It was hot.

Really hot. As in, people were so drenched with sweat they looked like they’d just crawled out of a swimming pool.

Despite the B.O.–inducing heat, music lovers flooded the Commerce Arts District June 19 to partake in Wichita’s first LIV Music and Arts Festival. They were rewarded with live performances by local artists and plenty of Tallgrass beer.

“We should have had tents, we should have had misters,” festival organizer Adam Hartke said, laughing. “Next year, we won’t repeat those mistakes.”

As advocates of all things live and local, my friend and I joined the sweltering ranks on that steamy Saturday eager to see what a non-Riverfest festival in Wichita might look like. And it looked, well, like any good Commerce Street event. Beefy motorcycle men mixed with flowing-skirted hippies, and the party girls of Old Town mingled with hipster boys whose vintage shorts showed off way too much pasty leg. Stereotypes swirled as everyone gathered under the lure of live music.

LIVfest, the brainchild of Adam Hartke (president of Hartke Records), took its name from the Roman numeral for 54 as a tribute to Highway 54 (aka Kellogg Avenue), which runs over the south end of Commerce. LIV also stands for “Live in the Vortex,” a reference to Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Wichita Vortex Sutra.” Enlisting the help of folks at The Anchor, Rock Island Live and a handful of other Wichita music venues, Hartke organized an all-day, two-stage event featuring solely regional talent and local vendors.

The lineup engaged a wide variety of listeners, featuring artists such as indie boys Hot Air Balloon Trauma, hip-hop groups A Squared and Mannish Law, and bluegrass kings Split Lip Rayfield. As far as I’m concerned, though, Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy stole the show; they braved the scorching mid-afternoon heat and gave a smart-mouthed, fast paced performance. Although the majority of the crowd sought sanctuary in the shade, several of us were so infected by their energy that we couldn’t help but turn the sunny south end of Commerce into a full-fledged dance party.

Between acts, festivalgoers fueled up with burgers, bottled water and pints of Tallgrass beer. It was sponsors like Tallgrass that kept LIV Fest afloat; no project is complete without a few major mishaps, and the organizing team definitely felt the blows as several other sponsors rescinded their offers. With revenue deficits of $6,000 two weeks before the festival, the crew began advertising discounted VIP passes. Hartke described the swell of community support as tremendous.

“Schane at The Anchor sold tickets three-for-the-price-of-two out of her pocket,” he said. “She seriously would sell two and pay for the third herself. Alex from Kirby’s gave $1,000. We had donors everywhere. That gave us the confidence to go through with it…we had the greatest pre-sell of any show I’ve ever done.”

It was the sudden discount that convinced us to mark LIVfest on our calendars. Only $20 for two meals, three drinks and after-party access: what wasn’t to love? And thankfully, scores of other music-loving Wichitans shared the sentiment. According to Hartke, selling about 600 passes would have allowed the organizers to break even, so as total attendance reached somewhere between 750-1,000, community interest proved overwhelming. Around 9:30 p.m., I snuck backstage in hopes of a good photo opp. When I turned around, it wasn’t just Split Lip Rayfield jamming on a gas tank that had me cheering; equally as awesome was the sight of the rowdy audience. Stretching from the northern end of Commerce almost all the way down to the Fisch Haus Gallery, their shouts and applause were deafening, and it was clear that LIVfest was a huge success.

Though he claims that plans for next year’s festival won’t begin until August, Hartke has already hinted at a promising 2011 installment. He made no comment about next summer’s lineup, but he did stress the intent to include a greater number of vendors, healthier food options and access to recycling bins. Hartke found inspiration in the considerable turnout of the first annual LIVfest, as well as the waves of positive feedback.

“Wichita has its ups and downs, and sometimes I get down on it just like everyone,” he said. “But this festival proved what this place is made of…I enjoyed it even more than some huge concert with Tom Petty headlining. It was more genuine. It had more passion.”

