Plaza Concert Series in Kansas City by KCMB News - KC Plaza Concerts

Kansas City bands to participate in the Plaza Concert Series 2015 The La De Dahs Duo from Kansas City    Enjoy music from the best local and regional Kansas City bands at the Plaza Live! Courtyard Concert Series , kicking off Friday, May 1.  Plaza Live! features concerts in beautiful Plaza Courtyards every Thursday from 5 - 8pm, Friday from 6 - 9pm, Saturday from 2 - 5pm and Sunday from noon - 3pm.    MOTHER'S DAY ON THE PLAZA Celebrate Mom on the Plaza with beautiful blooms and hanging baskets, a scrumptious brunchfrom one of our cozy cafés or friendly restaurants and live Kansas City music from noon - 3pm on Sunday, May 10.    Make this the best Mother's Day yet with a Plaza Gift Card. Available at the Plaza Customer located at 4750 Broadway next to Cole Haan. PLAZA PARTNERS WITH LOCAL ARTISTS Just in time for Mother's Day, come see Tammy Smith Design and how beautifully she portrays some of our favorite places in KC on prints, tea towels, pillows and all sorts of good stuff.   Check out the new Farmdog Studios KC stuff. Their "I Heart KC"  t-shirts and one of a kind wooden signs are just as cute as their spring Plaza banners. All items available for purchase at  Plaza Customer Service located at 4750 Broadway next to Cole Haan.   GIFT IDEAS    Tommy Bahama Now - 10 | Treat mom like royalty with a free exclusive tote bag with the purchase of women's Eau De Parfum at Tommy Bahama. Now - 10 | Spoil Mom at Vera Bradley with a free Soft Fringe Scarf with any purchase of $100 or more. Now - 10 | Warm Mom's heart with a hand crafted card from Paper Source. Sign up for class today. Now - 15 | 20% off heirloom-quality pillows and towels at Terrasi Living and Scandia Home. Now - 31 | Give Mom the gift of relaxation with massage gift cards fromMassage Envy. Phoenix Gallery Now - 31 | Featuring handmade works from local and regional artist, Mom would love a piece of pottery, blown glass or jewelry from Phoenix Gallery. Now - 31 | Mom will love hand crafted chocolates with the freshest creams, caramel and flavorings from Panache Chocolatier & Cafe. Now - 31 | Give Mom the gift of a relaxing pedicure with a Plaza Nails Gift Card. Decori Now - 31 | Save 30% store-wide at Decori. 7 - 10 | Save $35 on Personalized Jewelry Boxes and receive a free embroidered bag with every $40 purchase at HMK. 7 - 10 | Enjoy Talbots Mother's Day Sale with 40% off full-priced items or 30% off entire purchase.   How wonderful to have the beautiful Seville Light brightening up the evenings again on the Plaza.

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

March Madness Plaza Rabbits St Patricks Day KC 2015 by KCMB News Kansas City

LET THE MADNESS BEGIN Big 12 Tournament takes over Kansas City March 11-14 Team spirit is flying high with flags from all schools on the Path of Gold Lights. COURT-SIDE VIEWS With over 20 different beers, daily menu specials and featuring Big 12 basketball on TV's - Fred P. Otts is the place to be.   Looking for a place to catch the Big 12 action? Granfalloon is just the place. You can see a TV from nearly every seat in the house and with 42 entree choices; it's the perfect place to cheer on your favorite team. Join your buddies at Tomfooleries and don't miss the March college basketball action.  Enjoy $2.75 Miller Lite & Coors Light domestic bottles, specially priced through tournament.  BIG EATS Craving Kansas City BBQ?  Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue offers first-rate crown Prime short ribs of beef and one of the best barbecue sandwiches in town.  With 4 large screen TV"s in the bar area, make Jack Stack one of your Big 12 destinations. TEAM PRIDE Whether you're a Jayhawk, Wildcat or Cyclone fan, Rally House has the unbeatable collegiate fan gear and souvenirs to show your team spirit.

Spring Break Plaza Style        Now-8 | Visit Talbots for a Spring Break Shopping Party and take 25% off entire purchase. Now - 8 | Appreciation Sale.  Enjoy 20% off new shades at Sunglass Hut. 6-14 | Tivol Hard Hat Sale with up to 70% off select fine jewelry and Swiss timepieces. 7 | 15% off all shoes at Eileen Fisher's Spring Shoe Event. 7 | Opening at 9am for Talbots Style Party. 9-22 | Take $20 off all full price pants at Talbots. 14 | Esmotics skincare event from 11am - 6pm at Soft Surroundings.  See store for details. 14-17 | American Apparel St. Patrick's Day Sale. Take 25% off Green + Orange.  See store for details. 17-18 | Join Burberry for an exclusive experience to view the "Birds and the Bees" Trunk Show. 21 | Eileen Fisher Spring Event. Receive $30 off purchase of $50 or more.  10% of sale will benefit the Girls Project. 23 - 31 | 30% off full price dresses and accessories at Talbots.

