You may (or may not) have noticed that I haven’t done a new episode in a while. And when I did, the time between each was increasing.

Well, I’ve given this a lot of thought and I’m sad to report that I’ve decided to put the show on hold for the time being. I have no idea for how long. I think it’s called in “indefinite hiatus”.

I’ve come to realize that, right now, there are other things in my life that I need to focus the majority of my time and energy on, and this show was more often being put on the back burner. So until the time comes that I can give this show the time and attention that it deserves, I’m going to have to give it a rest.

I’ve just recently renewed my hosting and domain name, so everything here will remain for at least the next year. You will still be able to listen to previous episodes and find links to all the bands I’ve played. I’ll keep the Facebook page active and will do my best to share your announcements, events, new songs, videos, etc.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported my efforts, and the bands that generously provided me with their music so I could play it for other people. I hope to someday bring this show back, and bigger than ever.

Until then… be excellent to each other.

PS. For more local music, check out the “Kansas City Local Artists Radio Show“.

It’s that time of year again. It’s time to once again celebrate music in the heart of Kansas City with the 2012 Crossroads Music Festival. It’s happening this weekend, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 7 & 8, on 4 stages across the Crossroads District (centered around 18th & Locust).

They’ve got a great lineup this year. It all starts with a First Friday Dance Party on the Crossroads KC at Grinders stage featuring The Good Foot, The Grisly Hand and the reunion of The Supernauts.

On Saturday, you can catch 15 different KC bands across 4 stages (Crossroads KC at Grinders, Czar Bar, The Brick, and Midwestern Music Co.) around the Crossroads District. Bands such as:

• Hearts of Darkness
• Starhaven Rounders
• Makuza
• Dead Voices
• My Brothers & Sisters
• Cherokee Rock Rifle
• John Velghe & The Prodigal Sons
• Appropriate Grammar
• Thom Hoskins
• Dim Peepers
• The Hillary Watts Riot
• Victor & Penny
• The Atlantic
• The Rural Grit All-Stars
• Mikal Shapiro
• Kasey Rausch
• Shane Ogren

Saturday afternoon will also have a Legal Boot Camp for musicians, to help you learn everything you need to know about your rights and responsibilities as a musicians and about things like copyrights, contracts, financing, etc. If you’re a musician, it’s very valuable information to have and definitely worth attending.

It should be a good time and a great celebration of the KC local music scene. Check out the Crossroads Music Festival 2012 website for the schedule and ticket prices and to register for the Legal Boot Camp.

It’s been a while since I posted a blog entry. You almost could have conceived and given birth in the time since my last blog entry. But something was brought to my attention recently that I wanted to help promote because I believe in it.

You’re probably familiar with VH1′s “Save The Music Foundation” which helps support music programs in public schools. There’s a benefit concert for the “Save The Music Foundation” coming up and if you’re able, you should definitely go.

It’s happening at The recordBar on Thursday, July 5. There’s a great line-up of music with Cody Ross, Root and Stem, and Get Busy Living providing the entertainment for the evening. The whole thing will only cost you $7, with 100% of that going to the “Save The Music Foundation”.

In addition to the show, Daniel Owen, who runs the “Tune The World Out Radio Show”, an online radio station based out of Overland Park, is trying to raise an additional $500. You can help him out by going here and making a donation.

This Saturday night is the 7th Annual Crossroads Music Festival, centered around 16th & McGee, featuring 28 bands and DJs on 6 stages. This year features a great line-up of bands representing many different styles of music.

See bands like Thee Water MoccaSins, The Grisly Hand, Fourth of July, Sons of Great Dane, Cherokee Rock Rifle, David George, Supermassive Black Holes and more at Crosstown Station, Press, Czar, The Brick, Mercy Seat Alley, and Kansas City Cafe.

You can buy a Festival Pass in advance for $10 at Vinyl Renaissance or for $12 at any of the venues listed above. That will allow you to go between venues at will and will give you priority access to full venues. You can buy a pass the day of at Crosstown Station for $15. If you don’t want a pass, each venue will also have it’s own cover charge.

