Its another busy fall weekend in Kansas City, with the monthly First Friday art walk in the Crossroads, yet another Oktoberfest, a screening of a 1922 horror classic silent movie with a live score and the annual Troostapalooza festival.
First Friday at Vulpes Bastille
October is generally one of the busiest First Fridays of the year, as the Crossroads Arts District is bustling with shows, street performers and music. One show that caught our eye this month is at Vulpes Bastille, one of the neighborhood’s last arts-specific buildings. This month’s show at the gallery is called Lamplighters and is an exhibition of lighted sculpture organized by Adams Puryear. The pieces come from a diverse group of local artists, all exploring “the functional aspects of clay thru the medium of the lighted object.” Also at First Friday, look out for Buttonwood Art Space’s annual, Visions of the Flint Hills, which is in its fourteenth year. There are 180 works in this year’s show by more than a 100 different artists.
1737 Locust Street, KCMO. Opening reception 6-9 pm.
Oktoberfest Live
In KC, Oktoberfest is not so much an event as a season. This weekend’s vaguely German drinking event is at Power & Light District, presented by Leinenkugel’s. Look for live music by Steamboat Revival, and—so far as we know unique among local Oktoberfests—Weiner dog races.
Saturday, October 8 at KC Live. 2 pm. Tickets here.
Nosferatu with Live Score
The German silent film Nosferatu has been wildly influential on the genre of horror movies since being released a century ago this year. Stray Cat Film Center will be showing this silent film, the first-ever screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” with a live score by local noise artist AHRIMAN.
Saturday, 7 pm. Stray Cat Film Center. Tickets here.
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
Marty Stuart has played alongside country-music legends from Cash to Lester Flatt, who discovered him. He continues to record and release music that honors country’s rich legacy while advancing it. When it comes to turning country songs into tangible experiences, Stuart has the Fabulous Superlatives. Made up of guitarist Kenny Vaughan, drummer Harry Stinson and a new member, bassist Chris Scruggs, the Superlatives are an extension of Stuart, a music legend.
October 6. 7:30 pm. Muriel Kauffman Theatre at the Kauffman Center.
Riff Generation
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra has a new ten-piece ensemble with new tunes and daring improvisations. KC’s stylistic contributions to early jazz were defined by riff-based jam sessions and popular songs like “In the Mood” and “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Now, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra shines a light on this essential component of jazz and KC’s place in music history.
October 7. 7 pm. Medallion Theater.
Found in Translation
The Nelson is featuring a new exhibition by eight regional, first-generation Asian American artists. The exhibit examines complex topics such as immigration and identity. “The eight artists in this exhibition use their practices to explore evolving questions about subjects such as place, memory and relationships,” says co-curator Ling-En Lu. “Their choice of materials and techniques reflect the process by which they work through those questions.” Found in Translation includes a diverse collection of art forms such as printmaking, photography, ink drawing and ceramics.
Opens October 8. The Nelson-Atkins Museum.
Troostapalooza
Troostapalooza celebrates the KC community by bringing together local small businesses and creators along the Troost Corridor. The event will feature several vendors, live music and food. Troostapalooza funds the Troost Market Collective, a nonprofit organization that supports diversity and economic opportunity for creative entrepreneurs.
October 8. Noon–6 pm. Troost Avenue between 30th and 31st streets.
