On Monday, September 30th, we were thrilled by the crowd packed into Kansas City’s recordBar to enjoy an evening of music by Noah Gundersen. Quite honestly, weeknights in Kansas City are difficult to draw fans out for, especially with our weather being so unpredictable. But the night was beautiful, and the music was absolutely enthralling.
Packed to the brim, there was an excitement in the air as we pushed through the doors on that beautiful autumn night. Couples in droves, though largely we noticed how wide Gundersen’s audience is, as there was no obvious demographic. Young, old(er), couples, single people rocking out, people in all types of outfits and moods. It was probably the most intense melting pot we have been a part of in a while, and it was thrilling.
As soon as the first chords of “Robin Williams” came from the speakers, the entire crowd was captivated. As you can view in some of the following photographs, the audience was respectful of the ambience of each song, making sure to slow down and engage on a different level with songs such as “Heavy Metals”, “Watermelon”, and “Bad Desire”. And we truly can’t blame them. Noah does an amazing job at making each person feel as though they are the only one in the room, both with the emotion in his vocals, his intense gazes into the audience, and his inventive and beautiful musicianship. But he didn’t stop there, and the setup’s light display was actually mesmerizing as well. We can only imagine how intricate a show in a less intimate venue would be, and we can’t wait to see him come back through town.
Setlist
Robin Williams
Crystal Creek
Heavy Metals
Lose You
Watermelon
Out of Time
Older
Ledges
Jesus, Jesus
Annie
So What
Bad Desire
Send the Rain (To Everyone)
Wild Horses
Kamikaze (with Lemolo)
Lover
All My Friends
On Wednesday, March 29th, Billy Raffoul and KC favorite Jake Wells opened for Parachute at recordBar in Kansas City, MO. Through both of the first sets, the large crowd was more respectful than any crowd we have ever been a part of, a fact magnetized several times when Raffoul swapped out guitars and didn’t have to ask us to settle down before his next track. His witty banter on stage made the show that much more incredible, and his fan base has no doubt multiplied in Kansas City. His deep, gravelly, charming vocals stayed with us for hours after, and we are thrilled to name him as one of our favorite live performers of the season. Some photos from the intimate evening below.
On May 8th, The Unlikely Candidates performed to a wild crowd at recordBar in Kansas City, MO. Photographer Michael Porter landed an in-person interview with access to the show, which we are so excited to see soon. To tie us over, here are some highlight photos from the event!
On Monday, April 29th – just days after the release of their new album Real Life – brother duo Cayucas made a phenomenal appearance at recordBar in Kansas City, MO. They were joined by Cape Francis, which was also an incredible delight. In all sincerity, it’s a little more difficult to get a midwestern out of the house on a Monday night. Especially when the weather has been gloomy. But Cayucas is the band you show up for, as you’ll never quite understand how impressive they are without witnessing them live.
On Sunday, April 7th, The Coathangers made an energetic, impressive performance at recordBar in Kansas City, MO. It was the bookend to a gorgeous spring weekend, keeping the crowd on their feet and dancing late into the evening.
On February 26th, Soccer Mommy made a phenomenal appearance at the recordBar in Kansas City, MO to a sold out crowd. Openers Mess and Hovvdy laid perfect groundwork for the rowdy group, who were all in for a night of emotional and heartbreaking music. The house was packed before Hovvdy even started playing. which would normally come as a surprise to Kansas City concert-goers, as our city isn’t known for showing up early for the opening act. But Mess has developed a reputation of incredibly vibrant vocals and highly relatable songs that bring their crowds out early with anticipation. This evening seemed to be no exception, and we’re overjoyed that we got to witness that spark Mess ignites with each performance once again.
When Hovvdy took the stage, their steady, slow, crooning energy took over. And that same energy continued into the night, Soccer Mommy propelling it forward with her own brand of east coast bedroom pop. Within the summertime sounds of “Last Girl”, woven into the edge of “Skin”, and found in her older catalog inclusions as well, this type of energy is almost indescribable. Quirky, young, inspired, fun.
It seemed – in a moment surrounded by this soundscape, this crowd – around the third song of Soccer Mommy’s performance, that perhaps it wasn’t just this crowd that had latched on to the debut album she released just last summer. No, it seemed as if the words from Clean had soaked into our very surroundings, and that recordBar was emitting this palpable energy that made said surroundings feel like home.
On Friday, December 14th, Rachel Mallin & The Wild Type opened for the incredible Bad Bad Hats are recordBar in Kansas City, MO. We were on the ground to get some photos, and here are some highlights from their particularly groovy set.
Los Angeles-based alt-rock project Sure Sure has been making waves lately. The four man project has over 14 million Spotify plays, has hit #1 on Hype Machine, and had the opportunity to perform on the ESPYs Red Carpet on ESPN. Their latest single “Lie Lie Lie” has been played on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and SiriusXM’s Alt Nation, and the recently released video is a gem, showing us a bit of each of the band members’ personalities in a Brady Bunch-esque, simple and stunning way.
On November 2nd, Sure Sure will take the stage at recordBar in Kansas City with support from the indelible Wilderado, and we absolutely cannot wait. (We might have been saving up our pennies for some of this rad merch for a hot second, and we highly suggest you do to!) This 18+ show still has tickets available, and you’ll want to nab yours before they sell out!
On September 19th, Andrew W.K. took over recordBar in KC for the second time in the last year, preaching the gospel of PARTY to the midwest. Photographer Ashleigh Lee caught some epic action shots for us, as the crowd went wild with Andrew W.K.’s infinite positive message, brought to us through the power of rock.
