#thebrickkcmo

The Brick was always a place I had known about, but for the longest time I had been too young to enter its doors. Even with a beard, I stood no chance slipping past the door guy with my unforgiving learner's permit. I didn't even drink back then! All I could do was sit and cry about it like emo kids were supposed to.

Well, I've gotten much older and had several more drinks and don't cry nearly as much. I also finally saw a few shows at The Brick. For this Throwback Thursday, I thought I'd give my account of one particular show from this past Halloween. The lineup were three locals: Lazy Motel, Real Sugar, and Jib Jab Jones & the Indigo Circus.

While waiting for the show to start, I decided to hit the bar and get my usual glass of Templeton Rye, neat. For some reason, this is about the only thing I'll order when I'm at The Brick and The Brick is generally the only place where I'll order it. Call me crazy but something about the stark contrast between fine Prohibition whiskey and a KC dive bar just sits so well with me. 

As I took the first sip of my drink, I quickly scanned my environment. If it weren't for the familiar Día de Muertos decorations, and the occasional costume (but who can tell what is and is not a costume these days?) I would have totally forgotten it was Halloween. That was fine by me… Otherwise, everything was business as usual. I could smell a chili dog being delivered to another customer at the bar and I even glanced at a plate full of baked goods. Too bad I wasn't hungry. Speaking of food, The Brick has a lot of it. Their full-size menu includes a whole slew of hot dogs, burgers, chicken wings, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. Go ahead and try the fish and chips... And vegetarians, rejoice! There are plenty of options for you, too...

Kicking off the show was one-man act Lazy Motel, fronted by KC resident Brad Peknik. With just an acoustic guitar and a microphone, Brad was able to captivate the crowd with his slow and eerie folk rock (think more on the folk side). Brad's stripped down style was a perfect method for delivering each chilling ballad and his calm yet grounded voice had just the right amount of twang. This candid performance proved to be a good guide to introduce the evening's festivities.

Next up was Real Sugar. I had never heard of this band before but I knew their drummer. His name is Meatball. That alone was sufficient reason to pay close attention. I'll also mention that their guitarist was wearing a bright Hawaiian floral shirt, which amused me greatly. My excitement only grew as they went through some quick jazz fills and scales during soundcheck. Not only was the sugar real, but so was everything else about this band. Imagine a fusion of jazz with funk, R&B, and even some metal undertones. Take notice: this band may be a suitable replacement for bedroom music if you ever lose your Isley Brothers Greatest Hits cd.

Closing the show out was none other than Jib Jab Jones & the Indigo Circus. This trio packed quite a punch with their fast-paced and fun breed of folk punk. If I had only had a few more whiskeys, I surely would have torn up the dance floor and possibly have been asked to leave. Their songs were catchy and made you want to sing along, though I probably would have gotten strange stares reciting lines like "So who are you to tell me I'm not black enough?" Their set consisted of plenty of pop culture references, as well as political and social commentary. This all reminded me that you really can rock out with an acoustic guitar!

Located at 17th and McGee, The Brick has always been a convenient spot to catch a great local show, and from the looks of it, this hasn't changed at all. They open by 11 am most days (9 am on Saturday, so feel to come by for breakfast!) They stay open until 1:30 am Tuesday through Thursday or 3:00 am Monday, Friday and Saturday. Expect to see live music most nights. Also, if you are an aspiring singer or just drunk and overconfident, be sure to check out karaoke on Mondays!