Music

A man climbing a ladder

Tech N9ne Comes to Town

You know those doors that say “Authorized Personnel Only”? Well, we’re opening them. Join Flatland as we peel back the curtain, lift the manhole cover, go in the back door, and get unfiltered access to what’s behind the scenes in Kansas City. “Authorized Personnel Only,” a monthly series, takes us to the places we don’t…

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A man singing on stage.

Sympathetic Vibrations | KC’s Musical Cup Runneth Over

Sympathetic Vibrations will be on a short hiatus through the end of the year while Flatland and The Bridge collaborate on a written series called “Making the Band,” wherein rock sorceress Michelle Bacon and I will take a closer look at the lesser known cogs in the music industry machine here in KC. Look for…

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A cast on stage

Sympathetic Vibrations | A Brave Composition

If there is a musical equivalent to rock climbing without a rope, local musician J. Ashley Miller is doing it. Miller, 34, has spent the last year developing a “brutalist pop opera” despite having no formal training in the genre and limited theater production experience. The project, “Echosis,” will debut this weekend with a two-night…

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6 men in a band

Sympathetic Vibrations | The Spoils of Authenticity

What catchall phrase would you use to describe a band that draws much of its influence from rock ’n’ roll, garage rock, mod, blues, and psych from the ’50s and ’60s? If you’re Rory Cameron, the lead singer of The Conquerors, it’s not the obvious one. “I don’t really like the throwback moniker very much….

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Picture of comedian Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen on… Everything

Before the always-funny Mr. Armisen gave his keynote address to the Middle of the Map crowd at this year’s IDEAS forum, he sat down in The Folly Theater with Flatland. Check out his tips on doing a Prince impersonation, the melding of comedy and music, and all the Finger Lakes of Lawrence Welk. The “Portlandia” co-creator and star also riffed…

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People looking through records at a store

Sympathetic Vibrations | Record Store Day 2016

On Saturday, April 16th, many of Kansas City’s finest purveyors of vinyl will celebrate the ninth annual Record Store Day – an international music holiday of sorts, aimed at promoting and encouraging the music-buying public to purchase said music from local, independent, brick-and-mortar retailers. The revered music nerd festivus began in 2007, not long after traditional retail…

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The Weekend Starts Today

With St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday, and all the debauchery that goes along with it, you could be excused for spending the whole weekend hungover at home. Assuming that you recover, however, and that you don’t want to spend the next four days watching NCAA basketball, we’ve got a ton of events to see around…

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How Kansas City is the 58th Annual Grammy Awards

How Kansas City Is | Grammy Awards

We’re asking the question: How “Kansas City” is… for all the good stuff going on in our world. Up today? The genre-mixing celebration of all things music, the 58th annual Grammy Awards. We’ll see a few Kansas Citians walk the red carpet at the Los Angeles Staples Center on Monday evening, and a few more hidden local gems throughout the show. Check out…

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Taryn Miller, who performs as Your Friend, delivered a set at the RecordBar just before it closed its doors for good in December. Your Friend just released a full-length. (Photo: Dan Calderon | Flatland)

Sympathetic Vibrations | The Right Way Through Wrong Turns

Taryn Miller has enjoyed a speedy rise to national recognition in the last three years, due in large part to simply not overthinking things. And to hear her describe the sequence of events that led her from Winfield, Kansas to a major label release, you almost feel sorry for all the bands out there meticulously…

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Self-described as a "loud, three piece, power punk band from KCMO," Hipshot Killer's lead guitarist Mike Alexander, left, answers our "Seven Questions". (Photo: Hipshot Killer)

Music | 7 Questions With…

Every Tuesday at 6pm on The Bridge, local music writer and Middle of the Map Fest organizer Chris Haghirian and The Bridge’s Sarah Bradshaw shine a light on the people, music, and events in the 816 area code during “Eight One Sixty”. One regular feature, 7 Questions, gets to the heart of a guest’s passions, past, and… purchase history. On the heels of Hipshot Killer’s full-length release, “They Will…

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