W♥M

Beetlejuice musical (Broadway touring) at The Music Hall, Kansas City MO (2025-02-18 through 02-23)

(Beetlejuice playbill from The Music Hall, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Tuesday, February 18: 7:30 pm Wednesday, February 19: 7:30 pm Thursday, February 20: 7:30 pm Friday, February 21: 7:30 pm Saturday, February 22 2 pm Saturday, February 22: 7:30 pm Sunday, February 23: 1 pm Sunday, February 23: 6:30 pm Sunday, February 2: 6:30 p.m.   BEETLEJUICE TOUR DATES   Feb 25 - Mar 02 Toledo, OH Stranahan Theater Mar 04 - Mar 09 Lincoln, NE Lied Center for Performing Arts Mar 11 - Mar 16 Chicago, IL Cadillac Palace Theatre Mar 18 - Mar 23 Durham, NC DPAC Mar 25 - Mar 30 North Charleston, SC North Charleston PAC Apr 02 - Apr 06 Wichita, KS Century II Performing Arts Center Apr 08 - Apr 13 Indianapolis, IN Clowes Memorial Hall Apr 22 - Apr 27 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Apr 29 - May 4 Miami, FL Ziff Ballet Opera House May 06 - May 11 Birmingham, AL Jefferson Conv. Complex May 14 - May 18 Syracuse, NY Landmark Theatre May 27 - Jun 1 Ottawa, ON National Arts Centre Jun 03 - Jul 13 Toronto, ON CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

For being a self-proclaimed “show about death”, it’s one of the most upbeat and life-affirming productions we’ve seen in some time--

Beetlejuice The Musical continues touring the popular Broadway production and has made an area stop in downtown KC at The Music Hall (with performances now through Sunday), and we were fortunate enough to take in opening night.

Given the several inches of snow that fell throughout the day, the bitter below-zero wind chill, and icy streets and sidewalks, it’s a wonder anyone showed up at all.

But “The show must go on!” and we were pleased to see a healthy turnout, including several fans dressed in their best black and white vertical stripes and various costumes in homage, despite the single-digits outside.

The show is of course, based on the modern classic 1988 film of the same name by Tim Burton, and features music and lyrics by Australian Eddie Perfect (who will himself play the role down under later this year) with a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King.

The production is a fun house kaleidoscope of colors, controlled chaos, and spectacle, so we also must give props to scenic designer David Korins, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designer Kenneth Posner, projection designer Peter Nigrini, puppet designer Michael Curry, special effects designer Jeremy Chernick, and magic and illusion designer Michael Weber; all of whom are integral to the wonderfully wacky finished product that is on stage.

The production successfully uses a combination of great-looking traditional sets, mixed with projections and sfx, along with dramatic lighting. Many stage, effect, and lighting cues were throughout, that had to be executed with split-second precision, and all was nicely achieved on this opening night.

For whatever reason, we lost the principal actor in the lead role (as well as the role of Barbara Maitland) for this KC debut, but both were filled seamlessly by Marc Ginsburg and Lexie Dorsett Sharp respectively; so much so that the production didn’t lose a step and (we’re guessing) most of the audience was completely unaware of.

The familiar-to-most story begins with friendly couple Adam (Will Burton) and Barbara Maitland, both recently deceased and banished to haunt the attic of their cherished house as they witness a new family moving in. Charles Deetz (Jesse Sharp) and his young teen daughter Lydia (Madison Mosley) are still mourning the death of wife and mother, Emily, and bring along flaky life coach Delia (Sarah Litzsinger), both as emotional support and also Charles’ undercover lover.

The Beetlejuice character acts as narrator, trying to escape back from the netherworld back into the ‘real’ by having someone living repeat his name three times. Being a “show about death” is revealed right away, with the first proper song in Act One, “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing” followed by “Dead Mom” but the positively-caffeinated collective energy by Ginsburg and the company, effortlessly transfers to the audience with high-wattage fun.

As in the film, Beetlejuice’s character is brassy, outspoken, and unabashedly honest- throwing out one-liner quips, occasional profanity, and even acknowledges the audience here and there, in case someone wasn’t paying full attention. Ginsburg knows the show hinges on his demeanor and physical humor (even more than on his voice), so was frantically moving and keeping the pacing up throughout both acts (with the Beetlejuice character being seen much more frequently than in the recent film sequel).

In terms of vocals, the company’s smallest member provides the biggest audio punch to the show, as Mosley has several solos playing Lydia as well as with ensemble songs, and showcases her clear delivery, wide vocal range, and true ability to emote in melody. The orchestra played loudly over some of the other voices on a number or two, but Mosley’s volume easily rose above that.

The first Act ends as Beetlejuice is coaxed back into the real world to run amok (though we wished the “Day-O [Banana Boat Song]” sequence over the dinner table was extended or revisited as an encore).

The second Act moved the energy into an even higher gear, with an opening “That Beautiful Sound” which featured numerous Beetlejuice doppelgangers impressively dancing in sync and backflipping about the stage.

Fans of the film will see even the smallest supporting characters from the story brought to life, especially the denizens of the netherworld. We even get the skeleton jury, and giant head and torso of the ghost-eating sandworm, which wriggles its way inside the house’s front door, with a cowboy-hat adorning Mr. Juice trying to ride and tame the wild beast.

We won’t spoil any further story details, but moviegoers know that all ends well, the value of life over death is emphasized, and the importance of family (whether natural or inherited) and happiness, should be a priority above all.

Because of some adult humor, flashing strobes and overall sensory overload, it may be less suitable for anyone very sensitive to those things, but it’s an otherwise fun ride as the steel ball in a 2 ½ hour pinball machine- full of lights, sounds, and wonder.

Purposely delivered over-the-top, Beetlejuice the Musical is a joyous and exhilarating adaptation that exceeded our expectations and was an ideal bit of escapist fun on an otherwise frigid and somber Winter evening.

Beetlejuice plays in Kansas City at The Music Hall through Sunday, February 23 with tickets available here: BEETLEJUICE | PNC Broadway In Kansas City

  (National Tour Photos by Matthew Murphy / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

We♥Movies! Becoming Led Zeppelin - film review

Jimmy Page John Paul Jones John Bonham Robert Plant Directed by Bernard MacMahon Screenplay by Bernard MacMahon, Allison McGourty Cinematography Vern Moen Edited by Dan Gitlin Music by Led Zeppelin Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics Release date: February 7, 2025 (IMAX, United States/Canada); wider release Feb 14 Running time 121 minutes Read More Led Zeppelin The English musician best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Led Zeppelin, will be headlining the Orpheum Theatre. Billed as Robert Plant & The Sensational Space Shifters …

Be there for the start of arguably the world’s greatest rock ‘n roll band--

That’s the premise and it’s confirmed in the title of Becoming Led Zeppelin, the new two-hour music bio that opened exclusively in IMAX theaters this weekend. Starting this coming Friday, it will expand to more traditional screens and we hope, an eventual home release.

