Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The ACB’s + New & Local Releases + Stephanie Roberts & Eat This!
+ Music from the KC Friends of JJ’s Benefit at Uptown Theatre
1. Divine Fits – “Would That Not Be Nice”
from: A Thing Called The Divine Fits / Merge Records / August 28, 2012
[Debut album from U.S. / Canadian band made up of: Britt Daniel - lead singer & guitarist of Spoon, Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade & Handsome Furs, Sam Brown, - drummer of New Bomb Turks, and Alex Fischel - keyboardist from the band PAPA. The vocals are shared between Daniel & Boeckner. The album was recorded in Los Angeles in a backyard studio, with producer Nick Launay in March through May 2012.]
[The Divine Fits were just added to the Middle of The Map Fest, April 4-6. middleofthemapfest.com]
Thanks for tuning into Wednesday MidDay Medley.
On Tuesday, February 19, a huge natural-gas explosion, in Kansas City’s west edge of the Country Club Plaza, destroyed the beloved restaurant JJ’s, reducing the area to a crater. 16 people were injured, including many JJ’s employees.
One JJ’s server, Megan Cramer, was killed in the blast. Megan Cramer had lived here in KC for over 26 years. She received her law degree from UMKC and started one of UMKC’s very first LGBT Student groups. As well as working with KC Human Rights Ordinance Project in the early 1990s, Megan was active in many other equality projects. Megan will be greatly missed by her Family from Springfield MO, and by her JJ’s Family, and all of us in the KC LGBT & Allied Communities, who have known and admired Megan for many years. A memorial service for Megan Cramer will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, March 4, at Community Christian Church, 4601 Main St., Kansas City, MO.
The Music & Restaurant Communities were quick to mobilize support for JJ’s and their employees. One example of this support is: the “Friends of JJ’s Benefit” Tuesday, March 5, at 7:00 PM at The Uptown Theatre, 3700 Broadway. Info: friendsofjjs@gmail.com
2. Krief – “Forever Goodnight”
from: Hundred Thousand Pieces / Pirates Blend Music / Released April 17, 2012 in Canada
[Montreal based musician and singer-songwriter, best known as the guitarist for The Dears since 2004. In August 2007 Krief released his debut solo EP Take It Or Leave, which was co-mixed by former Dears bandmate Murray Lightburn. In 2009 Krief released "Calm Awaits" with his band Black Diamond Bay..]
[Krief plays The Uptown Theatre, Tuesday, March 5 for the Friends of JJ's Benefit]
10:12 – Underwriting
3. Jimbo Mathus & The Tri -State Coalition – “(I Wanna Be) Your Satellite”
from: White Buffalo / Fat Possom / Jan. 22, 2013 [Born in Oxford, MS. in 1967. In the early 1980s Jimbo help form the band Johnny Vomit & The Dry Heaves and participated in the South Memphis early punk scene with Jack Oblivion. In 1993 Jimbo co-founded the Squirrel Nut Zippers. Jimbo's been nominated for 2 Grammys, and performed for Presidents, Olympics, & Dick Clark.]
[Jimbo Mathus & Tri-State Coalition play Knuckleheads Mar. 8 w/ Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band.]
4. Fourth Of July – “Friend of a Friend”
from: Before Our Hearts Explode / Rangelife Records / 2010
[Comprised of two sets of siblings, Brendan Hangauer (guitar, vocals), Patrick Hangauer (bass guitar), Brian Costello (drums, vocals), Brendan Costello (lead guitar, vocals). The band is currently putting the finishing touches on their new record produced by Chris Crisci of Old Canes and Appleseed Cast.]
[Fourth of July play The ACB's Record Release Show, Fri, Mar 1, 7:00 PM, at the recordBar]
Music from Friends of JJ’s Benefit, Tuesday, March 5, at 7:00 at The Uptown Theatre
5. David George & A Crooked Mile – “Cold Rain”
from: Going Underground [EP] / Independent / June 21, 2012
[Featured on "Cold Rain" is Danielle and Jacob Prestidge of The Blackbird Revue.]