Plaza Rabbits        The Plaza makes its annual transformation into an Easter Wonderland this spring, starting March 16 through April 12.  The popular Plaza tradition brings colorful, larger-than-life bunnies and other springtime animals to the Plaza courtyards and street corners.  Mermaid and Pomona Courtyards, on the west side of Seasons 52, are home to a collection of animals for kids to play on, while Easter bunnies line the Plaza sidewalks.

St. Patrick's Day 2015 in Kansas City Party Spots, Kansas City Happy Hour Specials, Concerts by the Best Kansas City Bands like The KC All Stars, and more great St. Patrick's Day 2015 events in KC     May the luck of the Irish be with you! Celebrate St. Patty's Day festivities at O'Dowds on March 17 beginning at 7am.  Enjoy live music, tented outside areas with bars, local D.J.'s and Irish breakfast served from 7-10:30am - O'Dowds is the place to be for St. Patrick's Day in KC 2015!

march madness on the plaza, kc plaza rabbits, st patricks day kc 2015 plaza by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Pembroke Hill Fundraiser 2015 Union Station by KCMB News Kansas City

It was a stellar night as the PHS Auction 2015 "met under the clock" at Union Station on Saturday night February 28th. The Pembroke Hill fundraiser 2015 at Union Station featured a plated dinner presented by Pierponts restaurant (located inside Union Station), and a delicious desert buffet. During cocktails there were several silent auction, or as Pembroke Hill called it, a "super auction" that included fun items such as children's activities like horseback riding and lessons, ice skating parties, voice lessons, and other great children's items up for auction. There were also several fun adventure items like driving an excavator or a dump truck, suites for performances at the Sprint Center, and even a dinner with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith at Capital Grille.


The Pembroke Hill 2015 auction featured a grab bag with golden ticket items and a wine pull. There was also a live auction before dinner that included items such as trips to Belize, Grand Cayman, Napa, and even a trip to Chicago with Cubs tickets included. Also in the live auction they had a chance to attend the Los Angeles premier of the new Hunger Games movie.

After the live auction the evening was topped off with surprise entertainment from BIG SHOW Dueling Pianos, who got the guests up dancing and singing along with some great music. All and all it was a wonderful evening with great food, excellent entertainment and all for a great cause, Pembroke Hill. We can't wait to see what they have in store for us next year!

pembroke hill fundraiser phs auction 2015 at union station by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Dueling Pianos VooDoo Harrahs February 20th, 2015 by KCMB News Kansas City

Friday night, February 20th, Harrah's VooDoo Lounge in Kansas City will feature Dueling Pianos. The concert will feature complimentary drinks and live entertainment. Known for hosting a number of wonderful events, The VooDoo Lounge at Harrah's in North Kansas City has a nice list of National and local Kansas City bands that perform on weekends along with some great Kansas City DJs. The dance floor is usually kicking every weekend at The VooDoo Harrah's and this Friday night will be no exception.

The doors will open at 6:30pm for VIP members who have made advanced reservations, and then the show starts at 8pm. Drinks are complimentary for VIP members of Harrah's Total Rewards members and their guests.

What Are Dueling Pianos?

The flow of a Dueling Pianos show is a little different than that of a live band in that the crowd is encouraged to make requests of the dueling piano players. Audience members typically make requests by filling out little slips of paper or sticky notes typically provided by the venue or the dueling piano players themselves. Generally, in a dueling piano environment, a tip is expected with each request. Obviously, the bigger the tip, the more likely your song is to get played. For example, a decent tip is at least $5 minimum, and a good tip would be $20. Most dueling pianos performers will charge $20 or more to get an audience member on stage, say, if it's their birthday etc.

This Friday night, February 20th, 2015 at VooDoo Lounge Harrah's North Kansas City, the audience will get a chance to watch these guys in action, and join in the fun. See you there, and if you get there first save us a seat!



dueling pianos voodoo harrahs february 20th, 2015 by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Valentine's Day 2015 Date Ideas, Restaurant Specials by KCMB News Kansas City

Valentine's Day 2015 Date Ideas, Restaurant Specials, KC Plaza and more from your friends at KCMB News Kansas City. Happy Valentine's Day Kansas City! Enjoy personalized gift ideas from TIVOL from $79 - $695.  Win a $2500 shopping spree from St. John.  Enter now - Feb. 8th.    Find your perfect Valentine's outfit at  Francesca's Collections. See our past articles on Valentine's Day Date Ideas for more info... Explore the Valentine's Day collection of gifts at Free People. Take a peek at Kate Spade pieces designed with love, and everyone on your list, in mind. Receive a free Heart to Heart Jewelry Case with any $100 Vera Bradley purchase now - Feb. 14. Add island inspiration to your Valentine's Day with Tommy Bahama men's or women's fragrance. Pandora's new sterling silver Sweetheart charm will create a sweet addition to any bracelet.  Heart-shaped gift box included.  While supplies last. Treat your valentine to elegant and comfy robes and exclusive spa inspired bath & body collections from Terassi Living & Scandia Home.  Free gift wrap included. See our past article on Valentine's Day date ideas for more info... Give the new Burberry S/S15 accessories for Valentine's Day.

