Tag Archives: Matthew Donnelly
Donnelly: That’s More Like It! Sporting Regains Touch in Thrashing Of Dallas
Did I call it or what? 
Mere days after I praised Graham Zusi as the only Sporting KC player with a dangerous long shot, he puts in one for the ages from about 50 yards out, and another on a strike from about 20.
Yes, Zusi made me look good this time.
But Zusi wasn’t the only player to find the net – Aurelien Collin and Luke Sassano tallied one each – as Sporting regained their scoring touch in a 4-1 beatdown of FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas.
Donnelly: Sporting KC’s Defense Holds Up, But Offense Continues Slide
Did you all know that LIVESTRONG Sporting Park opened this past Thursday to host Sporting Kansas City’s first home game of the season?
Okay, I’m going to get this out of the way so we can talk some soccer: the stadium is awesome, the pitch looks great, and for me, it’s a dream to not have to watch the team toil away in a minor league baseball stadium or cavernous Arrowhead Stadium, both of which preclude having a proper sized playing surface. The grand opening featured a sellout crowd of 19,925, a streaker in a cow costume (who scored the only goal of the night), an appearance by Lance Armstrong, Chad Ochocinco, a stealth bomber flyover, and a slot on ESPN2’s Primetime Match of the Week.
Now, let’s talk about Sporting’s 0-0 draw with the Chicago Fire…
Donnelly: Wakarusa 2011, An Upcoming Band to Watch Out For and Arkansas Wine
Four days amidst stunningly beautiful nature, more than 150 bands, no rules, no responsibilities, plenty of cold beer, plenty of whatever else you might be into. 
What’s not to like about that?
Nothing, that’s what.
If you wanted to be the guy wandering around with one shoe, no shirt, and a mason jar of moonshine tied to your neck with a piece of twine, you could do that. It’s your day and nobody’s going to stop you.
That was the vibe last weekend on top of Mulberry Mountain, the new-ish site of the Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival…
Donnelly: It’s Go Time – LIVESTRONG Sporting Park Debuts Thursday Night
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here – Sporting KC’s first home game is Thursday at 9:00 p.m..
Okay, maybe not all of us, especially not the soccer haters that like to post comments about why soccer sucks and and all that. Blah, blah, blah.
Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but soccer is here to stay. Did you know that Major League Soccer as a league averaged higher per game attendance last season than both the NBA and the NHL?
I know that stat may make you feel threatened, but that’s just because you don’t know how to appreciate the beautiful things in life, beautiful game, for example.
I got a chance to tour the beautiful new stadium and got an inside look at a bunch of places that most people will likely never get to see without juking a few security guards, like the owner’s suite, exclusive clubs, and some other cool stuff.
Pics of all that after the jump…
Sounds Good: Republic Tigers@LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; ACBs@Davey’s; Think Floyd USA@Crossroads
Hey, I adopted a pet squirrel once, too. I called it, um, World Peace. 
I nursed it to health on a diet of corn nuts and strawberry Kool-Aid.
And you know what? That squirrel broke my heart.
I had my doubts about the situation after I came home from work one day and found World Peace had ordered several pay-per-view pornos. He denied it of course, and blamed it on the dog. Refused to pay for them.
But I knew the truth.
It was time to feed World Peace to my neighbor’s huge snake that should have been illegal to own.
Now I just wander the clubs, listening to kick-ass local and national bands, looking for something – anything – to fill the void…
Donnelly: Mumford & Sons at Wakarusa, June 4, 2011
Well, Arkansas certainly tried to kill these pasty boys from the UK. Almost did, matter of fact.
"It’s really fuckin’ hot up here," lamented lead singer Marcus Mumford as he continually wiped himself down with a towel. Granted, he was wearing black jeans and a long sleeve shirt, not your typical attire for a summer evening in Arkansas.
Word is, midway through their set, Mr. Mumford ran behind the drums and lost his lunch.
But the scorching mid-evening heat didn’t stop Mumford & Sons from putting on one helluva show Saturday night at the Wakarusa Festival.
Most people I talked to said it was the best show of the whole festival. I don’t know that I can really disagree…
Donnelly: My Morning Jacket at Wakarusa, June 3, 2011
Getting to Wakarusa by way of the winding Arkansas roads really made me think this festival is in the middle of nowhere. And that’s a good thing.
As I passed streams and rounded sharp corners, passing farm houses and lumber mills, I wondered if I was heading the wrong way. Nope, there’s the Arkansas State Police command center, set up about a half a mile outside the festival grounds.
Must be on the right track.
When I finally reached the top of the mountain the trees opened up and for miles it was tents, stages, and yes, the huge Ferris Wheel.
Sounds Good: Yeasayer@Granada; Mumford & Sons@City Market; Langhorne Slim@Bottleneck
Can’t make the trip down to Wakarusa this weekend? 
Or maybe music festivals just aren’t your thing?
There’s still some good shows to catch right here in the KC area, starting tonight with a killer show in Lawrence at the Granada.
Granted, there’s no ten story ferris wheel or anything, but it should still be pretty sweet…
Donnelly: Wakarusa Godfather on Why Arkansas’s Better Than Lawrence (& More)
Got your tickets yet? Better hurry…
The Wakarusa Festival kicks off this Thursday, June 2nd in Ozark, Arkansas atop Mulberry Mountain. It’s a venue that most everyone can agree is more picturesque – and more friendly – than the original site at Clinton State Park in Lawrence.