[David George & A Crooked Mile play Uptown Theatre, Tues, March 5 for the Friends of JJ's Benefit]
6. The Grisly Hand – “Paris of The Plains”
from: Safe House [EP] / Independent / November 2, 2010
[The Grisly Hand play Uptown Theatre, Tues, March 5 for the Friends of JJ's Benefit]
10:30
7. The ACB’s – “Feel Winter”
from: Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 1, 2013
[Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, Andrew Connor on Guitar & Vocals, Bryan McGuire on Bass & Vocals, Kyle Rausch on Drums & Vocals. ]
10:32 – Interview with The ACB’s
Konnor Ervin, Bryan McGuire, Andrew Connor, and Kyle Rausch are The ACB’s. This week the band is releasing their new full length: “Little Leaves,” from High Dive Records. After five years of being nominated, The ACB’s won the 2012 Pitch Music Award for Best Pop Band. Their songs have been featured on MTV’s The Inbetweeners, and on Daytrotter. Their lead single, “Ocean,” released in late 2012, moved Popmatters to declare The ACB’s as one of its “Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013.” The ACB’s play a Record Release Show, Fri, Mar. 1, 7:00 PM, at recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd, with Fourth Of July. The ACB’s also play Vinyl Renaissance, 1415 West 39th Street, on Saturday, March 9, at 1:00 PM.
Konnor Ervin, Bryan McGuire, and Kyle Rausch, joined us live on WMM.
The ACB’s formed in 2006 in KC. In 2007 they released their self titled solo debut, went on tour, and played with The Get Up Kids, Republic Tigers. Music Editor of The Pitch, David Hudnall wrote: ‘The ACBs began 2010 as a broken band, but closed out the year as a super -group of sorts. After half the band moved to L.A., frontman Konnor Ervin & bassist Bryan McGuire regrouped, adding Andrew Connor from Ghosty and Kyle Rausch from Abracadabras. They released their first album in 4 years. On Stona Rosa, the ACBs moved beyond the power pop sound they’d cultivated on their debut and settled into a stranger, stonier, lonelier space. Ervin’s couching his inventive melodies in more tender, artful compositions, and the band has the chops & confidence to sell it. It’s a good look on them.’
Andrew Connor’s band Ghosty recorded one of our favorite releases of 2012.
Even though they weren’t officially released, the demos of Kyle’s band The I’ms, now known as Shy Boys, were included in our top ten Best Recordings of 2011.
Little Leaves, The ACBs 3rd full-length was inspired by Connor Ervin’s landscaping job.
The band’s 2nd single from “Little Leaves” is “Record Store.”
10:44
8. The ACB’s – “Record Store”
from: Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 1, 2013
[David Hudnall of The Pitch wrote, "Nobody in the city is writing sharper or more inventive melodies than Ervin, who has honed his craft the old-fashioned way: working a part-time job, living in a (crappy) apartment and practicing music all the time."]
10:46
Konnor Ervin, Bryan McGuire, Andrew Connor, and Kyle Rausch are The ACB’s. This week the band is releasing their new full length: “Little Leaves,” from High Dive Records. The ACB’s play a Record Release Show, this Friday, March 1, 7:00 PM, at recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd, with Fourth Of July. The ACB’s also play Vinyl Renaissance, 1415 West 39th Street, on Saturday, March 9, at 1:00 PM.
Fourth of July – this band is made up of good friends of The ACB’s.
Bryan McGuire talked about how the band’s new release comes out on a new label, High Dive Records.
There will be a High Dive Records Showcase with: Ghosty, Shy Boys, and Fourth of July, for Ink’s Middle of The Map Festival, April 4-6
Mark read from biographical information on The ACB’s where it was written that the band is influenced by the music of Michael Jackson, early Beatles, Matthew Sweet, and modern bands: Wolfdeerhorse and Bear Eyes.
The information went on to talk about how the The ACB’s are also influenced by an inability to interact comfortably with the opposite sex, fear of hair loss, male friendships that have been described by outsiders as bordering on homoerotic, and the lingering effects of their deeply Midwestern religious upbringing.
Konnor talked about his process of song writing and how he records his ideas on a small dictaphone for reference later.
The band talked about how they balance the connections between The ACB’s, Ghosty, and Shy Boys with the shows, recording process, and rehearsals.
