There Stands the Glass

A music industry powerbroker heard me whine about the multitude of touring acts passing over Kansas City at recordBar six weeks ago. He mockingly reminded me of my complaint when I saw him at Farewell on Thursday, September 1.

Late-arriving punk fans were turned away at the door of the sold-out, cutting-edge show. I was among the last of the several dozen people to pay the $10 cover charge allowing admittance into the small venue to hear three disparate bands.

The ostensibly anarchist politics of the Barcelona band Algara were lost on me, but I adored the voluble delivery of the headliner’s vocalist. The quartet’s timeless attack was accompanied by small-scale crowd surfing and stage diving.

The response to P.S.Y.W.A.R. was even more frenetic. I later initiated a pointless argument by insisting the Kansas City band plays metal rather than punk, but each participant in the debate agreed the band’s martial-themed noise is effective.

An exhilarating blend of no wave and industrial music, the sound of Kansas City’s New Obsessions is more complex. As indicated by the accompanying photo, the duo of local notable Jorge Arana and his brother Luis also makes a striking visual impression.

I don’t regret busting the chops of the owner of the new venue on Thursday, but I hope he knows I’m appreciative of his endeavor. He and his associates at Farewell have dramatically improved the quality of Kansas City’s music scene in recent months.

September 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Concert Review: Algara, P.S.Y.W.A.R. and New Obsessions at Farewell