I'm certain this happened at some point, but I just can't be sure on the details. Were you there? Would you mind fact-checking my memory?

A bit after 8pm the quintet that is Rude Cousin took the stage. The band is made up of a startling number of cousins, but I don't have the number handy. Can you look that up for me? Anna Redmond sings and plays guitar or keyboards. Rita Hanch does the same, though not in the same order or with the same frequency. Brock Johnson also plays guitar, Elle Hanch plays bass, and Dustin Mott plays drums. I think that's right. The act is indie pop with some adorable twee accents and fortified by a riot grrrl ethos. I don't think the musicians were alive when Yoyo A Go Go started out in Olympia, but Rude Cousin would have gone over like gangbusters. Good harmonies, driving bass, snappy drums, and lots of theatricality. I'd been aching to see the project for months, or maybe it's already been a year – would you mind looking that up? Thanks, you're a dear. Anyway, Kansas City births so few groups like this. Think back to Softee or Lushbox if you've been around here for a while. If not, substitute That Dog in instead. Does that sound enticing? Well, good news, the crew appears to be taking it slow, having only released a single digital single so far, and seem content to play only the smallest and informal ad hoc venues. As such, you've got plenty of time to get in on the ground floor of Rude Cousin-fandom. Just, you know, right behind me. No cuts.

Somewhere in the middle of Rude Cousin's set, it got dark. Call NASA to get the actual time of sunset. When Nan + The One Nite Stands began the strings of hanging bulbs decorating the Velo Garage patio were glowing. Some know Nan Turner from her time in the successful NYC-to-KC duo of Schwervon. Some may know her from adult tap class. Or from the KC Improv Company. Or maybe even her time drumming for '90s icon Kelley Deal. Some may not know her. That's okay too. Turner began with the guitar portion of the set, offering four (confirm that if you would) numbers built upon electric guitar and Turner's voice. Some were sung big and clean, some more restrained. Some included backing vocals from Tracy Flowers (of Deco Auto) and others Rita Hatch (of Rude Cousin). A little indie rock I suppose. No need to verify that one – it's just an opinion, but we'll need to add the title of the new song that had a line like "city holds you" in it here somewhere because it was good. Then it was time for a few selections from Sequins Before Noon. This is the musical Turner has been working on since January of 1994, when Nancy Kerrigan got whacked with a police baton in a plot to help Tonya Harding qualify for the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Also, that's what the musical is about. There's a full cast sometimes, but on this night, it was mostly Turner who played multiple parts – Scott Hamilton, Verne Lundquist, Courtney Love, and Nancy Karrigan. The last figured into a duet with Tonya Harding/Rita Hanch. There were no skates, but there were lots of wigs to keep the characters straight, backing tracks (co-written with Chase Horseman) to fill the summer night, and choreography from Flowers and Bella Cordero that spilled over into the courtyard. It was all smiles and vamping on stage. All smiles and cheers in the audience that sat at picnic tables or relaxed in Adirondack chairs. I may not recall much, but seeing those smiles stuck with me.

Nan Turner and her full cast will be performing Sequins Before Noon in its entirety at Black Box sometime soonish. I just don't remember the date. Does anyone have that handy? That should definitely be a part of this write-up.