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  Acting on personal invitation from DJ C-Vaughn, formerly of 96.5 The Buzz, we headed out for the evening to consume some early beats before heading off to dreamland.  We must have been just a bit too anxious though, since we arrived before anything started.  It did give us an opportunity to reconnect with some old faces though before losing our hearing to anything less than shouting, knowing smiles, and understanding nods.  The artwork at MOD Gallery offered up amusements of their own, always a flavorful cast, luring us into its intrigue. In no time, Brian Flinn of local management company Night Shift Entertainment started to spin his musical journey for the few in attendance, and those that would arrive in time.  He played a collection of current and past favorites that didn't dip too far into the past, offering a up a rhythm that stirred feets all around. Much later than had been planned for, but n...

Originally published on KCUR > Arts & Life by Frank Morris on October 20, 2023 ... quoted and encapsulated for republication here. Read/Listen to the whole story and interview through the link at the bottom of this post. Ten years ago on a cold dark night of the soul, Freight Train Rabbit Killer began its life as a scary band/opera/near-death experience for Kansas City music fans. This Halloween season, there's a flurry of live shows to celebrate their new record. Just before Halloween 10 years ago, Kris Bruders and Mark Smeltzer forged Freight Train Rabbit Killer around a love of hardscrabble American music. The stuff they play is crashing, heavy blues, swirled with dark opera and the devil. Freight Train Rabbit Killer songs tend towards an Old Testament sweep, and there aren’t a lot of happy endings. Like in “Saw Brother Judas,” about that time Judas was trying to hide from God. Freight Train Rabbit Killer is more than a band, though. It’s a project that has taken over hal...

Jason Aldean ripped through Kansas City on Thursday night, flanked by Mitchell Tenpenny and Corey Kent, with backup support from Deejay Silver.  The latter proved an interesting twist to this little adventure at T-Mobile.  Throughout most of the evening the folks in front of our row kept the game on for us, so that we did not have to miss a single beat.  It was good to have a relatively solid view of the proceedings available on demand. It was also a pleasant surprise to recognize several of the tunes performed by the opening acts, who drew a solid crowd early in the game. Splicing the various sets together throughout the evening, Deejay Silver distributed a random array of popular country music tracks, along with a few of the more funky variety. Corey led the night off, belting out some of his latest work, eventually leading up to his recent hit single “Wild as Her," which landed him a deal with Sony Music Nashville and their RCA Nashville Imprint. ...

  It all started off simple enough.  The plan was to vacation a little in Las Vegas, while my other half attended a conference.  A few days after the decision, Microsoft announced the Power Platform Conference to be held the same week, in the same city.    Most of the affair was held at the MGM Conference Center, with Keynote and other follow-up Kool-Aid functions in the adjacent MGM Grand Arena.  It was a nice spot, and in spite of warning by Microsoft, the two really were not all that far apart. The first day of involvement through a workshop offered an opportunity to enjoy a few perks that were otherwise unattainable during regular conference time.  Premium coffees served by a robot tasted no different than that served by a human, and it took a lot longer.  The frozen desserts were tasty too and served much faster.  The views left a bad taste in my mouth though.  Who wants to be at a conference when all t...

  A local guidebook hinted at untold marvels collected within the walls of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, demanding investigation at this particular bit of intrigue beyond the glaring light and noise of the casinos.   Turns out, contemporary art works by established and emerging artists from all over the world appear throughout the casino, mall, and hotel areas. Some of the art is simply the standard in Vegas, littering the walls, floors and ceilings of the interior, though there are numerous unique works lounging about as well. Large scale photographs, paintings, and other mixed media types are literally everywhere, and around every corner.  Additionally, Art-o-Mat machines offer the opportunity to purchase smaller through recycled cigarette vending machines at a reasonable price. Sculptures abound as well, coupled with 3D wall displays and video walls, capturing the imagination and causing even the most hurried to p...