Related posts:

1. [listen] Wichita Jazz Festival
2. [listen] Holiday Music Doesn’t Have to Suck
3. [listen] Local Musicians: Balancing Acts

You started playing guitar in your mid-20s; what prompted you to want to learn?

I spent my early 20s more than a little lost, I went to shows, bars, clubs and worked as a waiter, telemarketer or cook. During that time, life seemed very bleak. At 26, I was just stepping out of the Sub-Culture/Big Sky scene and taking a look at what my future was and what it could be. I had to make some very fundamental choices and changes in my life. Forcing myself to see the world differently opened up possibilities I had dismissed earlier. As silly as it sounds, I never felt I was “cool enough” to play guitar. My girlfriend at the time played and I heard her playing Mississippi John Hurt’s “Shake That Thing” and I got curious and inspired. A few days later, on March 23, 1998, I went to a pawn shop and bought a Cort acoustic… I spent the summer of ‘98 learning that Mississippi John Hurt song. When I played that song, I heard rivers, wind through trees, I could feel the electric charge of a thunderstorm. I was feeling and hearing things that were not in the song. I had to try to convey what I felt playing the guitar, so I began to write my own songs. I had written poetry in my teens and early 20s; I used what I learned from poetry and applied it to song lyrics. Music took over. Playing guitar felt like something I was born to do.

Describe your songwriting process, recurring theme or themes, etc.

The songwriting process varies from song to song. Some seem to write themselves, while others never seem complete. Mostly it starts with a chord progression and a mood, feeling, concept or idea, and then the words come, then decisions have to be made about furthering the song structure (bridges, chorus, etc.).

How would you describe the Erik Mallory sound?

Woody, stormy and raw. Currently, I use as few tricks and production as possible. I want the tracks to sound like me, like how I would sound if we were sitting on my back porch. When it comes to the electric guitar, I use a few pedals, either to avoid being too loud but still get the gritty sparkle sound my amp makes, or to create a more atmospheric sound.

What are your thoughts about the music scene in Wichita?

The Wichita music scene is the best-kept secret in American music. There is a huge pool of talented creative people here. And has it grown! My first local Wichita show was totally random. I was walking home from a buddy’s house in high school when I heard loud music coming from a house party. Being drawn to loud guitars, I walked on in. It was first the first or second generation of The Sluggos (I remember Tom Page’s sailor hat and Michael Carmody’s tall form and woolly hair). They were playing “Minor Emergency Center.” It was sarcastic and ironic, at the time I didn’t know what to make of it, but it made me smile and I don’t remember much else about that night except that song. I had been spoon-fed radio pop my whole life, the corporate American culture machine had my mind narrowly tuned to a certain sound. In hindsight, I think that it’s awesome that these guys got out and played what they wanted and what they felt. Later, that served seminal inspiration for me as a musician.

I have seen tons of shows at Kirby’s, and for me, Kirby’s is a mainstay of Wichita music. From my point of view, it seemed that through the ’90s the scene was up and down, there would be times when it was really quiet and times when it was busting out all over the place. And no matter what, there was always something going on at Kirby’s. Now the scene is larger, more diverse and more stable. My fear is that the wonderful artists that have sprouted up will leave Wichita for more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. My hope is that technology will make the geographical location of an artist irrelevant to their success. With energy prices going they way they are projected to, touring for the underground or unsigned act may be cost prohibitive.

What do you listen to when you’re not playing music yourself?

Depends on my mood, but lately it’s been Mazzy Star, The Flaming Lips, Lyle Lovett, Greg Brown, The Black Keys, Clutch, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Beatles, Townes Van Zandt, Dick Dale, Ry Cooder, RL Burnside, Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. I’m omnivorous when it comes to music.

What are your goals as a musician?

