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Podcast #649 is the gumbo you need with music from Ghost, Crass, Spider Babies, The Aquadolls, Beach Fossils, & Iris DeMent.

The Aquadolls

Aquadolls brought West Coast vibes to KC for a show with Daniel Gum.

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CJ Wilson of The Uncouth

KC bid farewell to the weekend with an international oi line up that featured Uncouth, Hardsell, and Aggressive.

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Colleen Dow of Thank You, I'm Sorry

Three bands played quick sets to ease us back into the working week. Check out my photos, videos, and thoughts on the Remorsefully Numb, Thank You I’m Sorry, & Lake Love gig.

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Podcast #648 makes life better with tracks from Shit Present, Trash, Les Lullies, The Jackets, B.A. Johnston, The Ballet, & Dropkick Murphys.

Zach Campbell of The Whiffs

A capacity crowd filled a neighborhood bar for sets from The Whiffs and 95 Sweetbird.

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Claire Nunez of Dryad

A late show at Farewell summoned evil sets from Dryad, Traffic Death, Goat Coffin, & Sarin Reaper.

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Podcast #647 goes into overtime to catch tracks from New Pornographers, Cindy, Ashenden Papers, Pale Saints, Darkfield, Perfume USA, & Interrupters.

Blag Flag

Greg Ginn brought the latest incarnation of Black Flag to KC for a jam-happy gig that featured all of 1984’s punishing My War and a good portion of the band's hits.

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Dunes Day

Green House kicked off its 2023 season with Dunes Day, Social Cinema, Junkyard Royalty, and a basement full of kids.

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Podcast #646 has what you need with tunes from TV Party, The Naggs, Suzi Moon & Billy Hopeless, Why Bother?, Poison Ruïn, Blowers, The Ocean Blue, Dragon Inn 3, Dropkick.

Podcast #645 finds some pop in John Prine, Curious Things, Steve Adamyk Band, Street Sweeper, Breathless, The Hidden Cameras, Boygenius, & Chime School.

Kole Waters of Dreamist

Farewell welcomed Dreamist, Winterforever, Futureday, & Pink Phase for a night that featured indie rock in all its guises.

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A.M. Merker & Friends

The second annual John Prine Tribute show was a star-studded celebration of the enigmatic troubadour.

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Podcast #644 packs in the tunes from The Unknowns, Worriers, The City Lines, Sibling Rivalry, The Dollyrots, The Ophelias, Cocteau Twins, & Mork.

Zach Campbell of The Whiffs

The Whiffs and musical compatriots Harrisonics and Jackoffs packed fans into a dim boozy basement.

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Tyler Miller of Voice of Addiction

KC welcomed punk rockers Voice of Addiction with support sets from Uncouth, Sidewalk Celebrity, and Blood Daubers.

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Podcast #643 is, as always, just the records I bought this week from Calvin Johnson, Damien Jurado, Warren Zevon, Airiel, Clan of Xymox, & The Hold Steady.

Podcast #642 is all fire with cuts from The Reds Pinks & Purples, Dari Bay, The Speedways, Paint Fumes, The Bings, Ramones, & Unwound.

Terry Chambers of EXTC

EXTC - XTC's Terry Chambers and Friends brought the seminal band's music back to the area for the first time since 1980.

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James Lockhart of Brother Moses

Brother Moses, Daniel Gum, and Surf Wax played pop on chill Monday night.

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Christina Carmona of Blushing

Blushing, Seashine, and Lake Love played a dreamy show as a late snow fell in KC.

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Ronny Moorings of Clan of Xymox

Clan of Xymox made all the black-hearted goths happy during a stop at Blvd Nights supported by Bellwether Syndicate and Monta.

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Greg Wheeler

There's no party like a Poly Mall Cops record launch party - especially one where Pale Tongues and Day Sleeper open.

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Jeremy Wrenn of Airiel

Audiences got lost in the soundscapes when Airiel and Emmaline Twist played Minibar.

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Podcast #641 has you covered with cuts from Jenny Omnichord, Pat Benatar, Laurie and the Sighs, The Flirts, Whitney's Playland, Gretel Hanlyn, & Heidevolk.

Podcast #640 looks in Too Much Rock's shopping cart to find tracks from Via Luna, Death Valley Girls, King Tuff, Screaming Females, Civic, & Thorr's Hammer.

