DJ Shadow at the Madrid Theatre, 7/10/17
DJ Shadow, the legendary California-based DJ and producer, recently smashed Kansas City with a two-hour set at the Madrid Theatre. The show was a career-spanning journey. The visuals were trippy and the mixing was top level. It was one of the best gigs of the year. Shadow is the best at what he does. Check out the glory of DJ Shadow in the mix in KC:
Hip hop legends De La Soul recently lit up CrossroadsKC at Grinders for a set at Middle of the Map Fest 2017. Check out this live version of the classic “Buddy.”
Here’s the second episode of #StreetBeast for X1051. Shawn Quinn (Quinn’s Morning Fix) and Paul Chandler (Xposure) chowed down on the infamous pig snoot sandwich at Tenderloin Grill.
Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type at the Tank Room, 1/21/17
Past interview subjects Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type recently brought their indie rock vibes to the Tank Room. They are one of my favorite local bands. Check out the new song “Wait For It.”
I recently visited Art Alley in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City, Missouri. The alley showcases quality street art.
Check out a video tour of Art Alley:
Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type Live at RecordBar 7/29/16
Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type is a Kansas City-based indie rock band. Songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Rachel Mallin’s lyrics are smart and biting. The band recently released their new EP Degenerate Matters. Live and on record, they bring the energy.
Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type’s “White Girls” is my favorite song of the year so far. The track is getting radio play from Kansas City to Sweden. Lyrically, Mallin brings the snark and lays the smackdown on stereotypical white girls, “There’s a special place in hell for girls like you/Go out on the weekends/Prey upon weak men that haven’t got a girl to come home to.” This heat is counterbalanced by an upbeat, indie surf rock vibe. It’s the kind of song Best Coast would love to write. It’s always great when sharp lyrics and an energetic groove combine to form a quality song. “White Girls” is one of the year’s best.
Here’s a recent video I shot of Kansas City-based indie rock band Rachel Mallin and The Wild Type performing “White Girls.”
Floating KC (Image via http://www.floatingkc.com)
Kate Cosentino (Image via http://www.k8cosentino.com)
Kate Cosentino is a Kansas City-based singer-songwriter. Her latest release is the Smart EP. Kate recently discussed her creative process. favorite songwriters and lyrical inspiration.
Did you come from a musical family? We’re your parents musical?
My immediate family isn’t very musical as in they don’t sing or play any instruments, however they really enjoy music in terms of daily listening and going to concerts. I have a couple of aunts who sing ,but other than that I am the musical “ugly duckling.”
How old were you when you wrote your first song?
I was probably in the 2nd or 3rd grade when I wrote my first song, so around 8 years old. Pretty sure it had to do with dancing and butterflies.
Who are some of your favorite songwriters and why?
Regina Spektor is probably my all time favorite songwriter because she is completely unafraid. She writes about the weirdest things and uses strange vocal techniques and instruments and totally owns it.
Sufjan Stevens. He writes very specific strange lyrics that transport you into the stories he’s singing about and it somehow feels very relatable. It’s unique and relatable all it once, which is really impressive to me.
TuNe-YaRds. Meryl of tune yards writes political and social messages into her songs in an amazing and creative way. She also uses a looper to come up with cool arrangements and harmonies, which I’ve been messing with lately too because of her.
What is your creative process when writing songs? Do you start with lyrics or melody first?
It all depends on the song. I typically have either one line or a subject matter the whole song stems from. Then I play guitar and sing around until I land on something that fits.
What inspires you lyrically?
Stories and puns inspire me lyrically. Any clever phrases or ideas make me immediately turn to pen and paper. However, hearing moving stories from others or my own life inspire me as well. Also, nerdy things like Batman and the periodic table because I can easily nerd out to music.
Kate Cosentino (Image via http://www.k8cosentino.com)
How often do you find yourself writing songs?
I try to play music every day. I usually goof around with song ideas all the time, but I probably sit down to write a song around once a month. I gather a bunch of ideas constantly though.
What was the first song written for the Smart EP?
The first song I wrote for the EP was “London.” I also made it the first track because it sounds like the beginning of an adventure to me.
What inspired “Moving More?”
My school was having a diversity assembly and they asked me to perform a song about diversity. I decided to write “Moving More” because of that opportunity, but I didn’t want to write the standard “love each other, we are one” song. So I focused on the diversity of people’s problems.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto that you live by?
I live by the idea of making the world a better place everyday by affecting other people’s lives in a positive way. I also live by the idea that if it’s what you love, it’s what you should pursue.
Crowd at CrossroadsKC for Manchester Orchestra during Middle of the Map 2016
Middle of the Map Fest 2016 wrapped up with a diverse mix of artists from indie rock to rap. Here’s my rundown of Saturday at Middle of the Map:
Past interview subjects Pink Royal got the day rolling at CrossroadsKC with some potent, groovy indie jams.
Pink Royal at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Light Music brought their trippy electronica-tinged indie jams to CrossroadsKC. The past interview subjects played one of the strongest sets of the fest.
Light Music at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
Past interview subjects Bassh showcased their indie pop jams. The Nashville-based band delivered a tight set. Their single “Body” was a big highlight.
Bassh at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires delivered an extremely passionate and soulful set at The Midland. I was fortunate to meet the Screaming Eagle of Soul before his set. He is a class act and an inspiration.
Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
Manchester Orchestra smashed the CrossroadsKC crowd with their epic style of indie rock. The Atlanta-based band’s songs sounded even bigger live.
Manchester Orchestra at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
St. Louis-based rap group Illphonics delivered a hard-hitting set of hip hop late night at The Tank Room. The set closed out my coverage of Middle of the Map.
Illphonics at Middle of the Map Fest 2016
The quality and diversity represented in the artists playing Middle of the Map helped to make it a wonderful experience. Over the course of the 20 sets I witnessed in three days, I saw no bad sets. The emphasis on local artists really showcased the strength of the Kansas City music scene. It will be fascinating to see what the future holds for Middle of the Map Fest.
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