More details on the unraveling of this year’s WaterFire, burning pylons on the Plaza misadventure...
The nightmarish mixing of two of the four classic essential elements
Hearne: WaterFire Goes Cold Turkey, May Double Up to Catch Up
More details on the unraveling of this year’s WaterFire, burning pylons on the Plaza misadventure...
The nightmarish mixing of two of the four classic essential elements
smartman
Who’s HELLBENT on making this dreck some sort of INSTITUTION like the Plaza Lie-ting Ceremony? Hell, go do it on the Illinois River and get the Asian Carp to fly and fry through the fire. You want to put people on Brush Creek? Bouce some lazers around and offer up some Sirius Hair Nation at 120db for two hours, advertise on THE ROCK, give Johnny Dare an appearance fee and BOOM-BOOM-POW you’ve got 40,000 people! All this Quixotic-Yanni-Tesh-Kitaro new age feng shui-namaste-pilates shit is OVER.
Although I hear the Catholic Church is opening a chain of exercise centers called Pontius Pilates, with 14 stations.
brewhause
Hey Smartman,
Good of you to let us know your opinion. I’m glad you have this kind of smart insight into the way the world should work.
Though reality may get the best of us, it’s always good to have folks lob their criticisms, as it helps people come up with ways to present new idears and update goals.
I’m not saying one should necessarily TAKE your advice, but it’s always good to have a different perspective.
Nathan Granner
I have to say, with all of this that folks tried to keep people safe.
The whole get off the F-ing water was us cruising down the placid Brush Creek and everything was like it should be. A post rain fall evening.
But just in case, they had people off the sidewalks and were ready for anything to happen.
And, standing on the bow of the boat, when we got the call to matriculate off the water, it was go time. And though it was a pretty high stress moment where we thought we were going to get a major wash, with a slight chance of going into the Blue river on a whitewater rapids Riverfest with a bunch of metal braziers, our boat captains handled the situation on the water and our KC Police handled the folks on the ground with staunch professionalism and a focus to keep everyone safe.
It was only because of the people who put on the event and the security that I was able to even think of getting another chance to sing my non-Yanni songs.
I was primed and ready to go and had just taken a breath to sing when the loudspeaker came on to cancel.
I don’t know, maybe it was the stress of the water and because it was the first time I’ve ever written my own music and performed it(except for a test run at The Czar Bar) for a large audience that I was so worked up. I really was surprisingly devastated that we were rained out.
For my part, to use an underutilized part of Kansas City like Brush Creek as a non-traditional venue is a great idea.
I’ve been walking along that creek since I was a boy and saw it transformed into a great looking waterway.
There were serious problems with the project at first, which is why it has the stigma of being a real stinker.
But, though I wouldn’t swim in it, it is now a great part of our landscape.
These people who just slam it wholesale, are simply making for drama and strife.
Same with WaterFire. Seriously, WHAT is the big deal? Are people who want to bring their kids to The Plaza and hang out in a mellow setting such dastardly people? Do they have to have Metallica thrown at them as they stroll along the waterway?
Mr. Dare is a great radio guy and has done amazing things in his career, but there are other people too, who like other stuff. The Rock has a number of cool events too, don’t get me wrong, and in the context of WaterFire, if the Rock wanted to sponsor a special WaterFire, that can happen. Sounds like fun.
WaterFire is for people to come together, not to break people apart.
Obviously what I say won’t change people’s minds about lots of things, but rather than pit one way of thinking up against each other, why cannot we come up with some cool things together?
Nathan
kitty krash
The Plaza is great for Kansas City and the event is a good use of public space. I don’t understand all the complaining. If you think there’s a problem then come up with solutions or suggestions rather than just whining.
Also, on another topic. Why slam the Plaza Art Fair? This event brings a lot of commerce to the area and is always fun. What are suggestions to make it better? Let’s read the suggestions.
smartman
All I remember is Manny Cleaver “swearing” that Brush Creek would be just like the River Walk in San Antonio. It’s nothing close.
Even today, a casual stroll means looking at the walkway for goose shit and Oy ve the smell on a hot day when the water is stagnate.
One of the best utilizations of Brush Creek, before the transformation and Parks and Rec budget cuts were the free concerts. Maynard Ferguson, Kingston Trio, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Herbie Mann, KC Symphony. Crowds of 15,000 to 30,000 on Sunday evenings, BYOB, it was very, very cool.
Those were the days my friends, we thought they’d never end…Boy were we Wrong
Still, whose career hangs in the balance unless Waterfire is successful in KC?
kitty krash
Those concerts back in the day were fantastic!