to-be middle-aged men to go and hang out — preferably with women, by the way.
Name Withheld Upon Request
Singled out: I just finished reading “L-U-V Hangover” and could not agree with it more. I have only lived here for two years, and since then, I have found that everything Jen Chen stated in the article is true.
I think that it is a good thing that I am not the only one who sees it this way and thinks it is that difficult to meet people. Perhaps Chen should publish another article about social places where single, professional people like myself would be able to meet others and make new friends in this town besides bars and clubs.
Luis Lozano
Overland Park
Night owl: I’ve been meaning to write for some time. Jen Chen’s stuff is hilarious. Keep up the good work. It allows me to get out vicariously. I think I’m a year younger than my bud Charles Ferruzza … and unlike him, I’m the father of two!
Rick Hellman
Prairie Village
Bunny Hop
Grand rabbits: As a member of the Missouri House Rabbit Society, I would like to thank Gina Kaufmann for promoting our organization’s August 2 Bunny Expo in the Night & Day section (July 31).
Since our rescue group is not connected with dog and cat rescue, we are almost always ignored and overlooked by our community media. Your artwork and promotion of our expo not only brought in people who were interested in adopting from our organization, but also people interested in finding out more about what we do and interested in helping us continue to save as many domestic rabbits in the Kansas City area as we can.
This time of year is extremely difficult for us. We have been flooded with people no longer wanting to care for their Easter rabbits. Kaufmann’s willingness to help promote our expo is more than any other media have offered to do.
Jennifer Habernal, Educator & Fosterer
Missouri House Rabbit Society
Greenwood
Drug Problem
All the rave: Thank you so much for “Rave Review” (August 21). Andrew John Ignatius Vontz made clear the effects of the RAVE Act on personal freedoms. Since the 1980s, the war on drugs has been an excuse for unjust laws that discriminate based on race, class and age. The DEA’s opening attack on a NORML concert illustrates the breech of civil liberties this law entails.
It is ironic that the feds could have cared less about pot smoke wafting through the air at a corporately sanctioned weenie roast. I would love to see more stories about covert operations like this in the Pitch.
Elyse Max
Kansas City, Missouri
Dead Zone
Band aid: I just read Andrew Miller’s article about Danielle Nelson and the Zone (“Zone Out,” August 14). My drummer and I found each other on thezone.org and have put together a band we’re really proud of (nocause/nocure), and it would never have happened without Danielle’s hard, selfless work.
Of course we (KC area bands) all miss the Zone, but we understand her dilemma and support her decision to put her family first. And we appreciate the slutty pictures. For someone who “has no talents,” she sure does a great job of Web design and photography. Still, if you can bring it back, do it!
Ryan Irwin
Lawrence
