On Friday, October 21st, Jim Kilroy celebrated his 25th year of business in the Kansas City local music scene by throwing a celebration that rocked the Voodoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino in North Kansas City, Missouri. The show was a typical Kilroy event. Jim Kilroy himself greeted patrons at the door to take tickets or cash for admission. The crowd was filled with a variety of interesting people and the musical talent included a diverse range of styles.
Sky Seems Red
I arrived late and missed the debut of Sky Seems Red. Word in the club was they had a killer set, so I will be looking for a show when I can check them out.
Local Stranger
Local Stranger took the stage shortly after I arrived. I became instantly intrigued with this band because they had a unique sound you do not typically encounter. The vocalist sang with high pitched, soaring screams in an almost operatic style similar to Rob Halford. Normally this vocal technique has the potential to be catastrophic, but the lead singer managed to maintain force behind the sound and preserve a solid pitch. Even more impressive was the percussionist. He played the drums with controlled movements, having full mastery of the elaborate set in front of him. Your eyes could not help but be drawn to the back of the stage, focused on his fluent motions. My biggest complaint about this band is that I do not have names to identify the talent. I have looked for a webpage and on social sites but am unable to find identifying information on its members.
Black Oxygen
Black Oxygen followed bringing a traditional rock feeling in their music. Although the sound was ok, they lacked the momentum to keep interest. Vocals seemed a little flat and there was not much movement on stage to keep the show animated. Their entire performance, however, was not insufferable. At the end of their set, the band situated themselves on stools at the front of the stage for a harmonious ballad. This display was an excellent example of the potential this band has to capture an enjoyable sound.
Apples for Archers
When Apples for Archers took the stage they brought an enormous amount of energy as soon as they walked on. There were no dull moments as the musicians passed vocals between one another like runners in a relay race passing a baton. Their show was a real crowd pleaser, bringing people out of their seats and onto the dance floor. Their music was lively and had a great beat as the band members themselves danced about the stage, fully emerged in the rhythm. It was obvious the band enjoyed performing as much as their fans enjoyed watching them.
Evalyn Awake
This was not the first time I had seen Evalyn Awake, but it was by far the best performance I have seen from them to date. The entire set maintained a high energy from start to finish. The band had an amazing chemistry with one another and flowed about the stage with perfect precision. Bassist Josh Barber had a dominating presence as he continuously moved to different vantage points on stage, engaging with the crowd and heightening the energy in the room. This elevated liveliness seemed to be at the heart of Evalyn Awake this night as they connected with the audience and drew them further into their performance. Additionally, the dynamics in the band’s vocals were remarkable. Tyler Lyon’s award-winning vocals were backed by powerful harmony from Nick Marshall and intensified by ferocious growls from Rory Sierks. Even as Lyon performed somber acoustic solos, his vocals sustained a commanding resonance. The highlight of the show was when Lyon brought his father on stage performed a song in his honor. It was an amazing and heartfelt demonstration of Lyon’s incredible vocal strength with a poignant tenderness. Evalyn Awake’s performance was like a puzzle with all of its pieces. It seemed to fit perfectly and left the crowd high from their enthusiastic performance. When you win an award for Best Live Performer you are expected to put on an impeccable show, and Evalyn Awake proved themselves during this production.
The show was hosted by local rock legend Johnny Rokker who was nothing short of entertaining. I was a little confused by the show’s format and was expecting a little more of a rhetoric related to it being a 25th anniversary show. Twenty-five years is a long time to be involved in the Kansas City music scene so there was great potential to make this event more than just another classic Kilroy event. In my mind’s eye I was anticipating a special toast to Kilroy including special guests who would share treasured memories of his time in the industry. Maybe for the next special event in Jim Kilroy’s honor he should be forced to find someone he trusts to manage the door and bring him out for an evening he would not soon forget.
Those of us at Project Backstage would like to say thank you to Jim Kilroy for his contributions to the Kansas City local music scene and give him a pat on the back for surviving twenty-five years. We raise our glasses to you and wish you many more years of success.
Megan Cervas
Project Backstage