This has been long in the making, as guitarist Jimmy Page remains under tight control of the band’s legacy and after hearing many proposals, agreed to work with Irish/English documentarian Bernard MacMahon, previously known for his multi-part chronicling of early roots music, American Epic.

First announced in 2019, a work-in-progress print was screened back in Sept 2021 at the Venice Film Festival, and the end result finally hit nationwide screens after a three-and-a-half year wait following that preview.

The story is told without narration, and is instead driven by recent interviews with Page, singer Robert Plant, and bassist John Paul Jones, and an unearthed early interview from drummer John Bonham, heard here publicly for the first time. Add to that, some photos and film clips also never before seen, and It’s a delight for the diehard fan and helps bring further life into the story for anyone more casual.

The film traces the four musicians back through their respective childhoods – Page picking up the guitar early and joining bands, Jones the product of a set of stage parents and creatively inclined from a young age, and Page and Bonham growing up in the Midlands trying to find their own way.

Still teenagers, Page and Jones would go on to become in-demand session players in London (both even contributed to the James Bond theme, “Goldfinger” sung by Shirley Bassey), with Page then joining, and soon becoming the lead guitarist of The Yardbirds after Jeff Beck quit.

With that band disassembling, Page already clearly envisioned his next plan (to be initially named The New Yardbirds), convincing Jonesy to give up his stable session work to be in a band and recruiting Plant and Bonham from their own Band of Joy (and despite Bonham’s wife’s incessant misgivings apparently).

The resulting foursome met in a basement rehearsal space, first jamming on the jump blues classic, “Train Kept a Rollin’” and all knew they had something special and never heard before- a magical combination of blues-infused muscle rock and folk, inspired by American soul, the early R’nR of Little Richard and Elvis, the jazzy skiffle of Lonnie Donegan, and the numerous early American Blues pioneers that so many UK artists of the day admired.

Taking on a name from a disparaging comment by The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, the band set about to conquer the world, starting slowly in Scandinavia and even making themselves a big name in America, before building any sizable UK fame.

The 1969 Danish TV footage most fans have seen (and was included in the band’s own 2012 DVD release), is given fresh life and immense volume in the IMAX format, and new clips from the Roundhouse in London and the band’s first UK festival in Bath, were all welcome additions.

The band said goodbye to their families and began their initial US Tour on the day after Christmas 1968 playing with Vanilla Fudge in Denver and built-up word of mouth and increasing ticket demand, for every show following.

Synced and restored 8mm footage from the Texas International Pop Fest and Atlanta Pop Fest show the band’s explosive live stage presence, and even recording/rehearsal footage from London’s Olympic Studios provided a rare glimpse into how they recorded their first album playing live (in just 36 hours over a few weeks), rather than mixing individual performance tracks.

It’s charming to see the three surviving members smile wryly hearing their drummer comment from beyond the grave, and seeing some the footage that we’re also seeing, for the first time, The performances shine with as much picture restoration as possible, and an audio soundtrack that booms the limits of the IMAX system.

It’s a satisfying beginning, but sadly only that- the film ends as the decade of the 1960s does, with the band well on its way, and just having released its even heavier second studio album. So, it seems to be a chapter one (of three or four?) and the ‘ten years gone’ of what’s ahead- seven more groundbreaking studio albums to the band’s untimely end, will all have to wait.

Becoming Led Zeppelin is a worthy first course, to document the roots and early era of the legendary band. We just hope we can see the rest of the story similarly and properly presented, in our lifetime (or that of Page, Plant, and Jones’).

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Parade (Broadway Touring musical) at The Kauffman Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-28 through 02-02)

(Parade playbill from The Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO)   KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES   Tuesday, January 28: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 29: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 30: 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 31: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 1: 2 p.m. Saturday, February 1: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, February 2: 1 p.m. Sunday, February 2: 6:30 p.m.   PARADE TOUR DATES   February 4-23 Cleveland, OH Playhouse Square February 25 - March 9 Detroit, MI Fisher Theatre March 11-23 Boston, MA Emerson Colonial Theatre March 25-30 Charlotte, NC Belk Theater April 1-6 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre April 16 - May 4 Seattle, WA The 5th Avenue Theatre May 6-11 Sacramento, CA Safe Credit Union PAC May 13 - June 8 San Francisco, CA Curran Theatre June 10-15 Las Vegas, NV The Smith Center June 17 - July 12 Los Angeles, CA Ahmanson Theatre July 15-20 Houston, TX Hobby Center July 29 - August 3 Des Moines, IA Des Moines Civic Center August 5 - 17 Chicago, IL CIBC Theatre August 19 - September 7 Washington, DC The Kennedy Center Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.... …

Maybe the most unlikely story for a musical--

After technical rehearsals in NY and a tour debut in Minneapolis, the Broadway touring version of Parade plays in Kansas City, now through Sunday at the Kauffman Center and we were in attendance to take in opening night. This production was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including a winner for Best Revival.

Parade tells the true story of Leo Frank, a college-educated Brooklyn Jewish man who lives with the Atlanta area with his Southern wife, Lucille, and works as a superintendent in a pencil factory, trying to fit in and adapt to life in the pre-WWI South. He becomes accused of an unspeakable crime, which tests the couple’s faith, devotion, humanity and faith in justice itself.

It’s directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Arden, with book by two-time Tony Award® winner, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Academy Award® winner Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award® winner Jason Robert Brown and was initially co-conceived by 21-time Tony Award®-winning legend Harold Prince, so the collective resume should speak for itself.

88-year-old Urhy is himself a Jewish writer form the South and one of the most decorated playwrights alive. For Parade, he won both a Tony Award® for Best Book of a Musical in 1999, and another for Best Revival in 2023. He won his Pulitzer for 1988’s Driving Miss Daisy (and an Oscar for the film adaptation, which he also wrote) and also previously won the Tony for Best Play for 1997’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo.

Those three works comprise Uhry’s “Atlanta Trilogy” and each examines a different social aspect of Uhry’s hometown. His real-life connection to Parade is that his great-uncle owned the actual pencil factory where much of this production is set.

The production originally opened in 1998, receiving nine Tony Award® nominations and this current production is based on many of the revisions of its influential 2007 London run. Max Chernin and Talia Suskauer lead the cast as Leo and Lucille Frank, with Chernin taking on the role full-time after serving as an understudy during the Broadway run, and Suskauer has previously had the plum on-stage role of Elphaba in “Wicked”.

Many from the Broadway company including Prentiss E. Mouton, Danielle Lee Greaves, Emily Rose DeMartino, Bailee Endebrock, Caroline Fairweather, and Sophia Manicone, have decided to help take the show on the road. It’s their collective talent and experience, along with the sheer size of the company and their ability to make powerful songs seem more powerful in numbers, that is one of the production’s key strengths.

