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Podcast #687 is on a roll w/ hits from Heatwaves, Still Animals, Civil Rats, TV Cop, Van Duren, Broken Hearts Are Blue, Teen Angst, & The Ire.

Teri Quinn

Teri Quinn, Ione, & They’re Theirs met for a midweek set that highlighted soft and exquisite songcraft.

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Lukas Nicolai of Mental Cruelty

An international horde of metal bands including Mental Cruelty, Ov Sulfur, Ghost Bath, Extermination Dismemberment, and Aprilmist rewarded a suppliant Kansas audience.

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New Obsessions

KC was down for anything on a Friday night that featured New Obsessions, RxGhost, Milk Wave, & Bryce Vz.

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Podcast #686 is the podcast you can trust with tunes from Doubledrag, Shadow Show, Comet Gain, Daniel Romano's Outfit, The Names, & Aprilmist.

Militarie Gun

A package tour featuring Militarie Gun, Pool Kids, Spiritual Cramp, Spaced, and no locals sold out RecordBar on a Sunday night.

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Podcast #685 changes faster than the weather w/ tunes from Maddie Moon, Matthew Sweet, Dwight Twilley Band, Mean Jeans, Sheer Mag, Nouvelle Vague, & Dwarrowdelf.

Matthew Sweet

Matthew Sweet brought Abe Partridge along for a bill that highlighted strengths and weaknesses.

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Podcast #684 makes no sense thanks to Sex Mex, MC5, Mary Timony, Matthew Sweet, Abe Partridge, Dan Bern, & Ungfell.

The Roseline

There was a twang in the air as The Roseline celebrated its new album with assists from Empty Moon and Suzannah Johannes.

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Podcast #683 is something old, something new, and something kind of blue as we visit w/ Lorne Behrman, Eggs on Mars, Ducks Ltd., Gentleman Jesse, Class, Civic, The Sleeveens, & Bill Evans Trio.

Jordan Tyler of Siilk

Siilk invited friends Ferris Wheel Regulars, Moon 17, Remorsefully Numb, & God’s Computer to help celebrate the release of its new album.

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Podcast #682 is a quick 30-minute journey to somewhere good w/ The Chisel, Dust Star, J. Robbins, The Prize, Chinese Telephones, The Roseline, Torres, & The Mountain Goats.

The Band That Fell to Earth KC

The Band That Fell to Earth KC kicked off Bowie Christmas with a VIP performance that included Hunky Dory from front to back plus an encore of favorites.

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Cody Blanchard of The Uncouth

An all-ages crowd supplied Howdy with the energy that fueled sets by Uncouth, Doldrums, and Violet Approach.

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Podcast #681 is what happens when I get new records from Gruff Rhys, Hero No Hero, The Laughing Chimes, Green Day, Perilous, Sleater-Kinney, Smile, & The Cure.

Podcast #680 searches for power pop perfection w/ new records from The Crocodiles, Nick Frater, The Umbrellas, The Tubs, Nite Sobs, Uni Boys, Rick White, Caleb Nichols, & Wimps.

Ben Chambers of Hexicharmed

Minibar loaded up on the power trios hosting Hexicharmed, Kissy Fit, & Kool 100s.

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Chris Wagner of Hipshot Killer

Kansas City said goodbye to Buddy Lush with Buddy Bash featuring Hipshot Killer, Cretin 66, Big Iron, & The Buddy-less Phenomenon.

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Podcast #679 brings a potpourri of pleasure thanks to The Pandoras, The Lemon Twigs, Raspberries, Guided By Voices, In the Pines, Of Tree, & A Momentary Lapse Of Happiness.

Podcast #678 plays catch up with releases from Class, Awakebutstillinbed, The Blast Monkeys, Vial, Wednesday, Kurt Vile, & Current Affairs.

Magnificent

Cure tribute act Magnificent pops up once or twice a year tied to some holiday or another.

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Heidi Lynne Gluck

Heidi Gluck invited her friends to help celebrate the solstice in the cozy Nostalgia Room.

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The Uncouth

Saturday night and The Brick was packed with punks thanks to The Uncouth, Madman, & The D-Fibs.

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Steve Tulipana of Violenteer

Violenteer, Still Ill, & RxGhost combined on a clever bill that comforted like a weighted blanket.

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Podcast #677 fits in my entire Top 35 of 2023 including Bonnie "Prince" Billy, The Menzingers, Heidi Lynne Gluck, Tough Age & Danny the K.

Top 35 Songs of 2023

As each year draws to a close I always look back at the new music that soundtracked it. Here is a ranked list of my favorites. I don't claim that these are the best songs of the year, just the ones that were my favorites during a random week in December 2023 when I built this.

35. "Holding My Heart" by Paint Fumes (Dig! Records)
A power pop number with a little punk skuzz and a giant chorus. This is the formula for success.

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top songs, best of, 2023
Top 50 Albums of 2023

I did it again. I spent December listening to every album I got in 2023 to build this list. It's a lot, but it was nice to visit with these ones. They held up as solid albums from front to back. As is my usual, the list is ordered, but otherwise presented without commentary.

50. The Unknowns East Coast Low (Bargain Bin Records)
49. Slowdive Everything is Alive (Dead Oceans)

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top albums, best of, 2023
Favorite Local Releases of 2023

Local is where it's at. Here are the new releases from 2023 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.

Favorite Local Albums of 2023:
10. Dan Jones and the Squids - Rock And Roll Daydreams (self-released)
 9. Nightosphere - Databases (self-released)

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top songs, best of, 2023, local
Colby Bales of Black Light Animals

Black Light Animals, Gemini Parks, and Heat Seger graced the warm confines of RecordBar on a cold night.