The first goal is to enjoy myself. I desire to write and perform songs that have meaning to me and that I enjoy. The second goal is to entertain others. I want the folks that come to my shows to have a good time, and enjoy what I do. Thirdly, I’d love to be able jam with anyone, in any style. Sure, that is a tall order considering how many styles and players there are out there. It’s probably very naive of me to think I can achieve that level of playing in my lifetime. However, I believe that music is a language and all musicians from all walks of life should be able to find something common to “talk” about. I enjoy learning new things, and music is a great teacher.

Related posts:

1. [listen] Vehicles
2. [listen] J.A.N.E.T. : Defying Definition
3. [listen] Local Musicians: Balancing Acts

According to the Wichita State University website, this year’s festival is promoted as a showcase for women in the arts and society, and will also address issues in women’s health.

The rest of the events are as follows:

Thursday, April 14

“No Family History,” a documentary film. 7:30 p.m. Campus Activities Center Theater, Wichita State University campus. Free. Features Sabrina McCormick and a screening of her documentary film, which follows the story of one woman’s experience with breast cancer. The film was an independent selection at the Philadelphia Film Festival of 2009 and was selected as Best Real Time Documentary at the event.

Friday, April 16

Jazz All Day! Starting at 8 a.m. at the Campus Activities Center Theater, Wichita State University Campus. $10. This event will feature bands from local and regional middle schools, high schools, and colleges who have worked hard for this chance to perform before professional clinicians. It promises to be a long way from listening to your little brother squeaking on his saxophone in the basement after school!

Jazz Symposium. 7:30 p.m. at the Rhatigan Student Center, Wichita State University Campus. Free. Features jazz journalist Michelle Mercer, filmmaker Sabrina McCormick and guest artists Kathy Kosins, Linda Oh and Nicole Mitchell. Finally, local jazz artist Lisa Hittle will perform.

Saturday, April 17

Creativity Workshop. 2 p.m. McAdams Recreation Center, 1329 E. 16th St. Free. Features opportunities to interact with guest artists and witness their individual approaches to artistic creation. Kathy Kosins will discuss the relationship between jazz and visual art, while Nicole Mitchell will work with composition and improvisation.

Connoisseur Series Concert, 7:30 p.m, at the Campus Activites Center Theater, Wichita State University campus. Opens with Kathy Kosins, followed by Linda Oh and then Michelle Mitchell. Although it is one of the few events for the entire festival that is not free, it promises to be worth every penny! Tickets are $15, $13 and $6 through the Fine Arts Box Office, (316) 978-3233, and at the door. It is advisable to plan to arrive early for the best seats. While children are allowed, I would not advocate bringing any who are under about 12, and certainly none who don’t love music.

Detroit-based jazz singer Kathy Kosins, is a performer of almost 30 years, and renowned for her nontraditional approach to the jazz tradition. Local musicians Bill Caldwell (tenor saxophone), John Goering (WSU assistant professor, piano), Mark Foley (WSU associate professor, bass) and Steve Hatfield (drums) will accompany her.

Also featured this weekend will be bass star Linda Oh, who in 2008 received the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer’s Award. She now teaches at the Manhattan School of Music. Chicago-based flutist Nicole Mitchell and her trio will close both the concert and the festival. Mitchell was honored by Downbeat magazine as No. 1 in its Critics’ Poll for Rising Star Flutist 2006 and was named “Chicagoan of the Year 2006″ by the Chicago Tribune.

Related posts:

1. [listen] LIV Music and Arts Festival Recap
2. [do] Wright Here in Wichita: The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright
3. [listen] Organ Concerts at WSU

Guest post by Ashley Bell

Visionary.  Pioneer.  Maverick.  Chris Barnett is a breath of fresh air to the stale state of hip hop.  His love of music started in 1986, when he was a three-year-old watching veterans like Whodini, Jam Master J and Run DMC.

“They inspired me to rap, make good music and tell vivid stories through punch lines and rhymes over dope beats,” Barnett said.