The stage features a large centered elevated platform on which most of the story occurs and the set design utilizes complex projections (via projection designer Sven Ortel), to set the scene, state the date and location, and also often projects a photo of the actual person being portrayed. The full orchestra is located behind the translucent projection screen but was easily and clearly heard within the pristine confines of the Kauffman.

Current Georgia Senator and Reverend Raphael Warnock begins the evening with a taped introduction, which not only reminds patrons to silence their phones, but helps bring the story’s themes immediately into current times.

The tale unfolds in 1863 as a young man leaves his sweetheart to defend his homeland during the Civil War, then fast-forwards fifty years later, as that same war wounded and now aged soldier, prepares to march in a Memorial Day parade.

A discovery is soon found in the nearby pencil factory and the tale unfolds with a trial, verdict and eventual sentence with the audience emotionally invested and along for the ride. We see familiar themes of witness coaching, misinformation, antisemitism, and the limits of justice, embellished by melodic songs that range from folk to gospel, and even blues in a stirring second act chain gang performance.

Chernin and Suskauer play the couple as very relatable and sympathetic, and the audience effortlessly becomes immersed in their predicament, despite the seeming melancholy that almost everyone is against them. The cast was all in good voice and the staging was so smooth in transitioning between scenes, it often left no moment for even short applause but that was integral in keeping the story moving forward.

The subject matter is tough, and it’s maybe the most unlikely idea for a musical we’ve seen, but the execution of the show is so professional and well done, it’s stirring both in its emotions and the history lesson most of us were likely unaware of. That makes this show one Parade worth marching towards to see.

Parade plays in Kansas City at The Kauffman Center through Sunday, February 2 with tickets available here: Parade | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

  (National Tour Photos by Joan Marcus / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

Ivy: Long Distance and Apartment Life (Anniversary)

Long Distance by Ivy Read More Ivy The New York band Ivy is still around, they released an album, All Hours, in 2011, but recently (August 2012) unveiled "Lost in the Sun" video via YouTube. …

American indie pop band Ivy (Andy Chase, Dominique Durand, and the late Adam Schlesinger) have reissued their seminal 2000 album Long Distance… it is available now to buy on Bar/None Records. This is the follow-up to their Anniversary re-issue of Apartment Life, released in 2023.

I have gotten the chance to listen to both re-issues and will be talking about the music and how important these two albums are to Ivy.

Apartment Life (Anniversary) by Ivy

Before I talk about the albums, I wanted to give you a little background on how I came to find Ivy. I’ve gone on record to say that I got Apartment Life on cassette tape in 1997. It was my first Ivy album and it remained my favorite album. I even went back and bought their debut album Realistic, which I did not like.

Reading interviews, Apartment Life, you can tell that their sophomore album got a massive upgrade. Andy Chase mentioned what an important record it was and it was their first time with high production and studio recording. And their songs improved with a higher budget from Atlantic Records, as they spent it on hiring session horn players and string quartets.

This was also partly thanks to getting the great Lloyd Cole and Peter Nashel to produce their new album. Songs that immediately called to me were “I’ve Got a Feeling”, “Get Out of the City”, and “You Don't Know Anything.”

After three years, the band finally released the follow up album, Long Distance. When it finally came out, the music changed a little, leaning towards dance and new wave. Still, between Apartment Life and Long Distance, this was Ivy’s finest offerings. Take it from me, as someone who owns all their albums.

Ivy Long Distance T-Shirt (2001) Ivy at the 400 Bar (24 Oct 2001)

Although Japan got Long Distance in 2000, we didn’t actually see the album release until 2001, which was when I first saw the band on their promotional tour in Oct 2001. On that tour, at the now-defunct 400 Bar, the group played a good mixture of Apartment Life and Long Distance.

I loved the show so much, that I bought the Long Distance T-Shirt from the show. It was my favorite shirt for a long time, wearing it regularly until it was torn.

Revisiting Long Distance, that opening track “Undertow” really pulls you in. Other stand out tracks were “Lucy Doesn't Love You” and “Edge Of The Ocean”.

What’s new on the reissue of Long Distance was a bonus track called “All I Ever Wanted”, which sounded pretty good. It’s like a lost track from Apartment Life. There’s also two remixes of “Edge Of The Ocean” as bonus tracks.

Apartment Life Demos by Ivy

As for Apartment Life, they had so much outtakes and demos that they’ve released a whole new compilation called Apartment Life Demos, which makes for a great companion album to Apartment Life. It’s all your favorite songs, but slightly different. Like they were recorded in an alternate reality! Some songs had slower tempos, some songs have different/alternate lyrics, some songs have different notes, some songs have a much longer intro, some songs have different chord progressions. It’s great… sometime I think the demo version (like “You Don’t Know Anything”) is the better version, with more guitars and less vocals.

My favorite was “I’ve Got A Feeling”, which had singer Dominique Durand snorting early in the song, and then later laughing. You can only imagine what fun they were having during the studio recording.

Long Distance and Apartment Life are both available now. If you are a fan of the band, these albums are worth adding to your collection.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Nilüfer Yanya w/ Angelica Garcia, Lutalo at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-10-13)

Nilüfer Yanya SETLIST Method Actor L/R chase me (> Crash interlude) Like I Say (I runaway) (Wingspan interlude) Wingspan Mutations (Intro interlude) Ready for Sun (touch) Heavyweight Champion of the Year Call It Love (Binding interlude>) binding trouble the dealer stabilise Encore: Rid of Me (PJ Harvey cover) midnight sun LUTALO SETLIST About (Hall of Egress) Ganon Ocean Swallows Him Whole Big Brother The Bed Broken Twin Oh Well Nilüfer Yanya TOUR DATES Oct 15 Meow Wolf Denver, CO Oct 18 Hollywood Theatre Vancouver, BC Oct 19 The Crocodile Seattle, WA Oct 20 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR Oct 22 August Hall San Francisco, CA Oct 24 The Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA Nov 3 Mohawk Austin, TX Nov 24 Botanique Orangerie Brussels, Brussels Nov 25 Melkweg Old Hall Amsterdam, NL Nov 26 Kesselhaus Berlin, Germany Nov 28 La Bellevilloise Paris, France Nov 29 La Bellevilloise Paris, Île-de-France Nov 30 Concorde 2 Brighton, England Dec 2 The Fleece Bristol, England Dec 3 HERE at Outernet London, UK Dec 4 Rescue Rooms Nottingham, United Kingdom Dec 5 Manchester Academy 2 Manchester, UK LUTALO TOUR DATES Oct 15 Meow Wolf Convergence Station Denver, CO Oct 18 Hollywood Theatre Vancouver, BC Oct 19 The Crocodile Seattle, WA Oct 20 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR Oct 22 August Hall San Francisco, CA Oct 24 The Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA Read More Lutalo Opening the show was Vermont-based singer/producer Lutalo (not to be confused with Ugandan musician David Lutalo). He was last seen opening for Claud in September 2023 and seemed to be a fairly active singer .…

From ‘Miss Universe’ to a ‘method actor’, she’s probably the greatest UK/Turkish alternative singer/guitarist you’ll ever hear-

Nilüfer Yanya and band made their first trip into the state for a Sunday night show at The Bottleneck in downtown Lawrence, in support of just-released third full-length, “My Method Actor” via her new label, Ninja Tune.

