Sonic Spectrum Presents: A Tribute to Devo is Sunday night at the RecordBar.
Flood Fest
Wednesday
Music scenes are a lot like high school. Just as the popular kids aren’t necessarily the most talented students, trendy musicians tend to receive a disproportionate amount of praise. Josh Nelson intends to level the playing field with an “equal-opportunity online music community” titled Flood FM. Wednesday’s Flood Fest is designed to raise awareness for the endeavor. Six venues — Riot Room, Harling’s, Mike Kelly’s Westsider, the News Room, Fitz’s Blarney Stone and the Sidecar at the Beaumont — will feature 30 locally based acts. Participants include the hearty punk of Bent Left, the jam-band grooves of Brother Bagman, the inspirational folk of Attic Wolves and a plethora of DJs. All-access passes are $10 in advance and $15 on the day of the show. Single-venue admission is $8 in advance and $10 on the day of the show.
The Schwag
Thursday
Uptown Theater
The legal system can’t stop the Schwag. James Tebeau, the bassist and vocalist of the St. Louis-based band, was recently sentenced to 30 months in prison for “maintaining a drug-involved premises.” The drama won’t halt the Schwag’s annual tradition of performing at the Uptown Theater on Thanksgiving. The Schwag, fixtures of the regional jam-band scene for 20 years, specializes in authentically replicating the sensibility of the Grateful Dead. Recordings of recent performances suggest that the band continues to perform Dead favorites like “Bertha” and “Playing in the Band” with carefree enthusiasm. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $10 in advance.
Josh Thompson with Ashley RayFriday
Beaumont Club
Few bumper stickers endorsing Barack Obama will adorn vehicles parked near the Beaumont Club on Friday. A concert at the Westport venue is headlined by tea party-friendly contemporary country artist Josh Thompson. “Way out Here,” Thompson’s signature song, extolls the values associated with the agrarian trinity of “John Wayne, Johnny Cash and John Deere.” Other rowdy Thompson songs praise small towns, beer and Merle Haggard cassettes. Ashley Ray, a former Kansan residing in Nashville, and Kansas City-based country band StonyHogg open the show. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $14 in advance.
Mark Chesnutt with The BelairsFriday
Knuckleheads
It’s no secret that the output of Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift bears little resemblance to the music of Ernest Tubb and Tammy Wynette. Mark Chesnutt’s insistence on maintaining the traditional honky-tonk sound has caused him to be cast aside by the country music establishment after racking up a string of fiddle-inflected hits like “Bubba Shot the Jukebox” in the 1990s. Chesnutt continues to perform songs that evoke barstools, shaky mornings and gunplay. Opening act the Bel Airs, “rockin’ rhythm ’n’ blues” veterans from Columbia, have been filling dance floors in Midwestern taverns, juke joints and roadhouses for more than 30 years.Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $29.50 in advance.
Aaron Lewis with Randy MontanaFriday
The Midland
Aaron Lewis, heavy rock’s prototypical sad sack as the creative force behind Staind, is making a gradual transition into contemporary country music. His sullen sensibility and delectably morose voice lend themselves to the format. “The Road,” Lewis’ latest country-tinged solo effort, was released earlier this month. Lewis’ popular live shows include acoustic-based renditions of solo material, Staind hits including “It’s Been Awhile” and a host of startling covers ranging from “Rainbow Connection” to Taylor Swift’s “Mean.” Randy Montana, a fledgling Nashville-based artist, opens the show. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $29.50 in advance and $33 the day of the show.
The Rainmakers
Friday and Saturday
The RecordBar
The excitement associated with Kansas City’s booming rock scene tends to obscure the distressing fact that only a few acts have managed to make a significant international impact in recent decades. The Rainmakers are among an elite group of locally based hit-makers that includes Puddle of Mudd, the Get Up Kids and Shooting Star. Vital material by the Rainmakers from the 1980s including “Let My People Go-Go” and “Downstream” are still beloved among listeners from Overland Park to Oslo. The Kansas City institution performs at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets to each show are $15 in advance.
Sonic Spectrum Presents: A Tribute to DevoSunday
RecordBar
A disturbing scene in an ambitious 1976 film produced by Devo opens with a character named General Boy divulging an earth-shattering secret. “Every man, woman and mutant on this planet shall know the truth about de-evolution,” General Boy announces. “Oh, Dad,” band mascot Booji Boys responds, “we’re all Devo!” Booji Boy’s realization will be validated 36 years later as Devo’s songs are interpreted by an unlikely cast of locally based musicians. Participants include the hard-hitting Federation of Horsepower, alt-country crooner Chad Rex and members of Roman Numerals and Be/Non. Tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $7 in advance.
Twiztid with (He'd)PE and Potluck
Tuesday
The Granada
Juggalos, among the most-reviled members of American society, need music too. Twiztid is second only to the infamous Insane Clown Posse as providers of the music of choice for the cult-like outcasts. Much like Kansas City’s Tech N9ne, Twiztid performs a misanthropic hybrid of rock and rap. “Abominationz,” the Detroit duo’s new album, overflows with disturbingly violent songs bearing titles like “Blood … All I Need.” Performances by (Hed)PE and Potluck, two California-based acts obsessed with marijuana, will precede Twiztid. Kansas City’s Freddy Grimes, a veteran of the annual Gathering of the Juggalos, opens the show.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. show are $20 in advance and $22 on the day of the show.
Crap I got excited when I saw the image in the header!
Posted by: gsp | November 21, 2012 at 10:53 AM
The DEVO tribute band is almost tempting. Last time DEVO was here was in July, 2010 - one night prior to PAUL McCARTNEY at the Sprint Center - so I decided to sit that gig out because it was a bit hot that day. The very next day of the Sir Paul's shindig - I do remember the weather was quite nice that summer day. Are we NOT men? WE ARE D-E-V-O!!
Posted by: Bubba Brown | November 21, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Please... Some promoter in the area, bring Devo back for a headlining gig. That show in 2010 was an hour long set in one of the Buzzfests, and was not nearly long enough to matter. If folks will shell out over a hundred buck to be on the floor of Liberty Hall for Morrisey, a good promoter should be able to make money off of an Uptown/midland/Crossroads show shouldn't they?
Posted by: onebrownjeff | November 21, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Didn't the Wilders get international?
Posted by: Cdb | November 21, 2012 at 11:38 PM
Cool cover, but what they wear on the head?
Posted by: Marc @mp3-runterladen.com | November 22, 2012 at 04:42 PM
They couldn't get the real Devo. Mark Motherbaugh is too busy making drawings on Yo Gabba Gabba.
Posted by: Alt Rock Charts | November 22, 2012 at 07:33 PM
Headed down to Record Bar to see the DEVO tribute tonight.
I understand that Federation of Horsepower had to drop out, but I'm sure the other bands are set to give it their best.
It's my hope to meet Robert Moore, as I really enjoy his radio show and these tribute shows are great.
Been to several, the ELO tribute, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC and the recent Ramones tribute. All of them have been quite cool.
Songs that I really never thought I would hear again, by some very enthusiastic young bands.
Having never seen DEVO, I'm looking forward to tunes like 'Girl You Want' and perhaps 'Beautiful World'
and OneBrownJeff?
I agree, we gotta convince a promoter to bring the real DEVO here for a full show.
(Let me work on the one promoter I happen to know, stay tooned!)
Posted by: Corky | November 25, 2012 at 07:51 PM
Corky, get that done and I'll buy your ticket and drinks!
Posted by: gsp | November 26, 2012 at 09:48 AM