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Arevival of Renaissance
The period was a time of cultural rebirth, and planners of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival once again are giving visitors a glimpse of 16th-century Europe
The Sheriff of Centerbury and Little John fight as Robin Hood and his merry men crash a party thrown by the king at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. The festival benefits the Kansas City Art Institute
By Josh Yancey Kansan staff writer
The planners of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival know more than most people about life in 16th-century Europe.
And, they say, the average man (5-foot-3 and 130 pounds) only owned one set of clothes.
For instance, they say the fork was invented at that time. Before that, people used knives and often blew their noses in their hands while eating.
Although visitors at the festival can practice modern table manners and change clothes each day, almost everything else will mirror life during the Renaissance.
The fall festival, which benefits the Kansas City Art Institute, runs from Labor Day weekend until Oct. 15. To get to the festival, visitors should follow the colorful banners and signs to Sandstone Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs. The festival features models of 16th-century villages, craft shops, live entertainment and food from the era.
The Renaissance was a cultural rebirth that occurred during the 14th through 17th centuries in Europe. Its images of flowing gowns, chivalry, art and music will be the focus of the festival.
A costume guild, for example, researched every outfit worn by festival participants to make sure the textiles, colors and designs were true to the period.
The organizers wanted the props to look like the real thing.
The whole point, festival planners say, is to create a setting "15 minutes and 400 years from Kansas City."
Another group consulted with architecture historians to create historically-accurate buildings.
"We wanted to ensure a realistic atmosphere," said David Unekis, festival coordinator.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
The theme of the festival, "Once upon a time is now," reflects the organizers' attitude.
The festival will feature plays and staged fights, especially during its first weekend.
Robin Hood will appear in 14 fights, six literary sketches, four comedy/combat shows, a knighting ceremony and a parade each festival day.
To prepare for the shows, scenario performers began training in February, endured 120 hours of rehearsals, spent 16 hours in Renaissance Academy and take extensive combat training with staffs and blades.
Artists from around the Kansas City area will set up in booths at the festival to display their crafts and creations. Most of the artisans make their livings through their crafts and use events like the festival to help their careers. They also help keep the old traditions and skills alive.
"I was a history major in college, and I was always fascinated by the works and methods of the great masters of the period," sculptor Sean Corner said.
Corner, who works through Ancient Day Sculptures, makes "clay sketches" similar to those used by Renaissance sculptors as guides to his
works.
"The next step would be to do it full scale, in marble," he said. "But that's awfully expensive."
Other features of the festival have included Galahad, a "caprine unicorn" from the Living Unicorn Organization, and a kite-flying show at Shawnee Mission Park.
The festival is in its 19th season and is considered to be one of the top 100 events in North America by the American Business Journal. The festival spans 14 acres and employs more than 700 people annually.
Organizers expect more than 165,000 visitors this year.
Parking is free. Tickets are $11.95 for adults, $4.95 for children 5-12 and $16.95 for a two-day pass. For more ticket information, call (816) 561-8005.
1995 Festival Themes
Sept. 2, 3, 4: "The Legend Begins"
The story of Robin Hood is played out.
With the help of Niallyr
Bacus, the god of wine, will be the focus of
the annual Wine Festival.
Sept. 16, 17: "Arbusian Pleasures"
Traders and travelers display dugs and dances from the Middle East.
Sept. 23, 24: "Enchanted Tales"
Sept. 23, 24: "Enchanted Tales"
Children's fairy tales are played out
Pirate conquest and treasure seeking are featured.
Oct. 7, 8: "Majestic Metodias"
Classical guitarists, visiting choirs and the Plymouth Congregational Ringers bell choir will entertain visitors.
Oct. 14, 18 "All Hallows' Eve Celebration"
The festival concludes with pumpkin-coloring contests and costume contests.
Bush, the Toadies
By Robert Moczydlowsky, Kansan music writer
And the Toadies. And Hum.
Turn on your radio, and you will hear Bush.
Turn on the television, and it's more of the same. They share six hit singles and four Buzz Clips between them.
and — judging by their album sales — they're just getting started.
And on Tuesday night, they will share the stage at Memorial Hall. 600 N. Seventh St., Kansas City, Mo.
"We're an American band, really," jokes Gavin Rossdale, lead singer/guitarist for London-based Bush. "Our record broke in the States before it was even released at home. Effectively, it's this country that has believed in us and said we're speaking the same language."
Bush's debut album, Sixteen Stone (Trauma/Interscope), rocks just as hard as America's best, and multiple hit singles like "Everything Zen," "Little Things" and "Comedown" have made it one of the top-selling albums of 1995.
Surprisingly, whether or not Bush's success continues in England doesn't seem to be a chief concern for this just-happy-to-be-here four-piece. In fact, they seem quite content to be America's hot new band.
"To be honest, we thought we'd go over here better than back home," said guitarist Nigel Pulsford. "It's really cliquey in England right now, and the sound there
THE TOADIES
Formed in 1900 by singer/guitarist Todd Lewis and bassist Lisa Umbarger, the Toadies went through several lineup switches before settling on Lewis. Umbarger, guitarist Mark Reznicek and drummer Darrel Herbert.
