Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Reader, beware! You're about to see the word "Kick" more times than if you were reading a Chuck Norris biography.
At 4 p.m. Oct. 24, Kansas City pop group Kick Kick will headline the Kick Hunger benefit concert at Krug Park. The event will include three opening acts: Metis, It's All About the Benjamins and Bear in the Ball Pit.
Kick Kick has only played a handful of shows, but the band has quickly made a name for itself in Kansas City. In fact, the four-piece won a battle of the bands contest and opened for David Cook, Blue October and The Veronicas at Sandstone Amphitheater in Bonner Springs, Kan. this summer.
Kick Kick is known for its brand of psychedelic power pop that each of its members simply call "boss."
"'Boss' is sort of an attitude," says lead singer JB Kick. "It's a term of empowerment and believing in yourself and others. I guess you could call our music 'empower' pop."
Stadium rock may be more applicable. Not only is the band bringing an 18,000-watt stadium-style sound system to Krug Park Saturday, but most listeners compare Kick Kick's super-awesome synth-heavy anthems to classic stadium rock icons like Styx, Foreigner or Journey.
"We're a mix of the Beastie Boys, Beach Boys and the Backstreet Boys," Kick laughs.
The visual display of a Kick Kick concert is what turns most heads. Some of the band members (the others are Star Boss, Flashy Thundercat, Handsome Horse, Jacob Stadium and King Kirk) wear blazers covered in colored balls. Plus, Kick Kick likes to bring a ballpit to each show to let the audience re-discover their inner children.
Kick Kick's music promotion, Bossibility Music, will give out 250 beach balls on a first-come, first-serve basis at Krug Park this Saturday.
"This show will be a spectacle to behold," Kick says.
And best of all, the concert benefits a good cause. All attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for admission. The food will go to the Second Harvest of Greater St. Joseph. The goal is to reach 1,000 pounds of donated food Saturday.
"Everyone has a can lying around that they can bring," Kick says.
This will be the first time the Second Harvest of Greater St. Joseph has thrown a benefit concert. While the national economy continues to struggle, many organizations and charities have stepped up to the plate to give more. Melissa Leander, Second Harvest's annual funds and marketing manager, says the concert will be a fun, innovative way to donate.
"It's a great way (for people) to enjoy what they're already doing, which is going out and seeing live music, and give back," Leander says.