As with most invitations to enjoy an event in Las Vegas for free, this too was a trap.  It was an enjoyable little snare though, on this last night in town.  By the time we arrived at this juncture, the last night had already turned faded into the last morning. That fact did not seem to slow anyone down in the least.  Our arrival marked only the beginning of a surge at the event, which by the time of our departure, would find the rooftop of Caeser's Palace nearly packed and grooving to the sounds of DJ Mikey Francis. The only drawback to the whole affair proved to be the cost of drinks; even then, that in itself was not much of detriment.  The late hour and impending travel arrangements for what was now later in the same day discouraged much more of that sort of activity. It certainly did not stop anyone from getting their groove on. . . . Further Reading . . . DJMikeyFrancis.com Omnia Nightclub at Ca...

  So much has been made about this particular situation, we felt obligated to investigate the concern.  Research uncovered that there could be an admission involved.  It would not have been surprising.  However, contrary to internet reports and attempts to lure unsuspecting individuals into purchasing tickets to this, it is not required in the least. We only thought that we had been dazzled by an excess of light further south on the Strip.  After a $30 cab ride north 9 km, we stood stunned by consumption of electricity and assault on the senses.  Three or four stages tucked away so as not to audibly overlap offered everything from pop to metal.  Likely the most enjoyable part of the whole thing, a little latin groove happening in the middle of the street. There were parts that were not quite as dazzling, but attempts were obviously underway in an effort to change all that.  Others joined us in taking a sm...

The last evening in Las Vegas offered up the opportunity to see magician Mat Franco at no cost.  That is a fairly rare occurrence on The Strip.  In reality, show tickets without financial obligation appear the order of the day, more often than not.  It is usually a trap. The hosts don't make any money on these shows.  They just want to draw you hoping you will consider losing some of your money in their casino.  This did not feel that way, except for having to pass through one just to get to the show, which caused us to be a bit late. We did not miss much though, and he performed well.  His guests were the punchline for the evening that he included in every act.  Mat mocked, laughed and bewildered them in good fun. It is hard to believe he has been holding down this spot for eight years now. A few mentioned on the way out that any part of it could have been written off as planned participation.  Responses from the crowd leaned in that direction as...

  One conference host took over the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis at Caeser's Palace on a Wednesday night for dinner, drinks, and dancing under the theme of Casino Royale.  Interesting little photo opportunities appeared here and there about the place, along with random Martini glass performances.   While not required, though encouraged, most of us made our appearance in our best James Bond regalia.  There were others that showed up looking like party-crashing hobos in shorts and sandals.  They did not linger for long though, as the best dressed dominated the scene. The DJ stood out as welcome surprise, tossing out a solid mix of pop and underground favorites spliced together neatly and without any sort of wreckage.

As part of the Microsoft Power Platform perks, a concert for attendees and only attendees, brought most out for a look at who would take center stage this year. Microsoft offered up pizza, beer, and cupcakes to start things off, and a little mingling, prior to the entertainment for the evening, Carly Rae Jepsen taking the stage. Who? Never heard of her. Call me Baby. Oh. That. It was an amusing little tune, once upon a time. You could tell she thought as much too, holding it out until the second to the last tune, in spite of repeated calls for her to just get it over with. The crowd began to evacuate after she did.  She performed well though; again, in spite of the audience.  With only an hour to play, she pounded through several new releases and a few that I might have heard at one time or another, before getting on to that one song.  There was one more after t...

The autumn installation at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens  drew its inspiration from fantasy fiction, filling every possible nook and cranny of the small space with bouquets of fairies and magical mushrooms, flowers, and butterfly in hues of red, orange and brown. Entitled "Enchantment: The Magic of Fall,” the Bellagio web site promised visitors the opportunity to “wander through as you see the delicate creatures sparkle with joy as they create an array of beautiful display elements in celebration of nature’s grandeur.” Indeed, it was quite the experience.  Thankfully, the scent had died back some on our arrival, or it might just have been overwhelming.  The throngs of people milling about, taking selfies, and pushing through to see every possible aspect was nearly as much.  The perimeter is definitely the place to be.

  While lurking about Las Vegas, one of the conferences hosted a little Pub Quiz, with food, drinks, a few giggles, and prizes.  This was probably not on the top of the list of things to do, but turned out a fairly fun way to spend a couple of hours in the evening, before heading off to other priorities. While it did not attract everyone in attendance at this conference, there was quite good crowd, who enjoyed themselves immensely.