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The three-act evening began with a short opening set from MN raised /Vermont-based Lutalo (Jones) who recently released the debut album titled The Academy (via Windspear Records), naming the record after the St Paul Academy/Summit School in St. Paul, MN attended on scholarship (near our own former stomping grounds). It’s the follow-up to the August 2023 Again EP, they’ve been our radar since 2021, and we last caught their live show about a year ago, also in St. Paul.

Jones may have a look similar to a subdued young Terence Trent D’arby, but the music is a lo-fi fuzz rock that blends some folk, experimental, and bedroom elements into the musical gumbo that ends up defining their sound.

Jones' father shared some early drum lessons to help point the path to music, but Lutalo spent the set instead playing guitar, trading riffs with Fender Mustand playing bassist, though the beats were always present as well as truth-speaking lyrics, perhaps inspired by Big Thief songwriter and guitarist Adrianne Lenker, who Jones and band previously toured with.

It’s great to see another artist with MN roots and a bright future, break on a more national level, and to wider appeal.

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In a total genre shift, the next act was Richmond VA (via Los Angeles) singer songwriter Angélica Garcia, in support of her third full-length, and first for Partisan Records, “Gemelo” (which means twin). Garcia’s blend of cumbia, dancehall, and tribal pop found her on stage accompanied by only her long-haired Chilean friend on drums, curled up in a ball on the floor, as her set began.

As the drums beat, she emerged first to kneel, then stand and released, metamorphosing in form to the rhythmic beats and at the same time, seemingly trying to conjure something from the darkness with her dance movements. She sang entirely in Spanish on tracks like “Juanita” about “a limitless woman- full of magic and wonder” and dramatically moved about the stage to enhance her expressive lyrics.

The crowd was as enveloped in the performance as the artist herself, perhaps channeling a visitation of spirits in a stomping march across the stage. She taught the audience some minimal Spanish, so that everyone could sing the chorus back on “Paloma”, which means ‘dove’ and repeating “Aquí me encuentra” on the chorus, meaning ‘here you find me’.

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Lawrence was fortunate to be listed as an early stop on UK/Turkish singer/guitarist’s Nilüfer Yanya’s tour itinerary as her new third full-length album, "My Method Actor" (via Ninja Tune Records) was extra fresh, just being released a couple of weeks previous.

Yanya has been steadily building a growing fan base since her initial EP releases in the late 2010s, mostly in Europe and the UK, but thanks to the internet, her music has taken hold stateside as well. This was evidenced by a clearly gleeful crowd, many of which knew the words, danced along, and acted out in freeform to the music.

As far as the music itself, it often builds gradually on a beginning simple beat or riff, and grows exponentially to make most songs immersive, with each selection effortlessly moving into the next (thanks in part to several bridging interludes). Her between song conversations were minimal (preferring to let the music do the talking), but she did acknowledge this being her first time in the area and was happy to see the crowd so accepting and responsive.

She played a healthy dose of the new record, beginning the eighty-minute set with the album’s title track and thanked the crowd mid-set for appreciating the new material. Each of her band seemed very skilled players in their own right, including Hackney UK’s saxophonist/keyboardist Jazzi Bobbi (Dreissen) who has a developing solo career and debut EP of her own, “Crush” just out in August.

The band has previously opened for Adele in Hyde Park for BST (only some 65,000 people there) and also provided support for Roxy Music on their European Tour, which seems like a natural with Yanya’s complex yet accessible songs, and Driessen’s sax flourishes that embellish the verses (often similar to “Avalon”-era Andy Mackay).

Yanya’s vocals are dreamy, but subtle and malleable- she can sound almost on the verge of tears one minute and more confident and assured the next, all of which enhances the mood and textures within the music.

The body of the main set was to introduce the new album, but predictably the crowd responded with greater energy for the older and more familiar, with the last three songs coming from 2022’s breakout album, “Painless”, ending with the half-sung/half-spoken single. “stabilise” which sounds like fellow UK band Wet Leg, but was made well before there was a Wet Leg on the airwaves.

The encore opened with a smart PJ Harvey cover of “Rid of Me” (a song the band released as a “Painless” bonus track), with Yanya playing the first half of the song alone (much in the spirit of a raw Polly Jean), before the full band joined to finish things with volume.

“I better turn this up, I hope it drowns you out” she sang on the evening-ending “midnight sun”, the second single from “Painless” and the band did just that- starting slow and meticulously before building their wall of sound, only to slightly drop it near the end, with one final sax flourish, as the audience cheered.

Three acts, three genres – Lutalo, Angelica Garcia, and Nilüfer Yanya, all of which made for a very satisfying and musically diverse evening, like a three-course prix-fixe meal in a fine restaurant.

ALL PHOTOS BY BRANDON CLASEN

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

Nilüfer Yanya at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-10-13)

Nilüfer Yanya at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-10-13)

ANGELICA GARCIA at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-10-13)

LUTALO at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-10-13)

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Judas Priest w/ Sabaton at Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, MO (01 October 2024)

JUDAS PRIEST SETLIST intro music: War Pigs (Black Sabbath song) Invincible Shield Tour Anthem Panic Attack You've Got Another Thing Comin' Rapid Fire Breaking the Law Riding on the Wind Love Bites Devil's Child Saints in Hell Crown of Horns Sinner Turbo Lover Invincible Shield Victim of Changes The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover) Painkiller Encore: The Hellion Electric Eye Hell Bent for Leather Living After Midnight SABATON SETLIST intro music: The March to War Ghost Division The Last Stand Swedish Pagans The Red Baron Bismarck Stormtroopers Carolus Rex (In Swedish) Resist and Bite  The Attack of the Dead Men  Primo Victoria Soldier of Heaven To Hell and Back outro music: Dead Soldier's Waltz JUDAS PRIEST TOUR DATES 3rd Oct Billings, MT First Interstate Arena at MetraPark 5th Oct Idaho Falls ID Mountain America Center 6th Oct Spokane, WA Spokane Arena 9th Oct Seattle, WA Angel of the Winds Arena 10th Oct Portland, OR Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds 11th Oct - 12th Oct Sacramento, CA Aftershock Festival 13th Oct Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort and Casino 15th Oct Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theater 16th Oct Las Vegas, NV Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood 18th Oct Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre 20th Oct Loveland, CO Blue Arena 22nd Oct Houston, TX Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land 24th Oct Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater 26th Oct Dallas, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory 5th Dec AICHI, Japan Aichi Prefectural Art Theater 6th Dec HYOGO, Japan Amashin ARCHAIC HALL 9th Dec OKAYAMA, Japan Okayama Performing Arts Theatre 12th Dec PIA ARENA MM SABATON TOUR DATES 3 Oct Billings, MT First Interstate Arena at MetraPark 5 Oct Idaho Falls, ID Mountain America Center 6 Oct Spokane, WA Spokane Arena 9 Oct Everett, WA Angel of the Winds Arena 10 Oct Portland, OR Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds 13 Oct Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort and Casino 15 Oct Los Angeles, CA YouTube Theater 16 Oct Las Vegas, NV Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood 18 Oct Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre 20 Oct Loveland, CO Blue Arena 22 Oct Houston, TX Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land 24 Oct Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater 26 Oct Dallas, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory 11 Dec Sweden, Stockholm Sabaton Cruise - Baltic Queen - December 11-13 3 May Brazil, São Paulo Bangers Open Air - Memorial da América Latina 6 May Argentina, Buenos Aires Teatro Flores / Wars and Wolves Metal Fest 9 May Colombia, Bogota Royal Center Read More Judas Priest Legendary metal band Judas Priest is back in the U.S. to promote their new studio Firepower. I believe for this tour, former Sabbat guitarist Andy Sneap will be one of the twin guitarist. …

