Kansas City Star Seyz Olathe Classic Rock Cover Band Summer Concerts Are Racist?!?

There are plenty of things to debate in Kansas City but today a denizen of the newspaper editorial board is sweating to the oldies.

We can only hope Toriano Porter is trolling us all when he advocates for hip-hop, jazz and Motown as a matter of EQUITY out in the Johnson County sticks . . . 

Brief aside . . . I notice that he doesn't mention Latino music and that's cool . . . Because, I've noticed that when Latinos want to hear Tejano, Ranchero, Mariachi, Merengue, Salsa or even modern garbage like Reggaeton and the insidious catalog of Daddy Yankee . . . They don't demand other people play their songs but, instead, schedule their own concerts or parties . . . Getting them to turn their music down is typically the problem.

Reality check . . . KC will be jam packed with a broad diversity of music offerings this Summer, bullying Olathe about their selections only serves as clickbait OR pointless flexing. 

But I digress . . . 

A useful part of his diatribe involved evolving demographics . . . Which, he seems to argue, justifies more eclectic music offerings . . .

"In terms of genre or generations, the acts leave out a chunk of Olathe’s demographics. In 2020, Olathe had a population of nearly 142,000 people, according to the U.S. Census. White residents made up 71% of the population while 18% were Hispanic or Black residents.

 "People under 18 account for 28% of the city’s residents. Will young teens have interest in attending any of the shows this summer? Not likely."

A quote he shared from a lady who, smartly, didn't want any part of his column . . .

“They made little effort, if any, to appeal to (Black people) here in JoCo,” she wrote. 

The EPIC conclusion, of course, is that you're racist . . .

"Fans of cover bands enjoy coming to Stagecoach Park and singing along to popular hits with their families, Olathe officials said. But the lack of diverse acts makes me wonder at which households the concerts are aimed."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

For boomers only? Lineup for Olathe summer concert series heavy on rock cover bands

OPINION AND COMMENTARY Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters. Hey, boomers, this one's for you. But if you like live jazz and want to catch a vibe this summer, it won't be at Olathe's annual summer concert series.