After an evening of shopping, take that special someone to Seasons 52.   Buca di Beppo has delicious Italian dishes ready to serve you and your loved ones. Fogo de Chao guests will receive a Valentine's Card for a complimentary lunch or dinner on their next visit.  Restrictions apply. Celebrate Valentine's Day at Morton's Grille, Feb. 13 - 16 for a taste of the good life with succulent steaks and lobster. 12 Days of Romance Package at The Melting Pot, Feb. 8-13 & Feb. 15-20, $119/couple.  Includes a 4 course dinner, 1/2 dozen roses, and house Moscato. Looking for something fun and different to do?  L'Ecole Culinaire invites you and your sweety to join a cooking class with professional chef instructors. After a romantic dinner for two, stop in to Fred P. Otts and sing your heart out with Karaoke on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. See our past article on Valentine's Day Date Ideas for more info... Join Bo Lings Chinese Restaurant as they celebrate Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year. Bring your sweetheart to Classic Cup Cafe this month and enjoy the Dollar Over Cost wine sale.     Celebrate at Brio for Valentine's Day.  Reservations for Brunch and Dinner recommended. Enjoy Chaz's a la carte Weekend Jazz Brunch and receive a complimentary brunch specialty with a brunch purchase. Restrictions apply. Join Gram & Dun for a special prix-fixe menu on Valentine's Day. Enjoy Zocalo's four-course Valentine's menu at $40/person.  Includes crab bisque, roasted apple salad, smoked short ribs or California halibut and dessert. Celebrate with McCormick & Schmick's fresh seafood, tender steaks, desserts, fine wines, table side champagne service and personalized menus.

Valentine's Day 2015 date ideas by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Restaurant Week Plaza Kansas City 2015 - KCMB News Kansas City

Kansas City Restaurant Week 2015 - Great Food, Great Price, Great Cause

  

Are you a foodie who likes to do good? Or a do-gooder who likes great food? Either way, Kansas City Restaurant Week, Fri., Jan. 16 - Sun., Jan. 25 is perfect for you to support local charities just by enjoying an amazing meal at a great price. This premier culinary event showcases the city's extraordinary dining scene offering multi-course lunch menus for $15, and dinner for $33 at the area's finest restaurants. The Plaza is a proud sponsor and proceeds benefit BoysGrow, Children's Center for the Visually Impaired and Cultivate Kansas City.  Visit KCRestaurantWeek.com for menus and reservation information.  Kansas City Restaurant Week 2015 on the Plaza will be a big hit!

Receive a free KCRW shirt when you shop or dine on the Plaza.  Simply present receipts totaling $100 or more dated between January 16 - 25, 2015 at Plaza Customer Service (located at 4750 Broadway) and pick up your limited-edition KC Restaurant Week hooded, long sleeve t-shirt.  Quantities limited.   

Check out Plaza store specials during Restaurant Week from shops like Parlor: A Beauty Bar, Terassi Living & Scandia Home, SKIN, Tommy Bahama, The Walking Company and Michael Kors.

Kansas City Restaurant Week 2015 on the Plaza will feature:

   

Participating Kansas City Plaza Restaurants:

Bo Lings                                    Granfalloon Restaurant & Bar

Brio Tuscan Grille                       Kona Grill                      

The Capital Grille                        McCormick & Schmick's  

Chaz on the Plaza                      The Melting Pot                     

Classic Cup Cafe                        Morton's Grille

Coal Vines                                 Plaza III, The Steakhouse

Cooper's Hawk Winery                Rosso

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue    Seasons 52

Fogo de Chao                             Zocalo Mexican Cuisine

Gram & Dun                               

Kansas City Restaurant Week 2015 Plaza KC KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Savoy Grill Fire Destroys Kitchen in Historic Restaurant and Hotel by KCMB News Kansas City

Savoy Grill Fire Destroys Kitchen, Closes Restaurant

A devastating fire raged through the kitchen of the Savoy Grill on Thursday afternoon, causing restaurant patrons and employees to flee the building. The fire destroyed most of the basement kitchen at the hotel and subsequent smoke damage permeated the rest of the historic restaurant. The Kansas City Fire Department made excellent response time and the fire was quickly extinguished. No one was injured in the fire, but several people were forced to evacuate not only the Savoy restaurant, but the adjoining Savoy Hotel. The fire was reportedly started by a kitchen worker who "had started cooking and was not paying attention".