Kenneth Kupfer of Wayne Pain & The Shit Stains

Wayne Pain wrapped up the weekend with a sloppy rager supported by Doldrums and Total Sham.

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Ringworm

Ringworm hopped off the Cro-Mags tour for a one-off gig w/ support from locals Skuffed.

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Podcast #639 has a tune for every dancer thanks to En Attendant Ana, Quasi, Eyelids, Lucero, Heartbeeps, Greg Wheeler & The Poly Mall Cops, & Clan of Xymox.

Abandoncy

Abandoncy, Flooding, and Nightosphere played a propulsive and tricky release party for their new split cassette on Manor Records.

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Podcast #638 returns with unexpected delights from Pink Phase, The Telephone Numbers, Silver Biplanes, The Whiffs, Star Collector, & Abandoncy.

Unsane

Ears all over the Crossroads are still ringing after sets from Unsane and Violenteer.

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Matt King of Portrayal of Guilt

Farewell hosted a night of bombastic hardcore and beyond including Portrayal of Guilt, Flooding, and Missouri Executive Order 44.

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Podcast #637 visits the land of forgotten albums to hear Silver Jews, Laura Jane Grace, Blanketman, Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy, PJ Harvey, The The, & Mensa Deathsquad.

Debra Long of Slutbomb

There were somersaults, cartwheels and plenty of two-stepping as Slutbomb hit Farewell with locals Sexhater and Genre.

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Hollowed

Hollowed celebrated the release of its debut album with help from Daffy in the Bikini Zone and Pink Phase.

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Podcast #636 is a roadtrip with Lola Lola, Ramones, Kepi Ghoulie, King Tuff, Dot Dash, Pool Kids, & Hollowed.

Podcast #635 hopes that you're paying attention to Fucked Up, Billy Tibbals, Blunt Bangs, First Base, For Tracy Hyde, Sweet Baboo, & Moscow Puzzles.

Evan Little of Nerver

Farewell was like a bag of chips on Friday night - loud and crunchy. Check out my coverage of Nerver, Littered With Arrows, Big Water, & Full Clips Emptied.

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Luke Iliff of Sarin Reaper

Sarin Reaper, Giallo, Limb Dealer, & Joust created a united front of loud aggression.

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Podcast #634 hopes you like songs from Juniper, The Chisel, Boogie Hammer, Margo Price, Tim Kasher, Field School, Belle & Sebastian, & The Roseline.

The Back that Fell to Earth KC

All-star Bowie tribute The Band That Fell to Earth KC returned to Record Bar for a 3-night stand to lift spirits and raise money for KC Common Good.

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Jorge Arana Trio

A bill consisting of Jorge Arana Trio, Moscow Puzzles, & Jellymin covered a lot of ground on a fun Saturday night.

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Joshua Allen of Various Blonde

Various Blonde, New Obsessions, & Gemini Parks slowly turned the recordBar into a dance club.

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Podcast #633 time travels with records from Iggy Pop, Cozy, Epicycle, Ravagers, The Briefs, The Aislers Set, Gaze, Dear Nora, & Deerful.

Steve Gardels of The Uncouth

Things got melodic at Farewell when Uncouth welcomed in touring acts Big School and Bad Spring.

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Jordan Taylor of Doldrums

The all-ages set showed up and danced to a night of punk soundtracked by Doldrums, Livid, Foil, and Petty.

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Podcast #632 is still digging out from 2022 with tunes from Ravagers, Horsegirl, Cola, Happy Accidents, Kiwi jr., Decimal Dust, Static Phantoms, Weird Nightmare.

Angel of Magic

Farewell got a lot of everything at a KC Tenants benefit that featured Magic, Weaponize Chomsky, Nightosphere, & Dilettante.

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Britt Adair of The Bad Ideas

Bad Ideas threw a little NYE party and invited Bruiser Queen, friends, family, and neighbors.

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Podcast #631 catches up with gems from Gladie, The Loyal Cheaters, The Maharajas, The Melmacs, Blanky, Green on Red, Caitlin Rose, & Constellatia.

Cody Blanchard and CJ Wilson of The Uncouth

It was Oi! to the punks and Oi! to the skins as The Uncouth played with Doldrums and The D-Fibs at MiniBar.