"Man, I was telling everyone I knew if there were any band I'd like to play for, it'd be the Toadies," Reznicek said. "Nobody had a bass sound like Lisa did at that time, real up-front and percussive. And then there were Todd's vocals."
BUSH
is still very much the Smiths. It's been ten years, and new bands still sound like the Smiths. That's not us."
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It is Lewis' disturbing lyrics and growing vocals that grab the listener, and it is the band's unique persona that attracted serious offers from several major labels.
"We had some good reviews at home in Texas when the record first came out," Reznicek says. "But it wasn't until this station in Florida started to play 'Possum Kingdom' that we got any notice. We toured down there, and things kind of worked their way onward."
Unlike labelmates Bush, the Toadies' road to rock success has been a long one.
Interscope Records won the label-bidding war and released Rubberneck in July of 1994, and the Toadies left Fort Worth, Texas, for life on the road.
The opening act for Tuesday's show is the Champaign, ill., band Hum. Hum's astro-hit "Stars" and an excellent gig at Worlds of Fun this summer have made them into Lawrence and Kansas City-area favorites, and their latest single from their release You'd Prefer an Astronaut (Mercury/Fontana), "I like your hair long," ought to dispel any lingering one-hit doubts.
Tickets for the Memorial Hall show are $15 and available through Ticketmaster ($18,091,320)
Loaded in Lawrence-Live at the Bottleneck 1995 Variants artist (Mercy Records).
In 1993, Mercy Records wanted a way to showcase some of the lesser-known bands on the Lawrence scene. So they booked the Bottleneck stage with 13 bands in four nights, set the tapes running, then retreated to the studio to listen to what they had captured.
What they turned out was a great Lawrence music sampler that made more than a small ripple in the waters of nation-wide music.
Now, three years later, Mercy is set to release the third "Loaded in Lawrence" compilation. This year's disc features cuts from Frogpond, Action Man, the Bubble Boys, Amputatoe, Means to End, STICK, Power and Fear, Mountain Clyde (now Dorothy), Gospel Porch Singers, Acoustic Juice, Blueshead Beggars, SHAG
Beggars, SHAD and Priss.
There will be a party in celebration of the disc's release tomorrow night. For Dorothy, the band formed after Mountain Clyde's original guitarist out in
the spring, tomorrow night will be a good chance to play some new songs for some old fans.
"We still play six or seven Mountain Clyde songs, but we aren't the same band," said Charlie Keel, singer/guitarist. "This past summer we realized that Dorothy was the band that Mountain Clyde should have been; the band that Mountain Clyde wanted to be."
And there was a lot that Mountain Clyde could have been. Capitol Records offered the band a deal, but arguments about the label's amount of creative control cost Mountain Clyde the contract.
"We sent demo tapes for an album, and they sent back their suggestions," Keel said. "We disagreed pretty strongly, and we lost the deal. We got a hard, fast lesson in the record business, but we're all wiser because of it. We're much happier to be doing exactly what we want with our music."
A.
The "Loaded in Lawrence" compact disc-release party is tomorrow night at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. The show is 18 and over, and it features Action Man, Power and Fear, Blueshead Beggars and Dorothy.
Robert Moczydlowy can be reached at his e-mail address: mozcudk@alcon.com.ec.ukane.edu
SEPTEMBER 1.1995
Nightlife Calendar
Dandelion, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottleneck,
737 New Hampshire St.
Tonight
Floyd the Barber, 11 p.m., cover charge, at Mulligan's, 10.16 Massachusetts St.
Jazz Jam, 10 p.m., no cover charge, at Full Moon Cafe, 803 Massachusetts St.
Lonesome Hounddogs, 10 p.m. $3, at The Jazzhaus of
Lawrence, 926 1/2 Massachusetts St.
Tomorrow
Action Man, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottleneck.
Dan Israel, 11 p.m., cover charge, at Mulligan's,
Beth Scalet, 10 p.m., no cover charge, at Full Moon
Cafe.
Rhythm Kings, 9 p.m., $2, at Johnny's Tavern, 401
N. Second St.
Bastard Squad, 10 p.m., $3, at The Jazzhaus.
Sunday
Scroat Belly, 10 p.m., cover charge, At The Bottleneck.
Monday
Pete Droge, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottleneck.
Little Big Band, 10 p.m., $2, at The Jazzhaus
Tuesday
Possum Dixon, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottle neck.
Bill Maxwell, 8 p.m., no cover charge, at Full Moon Cafe.
Wednesday
The Muffs, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottleneck. Todd Neuman, 8 p.m., no cover charge, at Full Moon Cafe.
Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band, 10 p.m.,
$5, at The Jazhaux.
Thursday
Alice Donut, 10 p.m., cover charge, at The Bottleneck.
Chubby Smith, 1.1 p.m., cover charge, at Mulligan's.
Dave Heinz and David Lipkind, 9 p.m., no cover
charge, at Full Moon Cafe.
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