It may have been on the same night as candidates from the Republican party and the Democratic party engaged in the Vice-Presidential Debate, but in an arena outside of Kansas City, there was only one kind of party... \m/ Metal! \m/

Two giants of the genre, the legendary Judas Priest and Swedish metallers Sabaton have joined forces to continue on this Invincible Shield Tour, stopping east of Kansas City on one of its 23 dates for a roof-quaking evening at the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.

Birmingham, UK band Judas Priest have been metal pioneers since their beginnings in 1969 and for over the next five decades, releasing crucial albums like ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’, ‘Hell Bent for Leather’, ‘British Steel’, ‘Screaming for Vengeance’, and more., selling over 50 million combined.

Lead singer Rob Halford’s (aka the Metal God) soaring vibrato reached heights most couldn’t come close to, and his biker image with leather-and-studs have become synonymous with metal culture. They’ve endured over the decades despite a few personnel changes, having to testify as to the meaning of their songs before a judge, health issues, a lifestyle revealed, and other issues which would vanquish many other acts.

Halford, Glenn Tipton, Richie Faulkner, Ian Hill and Scott Travis seemed reborn as 2018’s ‘Firepower’ became one of their most successful albums, and their 19th studio album ‘Invincible Shield’ proves they still have plenty more metal muscle, to flex.

Although it was harder to hear the vocal from the front pit monitor speakers, Halford’s voice soared as we made our way back near the soundboard. From classic hits, “You've Got Another Thing Comin'” and “Breaking the Law” to songs off the new record like the opening “Panic Attack”, “Crown of Horns” and the title track, Halford proved time and again, that still could still hit the high octaves, despite often ducking backstage during elongated instrumental parts.

While we slightly miss the synchronized theatrics of previous guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton; musically, the newer tandem of Faulkner and ex-Sabbat / Hell guitarist Andy Sneap more than make statement with their expert playing, while never really showboating or trying to overreach their roles.

Halford stopped and sat for a minute, reflecting on the more than five decades of landmark albums and songs the group has created and thanked the fans for their longtime loyalty, and a bit later, emulated one of his heroes, Freddie Mercury, with an interactive call and response vocal workout that the audience had fun in keeping up with Halford’s tones.

Of course, the encore was highlighted by Halford emerging on a motorcycle during “Hell Bent for Leather” and a closing remark from him and shown on the screens behind the band, were a promise that The Priest Will Be Back, showing after more than five decades, they have no intentions of slowing down or retiring that motorcycle, anytime soon.

Celebrating twenty-five years themselves, openers and Swedish power metal rockers Sabaton have a lot to celebrate, notably their full-length concert film, “The Tour to End All Tours”, which hits US theaters for selected showings on October 30 and 31.

The band, led by vocalist Joakim Brodén boasts ten studio albums under their belt (including two platinum-sellers), the most recent being 2022’s “The War to End All Wars” and even have their own annual festival and cruise.

The band was all in a visibly happy mood, smiling most of the time playing their anthemic rock that details historical battles, with Broden even donning a Swedish flag from a fan, as a cape and calling himself “Captain Sweden”.

Broden sang in Swedish on “Carolus Rex” (about a Swedish battle, of course) and proving they don’t take themselves so seriously, strapped on a pink Hello Kitty guitar on “Resist and Bite” before getting more serious again as “The Attack of the Dead Men” was performed with Broden in WWI-like jumpsuit, gas mask and goggles, with a tank strapped on his back as he precariously moved about the smoky stage.

Politics may have been the subject of the day to most of America, but it was refreshing, releasing and just plain joyful, to gather as one at the rock altar of legends Judas Priest and the power metal sounds of Sabaton.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

JUDAS PRIEST at Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence MO (2024-10-01)

JUDAS PRIEST at Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence MO (2024-10-01)

SABATON at Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence MO (2024-10-01)

SABATON at Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence MO (2024-10-01)

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Peter Pan (Broadway musical) at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (September 17-22, 2024)

(Peter Pan Playbill from Starlight Theatre Kansas City, MO)   PETER PAN SHOWTIMES Ticket Link: Peter Pan | Kansas City Starlight Theatre (kcstarlight.com)   Tue 09/17/2024 8:00PM Wed 09/18/2024 8:00PM Thu 09/19/2024 8:00PM Fri 09/20/2024 8:00PM Sat 09/21/2024 8:00PM Sun 09/22/2024 8:00PM   PETER PAN TOUR DATES 9/24/2024 - 9/29/2024 Fayetteville, AR Walton Arts Center 10/1/2024 - 10/6/2024 Houston, TX The Hobby Center 10/29/2024 - 11/3/2024 San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Theatre 11/5/2024 - 11/10/2024 Salt Lake City, UT Eccles Theater 11/13/2024 - 11/24/2024 St. Louis, MO The Fabulous Fox Theatre 11/26/2024 - 12/1/2024 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theatre 12/10/2024 - 12/15/2024 Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall 12/17/2024 - 12/22/2024 San Antonio, TX The Majestic Theatre 12/25/2024 - 1/5/2025 Dallas, TX Music Hall at Fair Park 1/7/2025 - 1/12/2025 Nashville, TN Tennessee Performing Arts Center 1/14/2025 - 1/19/2025 Columbus, OH Ohio Theatre 1/21/2025 - 2/2/2025 Boston, MA Citizens Opera House 2/4/2025 - 2/9/2025 Hartford, CT The Bushnell 2/12/2025 - 2/16/2025 West Palm Beach, FL Kravis Center 2/18/2025 - 2/23/2025 Jacksonville, FL Center for the Performing Arts 2/26/2025 - 3/2/2025 Dayton, OH Schuster Center 3/11/2025 - 3/16/2025 Detroit, MI Fox Theatre 3/18/2025 - 3/23/2025 Oklahoma City, OK Civic Center Music Hall 3/25/2025 - 3/30/2025 Louisville, KY The Kentucky Center 4/1/2025 - 4/6/2025 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center 4/8/2025 - 4/13/2025 Cleveland, OH Connor Palace 4/22/2025 - 4/27/2025 Huntsville, AL Von Braun Center 4/29/2025 - 5/4/2025 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre 5/6/2025 - 5/18/2025 Fort Lauderdale, FL Broward Center   Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album....