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Brandon Phillips is Mensa Deathsquad

Brandon Phillips did double duty, first debuting a short film he wrote and produced, and later playing the headlining set as Mensa Deathsquad. In the middle the audience was treated to Moon 17.

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Podcast #630 counts down my top songs of 2022 including just the cream from Jon Spencer & the HITmakers, Dropkick Murphys, Ravagers, Wet Leg, Orville Peck, Craig Finn, & Dry Cleaning.

Top 40 Songs of 2022

We've made it through another year. 2022 was a year of ups and downs with more of the latter I'm afraid. But throughout it all there was music and for that I'm grateful. So, it is only natural that I mark the end of 2022 with a remembrance of the music that came to me during the year. I don't claim that these are the best songs of the year, just the ones that I enjoyed the most.

40. "The Year of Getting High" by Let's Whisper
Colin Clary and Dana Kaplan of The Smittens move their former band's twee into a world where things aren't all sunshine and lollipops. That slide guitar is downright melancholy and this song tugs at my heart.

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top songs, best of, 2022
Favorite Local Releases of 2022

Local is where it's at. Here are the new releases from 2022 that make Kansas City (and the region) so wonderful. Thank you to the bands, labels, venues, promoters, photographers, writers, and fans that always show up.

Top 10 Local Releases of 2022:
10. Bootkrieg The Power Storm (self-released)
 9. Static Phantoms Bathed in a Blue Light (Record Machine)

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top songs, best of, 2022 local
Top 50 Albums of 2022

I've got to find a better way to do this than re-listening to every album I got in 2022 during the month of December, but I (mostly) did that. And here is an ordered list of the albums that held together from start to finish, were stuffed with good songs, and had something to say. As always, the list is ordered, but otherwise presented without commentary.

50. Beachheads Beachheads II (Fysisk Format)
49. Tallies Patina (Kanine Records)

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top albums, best of, 2022
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Upcoming gigs I care about:
5/29 Djunah @ Minibar 5/30 Nerver @ Farewell 6/2 Nekrogoblikon @ Granada 6/2 Ghosty @ Ship 6/2 D-Fibs @ minibar 6/3 Cam Girl @ Minibar 6/3 Radkey @ Lemonade Park 6/3 Ghosty @ 8th Street Tap 6/8 Sisters of Mercy @ Uptown 6/9 Major Matt @ Velo 6/9 High Dive Anniversary @ Record Bar 6/10 High Dive Anniversary @ Record Bar 6/10 Skuffed @ Penn Valley 6/10 Dan Jones @ Velo 6/11 Weezer @ Azura 6/14 Sprain @ Record Bar 6/17 Dreaded Laramine @ Replay 6/17 Boulevardia @ Crown Center 6/18 Boulevardia @ Crown Center 6/18 Eels @ Liberty Hall 6/20 Child of Night @ Minibar 6/24 Alkaline Trio @ Sandstone 6/25 FACS @ Minibar 6/28 Remember Sports @ Farewell 6/30 Godflesh @ Bottleneck 7/8 Sparks @ Midland 7/8 Blast Monkeys @ Penn Valley 7/11 Gogol Bordello @ Truman 7/14 Mountain Goats @ Liberty Hall 7/19 Jeffrey Lewis @ miniBar 7/21 Black Mariah @ Lemonade Park 7/21 Curious Things @ RINO 7/25 Regrettes @ Uptown 7/25 Death Grips @ Midland 7/29 Flooding @ Farewell 8/2 Front Bottoms 8/4 Ween 8/8 Culture Club @ Starlight 8/8 Orville Peck @ Uptown 8/10 GWARE @ Azura (Sandstone) 8/12 Bully @ Bottleneck 8/17 Wallflowers @ Uptown 8/18 Indigo DeSouza @ Midland 8/26 Turpike Troubadours @ Azura Amp 8/30 Gojira @ Azura Amp 9/15 Alice Cooper @ Azura 9/18 Beyonce @ Arrowhead 9/23 Guns N' Roses @ Kauffman 9/27 Frogpond @ Crossroads Hotel 10/1 The Mission @ Record Bar 10/20 Nation of Language @ Record Bar 11/16 Aerosmith @ T-Mobile