ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ambitious coffeehouse and bar, nestled deep in southern Leawood. And every weekend night (before a modest 11 p.m. closing time), audiences pack inside to hear jazz — sublime jazz. This coming January marks four years since owners Lori and Doug Chandler took over a former Caribou Coffee and remade it around their own passion for this music. Word of their vision has spread. Saxophonist Rob Scheps plays here when visiting from New York (including an upcoming October gig), and L.A. sax man Bob Sheppard stopped by last fall. Take Five isn’t some suburban wannabe. It’s a serious destination in an unlikely zip code, and we’ll take it.
BEST LOCAL DOCUMENTARY
Civil War on Wheels Back in 2004, local garage monkey Patrick Sumner filmed about 12 hours of footage at demolition derbies in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Today, due to a lack of older cars, that subculture’s popularity is waning. Sumner pieced together the footage with the help of producer Chris Snipes and dropped Civil War on Wheels on us in April. The 57-minute retrospective documents the Border War nature of the crashing cars at county fairs. Set to a muddy, chugging soundtrack of some of KC’s most beloved bands — Sin City Disciples, Split Lip Rayfield and Snuff Jazz — the film took us back to a time when summer pleasures were as simple as corn dogs, cold PBR and hot women in tube tops. The doc also answered a lot of questions that we had about the beginnings of the Crossroads Arts District. The only things missing? The smell of gas and mud splatters.
BEST REASON TO LISTEN LONGER
96.5 the Buzz broadcasts soldout Mumford & Sons show live Mumford & Sons sold out a Cricket Wireless Amphitheater show scheduled for June 17. But the biggest band in the world had to postpone when member Ted Dwane underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. Dwane recovered, and Mumford rescheduled for September 20. And ticketless Mumford fans weren’t left out, thanks to KRBZ 96.5. The Buzz broadcast the show live in its entirety, all 20 songs, from opener “Lover’s Eyes” to closer “The Cave.” All was loud and clear on the FM dial, even Mumford’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.” Just another reason to listen longer.
READERS� CHOICE BEST ART GALLERY
1. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art 2. Kemper Museum 3. Leedy-Voulkos BEST ART SHOW
1. First Friday 2. Plaza Art Fair 3. Brookside Art Annual BEST AUTHOR/WRITING EVENT
1. David Sedaris 2. David Wayne Reed 3. DNA Lit Fest at Reading Reptile BEST BLUES VENUE
1. Knuckleheads 2. BB’s Lawnside BBQ 3. Phoenix Jazz Club BEST CHARITY EVENT
1. Jazzoo 2. Wayside Waifs Fur Ball 3. Bloom BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
1. Tiffany Powell 2. Ann McCroskey 3. Kenny Personette
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Best of KC
BEST CLASSICAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE
1. Kansas City Symphony 2. Kansas City Chorale 3. Bach Aria Soloists BEST CLUB/PARTY DJ
1. Ashton Martin 2. Mike Scott 3. Sheppa BEST COMEDY CLUB
1. Stanford’s Comedy Club 2. The Improv 3. Comedy City BEST CONCERT
1. Buzz Beach Ball 2. Buzz Under the Stars 3. Postal Service at the Midland BEST CONVENTION
1. Planet Comicon 2. Real Deal Tattoo Convention 3. Crypticon BEST DANCE TROUPE
1. Quixotic 2. KC Ballet 3. Alvin Ailey
LIVE MUSIC 7 DAYS A WEEK HAPPY HOUR MON-FRI • 5-8PM • OUTDOOR PATIO FEATURING NATIONAL DJ RESIDENCYS • 50+ TAPS
FULL BEER CELLAR OF RARE, AGED & SPECIAL RELEASE BEERS
BEST FASHION EVENT
1. West 18th Street Fashion Show 2. KC Fashion Week 3. Fashion for a Cause
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