Calendar

April 09

GO: Sporting KC hosts Nashville on Saturday, April 9 at Children’s Mercy Park. 7:30 pm. WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN APRIL

KEEPING AT IT Near the end of Sporting KC’s 1-0 win in its home opener against Houston, Dynamo defender Tim Parker threw up his hands in frustration. The veteran Parker is a big man with flaming red hair, so his gesture caught the crowd’s attention, but he probably wasn’t alone on his side. This Sporting KC team is nettlesome and persistent—the type of team that drives opponents batty. Sporting has a veteran squad, fielding the oldest starting lineup in the league. Not only is Sporting manager Peter Vermes the longest-tenured manager in MLS history, but defender Graham Zusi has played longer with one MLS team than any player in history. Houston was coached by a longtime former Sporting player and assistant, and the Dynamo players seemed well-prepared. But there’s a big difference between knowing what your opponent is likely to do and stopping them. Sporting was able to keep relentless pressure on the Dynamo defense until something leaked through. That methodical pressure offense makes for a squad that’s satisfying for spectators, and the friendly, family-oriented tailgating scene around Children’s Mercy Park is especially appreciated with Royals baseball delayed a few weeks. —MARTIN CIZMAR

April

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO THIS MONTH

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition

April 1

Part of the wave of virtual art exhibits sweeping the country, this show is part of a series happening nationally. Organizers promise thirty-four “near life-size” reproductions of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, which was painted by the master Michelangelo. The replicas are high-resolution photos printed onto fabric using “a special printing technique to emulate the look of Michelangelo’s painting on freshly laid lime plaster.” April 1-May 1. Times vary. Country Club Plaza, 211 Nichols Road, KCMO.

Jim Gaffigan

April 1, 7 pm

Were Hot Pockets funny before Jim Gaffigan’s classic comedy bit? At this point, it’s hard to remember how the classic American microwave food was perceived before Gaffigan spent four minutes trashing them. We look forward to reconsidering whatever the Michael Jordan of schlubby dad jokes targets next. Friday, April 1. 7 pm. T-Mobile Center.

National Geographic Live

April 5, 7:30 pm

Fan of Nat Geo? The 2022 live series is coming to the Kauffman Center with ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, paraclimber Maureen Beck, wildlife filmmaker Bob Poole and others. The adventurers will share their explorations and discoveries alongside award-winning videography and photography. There will also be a follow-up Q&A with the audience. Tuesday, April 5. 7:30 pm. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

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The Greeting Committee

April 9, 7 pm

The indie rock band from Kansas City is performing their hometown show at the Uptown. The Greeting Committee first caught attention when their single, “Hands Down,” played on KRBZ back in 2015. The band makes the kind of warm-weather beats you drive to with the windows down. KC will be the last stop of their Dandelion Tour that sold out most of its shows. Saturday, April 9. 7 pm. Uptown Theater.

The Royale

April 10

Jack Johnson was the first Black heavyweight champ, an American icon of the early twentieth century. KCRep is staging The Royale, a new work by playwright Marco Ramirez (Orange is the New Black, Daredevil) that shows the human cost of making history. This show opened in March at KCRep’s Copaken Stage and now does a small tour around the city, including shows at Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center and the Brush Creek Community Center. Now–Sunday, April 10. Various times and locations.

Santana

April 12, 8 pm

Not just a mystical Latin jazz god behind some of the best guitar records of the seventies but also the author of the most successful single in the history of the pop charts, according to Billboard. Make it real, or else forget about it. Tuesday, April 12. 8 pm. T-Mobile Center.

Robyn Hitchcock

April 14, 8 pm

The English singer-songwriter rode the New Wave from start to finish, heavily influencing ’80s college rock acts like R.E.M. and The Replacements along the way. His solo shows are intimate acoustic affairs that showcase his storytelling and songs pulled from his thick catalog. He often does a set seated at the piano, playing stripped-down versions of pop-rock songs like “Somewhere Apart.” Thursday, April 14. 8 pm. Knuckleheads.

Local H

April 18, 8 pm

A half-decade before the Black Keys and White Stripes made two-piece rock bands a thing, Local H provided proof of concept by serving up a full-bodied grunge sound most were surprised to discover came from just two dudes. Their biggest hit will always and forever be “Bound for the Floor,” but their enthusiastic live shows keep fans coming back. Their new record, “Local H’s Awesome Quarantine Mix-Tape #3” is a collection of fun covers including “When Doves Cry” and Fountains Of Wayne’s “Hackensack,” a tribute to the late, great Adam Schlesinger, who died of coronavirus in April 2020. Monday, April 18. 8 pm. RecordBar.