Under a harvest moon, the ageless boy flies again!

For over one hundred years, the classic tale of Peter Pan, the free-spirited leader of the Lost Boys that flies to and from Neverland, has enchanted audiences in books, films, on television, and of course, on the live stage; and now, the production breathes anew!

For the final show of this year’s AdventHealth Broadway Season, the musical version that has been thrilling crowds for almost 70 years, and is again brought back to life in a new adaptation by Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse, who thrilled Broadway last year with her “The Thanksgiving Party.” We took in opening night- outdoors under the night sky at Starlight Theatre, in Kansas City.

The adventure begins when Peter Pan and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell (well represented as just a fleeting dot of light), visit the children’s bedroom in Mary and George Darling’s home one night. Bursting forth with a sprinkle of pixie dust, they show the children how to fly themselves and all are taken on a magical and unforgettable journey.

The musical is full of familiar songs including “I’m Flying”, “I Gotta Crow”, “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland”, many of which have become ingrained in popular culture, beyond the production itself. They meet the mysterious Tiger Lily and end up sparring with the comically villainous Captain Hook and his crew of pirates, and have to make the decision whether to stay in the magical far-off land, or return home to their parents.

Directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price with choreography by Lorin Latarro, this version keeps the timeless aspects of the original J.M. Barrie story, but keeps pacing brisk, and takes advantage of modern effects (like the large video screen backdrop) to tell its tale with more of a ‘wow factor’ than previously possible.

The actors are still in wire harnesses for their flying scenes, and some malfunction in one of those, may have been the cause for a brief delay mid-way through the first act on opening night. With ‘safety first’ in mind, the audience didn’t seem to be bothered- giving kids another chance to ask their parents for something from the concession or souvenir stands, and giving the crowd an uninterrupted opportunity to gaze skyward to catch a partial lunar eclipse happening, part of a stunning harvest super moon that was seen above stage right.

Once all was back on course, the curtain again rose, and Peter (Nolan Almeida) and Wendy (Hawa Kamara) continued their scene seamlessly and professionally, picking up right where they had left off. This kind of show very much hinges on the performance and likeability of the lead, and thankfully, Almeida plays Peter with a positive exuberance and sense of restless glee, that makes one want to join on their flight away.

Somewhat oddly, while everyone spoke in their normal American accent, Garcia’s Hook employed a deep Scottish brogue; perhaps for exaggerated comic relief, perhaps in tribute to Angus, Scotland native author Barrie.

In terms of staging, the sets were well detailed and transitioned effortlessly between scenes, and the lighting was effective but never intrusive, in helping define a moment. The ensemble seemed well rehearsed, especially in action parts with classic choreography that preserved the original work done by Jerome Robbins and the live orchestra’s soundtrack was lush and sweeping like the original score.

Most of us don’t want to have a care in the world, don’t want to ever fully grow up, and can dream of a utopia like Neverland; and with this updated version of Peter Pan, we can all do so, if only for a couple hours.

Peter Pan runs through Sunday, Sept 22 and offers a Buy 3 Get 1 ticket offer (no code needed). Use code FLYAWAY to save 20% on tickets, and Starlight’s standard parking is now always free.

 (photos courtesy of the touring website; Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

The Record Company at recordBar, Kansas City MO (2024-09-16)

THE RECORD COMPANY SETLIST Feels So Good The Movie Song Dance on Mondays Rita Mae Young On the Move Talk to Me (Acoustic) Subterranean Homesick Blues (Bob Dylan cover) (Acoustic) You and Me Now (Acoustic) Life to Fix Gotta Be Movin' Hard Day Coming Down Turn Me Loose How High This Crooked City Off the Ground Encore: Jumpin' Jack Flash (Rolling Stones cover) I'm Getting Better (and I'm Feeling It Right Now) KIELY CONNELL SETLIST Calumet Queen Restless Bones Hobo's Dream Coming up Empty Beautiful Anesthesia My Own Company Disappear THE RECORD COMPANY TOUR DATES Sep 18 Castle Theatre Bloomington, IL Sep 19 Bourbon & Beyond Louisville, KY Sep 20 Hi-Fi Annex Indianapolis, IN Sep 21 Thunderbird Café & Music Hall Pittsburgh, PA Sep 22 The Magic Stick Detroit, MI Oct 6 Gretna Fest Gretna, LA Nov 6 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA Nov 7 Pappy + Harriet's Pioneertown, CA Nov 8 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA Nov 9 Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA Nov 10 Ventura Music Hall Ventura, CA Sep 15-21, 2025 Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska Seattle KIELY CONNELL TOUR DATES Sep 18 Castle Theatre Bloomington, IL  Sep 19 Chief's Nashville, TN w/ Natalie Hemby Sep 20 The Hi FI Annex Indianapolis, IN Sep 21 Thunderbird Café & Music Hall Pittsburgh, PA Sep 22 The Magic Stick Detroit, MI  Sep 24 Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA w/ Madi Diaz Sep 25 West Art Lancaster, PA w/ Madi Diaz Sep 26 Levon Helm Studios Woodstock, NY w/ Madi Diaz, Read More The Record Company Grammy-nominated rock band The Record Company is touring in support of their new album Play Loud. The group will stop by Varsity Theater in “Dinkytown” with JJ Wilde on November 10th. …

4^th time’s a charm! --

In support of their latest release “The 4th Album,” LA blues rock trio The Record Company returned to downtown Kansas City on their “Roll with It Tour 2024” with an elbow-to-elbow capacity show at recordBar.

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The evening started with an eight-song opening set from Nashville (via Hammond, IN) country folk singer-songwriter Kiely Connell in support of her second studio album, My Own Company (released July 19), a lyrically spanning album that reveals hard truths, life’s uncertainties, relationships, loss, recovery, and managing mental health.

Dressed in a cowboy hat, jacket and silver boots, there’s a somber undertone to most of her songs, each of which she briefly explained before singing with a Patsy Cline-like lilt to her voice, often holding a note for an extended time, to emphasize an end lyric with the staying power of her voice.

“Coming Up Empty” was about the sad end of an eight-year relationship, but the next song, the empowering “Beautiful” spoke to the value beyond outside appearances. “Anesthesia” was about her recovery process from that relationship during a first holiday alone and the album’s title track, “My Own Company” reminds her to love herself first, in order to successfully push forward.