Barnett said he feels that hip hop music is currently suffering, because many artists are leaving out the substance.

“Instead of useful lyrics with meaning and purpose, the only thing that’s important is swag and a dance step,” Barnett said.

Focused on bringing meaning back to what was lost, Chris Barnett created Chris Barnett Presents: Esteem, an EP with 10 tracks dedicated to bringing the reverence back to hip hop.  Along with a graphic designer, publicist and manager, Barnett devised and implemented his business and marketing plans for his music career.  To keep initial overhead down, Barnett and his team decided the album would be offered for free on his website starting March 16.

“The reason it’s free is because people don’t buy music anymore but prefer to download. I’m not money hungry, I just want to get my name out there.  You can’t buy respect,” Barnett said.

Barnett will be performing at RockStar Thursday at Rock Island Live (101 N. Rock Island) April 1.

“’Esteem’ is an alternative to the watered down music scene offering something for everyone.  This is hip hop straight from the heart,” Barnett said.

Photo courtesy of ChrisBarnettPresents.com

Related posts:

1. [meet] Chris Mann
2. [meet] The Same 10 Questions We Always Ask
3. [meet] Ask verb: Who Do You Want to See at Intrust Bank Arena?

Layers of sound that beg for repeated listening. Wall of guitars, yet the melody is not lost. Ethereal keys lift the music into space. This is Vehicles.

The band members are Cody Cloud (vocals/guitar), Kerry Bainum (drums), Daniel White (guitar/keyboard), Taylor Martin (guitar), and Blake Miles (bass). I met with Daniel and Kerry before their show at Rock Island Live this month to find out more about the band.

How did Vehicles form?

Kerry: Cody and I had been playing in bands for 12 years now. We had a different version of Vehicles (starting in 2005) and guys decided to go in a different direction. We’ve been doing this current lineup for a couple years. Things are starting to go really well.

What are the songs about and how do you describe the sound?

Kerry: We’re space rock. That’s what everybody says.

Daniel: We’re kind of space jam rock. Cody is the main songwriter and basically talks about issues in his life from dealing with his father in law, church, his own personal struggles. Sometimes it’s kind of dark.

Kerry: They’re about male/female relationship stuff that a lot of music talks about.

Daniel: We’re starting to incorporate more people into the songwriting process. For the most part, Cody brings in a song or a song idea to us, then we add our part to it.

What are your musical influences?

Kerry: WILCO!

Daniel: I grew up with a lot of classic rock – Pink Floyd, Beatles, Zeppelin. I really love Sunny Day Real Estate. Cody’s influences have been Mellowdrone, Secret Machines, Radiohead. Our sound has a lot of “Euro” flavor.

Kerry: I’ve been going between Wilco, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.

Daniel: Kerry is a classically trained percussionist and Blake, our bassist, is classically trained on upright bass. They both have a wide range. Taylor grew up playing bluegrass. Cody and I are self taught and have grown up playing in bands.

What is the ultimate goal for Vehicles?

Daniel: Get better gigs, a little more money to put toward albums, improve how we sound and how we play and have fun while we do it.

What bands do you want to play with?

Daniel: We just played with Roman Numerals out of Kansas City. We opened for Pilot Speed, Black Gasoline. We’ve played with Spirit of the Stairs, In the Wake, and Sailor Sequence out of Kansas City.

Kerry: I wouldn’t mind playing with Gooding. I’d love to play more shows with Black Gasoline, we had a good time with them. We’d like to play with Sky Meets Earth.

What should Wichita know about Vehicles?

Kerry: We don’t leave anything behind. We give 110% at shows. Every night is different. We love Wichita, love being a part of the scene.

Daniel: We’re not the typical rock band. Come see us and be surprised.

Vehicles’ album Luna is available at iTunes, CDBaby, and their shows. They are currently working on a 4-song EP to be released this summer.

