Kansas City Playlist: Pricey Lady Baller Pavilion Plans Debut

Sadly, this weekend local journalists pretended that yet another developer cotillion was "news" when the presser event wasn't really much more than a premiere for garbage talking points thereby revealing that Kansas City hasn't developed any real strategy for growth beyond handing over suitcases of cash to developers. 

Of course, we'll share a more optimistic take on the scheme . . . 

The new extension will stretch 0.7 miles, connecting from Third Street and the Grand Boulevard bridge to end near the midpoint of Berkley Riverfront. The stop will place visitors just a five-minute walk from CPKC Stadium, with completion timed for the World Cup.

The streetcar extension is part of a larger $5 million development plan that includes a pavilion featuring a canopy, sculptural lighting and enhanced amenities. The pavilion is designed to serve as the new "front door" to Berkley Riverfront, CPKC Stadium and future developments.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

$5 million pavilion to serve as new gateway for Kansas City area

PortKC and the Kansas City Streetcar Authority announced plans for an "end of the line" pavilion at the Riverfront station on Saturday.

Kansas City, Missouri, unveils plans for streetcar extension to Berkley Riverfront ahead of World Cup

Plans for the KC Streetcar Riverfront Extension were unveiled Saturday, marking the beginning of a major transformation for the Berkley Riverfront area.

Anybody who might believe this will turn a profit from KCMO can either look at P&L District debt scheme or simply trust TKC's standing offer to sell the Paseo Bridge. 

Nevertheless . . .

We remain optimistic if only because this farcical proposal inspires our playlist on the topic building, ballyhoo & hoopla . . . 

Let's start with pop music contradiction and POSSIBLY proof that the lobby music of two-star hotels might provide a soundtrack for purgatory from which gentles souls deserve rescue . . . "We Built This City" is a 1985 #1 hit by the band Starship, released on their album Knee Deep in the Hoopla. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and Martin Page and was originally a darker track about the decline of live music venues in Los Angeles, but producers, notably Peter Wolf, reshaped it into a pop song. Despite becoming a massive commercial success, the song is famously criticized for being a corporate-rock track with an anti-commercial message, a contradiction that led many critics to label it one of the worst songs of all time.

For our boomer friends and just a nice nostalgic pop music track that speaks to the eternally beugiling game of love practiced by beautiful women and some of the more talented politicos. "Build Me Up Buttercup" was written released by the British band The Foundations in 1968, with Colin Young singing lead vocals. Fun fact: The Foundations were a multi-racial British soul band active in the late 1960s, comprised of members from West Indian, White British, and Sri Lankan backgrounds.

A somewhat current track for aging hipsters offers a hint at redemption . . . Milky Chance's "Down By The River" is about finding solace and redemption in a difficult relationship, with the river symbolizing a place of renewal where the couple can overcome past mistakes and start fresh.

For the bridge, a bit of a throwback for our hipster friends who might also be skeptical about so many local development schemes dominating World Cup "news" and reportring . . . "House of Cards" was first performed by Thom Yorke in 2005 and was officially released on Radiohead's 2007 album, In Rainbows. The song has a "mellow and summery" feel, and its music video was created using 3D data captured by lasers and scanners, making it one of the first of its kind.

Finally, an old school train song that kinda puts local rail hopes in perspective . . . "Waiting for a Train" is a song written and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers and released by the Victor Talking Machine Company as the flipside of "Blue Yodel No. 4" in February 1929. The song originated in the nineteenth century in England. It later appeared in several song books, with variations on the lyrics throughout the years.

As always, thanks for reading and have a safe & fun Saturday night.