Goin' to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come...

[Tele295]

"They got some crazy little women there, and I'm gonna get me one"

Don't I wish!

Gotta be in KC, MO for a few days at the end of March for a work thing. Suggestions on things to do and places to eat?

[Caffeine Patrol]

Eat BBQ at Arthur Bryant's!!
See a show at Knuckleheads Saloon!!
Have breakfast at The Corner down in Westport!!
There's a cool little record store in the basement of Prospero's Books; Zebedee's, another used record store, is just up the street. Both are close to Saigon 39, a great Vietnamese restaurant.
Stroud's has great fried chicken; they had to move a couple of years ago and I don't know where the new location is, but ask around--it's worth it.
Take a side trip over to Parkville and visit Bentley Guitars!!
If you have enough time, go to Lawrence, KS and have a beer at the Free State Brewery (if you like stout, their oatmeal stout is the best I've had in the USA).

[furrfurrfurr]

Big +1 on Free State in LAwrence. Also go to Mass St. Music.

Not sure if it's still there but there used to be a Mexican place called, I believe, Ponacks, or something like that. BBQ at Gates, Arthur Bryant's or the Hereford House is killer.

[hollowman]

Originally Posted by Caffeine Patrol

Eat BBQ at Arthur Bryant's!!
See a show at Knuckleheads Saloon!!
Have breakfast at The Corner down in Westport!!
There's a cool little record store in the basement of Prospero's Books; Zebedee's, another used record store, is just up the street. Both are close to Saigon 39, a great Vietnamese restaurant.
Stroud's has great fried chicken; they had to move a couple of years ago and I don't know where the new location is, but ask around--it's worth it.
Take a side trip over to Parkville and visit Bentley Guitars!!
If you have enough time, go to Lawrence, KS and have a beer at the Free State Brewery (if you like stout, their oatmeal stout is the best I've had in the USA).

Great advice!!

Where will you be staying while in KC? If you are in the dwontown/midtown/plaza area there are a ton of restaurants, clubs, etc within easy walking or cab ride distance. +1 on Knuckleheads, great blues and rockabilly live venue.

If you are looking for some sightseeing or cultural type stuff, the Nelson Atkins art musuem is world class. Also the national WWI musuem just opened up last year and it is a fantastic museum of that era. If you grab the local entertainment weekly rag (The Pitch) it has all the local music venue listings for some live music.

You gotta eat some BBQ. In addition to Bryants you might try Gates, Rosedale, or LC's.

Musician's Friend has their retail warehouse here, and they put out all of their scratch and dent stuff in a large showroom. Sometimes you can get incredible deals on guitars or gear. they will also bargain off the list price on the scratch and dent stuff so if you see something you want don't be afraid to lowball them

Wish my band was playing that weekend!

[olewichita]

kansas city jazz museum... tj

[MandyMarie]

You have to get to Knuckleheads, Miles, you gotta! Look up the Rumblejetts and see if they happen to be playing around - you'll know Jim from the Modders board and get to watch him in action!

I love Arthur Bryant's...geez, you guys are makin' me miss livin' in Missouri somethin' fierce!

Hey the Lawrence, Kansas suggestion made me think of something - is the Outhouse still there?

[furrfurrfurr]

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

Hey the Lawrence, Kansas suggestion made me think of something - is the Outhouse still there?

Mandy, the memories you just brought up. My freshman year at KU, my friends and I got left at the Outhouse with no ride home. We eventually got a ride, but that was not fun.

YEars later, I learned I saw an early Nirvana there opening for Dr. Know (assuming the flyer was correct and it was the same Nirvana). I have no recollection.

I forgot all about the Outhouse. Nothing like a moshpit with cement poles all over the middle of the floor.

[MandyMarie]

Hahahahaaha wasn't that place GREAT?! My husband is an old punk rocker (he was in a goofy band called Sloppy Seconds) and one of his best road stories is about that place - I think every punk rock, psychobilly, alt. country, rockabilly musician in the United States has a GREAT story about that place haha! I haven't heard or thought about it in forever...I wonder if it's still there?

I wish we could hang out, I always enjoy your posts and you seem like such a cool guy!