Related posts:

1. [listen] J.A.N.E.T. : Defying Definition
2. [listen] Moreland & Arbuckle
3. [listen] Grassland Band Showcase: Spirit of the Stairs

Sometimes you find talented people in the place you least expect. For me recently, that place was Twitter. Due to a misspelling in a Twitter name, Chris Mann inadvertently gave me a shoutout that was meant for one of his friends. When I replied to let him know about the mistake, I discovered that not only is he a talented musician/song writer, he’s also a Wichita native.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of talking to Chris on the phone as he drove through the desert on his way to a bachelor party in Phoenix. This is a man who deserves to blow off a little steam. In the span of one month, he started recording background vocals for season 2 of “Glee,” shot a video, performed live in L.A., and flew to Boston, where he put the finishing touches on his second album, tentatively titled Who I Am.

The album, written in London in a mere 10 days and produced by Grammy winner Martin Terefe, showcases what Chris calls his “passion for different styles of music.” He says it definitely has an “old-school George Michael-meets-Duffy vibe.” As a big fan of both George and Duffy, I’m pretty giddy to hear how he combines the two. No official release date has been given for the 14-song album, but Chris is hoping for late summer to early fall.

Though his busy career has him jetsetting across the globe, Chris endearingly calls Wichita “Tah-Town” and still considers it the one place he can get some true rest and relaxation. His parents and older sister, Becky, still live here, along with the three Springer Spaniels they have between them. When I asked Chris what he liked to do when he comes back to visit he immediately said, “Bella Luna. As long as I eat there 5-6 times while I’m home, I’m good.” He also likes Oeno Wine Bar and said he was impressed with the recent revitalization of Old Town in general.

So, how did a Kansas boy make it to California and go on tour with R&B poet/songwriter India.Arie?  Growing up in Wichita, Chris showed an early interest in music and performed with Music Theatre Of Wichita. After he graduated from Southeast High, Chris made the decision to study classical music at WSU, defying the Mann family KU legacy, which stretches back to both grandparents.

Later, while studying opera at Vanderbilt University, he was cast in an Italian opera. Performing in Italy would be a defining moment in his life, for it was there he realized he’d lost his passion for opera and was being called in a new direction. In an eerie twist of fate, the woman he lived with in Italy, an avid Tarot card reader, revealed to him she also felt he should follow his heart back to the United States. Since then he’s lived in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles, building a pretty impressive portfolio along the way.

In addition to the India.Arie tour, Chris has toured with Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel, who makes a guest appearance on “Glee” this season. Chris also provided backup vocals for Avatar and is featured on the upcoming Letters To Juliette movie soundtrack, where he puts his own spin on the 1960s pop song “Quando Quando Quando.” Soon he’ll be going viral with a new video, a remake of the George Michael classic “I Want Your Sex.” His plan was to remake the video frame by frame, but decided to switch it up, though he assures me if you’re a fan of the 80s version, you’ll see a few subtle references to the original.

From the moment I started following Chris on Twitter (@iamchrismann), I was impressed by the attention he pays to his adoring fans. Embracing all forms of social media, Chris makes himself available on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and encourages dialogue with his 3000 plus followers. On his website, he has a link to the MANNblog, a personal favorite of mine. There are no assistants or PR people manning the MANNblog, just Chris. He updates frequently with brief stories and candid pictures about his adventures in L.A., all the big projects he’s working on and the time the Lord spoke to him from a chicken joint. His website also plays songs from his first LP, available on iTunes. I’ll admit, his soulful ballad “When The Lights Fade” is a frequent favorite on my iPod. He’s also started a Twitter and video campaign to get him on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show.

When I asked if he had any future plans to perform in Wichita, Chris said he would welcome any opportunity.  I can’t wait to see where the talented Mann from Ta-Town goes from here.

Related posts:

1. [meet] Local Musician Chris Barnett
2. [meet] The Same 10 Questions We Always Ask
3. [meet] Ask verb: Who Do You Want to See at Intrust Bank Arena?