The Savoy Grill will be closed for repairs indefinitely and owner Don Lee told KCMB News that "the floor would need a little wax and it might take awhile". In April, Lee had already announced that the Savoy Grill and Hotel would be sold by year's end. Lee purchased the Savoy in 1960 and has kept both the restaurant and the hotel running constantly ever since. The Savoy Hotel, located in the same building as the Savoy Grill, has several permanent residents who had to evacuate the building when the Savoy fire caused the power to go out. The Hotel itself was not damaged and the Savoy fire was contained to the basement kitchen. The restaurant was not physically damaged but did close due to the overwhelming smoke.

Known as the longest consistently operating hotel and restaurant West of the Mississippi, The Savoy Grill and Hotel has been a downtown Kansas City staple since it opened in 1888.

Savoy fire story by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Smart Gun Invented by Colorado Teen Kai Kloepfer

Biometric electromechanical firearm safety is the key behind the new smart gun, invented by Kai Kloepfer, a teen from Colorado who's invention of the smart gun earned him a $50,000 first prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Kloepfer will use the prize money to design and develop his new invention which renders a gun useless when in the wrong hands. The new smart gun employs the biometric safety feature, which recognizes the gun owner's fingerprints and "locks" the gun if anyone but the owner tries to use it.

Kai Kloepfer is a Colorado teen who has been a witness to his share of senseless gun violence in his lifetime. Shootings in Kloepfer's immediate neighborhood include the disaster at Columbine that ended the lives of 12 people, and also the movie theater shooting spree in Aurora, Colorado that also claimed the lives of 12 people. At age 16, Kloepfer got the idea to invent a smart gun that would make a serious dent in the amount of wrongful deaths that occur from gun violence. Kai Kloepfer noticed that almost all illegal or accidental gun mishaps occur when the gun is in the hands of someone who is not the owner of the gun. A smart gun that recognized the fingerprints of the user would therefore keep guns in the hands of those who legally own them, and if anyone else tries to use the gun it would not operate. Furthermore the gun will "lock" immediately when the owner removes his hand from the sensor on the handle. The sensor in the gun handle has said to be 99.99% accurate for recognizing fingerprints.

The smart gun would prevent criminals from obtaining illegal firearms and would also prevent children in homes from "playing" with guns and injuring themselves or others. There is also a possibility that the military will take an interest in the smart gun, as the gun would be rendered useless in enemy hands. The gun could also be programmed for multiple users, and the scanner would be able to tell if the fingers on the gun are actually attached and alive (eliminating the possibility of cutting off a finger and using the finger to unlock the gun).



Smart gun inventor Kai Kloepfer by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2015 by KCMB News Kansas City

We recently interviewed several experts on Kansas City weddings to find out what the most popular 2015 wedding date currently was shaping up to be. Every year, almost inexplicably it seems, there is one red hot Saturday that a majority of brides choose as their wedding day. Whether the date makes up a clever number combination or it is in the coveted wedding date month of June, thus the popular term "June bride", couples seem to make one day of the year the most popular wedding date each year.

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2007
Let's start with the year 2007, where July 7th fell on a Saturday. This made the excellent wedding date of 07/07/07 - or 777, which in the gambling world is a very lucky combination of numbers, not to mention that the number 7 is generally considered to be inherently lucky. An overwhelming number of couples tied the knot on July 7th, 2007 and there most certainly is a club somewhere just for couples who were married on this popular date. We asked a National wedding band booking agency "Bands for Hire Live!" about their experience…"oh wow, Seven, Seven, of 07, that was a HUGE day for us and almost every wedding band on the planet. We were so swamped with inquiries that we had to bring in some temps to help with the extra call load. I know that there are a lot of happy couples out there with July 7th, 2007 as their wedding date."

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2008
Although not as obvious as July 7th, 2007, 2008 also had it's most popular wedding date. It was a close race in 2008 between May 17th, 2008 and June 14th, 2008 with June 14th just edging out May 17th for the win. June 14th, which was situated perfectly in the middle of June, attracted the most couples as the most popular wedding date in 2008.

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2009
Although we can offer absolutely NO explanation for it, brides went for an unusual month in 2009, selecting the crisp pre-winter month of October to be married. Though trends almost always point to May or June, the most popular wedding date in 2009 was October 10th. Quite unexpected by most Kansas City wedding vendors, a lot of them were wishing they would have raised their prices for October 10th as it was so popular that a lot of wedding vendors were turning away business as they were completely booked up. We interviewed the popular wedding band BIG SHOW Dueling Pianos about this and they were quick to remember…"we had at least 6-8 couples interested in booking us for that date. We never saw it coming, we thought it was a little curious that we booked a date like October 10th almost a year in advance, which is typical for June dates, but then when the calls kept coming in for October 10th we understood why at that point. Either way, we had a great night with an incredible wedding party!"

