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  Chance found us down at Ameristar Casino in Kansas City to witness an appearance by Don Felder, guitarist for The Eagles.  His biggest contribution to that effort is likely one of the most recognizable tracks in the world.  Composing "Hotel California," he recorded the original instrumental in his home, later one of the most legendary trade-off solos on stage with Joe Walsh.   He delivered that track and whole lot more that nearly every rock fan knows by heart, alongside some seriously experienced session musicians that didn't miss a beat. The whole show was beautifully executed, down to the minimalist arrangement that greeted us this particular evening.  Two guitars, a bass, and a drum kit sat patiently waiting under dim lights of the Star Pavilion as the crowd rustled in.  Beyond a minor lighting rig that may have been house lights, nothing else stood on stage.  Indeed, lighting only emphasized his signature guitar work and vocal tone, letting...

A Sunday afternoon at The Nelson found a quiet escape into a world of graphical grace, framed by the vision of Alphonse Mucha.  With temperatures expected to peak near 37 °C, it proved the perfect escape from the intense August heat and humidity of Kansas City.   The hushed and contemplative halls of the art museum embraced us in wonderfully frigid temperatures, as Art Nouveau learning and appreciation filled our vision for the hottest part of the day. The heart of the exhibition reveals Mucha’s iconic graphic style. Classic lithographic prints and study sketches line the walls, showcasing the iconic cascading hair, serene profiles, and delicate floral halos that defined an entire artistic movement.   Standing before the vertical panels and poste...

  A fun night ensued after a random opportunity to head out and watch the KC Diamonds take on the Atlanta Smoke.  The girls played their heart out but just could not overcome an early deficit, losing 6-5.  It did not seem to matter to anyone a whole lot.  All smiles in a subsequent autograph session with their younger fans, as well as the dance party on the field, they had played well.  That was enough.  Shine on, you crazy diamonds!  We look forward to catching another game soon!

  The rodeo at the Platte County Fair caught our interest this year, turning out to be a great time in the relatively cool evening in late July.  Temperatures in the low 20s °C made for a comfortable evening. Early enough for the Mutton Busting championships, the crowd cheered all the contestants.  More especially, one young man the chased them all down and hung on until the announcer said "Ok!  You can let got now. He hung on tight and bowled through lingering crowd of sheep abandoned by their previous riders.  The video below shows his entire ride. The cowboys and cowgirls were up next, including bareback and a little wrastlin' and ropin'.  We didn't make it much further than that though.  There might have been some bull riding too, and just as we were leaving, we overheard announcement of a injured player.   He turned out ok, or so we assume.  The stadium cheered after a lengthy hush and there are no reports of incident.  Video s...

In spite of a full day of rain, clouds were few and far between by the time Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry took the stage at Freedom Fest in Gladstone.  The country band hammered through nearly every track that had made them relatively infamous to a good size crowd singing right alongside them.  The Elders were the only others to take the stage, playing their fun array of folk tunes just prior to that.  Thankfully, the organizers kept with the intended schedule, or we might have been there all night waiting on bands to finish up so we could to the fireworks. The change of venue this year to Happy Rock Park, from the usual location at Oak Grove Park, appeared to work out much better for the increased attendance, offering plenty of parking and space to move about.  If it had been a perfectly sunny and temperate day, it might not have worked out so well.    Fortunately, the culmination of various conditions shined down on the event p...