Guest post by Ryan Unruh

“Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did. Lookin’ like a true survivor, feelin’ like a little kid.” – Bernie Taupin via Elton John

She wasn’t sure about all the words, but then again “Roy Cohn, Jaun Peron, Toscanini, Dancron” isn’t the catchiest lyric. Sarah Kallail improvised what she didn’t know from “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” dancing and singing in unison (kinda) with her friends while Billy Joel pounded a piano and chanted random cultural references 100-yards below.

It was pretty much what the girls had pictured when they bought their tickets to the Joel and Elton John concert three months ago. The past week had yielded countless Billy/Elton playlists and lyrical status updates. Now, finally, they soaked it in and let it all out, reciprocating the Piano Man’s energy from their $100 nosebleeds.

A few verses in, their fire was fought with the beam of a flashlight. From the entrance to their section, a police officer pointed his finger to the ground and mouthed the words “sit down.” They obeyed, a little confused, a little embarrassed. They had quit singing by the time Joel got to “BELGIANS IN THE CONGO!”

Kallail felt deflated. “I didn’t realize we we’re the only ones standing,” she says. “We weren’t trying to ruin anyone’s time. We were just thrilled to be there.”

Sitting seemed to be the preferred position amongst the 15-thousand piano-pop fans packed into Intrust Bank Arena on March 3. Other than the elated first few rows, the crowd was glued to their chairs throughout. That’s in part because police officers prowled the bowl during the show, putting the clamps on any one who tried to give them the stand-up routine.

“We got a sitting ovation,” jokes Kyle Foreman. People around his floor seats clapped when an officer ordered him to sit. “They were more excited about that than Crocodile Rock.”

Foremen’s well aware some people may prefer to do their hoppin’ and boppin’ from that folding chair they paid good money for. “I’m sure there were people complaining about us on their drive home,” he says. “But Billy and Elton were putting on a great show and we wanted to show our appreciation.”

Sarah concurs. “I don’t want to ruin it for someone, but at a concert, the artist is trying to get the audience on their feet.”

Sarah Haertl, the Arena’s director of sales and marketing, says there’s no venue policy on standing vs. sitting. “We take directions from the show. Our goal is to make the show and the ticket holders as happy as possible.” She declined to say what, if any, directions Joel/John promoters gave regarding the issue.

With the Arena bringing in concerts Wichitans haven’t seen the likes of in decades, the issue of standing vs. sitting needs to be addressed. But it should be up to us, not the Arena or promoters, to develop an accepted etiquette. We’re the ones paying the big bucks, after all.

Sound off Wichita. Is it ever ok to stand at an Arena concert? Always ok? Does it matter where you’re sitting? Does the song matter? Sit for “Candle in the Wind,” set the dance alight for “Saturday Night’s Alright”?

Tell us about the buzz-kill cop who ruined your Jovi experience or the drunken Brad Paisley fan who made you wish you hadn’t dropped a bill-plus to sit behind him. Hopefully we can get the issue ironed out before the dulcet tones of Michael Buble spark some kind of sitters vs. standers showdown. His fans are supposedly very big on energy reciprocation.

image credit

Related posts:

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2. daily [snap] – Intrust Bank Arena
3. [listen] Organ Concerts at WSU

As Carly Holmes so eloquently stated in her post about karaoke in Wichita, it’s a guaranteed good time. At the places she listed, you’ll likely hear country faves and past & present pop hits energetically performed by tipsy patrons. But there is one karaoke night in Wichita that is a bit different, where you’ll hear “Run to the Hills” and “Talk Dirty to Me.” It’s HEAVY METAL KARAOKE!