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2010
Again in 2010 we had a battle between the monster wedding months of May and June, with May 22nd and May 29th ranking way up on the scale, but once again May was beat out by June. Easily the most popular wedding date of 2010 was June 19th.

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2011
This year we saw another memorable and magical number combination with 9, 10, 11 - or, September 10th, 2011. Brides threw both May and June out the window and chose this as the most popular wedding date of 2011. We asked local Kansas City wedding band "The Wedding Crashers" how that date went for them…"this year we saw them coming, haha, we knew well in advance that nine, ten, eleven was going to be the biggest wedding date of the year. We performed for a HUGE wedding reception at Union Station that year, it was awesome!"

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2012
Finally, in this year, May claimed a victory. After being edged out by June year after year, and even beaten out by September the year before, the most popular wedding date of 2012 was May 12th. "This wedding day was very special because of the weather", the owner of Kansas City Wedding Bands told us, "the weather was exactly 75 degrees and sunny all day with clear skies and it cooled off to about 65 that night which, if you were wearing a full tuxedo, was absolutely perfect."

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2013
Amazingly enough in 2013 September came up and grabbed another win. With the weather becoming warmer and warmer, it seems that this fall month has risen considerable in popularity in the last few years. The most popular wedding date of 2013 was September 14th. When we interviewed local Kansas City wedding planner Katie Jones-Barron she said that "September is getting higher and higher on the priority chart for our company as more and more brides are choosing that month for their big day. In the past we would be functioning at full capacity during June for sure, but now we can also throw May and September into the mix."

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2014
Jumping up and grabbing the prize for the second year in a row was September. This time the win was a LANDSLIDE victory with an overwhelming amount of couples tying the knot on this date. Without a doubt the most popular wedding date of 2014 is September 13th. Ryan Bogowith, creator of Kansas City One Stop, told us "…right now our social media pages are going crazy with people still looking for wedding catering companies, wedding photographers, florists, you name it. It appears as though a lot of these companies are all booked up at this point."

Most Popular Wedding Date of 2015
Drum roll please…we will now announce the winner! As far as our research has told us, and after several interviews with local wedding vendors of every kind we have arrived at what we think is the right day. With a landslide victory the most popular wedding date of 2015 is May 16th. We interviewed local Kansas City wedding band The KC All Stars and they said that they have already had over 5 requests for May 16th, 2015 and they expect those numbers to at least triple. "We know that we're going to get a lot more requests to perform on May 16th, but we've been booked on that date for over 2 months now. Even the bands that we typically refer our clients to when we're booked like "The Wedding Crashers" or "The Taxis" are booked up as well. There is a date like this every year, sometimes we can tell what it's going to be, sometimes we can't. But when you're booking us, it's first deposit wins."

If you're planning on having your wedding on the most popular wedding date of 2015 which is May 16th, 2015, you had better start reserving your wedding vendors, because they are going to book up FAST. We hope you enjoyed this article and congratulations to every couple who plans to marry in 2015!

KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Kansas City Comedian Chris Porter to Perform at KC Improv This Weekend

After stating in several interviews that he did not enjoy performing in his hometown of Kansas City, comedian Chris Porter will be headlining at KC Improv this weekend. Porter will be doing two shows on Saturday night, one at 7pm and another at 9:45pm, and then one show on Sunday night at 7pm. Saturday night shows are $18-$23 and Sunday night tickets are $16-$21 and can be purchased at the KC Improv website.

Leaving Kansas City
Kansas City Royals players become stars in the MLB and then are immediately traded away (Greinke, Damon, Dye, etc.). Similarly a few local bands put in their time in the Kansas City, got a record deal and then immediately moved away. Kansas City has also produced a few good comedians as well, and they have also moved away. Rapidly rising star Chris Porter did the same thing a few years ago stating that he "had already done everything there was to do in Kansas City, I've played all of the clubs several times over and headlined the big venues, it's time to move on." Alas, Kansas City seems to be a fertile ground for growing seedlings, but in order to become full grown trees, the seedlings must head for bigger cities. We're like a farm team for other big cities, we grow the talent and then send them packing.

There is another problem with Kansas City that lurks beneath the surface that musicians and comedians have commented on many times in the past - the people of Kansas City do not respect the arts anywhere NEAR as much as many other cities. As Chris Porter said in an interview "I told people in Kansas City that I was going to be a comedian and they just smiled and patted me on the back and said good luck with that buddy!" Kansas City is famous for giving their budding artists little or no respect until they move away, become famous, and then come back. The last local band that made it into the spotlight from Kansas City was called "Puddle of Mudd" and lead singer Wes Scantlin said "yeah, our early shows in Kansas City would have about 40 people there, and after we made it big there were about 40,000 claiming that they were there". I suppose that's why they call it the "show me" state, people in Kansas City have a big city attitude without the style or clout to back it up. Comedian Louis CK particularly hates Kansas City and even references our city in his stand up constantly, always negatively.