The ACB’s have a brand new video for your new single “Television.” The video was directed by Brook Linder (SSLYBY, Free Energy), the clip’s grainy look is inspired by the grind house cinema of the ’70s. There was a disembodied beauty to the performances.
The ACB’s play a Record Release Show, Friday, March 1, 7:00 PM, at the recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd, with Fourth Of July. The ACB’s also play Vinyl Renaissance, on West 39th Street, on Saturday, March 9, at 1:00 PM.
10:57
9. The ACB’s – “Television”
from: Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 1, 2013
11:00 – Station ID
10. Christopher Owens – “Here We Go”
from: Lysandre / Fat Possom / January 15, 2013
[Best known as the frontman & songwriter for the band Girls, Owens was born in Miami, Florida in 1979. At the time of his birth, both his parents were members of the Children of God traveling religious community. Shortly before Owens' birth his infant brother Steven died of pneumonia due to the reluctance of the church's members to seek professional medical assistance. In 1981, Owens' family left the United States to travel with the church and he lived "all over Asia" until he was ten, before traveling throughout Western Europe. Owens learned to play guitar in his early teens and would perform covers of Everly Brothers and Fleetwood Mac songs on the street. At the age of sixteen, while living in Slovenia, he left the church and followed his sister to Amarillo, Texas. Owens spent his first four years in Texas working as a nighttime shelf stocker in Albertson's grocery store as well as in various restaurants. In 2001 he met artist and oil tycoon Stanley Marsh 3, who hired him first as a lawn mower and later as a personal assistant. After nine years in Texas, Owens moved to San Francisco, California with the intention of becoming a "famous painter". There he met musicians Matt Fishbeck and Ariel Pink and joined their band as a touring guitarist. In 2007, Owens was inspired to form his own band and began writing songs for the first time. In September 2012, it was announced by Saint Laurent Paris (formerly Yves Saint Laurent) that Owens would be the face of their Spring/Summer campaign.]
11. Beach Fossils – “Clash The Truth”
from: Clash The Truth / Captured Tracks / Feb. 19, 2013
[2nd release from Brooklyn band, formed in 2009, by Dustin Payseur's who recorded the band's self-titled debut album on his own, playing all instruments. After signing to Captured Tracks Beach Fossils became a full band, touring the U.S. endlessly with a scattered line-up that included 12 different drummers and 3 guitarists.]
12. Veronica Falls – “Teenage”
from: Waiting For Something to Happen / Slumberland Records / Feb. 12, 2012
[2nd album from English indie pop band, formed in London, in 2009. The band consists of Roxanne Clifford & James Hoare, both on vocals & guitar, Marion Herbain on bass and Patrick Doyle on drums & back vocals.]
13. The Wires – “Grappelli”
from: The Wires – Alternative Strings / Independent / March 9, 2013
[Hailing from KCMO, The Wires compose & perform original music performed by Laurel Morgan on violin (formerly of In The Pines) & Sascha Groschang on cello).]
[The Wires play a CD Release at the recordBar, Saturday, March 9, 2013, at 7:00 PM, accompanied by a video-installation by multi-media artist Ben Parks.]
11:15 – Underwriting
11:16 – Interview with Stephanie Roberts
Writer, Director, Performer, Stephanie Roberts, was the winner of the 2010 Charlotte Street Foundation’s Generative Performing Artist Award. She is Assistant Professor of Physical Theatre for the UMKC’s MFA Professional Actor Training Program. She has toured nationally and abroad, and taught and directed works for the Seattle Repertory Theatre as well Cornish College of the Arts. Her Ensemble-generated works include “Meanwhile” for UMKC’s Undergraduate Theatre Department, “Tallahassee” for KC Fringe Festival, and “Boom! An International Lost and Found Marching Band” for KC Fringe Festival, and The St. Mane in Lanesboro, MN. In 2010 she created a piece with graduate theater students called “Slammed! KC Speaks Out About the Recession,” based on interviews with Kansas Citians. She received an Inspiration Award from ArtsKC, to development of “The Mask of the Broken Heart,” a one-woman mask play which premiered at the Fishtank Performance Studio. She holds a BFA in Acting from Cornish, and an MFA in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. Stephanie Roberts joins us today to discuss her work as writer and director of the new UMKC Theatre production, Eat This! “KC Chews on the Politics of Food,” with preview performances March 2 – 5, Opening on March 6, and continuing through March 10, in Studio 116, of the Olson Performing Arts Center, at UMKC.