"Yeah, the vibe is definitely more relaxed and a lot funner, I think," says Wakarusa main man Brett Mosiman. "It’s really spectacular. On the drive in you start getting really excited going through the mountains and forests and it really is on top of a mountain. There are little creeks and ponds, and our southern campsite is on the Mulberry River. So you can take a dip before coming up and seeing some shows."
The bands Mosiman is looking forward to the most? Some big ones, some small ones and some that most people have never seen.
Sounds Good: Bruno Mars@Indy Center, Widespread Panic@ Midland, Pat Green@Crossroads
What to do, what to do with this long weekend, the official start of summer?
Head to Lake of the Ozarks, drink your breakfast, lunch, dinner, try to get away from that turd following you back to your buddy’s dad’s boat, and maybe get puked on by the super drunk girl you’re trying to mack it to?
Maybe. Yeah, I could get with that.
Yard work?
Okay, no, scratch that one…
Donnelly: Sporting KC Plays Wednesday In OP; Bunbury Excluded From Gold Cup
After playing nine straight road matches in all competitions to start the 2011 season, Sporting Kansas City will finally play a match in front of home support on Wednesday when they take on the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. in the final round of qualifying for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
No, not at the new stadium. That’s not quite ready…
Donnelly: Sporting KC Does What They Do, Gives Away Points To Seattle In Stoppage Time
Shiny new stadium? Check. New brand, new name? Check. 
International star? Check. Lots of promotion and media attention? Check.
Results?… Umm… what’s the opposite of "check"?
Were there some real positives to take away from Saturday’s disappointing stoppage time loss at Seattle?
Definitely.
Does that make me feel much better about this team? No, not really… okay, maybe a little… maybe…
Sounds Good: Airborne Toxic Event @ Beaumont & Spring into Summer Fest
This weekend I give the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…
Friday, May 20th
The Airborne Toxic Event at the Beaumont Club in KC
These California indie rockers seem like they’ve been everywhere lately, from Letterman to Kimmel to Austin City Limits. Their mix of raw guitars with orchestral type arrangements is what makes this band stand out.
Donnelly: Joe Purdy at the Bottleneck, May 14, 2011
Apparently, sensitive guys can also be kind of militant. In an indignant – not agressive – way. 
As I wandered around the Bottleneck taking in the crowd and listening to Joe Purdy’s soulful drawl from every angle, some guy tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hey man, you’re standing right in front of us."
Startled, I turned around to find a 20-something Grad Assistant-looking dude with a girl sitting in one of the back booths. This guy was serious.
"What?" I thought to myself. "This is a fucking bar. Sit, stand, crouch, lean, it’s all fair game, right?"
Donnelly: Donovan & Beckham Push Sporting KC Closer To The Point Of No Return
Well, what can you say?
Another road game for Sporting Kansas City, another disappointing result.
Despite getting on the board first Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in LA, by the time it was all said and done, SKC was on the wrong side of a 4-1 stomping at the hands of Landon Donovan’s LA Galaxy.
Simply put, LA is just a much better team than KC is right now…
Sounds Good: Jessica Lea Mayfield@RecordBar; Nick Arcade@Granada; Brooke Fraser & Joe Purdy@Bottleneck
One of these things is not like the others…
I was thinking to myself, maybe it’s time to branch out a little.
You know, mix in a little something different, a little zig with my zag.
And after all, it is stop day at KU, so what the hell…
Sounds Good: Tuneyards@Jackpot Saloon; Chuck Meade@Knucklehaeds; Of Montreal@Liberty Hall
Lots of good stuff going on this weekend…
Barbecue competitions, town festivals, and even Royals baseball games that people are exicted about.
If you’re into the whole "music" thing, though, here is what you should know…
Donnelly: “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old” at the Midland, May 2, 2011
You gotta hand it to Kevin Smith.
Writer, director, actor, comic book dork, fat man. Yes, he’s all these things.
But here’s the genius part: he gets paid to sit around and talk about shit that happened, like, 20 years ago.
Seriously. And it’s not even profound shit or anything. He just makes it up as he goes. I mean, he could get on stage and talk about the greatest dump he took during the grunge era and people would show up.
That’s not too far from what went down Monday at the Midland during the traveling shit-shoot known as "Jay and Silent Bob Get Old"…
Donnelly: Player Carousel Continues, Sporting KC Comes Up Short in NY
Sporting Kansas City took the field with a much different lineup on Saturday against the Eastern Conference leading New York Red
Bulls, but the result was, unfortunately, more of the same.
In the first half Sporting got absolutely hammered by crafty New York players Thierry Henry, Dwayne De Rosario, and Luke Rodgers. The Red Bulls held a huge edge in possession and created a handful of really dangerous chances.
Sporting was lucky to see the halftime score at only 1-0, thanks to Jimmy Nielsen’s several spectacular saves, which included a stop on an undeserving PK.
The score could easily have been 3 or 4-0 at half…
Sounds Good: Arthur Dodge@Replay, Jimmy Buffett@Sprint & Manchester Orchestra@Beaumont
This weekend’s best bets for live music couldn’t be more different.
Not that that’s a bad thing. Sometimes the most unlikely pairings come together in unexpected ways to make something new that you never thought of before.
Here’s how it works for this weekend’s bands:
One part dirty ash tray, one part tequila sunrise, and one part leather pants…