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“It might be Monday on the calendar, but we’re gonna have a spirited Saturday night!”, singer Chris Vos announced, just before counting in bassist Alex Stiff and drummer Marc Cazorla for The Record Company’s ninety-five-minute headlining set. The trio is still out in support of their aptly named “The 4^th Album”, out last Sept (via Round Hill Records) which sports a fan made metal sign on its cover, from a maker in St Louis (which they played the night before KC).

Opening with 2016’s upbeat “Feels So Good” we noticed the full room had fans of all ages- from grandparent age down to college student, showing how generational their appealing modernizing sound of traditional blues and rock, translates to their loyal fans.

And, we’ve been used to having them booked in bigger rooms in the past (even opening in arenas), so we’ll call this a “big band /small venue” show, and everyone present was fortunate to get to see them in a most intimate and experiential way.

Vos may sing “I don’t dance on Mondays” on their recent single, but the crowd sure tried anyway, grooving in small space as best they could, all the way to the back from the crowded floor and along the top balcony, and 2016’s “Rita May Young” about a painful and emotion separation was played with so much joy, it was hard not be happy as they played it live.

A short acoustic set happened early on, after just a handful of electric songs, with Vos and Stiff taking to stools to begin with “Talk to Me” from the new record. The Dylan cover of “Subterranean Homesick Blues” was a nice surprise to hear, with its sped-up and complicated lyrics (some of which Vos had taped to the inside of his monitor speaker) and the mini-set concluded with “You and Me Now” from their 2018 second album.

Vos moved to pedal steel towards the end of the main set, with the crowd roaring especially on radio hits, “How High” and their 2016 chart-topping breakthrough song, “Off the Ground” which found Vos launching the instrument up and around his back and he finished the end jam.

The two-song encore kept things in party-mode, opening with a classic Stones cover and ending things with the harp (harmonica) driven “I'm Getting Better (and I'm Feeling It Right Now)”, turning the small club into a rocking juke joint, with Vos stomping about the stage and the audience all clapping along.

“I'm getting better night after night...I'm getting better, and I'm feeling it right now” were some of the last lyrics sung on the night, and gauging by the crowd’s enthusiastic reaction to the band’s energetic performance, all are in total agreement with The Record Company.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

THE RECORD COMPANY at recordBar, Kansas City MO (2024-09-16)

THE RECORD COMPANY at recordBar, Kansas City MO (2024-09-16)

KIELY CONNELL at recordBar, Kansas City MO (2024-09-16)

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Cage the Elephant w/ Young the Giant, Bakar, Willow Avalon at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

Cage The Elephant Setlist Broken Boy Cry Baby Spiderhead Too Late to Say Goodbye Good Time Cold Cold Cold Ready to Let Go Neon Pill Social Cues Halo Mess Around Trouble Ain't No Rest for the Wicked Skin and Bones Rainbow Telescope House of Glass Back Against the Wall In One Ear Sabertooth Tiger -- Encore -- Shake Me Down Cigarette Daydreams Come a Little Closer Young the Giant Setlist Jungle Youth The Walk Home Cough Syrup Waves Wake Up Dollar $tore It's About Time Call Me Back Superposition Mind Over Matter Tightrope Silvertongue My Body Bakar Setlist All In 1st Time (w/King Harvest cover snippet) Right Here, for Now > 3 Nights (Dominic Fike cover) NW3 Alive! Small Town Girl Hell 'n Back Willow Avalon Setlist Something We Regret Gettin' Rich, Goin' Broke Honey Ain't No Sweeter Yodelayheewho Tequila or Whiskey Homewrecker Read More Cage the Elephant Cage the Elephant – Come a Little Closer Apparently, there’s no rest for the wicked, as the KY band is back on tour. They’ll be stopping by the U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center on June 10th … Young the Giant Irvine’s Young the Giant recently returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “The Walk Home,” from their new album American Bollywood. …

Forget the red pill or the blue pill, Neo, we’ll happily take the Neon Pill--

Kentucky rock group Cage the Elephant is back with their newest full-length, Neon Pill (via RCA Records) still touring en force despite a recent mishap to singer Matt Schulz, bringing with them three other very different acts, for a full evening of music at a sold out warm outdoor evening at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City (a show we also took in a bit earlier in the tour in Minneapolis).

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The multi-genre evening began with a brief half-hour set from Georgia native, Willow Avalon, in support of her debut EP, “Stranger”. Her music leaned towards very traditional Country, with a cool and personable demeanor, three-piece band and mic stands decorated with lavish songs. A clever transition between songs was sound clips of her great-aunt and grandmother talking about music.

For her first time in the area, she briefly embarrassed herself thinking she was on the Kansas side of the state line (acts seem to confuse KC frequently), blushing and admitting, “My brain is mashed potatoes, ya’ll” and the set ended with recent anthem, “Homewrecker” about a recent relationship she discovered (via social media) was with a married man (classic Country subject matter!).

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The music shifted to UK neo-soul/hip-pop as smoke billowed out from side stage and Camden Town London artist Bakar stood atop a speaker pedestal for most of his half-hour set, singing along to tracks in support of last year’s full-length, “Halo”. For “1^st Time”, he managed to work in an end snippet of King Harvest’s “Dancing in the Moonlight” and “Right Here, for Now” segued into a recent Dominic Fike radio single, proving the UK singer has some musical savvy.

His “NW3” was autobiographical about his Camden upbringing, he gave deserved props to the two ladies on stage left interpreting the lyrics into sign language, and he got the entire audience to stand (“you look so much better on your two feet!”) for 2019 mega-hit, “Hell n’ Back”, a song now over five years old (but still on radio rotation), given new life in a version with Summer Walker.

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Irvine, CA indie rockers Young the Giant have been in existence an amazing twenty years already, with latest album being 2022’s American Bollywood (via AWAL) which we’ve previously seen them live, in support of and for which, they headlined at this same venue last year.

Singer Sameer Gadhia was in fine and soaring voice, remarking between songs, that the band had been feeling retrospective of late- getting in touch with the elements that made them form a band in the first place- playing to intimate groups of people, examining their older music (particularly their sophomore album, “Mind over Matter”, which took some time to age and fully sink in, for fans and critics to fully appreciate it), and playing lesser known songs like 2014’s “Waves”.

Their blend of alternative rock with a worldly influence has always been unique and the band plans two special LA shows next month at the tiny Troubadour, where they’ll play two early albums in their entirety. On this night, their hour-long set chiefly featured higher tempo songs and familiar hits (though we missed early radio single, “Apartment” which hasn’t been a part of their setlists in some time).

The best song we can think of about quantum physics, 2018’s “Superposition” was both musically powerful and ethereally trippy at the same time, and the title track to 2014’s “Mind over Matter” was played with the satisfaction that the song and album are now getting their proper critical due, also celebrated with an expanded deluxe edition of the album.