Miles, I feel like you and I have hung out a ton already! One of these days I'm sweet talking your band into doing the Rockabilly Rebel Weekender some how, some way! I hope you have a great time on this trip, darlin', and if there's any way you can head up 70 E right up to Indianapolis you'd make me one happy girl! I'm wanting to learn some Gatton stuff ;o) :O)

[Acephspades]

+1 for the Musician's Friend wharehouse. Don't get too excited about the inventory inside the return store as it's a little bleak but everything on the website is at your fingertips if you can get someone to help.

+1 For Knuckleheads Saloon.

[kranz]

Required reading for any pilgrimage to KC is "American Fried" by Calvin Trillin. Premise of the book is that the best food in the world is to be had in KC. Joints like Bryants and Winsteads are discussed. A most entertaining read.

[DrewB]

Arthur Bryant's doesn't really do it for me, but barbecue is a pretty subjective thing. I much prefer Gates' and LC's, but my favorite is Oklahoma Joe's.

The MF outlet experience isn't fully appreciable unless you get there about 9:50 a.m. and hang with the regulars that are there every day. At 10:00, they open the doors and everybody goes looking through the stuff on the pallets that are deeply discounted. It's friendly and civil, and the "war stories" are great.

[hollowman]

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

Hey the Lawrence, Kansas suggestion made me think of something - is the Outhouse still there?

The Outhouse is still there, only now it is a strip joint of all things!

What a great place it was in the day. Maybe even saw the Sloppy Seconds! Another great venue was and still is the Lawrence Opera house. Now it's called Liberty Hall. In the early 80's we'd go see all the punk bands and the place was BYOB if you can believe it! crazy days

[Dave Hopping]

Tele295-maybe you can let us know whether there is a corner of 12th Street and Vine.

[blacklinefish]

I love taking people to Gates bbq. I prep them and warn them before going in side and they are still taken back by the "HI MAY I HELP YOU!!!" 2 seconds after you got inside the door (and with 20 people in front of you). I tell them "you want a 'beef regular' when they ask. Don't even look at the menu, just say 'beef regular'..."

I really need to try Arthur Bryant.

Did the Musicians Friend warehouse showroom move? What is the new location?

--gh

[freshmattyp]

I'm a Bryant's man myself, but you can't go wrong either way. The Negro Leagues Museum is very nice, the Jazz one less so.

Wherabouts are you staying? The city is pretty well spread out.

There is no 12th and Vine. The famous intersection is 18th and Vine, and it's not very far from the original Bryant's at 17th and Brooklyn.

I have a lot of the same memories (or lack of) as some of the other Lawrence guys. I'll be heading that way next month to catch Richard Thompson at Liberty Hall.

[younkint]

Originally Posted by freshmattyp

The Negro Leagues Museum is very nice ...

+1

If you're into baseball at all (or ever have been), you want to go there.




~

[Tele295]

My work obligation will be near 10th & Main. Is that downtown?

You can bet I'll be eatin' BBQ every night. Bryant's and Gates are inked. What's a "beef regular"?

Recommendations for a nearby hotel? Is the Radisson OK? (work expense -not comin' out of my pocket)

[Tele295]

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

You have to get to Knuckleheads, Miles, you gotta!

Mandy, you're gonna croak when you hear this - I'm missing Billy Joe Shaver at Knuckleheads by one &*^^%$^%# night!

http://www.knuckleheadskc.com/06_calendar.shtml

[zombywoof]

Thumbs up on the Negro League and Jazz museums.

Mass Street Music just down the road in Lawrence is a cool place.

For a real treat head over to Topeka (about an hour west) and hit the Kansas Guitar Exchange. Little place but often with the most interesting selection of gear in the region.

[freshmattyp]

The Radisson is nice, the downtown Mariott is better, IMO. There's a little more going on downtown now that the Sprint Center is open. If you're looking for a good steak close by, I highly recommend the Majestic. You're also pretty close to the River Market district, and there's a great brewpub there.

[MandyMarie]

Somehow the Outhouse being a strip joint doesn't suprise me in the least haha! My husband just leaned over my shoulder and said, "...do they still book bands?"

Waaahahaha!

