The Underdog
Democrat Jim Slattery battles uphill to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate
Jim Slattery has the unenviable task-some would say quixotic journey-of attempting to be the first Kansas Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate since 1930. A former member of the Kansas delegation of the U.S. House of Representatives, Slattery is now facing popular incumbent Pat Roberts, a Republican senator who has become an intractable institution since first arriving in Washington in 1967.
Minus One
A podcast preview of Jordan Geiger's solo debut
We've come to know Jordan Geiger as the head of Minus Story, one of Lawrence's longer-running musical institutions. As that band has one-by-one scattered throughout the country (though musically remaining together) over the last couple of years, Geiger has had more of an opportunity to hone his solo material, which has come to be known under the moniker Hospital Ships.
Revolving Door
Bring 'em in, bond 'em out, the grueling life of the bail bondsman
On a hot Monday afternoon, Steve Robson was driving toward a row of apartments on Redbud Lane. He had received a tip that the guy he was looking for might be there. "This kid is not the best-natured kid in the world," he warned the two other men in his Ford F-150, license plate BAIL. "He might be a cupcake. He might be a jerk."
The Tao of Thao
Thao Nguyen Braves 'Bee Stings and All'
The last time Thao Nguyen rolled through Lawrence, she played for approximately four people. But even that trumped her Denver show, where the stage was caked with dog shit and the entrance was littered with raw chickens. Thao's lot has improved considerably since then, with her album "We Brave Bee Stings and All" creating a strong enough buzz to merit a headlining tour and appearances at music festivals like Sasquatch and Bumbershoot. Backed by a fully loaded ensemble dubbed the Get Down Stay Down, Thao's fingerstyle guitar picking gets a jolt of laid-back funkiness and a soulful strut. As was the case on her 2005 debut "Like the Linen," Thao's voice takes center stage and soothes us doesn't it? like a lick of ice cream. The multi-talented songwriter phoned in from a tour stop in St. Louis to discuss her new record, her love of hip-hop, her hatred of karaoke, strategies for confronting sleeping audience members and how you can't wear a dress with no makeup without looking like a crazy lady.
