Highway To Hays: Band Scenes Boom Up And Down I70
Emotion. // Courtesy image
"We had real music ", we have all heard it from family or friends at some point in our lives.
For some people that means smoking and smoking a six-pack at a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, Michael Jackson being the number one artist in the world, or The Beatles having "long hair."
Each of these acts had their first experience, their first performance before an audience of three friends, and were considered nobodies and outlaws. But it all starts from the same place.
When it comes to America's great music cities, everyone and their mother thinks of Los Angeles, Houston, Nashville, Memphis and more. Kansas is never out of the spotlight, expect some Kansas-like action. But that's the beauty of Girasol's Country music. It has untapped potential as a rare mineral to be discovered. It's as diverse and ever-changing as the rest of the "big" world of music.
"Surprisingly, Kansas has more musically than I expected. Sure, you have to drive six hours to get half of it, but I love everything about it. Compared to other places I've been, it's probably a little better, if not height,” says Tillie Hall of MellowPhobia.
One of the best things about driving east across the states is the people you meet along the way. I was fortunate enough to come to Kansas City from my hometown of Wichita. Over the past few years I've shared many beers and cigars with some of Kansas' best artists, some of whom are featured in this article.
Kansas is full of talented artists. Whether it's Hays' thrash or Lawrence's indie/ska-punk, there's something for everyone.
Greetings
One of the biggest drivers for the garage and future stars was a jobless hometown. I'm not talking about these cities, but you can't go far from Hays, KS.
From isolation emerged the furious music of Billy Ks and the cosmic tones of Starslinger. One of Hayes' biggest and most eclectic acts, Pearl combines her brand of hip-hop with smooth guitars and sounds like Tyler the Creator.
“I would describe the Hays scene as a very solid group,” Paarl said. “Every time you perform, you get the same core audience and new people. It's like a family reunion with your favorite cousins, if you know what I mean.
Paarl started making music in 2019, but started getting serious and releasing music in early 2022. In the past, they were very into hyperpop, inspired by 100 Gecs or Charlie XCX. His tastes evolved over time and his music reflected this.
"I like to study. My first EP was very heavy and funk-oriented. But my last album, Open Letter by Adrian Parle , I would describe as secular gospel. The project I'm working on, Chronic Online , is influenced by trap and heavy metal. If you don't like what I'm doing now, come back, because you might like what I'm doing in the future," Pearl said.
In some ways, music today isn't all that different from the early days of pop culture. There is no money, no followers, no great mission to start with. For some, the mission is to sell Arrowhead. For others, it's making enough money to buy another beer.
wichita
The next band to perform will likely be Wichita's Social Cinema - 316, a five-piece indie rock band proudly representing Wichita.
"When we're up close, it feels like we're on an island, but it's a bad island," says Social Cinema drummer Logan Bush. “That's why I feel like the community atmosphere in Wichita is more than just getting away from the big city. It's small enough that you know everyone and can hang out with all the groups you like, but big enough that you still have a chance to move up and become a bigger group.
One of the many similarities in Kansas music is the collaboration and camaraderie between bands. While this was not unique to Kansas, it allowed the scene to flourish underground as bands supported each other. Many musicians play in multiple bands with a lot of creative overlap.
"We've helped other groups and other groups have helped us," Bush said. “When we did the three-piece tour for our debut album, we recruited a bunch of friends from other bands to play guitar for us. And it was a lot of fun because they brought us the energy of their band. So it's really nice to see other groups supporting each other without competition or anything like that. "Everyone wants to see everyone do well."
Topeka
Two hours northeast of Wichita and an hour west of Kansas City, Topeka sits in a strange sort of cultural black hole. In a city known for its mean streets and home of the governor, many would think there isn't much going on in the music world. And in a sense it is true if we assume it. However, Topeka has several bands, rappers, and DJs like Preston Walker.
Walker, known as DJ Alphabeta, is an electronic artist and venue owner. He produces his own and others' music and has become a mainstay of the Topeka scene.
DJ Alphabeta is heavily influenced by German industrial music, but his latest projects 'Never Survived' and 'Babylon Fall' see the artist going in a different direction.
“My DJ style is all noise, heavy techno and house,” Walker says. “But from a production perspective, I'm really drawn to the high-pitched ambient noise. Therefore, I would say that I am more than what I see. When people see me, they don't expect me to play music like I do. You don’t hear much about Black POC noise musicians in the Midwest,” Walker said.
Over the years, Walker worked tirelessly to revive the Topeka scene, which struggled because it was so close to Lawrence. However, the venue, Black Chamber DIY, is considered by many to be one of the best in the state, hosting over 60 local, regional and national acts last year alone.
“The scene is growing, but it is growing at its own pace. For a long time, Topeka was divided. But now we can finally work together and I'm really excited to see what happens," Walker said.
Lawrence
Beyond Topeka, Lawrence has one of the most prolific scenes in Kansas in terms of artists and iconic venues. Independent group Indra is one of the newest bands to emerge from the city centre. Influenced by artists like Paramore, Indra creates fluid, dynamic and easy-listening music. As a group of classically trained musicians, they are really starting to stand out in a world full of options.
"Indra is a very spontaneous band," said Indra singer Ellie Bates. "What we saw happened quickly. We are very calculating when it comes to creating music, but all ideas are based on imagination.
Since the 1970s, Lawrence has been a top choice for both tour groups and local groups. It is home to historic venues such as The Bottleneck, Replay Lounge, Liberty Hall, The Granada and countless DIY venues. For Bates, the legendary locations, gangs and safe spaces, as well as Lawrence's progressive attitude, make it so special.
“Lawrence's appeal comes from the community itself and its love of the arts. Even the school district here really emphasizes how important art, music, and creativity are. "I think a lot of musicians in Lawrence were instilled with this idea from a young age that art is something you can do and you'll be encouraged to do it," Bates said.
Kansas City
As a city of cultural diversity and opportunity, the Kansas City scene remains as thriving and diverse as ever. Bands like MellowPhobia have flourished here and, for vocalist Tilly Hall, the band has no rival.
“There is so much good music in Kansas City that it is difficult to navigate. If you want to see someone, there are about 10 shows a night. And for groups, once that initial step is taken, it becomes a very close-knit community,” Hall said.
MellowPhobia is part of KC's new musical guard, playing what they describe as landlocked surf rock. Trained in Pittsburgh, they moved here to pursue more.
“Pittsburgh feels like a song, almost like a lot of bands that play very similar music. I think Kansas shines because we have a lot of musical diversity. I mean, I heard great indie rock, surf rock, hip-hop, folk and R&B. All this is too much. I feel like Kansas and especially the Kansas City scene has a lot of talent. "It's a melting pot of all kinds of music."