Kirby’s Beer Store (3227 E. 17th St.) is the locale for this metal mayhem. I attended HMK on Friday, Feb. 19 and it was standing room only. People dressed in leather and teased hair, reminiscent of ’80s hair band splendor, belting out hard rock tunes before the crowd that was singing along. Here, hostess Marta McKim gives us the background on Heavy Metal Karaoke:

“HMK began because it was 2006, and the date 6/6/06 was approaching,” McKim said. “I kept waiting for someone to come up with a Black Sabbath party or something, but no one was doing it. I had been inviting people to come out to this one bar out on West Kellogg because I noticed they had an inordinate amount of Heavy Metal selections. I just always thought it seemed like a good idea.

“I finally got a few friends to come to the westside bar and we did it. It was a BLAST! At that point I knew that I had to do something, so I contacted my friend Tony Rois and worked on getting a database of songs to work from. He really went above and beyond the call of duty locating all of them, and in the end we ended up with approximately 800 songs. Doug VanEs of Sluggos fame had a Karaoke machine and was my co host. I planned the event, made flyers, saturated as much of MySpace as I could and hoped for the best. Needless to say, it was a huge success! Our faces were practically cramping from smiling and laughing so much!

“Immediately following the end of the night, several people were inquiring about when was the next event. It’s just been a “whenever it happens” type thing and its always at Kirby’s Beer Store. There isn’t another place that works the same way. Kirby’s has the perfect vibe for it.

“It usually works out to be around three or four times a year. I have been asked to make it a more regular event, but i sorta dig having everyone chompin’ at the bit for the next event, and when they are, its even better!

“If you’ve never been to a HMK event before, fasten your seatbelt! You never know what will happen! A few years back when HMK coincided with Halloween, the whole place was filled with costumes and Doug was dressed as the Executioner and if someone chose something that wasn’t “METAL” enough (there are many nonmetal selections in the book that are simply there because when you get karaoke CDG’s, you often have one song that is metal, along with a bunch of other songs that have nothing in common. I expect the people who come to my shows to have enough sense and taste to know better than to try to sing CREED up on stage, and in fact, Michael Carmody took it upon himself early on to black out those selections in the books. We are all very grateful to him for this) they would be “executed” off the stage.

“The real highlight of the night, and what goes down in not only HMK history, but Kirby’s, was when Wayne G. was feeling uninspired during his rendition of “Bad Motor Scooter” by Montrose, and decided to shake things up by stripping down to his black briefs to the screams of shock and delight from the patrons of the bar and ultimately declaring “aw f*** it, I’m doing the last verse naked” and whipping them off to a shower of cellphone and digital cameras flashing that rivaled the last 20 seconds of an NBA championship!

“I always appreciate it when people come dressed for the event, and I always try to give the crowd something badass to look at hoping to encourage others to truly embrace the “rockstar for 5 minutes” experience.”

If you want to explore the darker side of karaoke, check Kirby’s Beer Store’s calendar on their site or check out Heavy Metal Karaoke’s facebook page to find out when the next spectacle will begin!

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3. [drink] He Said/She Said: Strong Ale Fest

Drawing off of the love of music instilled in them by their father, the brothers display harmonies that can only come from a lifetime of sharing rhymes, rhythms, and melodies. Presenting a unique blend of alternative acoustic folk music and old time country, Elliot Road’s original set list defies categorization. Branching out across the Midwest, they have opened the eyes of a broad audience to their personal blend of progressive vocals and down-home instrumental magic.

While writing this, I’m listening to a sneak-peak of the duo’s LP, and as a lover of quite an eclectic variety of music, I couldn’t be happier. Presenting a unique blend of alternative acoustic folk music and old-time country, Elliot Road’s original set list defies categorization. The band has done what these days is seemingly impossible: created an album on which the skip button is never used.

“Georgia Road” is a sweet, but not over-the-top love song that borders on a lullaby, with soothing words every girl wants to hear. The instrumentals on “Ode to Those Less Fortunate” are nothing short of brilliant, sharing the stage with masterful vocals. And it’s songs like “Lost Inside” that ensure that no man can measure up to the lyrics women keep in their heads.