The Black Cat

April 21, 7 pm

This showing is part of the “pre-Code Hollywood” series at Stray Cat film Center, which explores the creative works of the brief period before the movie industry started self-censoring according to the Hays Code. The Black Cat is one of the

Alan Doyle

April 21, 8 pm

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Remember the sea shanty trend of the early twenties? That unexpected trend burned bright on TikTok for nearly as long as whipped coffee. When it comes to sea shanties, Alan Doyle might as well be Elvis. The Newfoundland-based folk-rock band that Doyle fronted was well known for mixing old-time regional standards like “I’se The B’y” and “Lukey’s Boat” with originals like “Ordinary Day,” which were absolutely massive on Much (iykyk). Thursday, April 21. 8 pm. The Madrid.

biggest hits of that era, a 1934 horror film starring Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi that was one of the first movies to feature an almost continuous music score. Thursday, April 21. 7 pm. Stray Cat Film Center.

Chelsea Handler

April 23 & 24, 8 pm

Wildly controversial. Inarguably funny— even political opposite Joe Rogan will admit as much. Eager to employ strategic nudity for PR purposes in a way we haven’t seen since Kim K. Ladies and gentlemen, performing two shows live with no filter, Chelsea Handler. Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24. 8 pm. Uptown Theater.

Utepils

April 30, 10 am

You know Oktoberfest, when Germans finally crack long lagered beers after the summer heat. But do you know utepils? Utepils is Norwegian for “outdoors lager,” and the tradition is tied to your first porch beer after the long, cold winter breaks. Lenexa Public Market has turned the day into a small-scale beer fest, with a passport to get stamped after sampling each offering. Saturday, April 30. 10 am. Lenexa Public Market.

Parkville Microbrew fest

April 30, 1 pm

Arguably the city’s best-loved annual beer fest, this event’s tagline is “rain or shine,” which must somehow invite rain. Even if it’s pouring, it’s pouring—put on some galoshes and a pancho. If you’re looking to sober up before catching an Uber home, check out Off The Hook BBQ (page 94). Saturday, April 30. 1–5 pm. English Landing Park on the shores of the Missouri River.

Crossroads Artboards: Cesar Lopez + Angie Jennings

Throughout April

If you pass by the Charlotte Street space in the Crossroads this month, you’re sure to notice the return of a popular installation project. Charlotte Street’s Artboards series has existed since 2008, with nearly a hundred artists featured during that time. The double-sided billboards will feature works by photographer Angie Jennings, whose work was influenced by the costume from Turkey and the architecture and sky of Santorini, and artist Cesar E. Lopez, whose piece “explores the 3rd space through showcasing fictitious flags and manipulating them into personal interpretations.” Throughout April outside Charlotte Street, 125 Southwest Blvd., KCMO.

HORROR HORDE

Panic Fest is a ten-day horror movie marathon for those who aren’t afraid of the dark.

BY JAMES HARRIS

THE THEATER WAS FILLED and every seat was taken. On the screen, Patrick Wilson traversed the Further. I cowered behind my hands, the only buffer between me and The Man with the Fire in His Face. I was terrified. But when the monster ran toward the audience, instead of screaming, I laughed with a crowd of about two hundred people. We all sighed in relief, and the tension dissipated—we pointed at each other, making fun of our fear.

Panic Fest, running from April 28 to May 8 (times and tickets at panicfilmfest. com), spawns the same atmosphere with a ten-day, horror movie festival held in the historic Screenland Armour Theatre of North Kansas City. This year marks their ten-year anniversary, a stretch of time filled with monumental achievements and several accolades, including the World’s Top 25 Genre Festivals by MovieMaker Magazine.

Adam Roberts, a co-founder for Panic Fest, says what he’s most proud of is “that movies from new voices were discovered during the festival, and some were purchased by distributors and production companies.”

Panic Fest a chance for die-hard horror fans to not only scout out new scares but also connect, attend informative panels, check out terrifying podcasts and, most importantly, watch some of the classics with fellow enthusiasts. Movies like Gags the Clown, The Birch and, most famously known, What We Do In The Shadows, first premiered in the U.S. by way of Panic Fest.

After two years of practice, thanks to the pandemic, Roberts and his co-founder, Tim KC Canton, have altered the way you can attend the festival.

“This year, we really want to focus on in-person experiences,” Roberts says, “but we’re still offering our virtual experience and a hybrid ticket that allows you admission to the in-person screenings, panels and merch, along with access to the online movie library.”

When asked which of the ticket options he’d recommend for the best experience, Roberts says, “When horror films hit in the theater, they hit like nothing else. Everyone in the room is on the same page and the excitement is electric.”

Roberts’ comments brought me back to watching Insidious, scared out of my mind but having the time of my life with people I’d never met before. Horror films are fun when you’re by yourself, but when you’re with a crowd, when the electricity in the air is buzzing, nothing beats that charge.

With hundreds of feature films, short films, panels and podcasts submitted, the process Roberts and Canton go through to curate the festival’s screenings is extensive. “We want to see what people can do differently with the genre. We could easily bring a flashy name to Panic Fest and ride off that, but we want new talent. We want something different.”