Miles, move the trip! Catch Billy Joe! That's one of the stops I did merch for him last year - I seriously wish I would have known there were so many Missouri boys on here, I would have been able to hang out with you guys while we were making stops!

[Tele295]

I can't move the trip. I'm needed back in California that day.

[blacklinefish]

Originally Posted by Tele295

What's a "beef regular"?

@ Gates: Slice of Wonder bread, 1/2 lb. of meat, slice of Wonder bread, another 1/2lb. of meat, topped by one more slice of Wonder bread. Pretty simple, amazing taste. I can't remember if you need to ask for double meat or not for those quantities. It depends on your hunger.

For some reason, the sweetened Lipton Peach tea is part of the tradition.

--gh

[Pete Galati]

Are you gonna take a train, or are you gonna take a plane?

[DrewB]

Originally Posted by blacklinefish

@ Gates: Slice of Wonder bread, 1/2 lb. of meat, slice of Wonder bread, another 1/2lb. of meat, topped by one more slice of Wonder bread. Pretty simple, amazing taste. I can't remember if you need to ask for double meat or not for those quantities. It depends on your hunger.

For some reason, the sweetened Lipton Peach tea is part of the tradition.

--gh

Isn't that one called a "beef & a half?" Integral to the Gates' experience is their extra hot sauce on the sandwich and a separate container of it to dip your fries in. Ambrosia!

[MandyMarie]

Gates hot sauce is H-O-T.

[DrewB]

I'm a two-fisted drinker: Gates' Extra Hot sauce in one hand and ice water in the other. We go through a lot of Gates' Extra Hot at my house.

[Tele295]

Originally Posted by Pete Galati

Are you gonna take a train, or are you gonna take a plane?

I might walk, but I'm goin' just the same

Originally Posted by MandyMarie

Somehow the Outhouse being a strip joint doesn't suprise me in the least haha! My husband just leaned over my shoulder and said, "...do they still book bands?" Waaahahaha! Miles, move the trip!

OK, book me and Danny a "Blazing Telecasters" gig at the Outhouse this month and I'll do it!

[94bamf]

If you like BBQ and music, specifically blues music, you should check out BB's Lawnside BBQ, the usually have the good local talent, and If you are lucky "Trampled Under Foot" might be playing, which is the band that won the International Blues Challenge down in Memphis this year, their guitarist also won the Albert King award for best guitarist..

[blacklinefish]

Originally Posted by DrewB

Isn't that one called a "beef & a half?" Integral to the Gates' experience is their extra hot sauce on the sandwich and a separate container of it to dip your fries in. Ambrosia!

Yeah, beef and a half - that sounds right. Even though I just ate, thinking about it makes me hungry. Gates regular sauce is pretty spicy, and Gates Hot is nice and fiery. If you like to try all three (there is a sweet, too), make sure you try sweet first, then regular, and then hot. After tasting the hot sauce, everything else tastes hot!

--gh

[Tele295]

Boss booked me into the Holiday Inn on Wyandotte. Good eats nearby, esp. breakfast, since I have the BBQ itinerary sewed up?

Hey, do these BBQ places stay open late during the week? Or does this town roll up at 9pm?

[Josiah]

Originally Posted by freshmattyp

The Radisson is nice, the downtown Mariott is better, IMO. There's a little more going on downtown now that the Sprint Center is open. If you're looking for a good steak close by, I highly recommend the Majestic. You're also pretty close to the River Market district, and there's a great brewpub there.

Sprint Center!! I've not been back to KC since they completed it but I tell you what... there used to be this BYOB club down there called the Stray Cat and they had the coolest stuff going on... but it had to go. It was in the way of "Progress" I suppose.

I can't wait to get back to KC.

[jvanhorn]

For sure Kansas City has some great BBque joints and great steakhouses, but the one place I can't stay away from is Dixon's Famous Chili Parlor. It is located about a block north of Kauffman Stadium at Blue Ridge Cut Off and Highway 40. I don't even know how to describe this place because it is like nothing else on earth. If you are expecting chili like you usually get--you won't find it here, but once you get hooked it is worse than meth, LOL.

[Tele295]

This time tomorrow, I'll be on my way!