A moment of silence please, for the hole-in-the-wall formerly known as Knuckleheads…
Five or so years back, an unassuming gentleman by the name of Frank Hicks morphed his motorcycle biz in the East Bottoms into Kansas City’s new “oasis of rhythm & blues.” That after the original “oasis,” the Grand Emporium, tanked leaving a void in the city’s live music scene you could drive a hollow log through.
Quaint – ramshackle even – just begins to describe Hicks early blues depot digs. A tiny indoor stage somehow became two tiny indoor stages. The microscopically small interior got bumped out in
Ross
Knuckleheads is one of my favorite music venues – but the “grit” of the bar has always been contrived. Since day-one – there have been guys riding very expensive bikes and sporting Tommy Bahama shirts. It’s only 5 years old – so waxing poetic for the “good ol’ days” is just bitching for the sake of bitching.
Dexter Morgan
The old Grand Emporium…oh how we miss thee.
Yesiree
I will admit I have never actually made to Hick’s bar, but I applaud him for the efforts you descibe. I have been very voacally dissappointed in another place here in KC that charges a pretty penny (actaully an ugly $80.00 ) for tickets, while not reinvesting a cent into the venue, it is disgusting.
SO, in my ying/yang style, I applaud Hicks’s efforts. He is commended for at least updating the bathrooms for the ladies (I always suspected that Kathy was skank) but, (as Kieth Richards says) talk is cheap, so I promise that within the week I will visit, bring some friends and leave some money.
I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
smartman
Frank does a great job! Ross is right though, the hard core rep is unjustified. Folks from the burbs that go there act like they went to Compton and drank some 40’s and smoked a bag of MILF-Weed. That being said it’s a great place, nobody thought he would succeed. God Bless you Frank. Keep up the good work you are doing for LIVE MUSIC is KC. I do miss the old street parties with the T and A though!
ManDshagger
10-4 Smartman on the street parties. Always caught the beaver-fever when I went. It would be funny if the 2 percenters from Antoinettes showed up to raise some hell with the bourbonites. Maybe they could wear Tommy Bahama shirts with the sleeves cut off.
Best wishes for a long run Frank. You did what nobody said could be done.