Stephanie talked about how she believes that our society is in the middle of a food movement, and many people don’t realize that this movement is happening, but that this movement is very politicized.
Stephanie and other company members visited farms, elementary schools, slaughterhouses and processing plants. You interviewed urban farmers, and nutritionists who plan school lunch menus, teachers and students.
Stephanie told The KC Star that: “It’s important (to me) that it’s not journalism because we’re putting our own stamp on it,” she said. “Most of the interviews I do are at a coffee shop. A lot of the people we interview are more introverted and soft-spoken. We, as actors and theater-makers, need to bring that inner passion out.”
“And also, because it’s theater, there needs to be conflict. We used the audio recordings for inspiration for characters. So it’s not by any means an impersonation. But it’s important that we get it right so we don’t misrepresent the people we’re portraying.”
Stephanie told Bob Trussell, in the KC Star that, “We found that most people are not connected to where their food comes from, and we became curious about that,” she said. “What goes into our food? Not just the ingredients, but where did it come from? How do you eat it? Where do you buy it? Who brought it to you?”
Stephanie discussed how all of the interview assembled, virtually hours and hours of narrative, were edited into a stage show.
Stephanie talked about how there are 60 characters are in the show.
Stephanie talked about the technical abilities of Studio 116 known as a black box theatre, in the Performing Arts Center. The show will use video projections, special lighting and sound, and a huge set change between act one and act two
Eat This! serves up issues as well as a meal–prepared onstage and shared with the audience! “Food artists” for this project are Sean Starowitz and Andrew Erdrich from Bread KC. [breadkc.wordpress.com]
The UMKC Theatre production, Eat This! KC Chews on the Politics of Food, with preview performances March 1 – 5, Opening on March 6, and continuing through March 10, in Studio 116, of the Olson Performing Arts Center, at 4949 Cherry at UMKC.
For tickets and information you can call the Central Ticket office at 816-235-6222.
11:39
14. Me Like Bees – “The Ides”
from: The Ides / Indep. / 2013 [Formed in Joplin by Luke Sheafer, Nick Bynum, Pete Burton, Tim Cote.]
15. Shy Boys – “Postcardd”
from: demos from upcoming album / Independent / 2013
[Collin & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin]
16. The Postal Service – “A Tattered Line of String”
from: Single Release / Sub Pop / Feb. 12, 2013
[It’s been a decade since The Postal Service released "Give Up" Feb, 2003. The indie classic recently went platinum! Sub Pop is releasing a deluxe, 10th anniversary reissue of Give Up on April 9th. The deluxe version will feature 15 bonus tracks, including covers by The Shins and Iron & Wine, and two brand new Postal Service songs, “Turn Around” and “A Tattered Line of String.” The Postal Service will also be setting out on a 10th anniversary tour with Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamberello as well as Jenny Lewis.]
17. Johnny Marr – “Upstarts”
from: The Messenger / Sire / Feb. 26, 2013
[Debut solo recording from British musician, Born October 31, 1963. Marr is best know as lead guitarist and co-songwriter for one of the most influencial bands of all time, "The Smiths." Marr has also been a member of Electronic, The The and Modest Mouse.]
11:53
18. Tiny Horse – “Ghost”
from: Darkly Sparkly / Independent / Mar. 4, 2013
[Outside of the band, we were the first to hear the very new, debut EP release from Abigail Henderson and Christopher Lynn Meck with Matt Richey on Drums, & Cody Wyoming on guitar. In our opinion, Abigail Henderson's voice remains one of the most honest and moving voices in KC music scene, Christopher Meck's guitar sings too. the addition of Matt Richey who also plays drums for Dead Voices and The Grisly Hand, and Cody Wyoming help give this Tiny Horse galloping power.]
[Tiny Horse play a Video and EP Release Show, Mon, Mar. 4th, at recordBar, 1020 Westport RD.]
11:59:30
19. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
sources for notes: artists websites and wikipedia.org
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Show #462