Last Comic Standing

Although Chris Porter sometimes wishes that he could delete the "Last Comic Standing stigma" that has attached itself to him, it is, partially or entirely responsible for launching his comedy career. In June of 2006 season 4 of Last Comic Standing would change the lives of a handful of comedians forever. Ten comics were holed up in the Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, California, all competing in various challenges, head to head battles and overall popularity phone votes. By week 9, Chris Porter had earned a 3rd place finish behind 2nd place winner Ty Barnett and Last Comic Standing winner Josh Blue. Porter's multiple television appearances got the attention of comedy club owners, booking agencies and other television stations, providing a nice foundation for Porter's stand up career.

Chris Porter Today

Giving credit to one of his favorite comedians and a major influence, Chris Porter gives us Doug Stanhope, who Porter terms a "maverick" in the comedy world as Stanhope does things his way and refuses to perform at venues that don't cater to his lifestyle. Doug prefers to lay low in Bisbee, Arizona with his girlfriend Bingo, and claims that his favorite activity is getting drunk and buying items on Ebay. Certainly among the top five comedians still living (Doug Stanhope, Bill Burr, Louis CK, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock), Stanhope has already solidified his place in comedy history with his unfiltered, seemingly unscripted stand up act. The fact that Chris Porter lists Stanhope as an influence and a favorite is a very good sign indeed. Porter's act today is starting to take shape, and he reminds one of Bill Burr and Doug Stanhope in his casual interviews in that he is funny even when he isn't saying anything textually funny. This is a good sign for things to come for Chris Porter, and those of us who support the arts in Kansas City can't wait to see what he comes up with next...

Chris Porter comedian kansas city kc improv 2014 by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Fireworks in Kansas City, Leawood, Overland Park July 4th, 2014 by KCMB News Kansas City

The skies will be popping and sparkling this July 4th, 2014 with several great fireworks displays in Kansas City, Leawood and Overland Park. As we tell everyone every year, we have our secret spot but we cannot divulge it's location because the best part about our spot is that it is not crowded and getting in and out of there is quite easy indeed.

Kansas City Fireworks Displays

Worlds of Fun - Celebrate America
Not only will Worlds of Fun have fireworks on the 4th of July 2014, but they are going to be doing fireworks EVERY weekend in July! That's right kids, there will be fireworks displays on July 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 25th and 26th. The Worlds of Fun fireworks will start at 10pm each of those nights and the twilight admission will be $36.99.

Fireworks at the K - Kauffman Stadium
If anyone knows whether or not they will have fireworks at the K this year let us know. We know that the Kansas City Royals will be in Cleveland that night so there will not be a baseball game at the K. Most stadiums will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Lou Gehrig's speech. Leave comments below if you know anything…

Kansas City River Market Fireworks 2014
The River Market has nothing on their calendar about a fireworks display this year.

Leawood Fireworks Display - 2014 4th of July Celebration

Once again this year the Leawood Park at Tomahawk Creek will be blasting off their fireworks display immediately following the Corporate Woods fireworks show. They will be making a day of it at Leawood Park, offering games, live music, rides and food vendors beginning at 5pm. There will be all access passes for children for the rides for $5. The Leawood fireworks display will begin at 9:45pm.

Overland Park Fireworks Display - Star Spangled Spectacular 2014

The annual Corporate Woods fireworks display "Star Spangled Spectacular 2014" will be the biggest thing going when it comes to Overland Park fireworks displays. The traffic jam (ahem) we mean the event will be held at Corporate Woods located at College and Antioch and begin at 4pm with food and beverage vendors, a children's play pavilion and inflatables. At 5:45pm there will be a country band followed by a 55 piece American Legion Band performing patriotic songs. Actor James Wright will be welcoming everyone at 8pm followed by the National Anthem being performed by Lindsey McKee from the Quality Hill Playhouse in Overland Park. The Star Spangled Spectacular 2014 fireworks will commence at 9:30pm. Don't be in a hurry to get out of there immediately after the fireworks because it will be traffic jam mayhem, it's best to just be patient and wait to try to leave until it clears out a little bit.

Have fun and enjoy your 4th of July Kansas City!

Go to 2022 Corporate Woods Star Spangled Spectacular Info

Go To 2015 4th of July in KC Info

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20s for KC New Charity Project in Kansas City Hands out $20 Bills

A new charity group in Kansas City is doing something that has never been done before in KC. 20s for KC, who are self defined as a "non profit Kansas City stimulus project", are placing $20 bills at random places all over the Kansas City area. This past Friday night the 20s for KC Facebook page reported that it was officially "gas pump night" and they placed several $20 bills on the front of gas pumps all over the city. The $20 bills are easily recognizable as they are in nice bill size white envelopes with a decorative red ribbon and a red stamp that bears the logo of 20s for KC in red. There is nothing in the envelope but a nice crisp $20 and the only form of information at all is the stamp that has the logo and also the website - www.20sforkc.com

We interviewed one of the founders of the project recently and this is what they had to say…

KCMB News: So what do you guys have to gain by doling out $20 bills all over the city?

