Troostival Pop-Up Concert, Bottoms Up Festival On Tap Today

A pop-up show outside Union Station courtesy of Troostival and a West Bottoms concert  that begins the two-day ‘Bottoms Up’ festival are on tap for this First Friday evening as live music reemerges to blow away the Covid blues.

The Troostival Street Tour event runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the Union Station streetcar stop. The free event will feature performances by Brass and Boujee and The Black Creatures.

Brass and Boujee is an 18-piece, hip-hop big band that also serves as the hip-hop unit of the Marcus Lewis Big Band, according to a press release announcing the show. The Black Creatures are a duo representing Center Cut Records.

Local musician Kemet Coleman launched Troostival in 2020 with the mission to unmute Black musicians, celebrate Black creativity, and challenge racial injustice.

“Growing up as a musician along the street that racially divided KC really had an impact on me,” Coleman said in a statement.

“As a longtime community member I felt as though it was time to use music to bring our community together by showcasing the talent that shares a legacy with the rich musical heritage Kansas City is known for internationally.”

The Black Creatures are Xavier Martin and Jade Green. (Photo courtesy Troostival)

Attendees are encouraged to ride the streetcar to the pop-up show and to bring their own chair to watch the performance outside the streetcar stop.

Today’s pop-up show is the first of several events Troostival has planned. Another pop-up show is planned for Juneteenth at Buck O’Neil Tribute Park and the second annual Troostival will take place on Saturday, October 2, according to the release.

The Second Annual Bottoms Up – An Arts and Music Festival runs today and Saturday. It’s presented by a collaboration that includes The Arts Asylum, Block Box KC, and several Northeast Kansas City organizations.

The event highlights the work of local artists from Historic Northeast of Kansas City, and includes hands-on art activities and performances from local musicians and actors, according to a release.

The Bottoms Up festival will conclude Saturday evening with a concert on the lawn of the Kansas City Museum. (Photo from Visit KC website)

Bottoms Up begins today from 6- to 10 p.m. with a live concert with performers Zava and Felix at The Black Box KC in the West Bottoms, 1060 Union Ave. Tickets are $20 and food trucks, beverages and more will be on site.

Saturday provides art opportunities at three sites in the Historic Northeast from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a live performance on the grounds of the Kansas City Museum from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The sites and activities for Saturday: Artist/creative booths at the EGG Gallery, 2659 Independence Ave.; Chalk Your Walk with Northeast Arts KC, a Facebook event; and a chance to mingle, create and purchase art at Art Garden KC/FMK Social Gallery/PH Coffee, 2233 Lexington.

The event concludes with “Reflections: A Concert on the Lawn of the Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., a benefit for The Arts Asylum. A ticket for a 10′ by 10′ socially-distant diamond on the lawn that will accommodate up to six people is $50.

The gate opens at 5:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 6 p.m..

Bottoms Up Event information and ticket links to the Friday and Saturday concerts, can be found here.