2018’s “Tightrope” was a funky, percussion-filled jam and closing hit (and the song that put the band on the mainstream map), “My Body” found both band and crowd jumping in place during its choruses.

===

After a short set break, Cage the Elephant was on fire (almost literally, as pyro shot up from several stations near the front of the stage) from the beginning of their 85-minute set, opening up with the perfect song for their current situation, 2019’s “Broken Boy”.

Singer Schultz scampered and raced about the stage with the aid of a leg scooter, the result of a broken foot sustained while on stage in Georgia, in early August. He’s been unable to put any weight on it since, but has acclimated to his condition nicely, whipping about from end to end, while still keeping in good vocal form and swaying in place like a young Mick Jagger or Axl Rose.

We’ve seen the band live several times, and the restless Schultz looks like he misses his full mobility more than the likes of Rose and Dave Grohl (who played sitting on the Game of Thrones chair) when they were both injured, but his older brother, guitarist Brad Schultz helped make up for some of it, by going into the crowd early on.

The band never says too much between songs, preferring their music and live energy to carry the show, but Schultz did briefly mention his foot, and his insistence that the tour carry on. The large lighting rigs behind them, the aforementioned pyro (first live fire we’ve ever seen at Starlight), and even lasers helped to visually embellish the songs as well.

With six studio albums and eighteen years as a band under their belt, CTE likely has even more familiar radio hits than you remember, and newest songs like the Neon Pill’s title track and “Good Time” each neatly fit into their still-expanding musical cache.’

Lasers slashed into the sky on 2019’s “Social Cues” and again on 2015’s “Mess Around”, the latter radio hit helping to froth up the crowd into crazed cheering and dancing in the aisles, which continued with the familiar “Trouble” and their 2008 breakout hit, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”.

An excited “In One Ear” led into the main set’s closing song, the dark and rocking “Sabretooth Tiger” that brought out not only more fire, but the lasers as well, for a show-stopping end to things. The three-sing encore was all singalongs, starting with “Shake Me Down,”, then slowing things momentarily for “Cigarette Daydreams,” and ending the evening with their most successful song-to-date, “Come a Little Closer” in a heat-filled blaze with guitarist Schultz firnly spiking his guitar into pieces before the band waved good night.

In “The Matrix”, Morpheus states, "You take the blue pill... the story ends… You take the red pill... you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” On this night, with a varied four-act night headed up by Cage the Elephant, we chose the Neon Pill, and happily immersed ourselves in their musical reality for a few hours.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT TOUR DATES Sep 16 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center Sep 18 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre Sep 19 Colorado Springs, CO Ford Amphitheater Sep 27 Ocean City, MD Ocean City Inlet Nov 8 Las Vegas NV Sema Fest Nov 15 Mexico City, MX Corona Capital

YOUNG THE GIANT TOUR DATES Sep 16 CHI Health Center Omaha, NE Sep 21 Bourbon & Beyond Louisville, KY Sep 28 Oceans Calling Festival Ocean City, MD Oct 13 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA Oct 14 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA

PHOTOS BELOW BY BRANDON CLASEN

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

CAGE THE ELEPHANT at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

CAGE THE ELEPHANT at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

YOUNG THE GIANT at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

BAKAR at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

WILLOW AVALON at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2024-09-14)

Once (musical) from KCRep- through September 22, 2024 at UMKC Spencer Theatre, Kansas City MO

Once Playbill from UMKC Spencer Theatre Kansas City, MO)   ONCE SHOWTIMES Ticket Link: Once | KCRep   September 4 7:00PM September 5 7:00PM September 6 8:00PM September 7 2:00PM September 7 8:00PM September 8 2:00PM September 10 7:00PM September 11 7:00PM September 12 7:00PM September 13 8:00PM September 14 2:00PM September 14 8:00PM September 15 2:00PM September 18 7:00PM September 19 7:00PM September 20 8:00PM September 21 2:00PM September 21 8:00PM September 22 2:00PM   Read More Broadway in Kansas City Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album....

We’re falling quickly and all over again--

The eight-time Tony Award-winning musical, “Once,” based on the boy-meets-girl busking in Dublin film (written/directed by John Carney) with music and lyrics by The Swell Season (aka Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová) has found new life in Kansas City, as KCRep presents the production through September 22, at the Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus.

The modern classic tells the story of two seemingly wandering spirits brought together by music and circumstances, as he sings for donations and she peddles flowers on Grafton Street, a busy retail area of the city. Artistic dreams and unspoken emotions are both re-kindled and spur the pair to carry on in trying to realize their dreams, even though the true reality of the situation may not be as ideal as the potential fairy tale coupling, it’s been made out to be.

Featuring a Book by Enda Walsh and directed by Artistic Director Stuart Carden and heartfelt and poignant songs like the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly,” it’s the music that drives the narrative of this simple love story made fresh and appealing and entices the viewer to be emotionally invested in what happens next.

Our own history with ‘Once’ is lengthy; from pre-ordering the soundtrack ‘blind,’ only knowing it contained music written by the lead singer of The Frames, to seeing an early preview of the film, then catching The Swell Season live in Minneapolis in May 2008, not long after they won the Best Song Oscar, even having a chance to briefly speak with Glen and Mar following the show.

We caught the first national tour of the production as well, in 2014 when the stage was also a fully working bar and the audience was invited up before the show, and at intermission, to purchase a Guinness, and make some new friends as the band played.

This smaller production unfortunately did not have the onstage bar, but did feature the musical cast playing a few songs informally before the actual show got underway. Additionally, in the lobby pre-show (and on every upcoming Friday), Dublin-born area musician Eddie Delahunt entertained with his own songs, all getting the audience ready for the production.

The actors playing Guy (Ben Ferguson) and Girl (Tiffany Topol) both are affable and very relatable in their lead roles (she somewhat more confident and less sheltered than Irglova’s part in the film), and both are expressive in showing two characters trying to realize their creative aspirations while not sure whether to follow their heads, or their hearts.

The supporting cast is solid- most also play an instrument and the transitions between scenes especially worked well, as all of those had a short musical interlude while cast members organically moved to new spots and replaced set furniture. The company’s collective harmonies are showcased late in the second act, to a honed perfection which kept the crowd absolutely silent and in awe.

Dan Weschler is the production’s music director and also plays Billy, the owner of a small shop they rehearse in, and who provides enough comic relief and lightheartedness, he often steals the scene (in a good way). The venue works well for this seemingly simplistic tale as well, taking advantage of its size to bring the audience in closer, with many of songs becoming interactive clap-a-longs as well.

We liked just about everything in KCRep’s production of “Once”, a quietly stirring story of human emotions and the overwhelming power of music, all driven with honest and memorable Irish folk songs at its core. KCRep’s production runs through September 22.

 (photos by KCRep- Don Ipock; Click on any image to enlarge and see in full) 

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com