20s for KC rep: We aren't trying to gain anything financially, or even in terms of advertising. We are affiliated with a local Kansas City radio show called The Sunday Jones Comedy Radio Show and when someone finds one of our $20 bills, IF they go to the website stamped on the envelope, then they are asked to simply tell us where they found the $20 and what they intend to do with it or how they spent it. No strings attached. We then read what people wrote over the air on the show, and we place a virtual "pin" on a map on the website showing where $20s were found.

KCMB News: Do you think that some people will be afraid to open the envelope because of suspicion? Or what if they just throw them in the trash?

20s for KC rep: We did take that into account, and that's just a fact of life in today's society. Paranoia is at an all time high, and we know that some people will probably leave the envelopes right where they are, untouched. We have even taken into account that someone may actually turn one in to the police, haha. That being said, a simple glance at the website at www.20sforkc.com will tell you everything about what we're doing and that there is nothing to be afraid of. And if someone throws one in the trash, I suppose that is a shame but it probably won't be the first time a $20 has ended up in the trash.

KCMB News: Have any of the businesses complained about you guys placing them on their property?

20s for KC rep: Not thus far. We have put a lot of thought into that, avoiding government property etc. and hopefully they will realize that it is probably GOOD for business. I mean if people think that there might be a free $20 bill hanging around their property somewhere then that can only be good for business. Heck, they might even find one themselves, or have one turned in to them by a customer who is confused as to what it might be.

KCMB News: Well this certainly is a first for Kansas City, no one has done anything like this here. We know that comedian Jim Carrey is notorious for hiding $100 bills around, and there is another group that does this around Christmas time in New York. How much feedback are you getting? Are people going to the website and telling their stories?

20s for KC rep: At this time we're getting about 25% feedback on the $20 bills that we have put out so far. That's about what we suspected, we were thinking that if we got 20% that we were doing well.

KCMB News: Thank you for your time and good luck with the new project. We will check back in with you guys in a few months and see how it's going. How long do you plan to continue with the 20s for KC project?

20s for KC rep: No problem. We hope to continue through the duration of the radio show's season which ends the Sunday before the first NFL game.

20s for kc kansas city charity stimulus project hands out free $20 bills hiding around kansas city by KCMB Kansas City News, official kc news site with breaking stories on The Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, charity events, the 2012 MLB All Star Game, weather, sports, MU, KU, ufo sightings, dui checkpoints, Kansas City neighborhoods, nightlife, concerts, the Sprint Center, the Power and Light District and current Kansas City news articles.

Scouting 500 2014 at Kansas Speedway Featuring The Zeros by KCMB News Kansas City

This Saturday Richard Petty will be bringing the Scouting 500 2014 to the Kansas Speedway. This event is expected to draw over 12,000 people and started on Friday night with a "camp in" on the infield of the Kansas Speedway race track. On Saturday the action starts with a mock NASCAR race presented by Richard Petty's NASCAR Experience. Drivers will make a 45 lap run around the track in a simulated race. There will be a pre-race flyover by America's finest, similar to what we see at Arrowhead prior to Chiefs games and then the 45 lap race will kick off. There will also be an appearance by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Christa Dubill from 41 Action News. After the race there will be a concert by Kansas City's favorite 80's band The Zeros, presented by Adam Blue Productions.

The Scouting 500 2014 at Kansas Speedway is meant to raise the awareness and the importance of scouting and it's benefits on the community. Activities during the day will include a NASCAR action challenge, a scuba pool, zip lines, rock climbing towers, a climbing wall and hot air balloons. There will be career training including welding, carpentry, aviation, engineering, architecture, and the KCMO Police Department will also be putting on a seminar and demonstration. And did we mention skydiving? There will also be skydiving. Wait, there's more! There will be sports clinics, Kansas City Chiefs ambassadors, personal training and an obstacle course. Tickets / Visitor Passes will be available throughout the entire day at Gate D.

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Pour for More 2014 Charity Fundraiser for Kids TLC by KCMB News Kansas City

Just as the local KC children's charity organization Kids TLC announced a new CEO in Gordon Docking, they will be off and running raising funds this weekend at 2014 Pour for More, their 2nd annual Kansas City fundraiser. The 2013 Pour for More for Kids TLC charity event was a huge success, and KidsTLC raised a lot of money for their cause, mainly helping children with autism, providing shelter for children who face abuse, psychiatric trauma, substance abuse and they also have several outpatient programs including the Phoenix Psychiatric Treatment Program.