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Logan Park of From Me

Turnsol hosted a holiday benefit for Hope House featuring From Me, Small Victories, Deco Auto, Corey Dies in the End, & The Critterz.

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Podcast #676 is the 2023 Christmas Spectacular featuring 30 artists and over 90 minutes of festive delights and holiday head-scratchers.

John Tate of Sirens in the Suburbs

Rock & Roll ruled the roost when Sirens in the Suburbs, Vedettes, & Arson Class played the Replay on a Friday night.

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Jamie Woodard of Perfume USA

Perfume USA, Taking Meds, Public Opinion, & Squint ensured that a Tuesday night out was definitely not quiet

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Podcast #675 is a trip to my happy place w/ Spearmint, The Odds, Autographs, Red Rockers, Geoff Palmer, Erik Voeks & The Ghosters, Raspberries, & Redder Moon.

Dean Edington of Drifter

Post_This Fest 2.0 played to the fringe with sets from Drifter, Orphans of Doom, RxGhost, & PanHead 87.

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Kemet Coleman of The Phantastics

Midwest Music Foundation’s annual Apocalypse Meow benefits Abby’s Fund to support musicians healthcare. This year’s fundraiser featured The Phantastics, Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream, & True Lions.

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Podcast #674 is going to take you places with a soundtrack from Single Mothers, Raspberries, Dori Freeman, Olympic Size, The American Analog Set, & Damien Jurado.

Field Daze

Up-and-comers Field Daze, Tidal.wav, & Parry packed The Rino on a Friday night.

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Podcast #673 celebrates the guitar with honorees Raspberries, Leatherman, Values Here, Squint, Why Bother?, Outtacontroller, Obra Negra, & Netherfrost.

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Toronto’s Tallies stopped in Kansas City for gas and to deliver a lovely dream pop set for an audience primed by Emmaline Twist.

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Heilung

Heilung called all the heathens to The Midland for a choreographed operatic performance of its shamanic folk.

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Jordan Taylor of Doldrums

Young and old gathered to celebrate Ricky Reyes’ 50th with a bash that featured Doldrums, Burning Bush, Make No Mistake, Blood Harmonies, & his own Still Ill.

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Kool Keith

A steady stream of DJs and MCs delivered beats and bars in support of the erratic Kool Keith.

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Podcast #672 asks the obvious question, why not music from Brad Marino, Alice Cooper, Night Court, Catbells, Easy Match, Dirt Merchants, Drop Nineteens, & The Mountain Goats.

A Giant Dog

A Giant Dog gave Record Bar another high energy rock & roll explosion with some help from The Whiffs and touring act Trouble in the Streets.

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Upcoming gigs I care about:
3/18 Still Ill @ Farewell 3/20 Daniel Gum @ Farewell 3/20 Black Flag @ Knuckleheads 3/21 Lake Love @ Farewell 3/22 Adam Ant/The Beat @ Uptown 3/23 Dreamist @ Howdy 3/23 '68 @ Rino 3/24 Nature Boys @ Farewell 3/24 GWAR @ Granada 3/25 Sleater-Kinney @ Truman 3/29 Doubledrag @ RecordBar 3/31 Deerhoof @ Bottleneck 4/3 Crowbar @ RecordBar 4/3 John Vanderslice @ Undertow 4/3 Expo 70 @ Ship 4/4 Marked Men @ Ship 4/4 Crowbar @ RecordBar 4/5 Neko Case @ Liberty Hall 4/7 Kublai Khan TX @ Granada 4/8 Chappell Roan @ Midland 4/10 Nation of Language @ Liberty 4/11 Hellevate @ Farewell 4/11 James McMurtry @ Knuckleheads 4/13 Six Percent @ RecordBar 4/14 Claire Adams @ Knuckleheads 4/18 Waxahatchee @ Uptown 4/20 Season to Risk @ RecordBar 4/20 Still Ill @ Howdy 4/21 Interrupters @ Uptown 4/24 Flooding @ Howdy 4/25 Alvvays @ Truman 4/25 Graham Parker @ Knuckleheads 4/26 William Elliott Whitmore @ RecordBar 4/26 90 Minute Cassette @ Minibar 4/26 RxGhost @ Brick 4/27 Uncouth @ Minibar 4/28 Cheekface @ Bottleneck 4/28 Cataphract @ Farewell 4/30 Primus @ Azura 5/1 Steve Vai/Joe Satriani @ Uptown 5/2 Abigail Williams @ Bottleneck 5/3 Slowdive @ Truman 5/3 Show Me the Body @ Granada 5/7 Jason Isbell @ Liberty Hall 5/7 Gene Loves Jezebel @ Knuckleheads 5/9 Swans @ RecordBar 5/9 Postal Service @ T-Mobile 5/12 12 Rods @ RecordBar 5/14 Cake 5/15 Cake 5/16 Battle Beast @ Granada 5/16 EXTC @ RecordBar 5/20 Real Estate @ Truman 5/21 Drifter @ Replay 5/25 Get Smart @ Lucia (LFK) 6/2 Phase Fest @ Legends Field 6/9 Sarah McLachlan @ Starlight 6/12 Chuck Prophet @ Knuckleheads 6/14 Ultimate Fakebook @ Press (MTN) 6/17 Quicksand @ Liberty 6/17 Sons of Great Dane @ RecordBar 6/23 Flaming Lips @ Uptown 6/24 Pixies @ Starlight 6/26 Lucero/Menzingers @ Madrid 7/3 Sex Mex @ Farewell 7/12 Wallflowers @ Liberty 7/19 Fruit Bats @ Lemonade Park 7/20 Mates of State @ RecordBar 7/22 Ra Ra Riot @ Starlight 7/25 Be Your Own Pet @ Bottleneck 8/9 Blink-182 @ T-Mobile 8/20 Green Day @ Azure