For all the details, go to the Crossroads Music Festival site or click on the image to buy tickets.

Well, I’ve been pretty lazy this week and I’m finally getting around to posting a few pictures of the local bands at Kanrocksas last weekend. I didn’t get to see a lot of them, but the few I did see sounded great. Hearts of Darkness played on Stageasaurus Rex on Saturday morning. Ink Magazine had an acoustic stage in the VIP area where several bands played (I caught Maps For Travelers, who were surprisingly good unplugged, and Making Movies), and then there was the campground stage that featured several local bands (I saw The Dead Girls). Just a few pictures below. Click for full size versions.

Maps For Travelers

Making Movies

The Dead Girls

Check out Episode 8 over at the episodes page. Or you can subscribe on iTunes and get it delivered directly to you automatically!

As always, tell your music-loving friends about the show. Any bands you know that might want to have their music played can submit their music HERE.

When Kanrocksas was announced, the first question I (and many others) had was whether or not they were going to include local bands into the line-up. As we get closer to the first weekend in August, things are becoming more clear and the answer is not only “yes” but a resounding, enthusiastic “HELL YEAH!”

Local bands will be very present at Kanrocksas. One band is going to get to play the main stage, which is being decided by a series of free showcases every Friday night at Wild Bill’s at The Legends. There will also be a stage by the camping area that will feature local bands. Now, Ink Magazine announces another stage to feature local bands. This one will be in the VIP area and will have local bands playing acoustic. You can click on the picture for a larger version, but here are the bands scheduled to play:

• Maps For Travelers
• She’s A Keeper
• Sons Of Great Dane
• Spirit Is The Spirit
• Waiting For Signal
• Making Movies
• and more!

This is very awesome and the amount of love that Kanrocksas is showing the local music scene is outstanding. They’re really working hard to make this festival huge while also keeping it very “Kansas City”. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to Aug. 5-6.

I just realized I never posted on here that Episode 7 is up over on the Episodes Page. If you haven’t listened to it yet, check it out. It’s got new stuff from Bravefellow and The Dead Girls, plus we go back to the 90′s with some classic Frogpond. It’s a good listen.

Also remember that you can get the podcast on iTunes as well. Just search for Amplify KC in the iTunes store. You can subscribe to it so you get new episodes automatically, and you can also rate it and give feedback so I know what you like and don’t like.

Episode 8 should get done this weekend, but I’d still love some new music for it. My library is real light on the hard rock/metal side of things, so if you know of any heavier bands from the KC area that would like to be played on the show, please send them to the website and have them submit their stuff here.

Every Friday night in July, join me at Wild Bill’s Legendary Steakhouse and Saloon at the Legends and watch several of the best local bands compete for a spot in the Kanrocksas line-up!

One band will win the chance to play on the main stage along side bands like Muse, The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, Ween, The Joy Formidable and many more! Plus, 4 other bands will get to play on a stage in the camping area presented by The Pitch, 103.7 The Dam and 95.7 The Vibe! You can help determine which bands win! Selection is 50% audience vote and 50% Judges Panel (which I will be on, so if your band is competing, I’m not above bribery… kidding… maybe).

Plus there will be Kanrocksas tickets and swag given away. so you’ll have a chance to come out a winner too. The party starts at 10:30 each Friday night, no cover and 21+ after 10pm.

To see which bands are competing each Friday night, go here. And on Saturday nights, they’ll have a DJ competition to select DJs to play on the main stage and in the Critical Mass tent.

Come party with me and some of the best bands in KC every Friday night in July at Wild Bill’s Legendary Steakhouse and Saloon and help decide who will get to play at Kanrocksas!

I know it’s been a while since there was a new episode. But episode 6 is finally up and available for your listening pleasure.

I’m always looking for new stuff to play. If you haven’t yet submitted your music or if you have new music that you haven’t sent me, please do so. And tell your music loving friends to check out the show either right here or on iTunes. Thanks for listening!