Is it outdoor concert season yet? Because I’m feeling the need. Feeling a little spring feverish, if you know what I’m saying. Ready to plop my backside in a comfortable lawn chair in comfortable weather and listen to some music.
The summertime outdoor music venues are pretty plentiful in this area. The free local concerts in the free venues are nice, don’t rule out any of them. Many of the area wineries offer live music, as well. Your free options outdoors include of course include Linden Square in Gladstone, which features the most comfortable setting with top-notch food and drink concession options–including cold brews, if you so choose–and clean indoor restrooms. The Platte County Courthouse lawn is an option once a month during the months of June, July and August. Creekside in Parkville also has some outdoor music offerings when the weather warms.
We’ll gather some schedules on the area’s free concerts and get that info in the paper for you in the coming weeks.
Last summer, for the first time I experienced Starlight as a concert venue. Saw REO Speedwagon there last June, with special guest Night Ranger, and it turned into one of the highlights of my summer. Great show and a throwback to the music some of us enjoyed in high school in the late 70’s/early 80s. So I’m heading back to Starlight this summer. Tickets to a Chicago concert already in my back pocket.
By the way, the Hi Infidelity album by REO Speedwagon in 1980 was one of the top bangers of all time. Prove me wrong.
REO Speedwagon’s Hi Infidelity 8-track spent a lot of time popped into the in-dash stereo of my 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo in 1980-81.
Step into my Landmark office sometime and you’ll notice the iconic Hi Infidelity vinyl album displayed on a table behind my desk, with its eye-catching and somewhat revealing album cover. Somewhat revealing by 1980 standards, anyway. Pretty calm by today’s standards.
By the way, part two. REO Speedwagon is no longer together as a touring band, having announced in September 2024 that they would cease touring effective Jan. 1, 2025, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Little did we know–and apparently little did they know– last June that we were seeing the ol’ boys touring together for the final time.
Had any of us known that night, there may have been one more visit to the draft beer stand to ‘cheers’ the band.
More music talk: Air Supply is coming back to Ameristar Casino in May. And yes, I have tickets in hand. Actually they’re electronic tickets so they’re not in my hand, they’re on my phone.
The bad news is I’ll be in Nashville the night of the Air Supply show in KC. So, unless Guy Speckman takes them off my hands, which seems unlikely since he tends to poke fun at my Air Supply fandom, if you’re interested in a couple of Air Supply tickets at Ameristar in KC hit me up and let’s see what we can work out.
More spring fever talk (need to get this out of my system because next week we’re probably talking local politics).
I’m ready to fire up the grill. Not sure how I ever became obsessed with outdoor grilling, but I did. It’s certainly not anything I grew up around. I can count on zero hands the number of times my dad grilled out on the patio or deck.
Anyway, this spring and summer I’m expanding my grilling portfolio, so fellow grill masters feel free to email me your favorite grilled menu choices and your personal tips on how best to prepare those choices. Information is power, so let’s treat it like an item of national security. Send it via the Signal texting app.
I don’t do a smoker, so don’t send your smoked meat game plans. Grilling strategies only.
Ever need your electric garage door(s) adjusted or a new garage door opener installed? I’ve got a recommendation for you.
Casey Becker of Becker Buildings is your answer. The guy is responsive, fast, efficient, extremely professional and polite, and does quality work at a reasonable price. He has helped me out with garage door-related issues a couple of times in recent years, most recently when the circuit board went bad in a garage door opener.
He’s a local Platte County guy, young family man, and in my opinion a much better option than using one of the big garage door chains. His number is 816-539-5834 and you can tell him you read about him in The Landmark. This is an unpaid, unsolicited endorsement by the way. Casey doesn’t even know I’m putting this in the paper.
My new garage door opener is WIFI enabled, which offers convenience and added security by allowing remote control and monitoring of the garage door from anywhere with an internet connection. Open or close the garage door from your phone, even if you’re not at home. You can choose to receive notifications on your phone when the garage door opens, closes, or is left open, providing peace of mind and security.
Also eliminates any worry about losing or forgetting your garage door remote, as your phone becomes your control panel if/when needed.
If you’re keeping score at home, you know that five of the six teams I have futures tickets on to win the title in March Madness are still alive. Due to the luck of the draw, had to lose one of my teams on Sunday when two of my selections–Florida and UConn–faced off. UConn is out.
Still alive for me: Florida, Houston, Maryland, Tennessee and Michigan State.
(Cure Foley’s spring fever with an email to ivan@plattecountylandmark.com)