Brothers James and John wrote, performed, and produced each track on the album, and their love for what they do shines through in the harmonies that come only from a lifetime of sharing rhymes, rhythms, and melodies. The hauntingly beautiful violin performed by Jenny Bowen of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra takes several songs to an entirely different level and highlights the duo’s songwriting abilities.

Come celebrate with this outstanding duo as Mead’s Corner hosts Elliot Road’s album release party on Friday, Feb. 26. As a longtime fan, I have seen the brothers’ gifts mature and blossom into the rich and unforgettable music presented on The Dust Covered Man. I can promise you that this is one album, and one band, that won’t leave the scene any time soon.

Details:

Elliot Road | “The Dust Covered Man” CD Release Party

Friday, Feb. 26 (Final Friday)

Mead’s Corner, 430 E. Douglas

8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Special Guests: Kandace Mars and Tony Ngo

Related posts:

1. [listen] One Good Jukebox – Jimmie’s Diner
2. [listen] Moreland & Arbuckle
3. [listen] Vehicles

How? We went to the Rie Bloomfield Concert at the Marcussen Organ. This amazing instrument, housed in Wiedemann Hall, is WSU’s (and frankly, Wichita’s) hidden treasure. Before you dismiss the idea of listening to an organ concert, consider this: Do you really “know” anything about the history or composition of rock, or hip-hop, or ska, or jazz? Can you just enjoy it for its own sake? I believe you can, and I believe anyone can appreciate and enjoy the majesty and beauty of the music produced by this instrument. Relax, don’t be intimidated, and check it out.

The Marcussen organ came to be built as a result of the hard work and dedication of Gladys H.G. Wiedemann and Professor Robert L. Town. Mrs. Wiedemann donated the organ, built by the legendary firm of Marcussen and Son of Denmark.  The Marcussen was the company’s first organ to be built in North America, and there are only a handful of these amazing pipe organs in the United States today.

I went to my first Marcussen concert as an elementary student on a field trip. The sight of the organ, which literally fills one end of the concert hall, enthralled me. After the concert, the volunteers took us in small groups behind the organ, so we could see that it actually was even larger than it appeared, and showed us how the organ worked. For me, an aspiring piano player, it was love at first sight. I was familiar with the organ at the church, played haltingly by the ladies brave enough to attempt it and always producing a sound that couldn’t quite be called “harmonious.” Nothing, however, had prepared me for the sounds of the Marcussen. They resonated throughout the room, vibrated through me, tingled in my fingers and toes and made my ears ring with joy. These days, I hit every concert I can at Wiedemann Hall.

This season, it’s been very easy to go hear the organ. With a program called “Wednesdays in Wiedemann,” we can hear the organ played at least once a month. The Wednesday concerts last about 30 minutes and are free to the public. They start at 5:30 p.m. and are played by Organ Professor Lynne Davis. The remaining three concerts are on March 3, March 31, and April 28. Don’t hesitate to mark these on your calendar, and wave to me; I’ll be the one wearing burgundy scrubs.

In addition to the free Wednesday concert series, this season offers the 2009-2010 Rie Bloomfield Concert Series. The concert we attended Tuesday featured Michael Bauer, Professor of Organ and Church Music at the University of Kansas, and was a fantastic chance to hear one of the Midwest’s most talented organists. The final Rie Bloomfield Concert for this season will be March 23 at 7:30 p.m., featuring German Organist Ludger Lohman. Tickets are priced at $10 for the general public, but discounts are available.

In addition to the concert series, Professor Davis is performing a faculty concert on Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7, with discounts for students. For more information, call the WSU Fine Arts Box Office at (316) 978-3233.

If you’ve attended a concert featuring the Marcussen organ, either by itself or with one of the choral groups, tell us what you thought.

Photo courtesy of Bob Weeks

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