Friday, April 11, 2008

Bob Kames, 1926-2008

















Closing time.

Are you down with the Chicken Dance? You don't have to ask me twice. I've done it plenty of times at weddings and birthday parties. But never have I had more fun with it than at Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Texas. The annual polka party is a beer-fueled orgy of silly dances. This relatively tame example makes me smile. Bob Kames, the man credited with popularizing the dance craze, died Wednesday. "Nashville Beer Garden" is typical of the sounds on this collection of polkas and waltzes.

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The initial bookings for 2008's Rhythm & Ribs festival were announced earlier today. I'm most excited at the chance to catch Angie Stone, although I hope the festival isn't counting on her star power to draw big crowds. Patti Austin, George Duke, Fourplay and Robert Cray will also perform. It's almost certain that several locally-based artists will be added to the bill, but for now, Oleta Adams is the lone representative from Kansas City.

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Kansas City Click: One of my favorite people champions the Neighborhood Bullies as "The Best F*cking Band In Los Angeles" here. I'll make a similar claim for the Architects in Kansas City. Their record release party is tonight at the Record Bar. The Beautiful Bodies open.

DevilDriver, Napalm Death, Straight Line Stitch, 36 Crazyfists and In Vitro crash the Beaumont Saturday on their Bound By the Road tour.

Andy Lee is featured in a free piano recital Sunday at UMKC.

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