Pour for More 2014

Join us this Friday night at the swanky Guild, located in the newly renovated and modernized downtown Kansas City. The Guild is an incredible architectural masterpiece that features an indoor and an outdoor area for mingling and enjoying appetizers and cocktails. This will be the second year that Pour for More will be held at The Guild, located at 1621 Locust KCMO 64108. This Kansas City charity event will begin at 7pm and feature heavy appetizers and cocktails accompanying a silent auction. Then it's time to hit the dance floor as BIG SHOW Dueling Pianos, presented by Adam Blue Productions, will be hitting the stage to get everyone up dancing and singing along.

Tickets for Pour for More 2014 are $80.00 each and $65.00 for patrons 35 and younger. There are also sponsorship packages available that vary in price from $500 to $10,000 and include various event packages. To purchase tickets, or for more information please contact Kids TLC at 913-764-2887.

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Chiefs Schedule 2014 Released by KCMB News Kansas City

The Chiefs 2014 Schedule has been released!  Check out who we get to stomp on this year...

We definitely got what we deserved this year. After posting up 9 wins in a row last season to be the only team in week 9 without a loss, the NFL has pretty much made sure that won't happen again. With an early 2nd week match up against the Denver Broncos at Denver, the Chiefs will have their hands full this season. We should have no problem getting past Tennessee and Miami, but then we hit another wall with a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots. The good news is that the Monday Night game is here in Kansas City at good old Arrowhead Stadium where the goons will be out in full force cheering on the Chefs. We then move on to play in San Francisco against a strong 49ers team before heading to San Diego for a division game against the Chargers after an early week 6 bye week.

Instead of the Governor's Cup this year, a game typically played in the Preseason, the Chiefs will play the St. Louis Rams at home in the Regular Season. They will then host the New York Jets at Arrowhead where hopefully we send Mr. Ryan packing. On November 9th the Chiefs will travel to Buffalo, New York, where they lost a tragic Playoff game back in 1993 that Chiefs fans have not forgotten to this day. The Bills are not the powerhouse that they used to be back then and we should have no trouble running all over them as long as we're still relatively healthy by November 9th.

Then bring on the pain as we welcome to Arrowhead the 2013 Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks on November 16th. Oh boy, that will be a good game as we have developed a rival with the Hawks even though we didn't play them last year, strictly over the stadium decibel level argument.
Seattle held the Guinness World Record for loudest stadium until the Chiefs posted up a higher reading during a 2013 home game. Seattle then rallied and regained the record and much speculation has come from that game as some claim that Seattle was "piping" in crowd noise through their huge PA system. The Chiefs fans will be the ones bringing the noise on November 16th at Arrowhead as we try to humble the 2013 Champions.

The Chiefs then play back to back division games vs the Raiders in Oakland and then the Broncos at Arrowhead, before heading to sunny Arizona to whip up on the hapless Cardinals in their own stadium. The Chefs come home after that to host the Oakland Raiders in the bitter cold of December 14th before finishing off the season with a December 21st match up with the Steelers at Pittsburgh and the final game at Arrowhead vs the Chargers. All together the Chiefs ended up with 1 Monday night game at home vs the New England Patriots, 1 Thursday night game in Oakland, and 1 Sunday night game vs the Broncos at Arrowhead. 2 night games at Arrowhead, that will be good for Kansas City's economy and should help boost ticket sales, provided the Chiefs can stay over .500 and make a Playoff run in 2014. Best of luck boys! Hit the link below to see the schedule in full...

Chiefs Schedule 2014

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Terrelle Pryor Traded to Seattle Seahawks from the Raiders

Today the Oakland Raiders dealt quarterback Terrelle Pryor to the Seattle Seahawks. Pryor often had problems including being late to over 5 meetings and other discipline issues with the Raiders. He was 3 and 6 as a starter in 2013, and was lackluster at best throwing the football.

Terrelle Pryor traded to the Seahawks is no surprise as his shady character dates all the way back to his college days at Ohio State. While attending Ohio State Pryor was accused of selling autographed memorabilia for a booster and accepting a vehicle. Though the charges were never officially proven, Terrelle Pryor officially "withdrew" from the University in 2011 and was subsequently banned from all affiliation with Ohio State. This only made him eligible for the Supplemental Draft in 2011 and the Oakland Raiders selected him in the 3rd round, becoming historically significant in that he was the last pick made by Al Davis before his death.

Terrelle Pryor's first play in the NFL came against the great and powerful Kansas City Chiefs, where Pryor lined up as a wide receiver and drew an illegal motion penalty.

Now that the headline is out - Terrelle Pryor traded to the Seattle Seahawks - it looks like he will be competing with Tarvaris Jackson for the backup spot behind Russell Wilson. The details of this trade have not yet been announced officially.

Check out the Kansas City Chiefs Schedule 2014

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