All the Rage

The Pitch Music Showcase is a volcanic rainbow explosion of local music action. It's also a bar crawl beyond Dionysus' most wine-soaked dreams. Friday night in Westport, for a mere $5, you and your over-21 running buddies can buy admission to shows by 27 local acts playing in six venues — the Beaumont, McCoy's, the Hurricane, Blayney's, the Westport Beach Club and Karma.

It starts at 8:30, when It's Over takes over the Beaumont with guitar pop, Kasey Rausch serenades McCoy's, Lights & Siren sounds off at the Hurricane, DJ Just lords over the dance at Karma, and Miles Bonny drops his pants — er ... the beat — at the Westport Beach Club.

The end of the night should see the Architects destroying what's left of the Beaumont, American Catastrophe slaying hearts at McCoy's, the Grand Marquis boppin' at Blayney's, Bacon Shoe shaking udders (don't ask) at the Beach Club, and the Republic Tigers burning bright at the Hurricane.

There's more to this night than having fun and digging local music. The 27 bands playing in the showcase aren't even half of the 85 bands that have been nominated for this year's Pitch Music Awards.

Over the winter, a panel of more than 30 area promoters, club owners, journalists, bloggers, record label owners and other music-scene wonks in KC and Lawrence nominated these 85 righteously ass-kicking bands, DJs, rappers and individual musicians. The ballot has been running in the paper and online over the past few weeks, and fans have been voting for their faves. In the following pages, we've compiled short profiles of these fan favorites. Showcase attendees who haven't already voted are welcome to pick up a paper ballot at any of the venues, fill it out and stuff it in the box provided.

The showcase marks the end of the voting. A week later, on Friday, August 10, we present the winners with their trophies at the Uptown Theater.

The Pitch Music Awards offer only a glimpse into what's going on in the larger scene. We can think of quite a few great bands and DJs who, for whatever reason, didn't get enough votes to make this ballot. And then there are those we've never heard. They're out there, rockin' garages and clubs all across the metro. Rest assured, they'll end up in the Pitch sooner or later.

Make fun of "local music" in other cities. In Kansas City, this shit's for real.

Contributing writers: Ashley Brown, Richard Gintowt, Jason Harper, Aaron Ladage, Megan Metzger, Chris Milbourn, Andrew Miller, Jesse Nathan, Lorna Perry, Sarah Smarsh, Phil Torpey, Andy Vihstadt

Avant/Experimental

Experimental Instrument Orchestra

Though Experimental Instrument Orchestra's fingers may still be greasy from all the fish and chips they wolfed down while recording at the BBC's studios this past winter, the band is still wielding its homemade instruments with agility. In less than a year, this native trio has gained worldwide attention for its members' ability to coax sound from saucepans, pitchforks and washing machines. These three are born dumpster divers — not to mention experts in composing strange, spontaneous, Sigur Ros-like anthems. What's more, they build the instruments for each show on the spot. And if grease has musical properties, these guys'll figure 'em out. myspace.com/experimentalinstrumentorchestra

Malachy Papers

Anthropologists of the 28th century may someday infer from this region's surviving texts that the Malachy Papers were a collection of documents on Kansas City's experimental music scene. They wouldn't be far off, except that the Papers are actually a shape-shifting ensemble of musical freaks led by saxophonist Mark Southerland. Better artifacts would be the strange and funky sounds that the Papers have committed to tape, sometimes in collaboration with musical adventurers such as guitarist Eugene Chadbourne and jam-circuit vibraphone overlord Mike Dillon. For now, though, there are enough among the living who have yet to discover this stuff. malachypapers.com

Onemilliontinytinyjesuses

Some guys start bands to wear cool clothes, drink on the job and attract female attention. Devon Brown and his one-named partner, Yob, started Onemilliontinytinyjesuses to dress like bishops in gold robot helmets and push the limits of electronic music. Since winning this category in '06, the two have somewhat tamed their skittery, jackhammer style, incorporating live-drum samples and more traditional dance beats and losing the helmets and robes. The boogielicious and sometimes brilliant results are evident on the Jesuses' latest EP of remixes (mostly of tracks by local groups) and also in a retooled live set. myspace.com/onemilliontinytinyjesuses

Street Jizz

Street Jizz is more of an artist's statement than a band. Last fall, Ssion ringleader Cody Critcheloe scrapped the punk rock and decided to embrace his inner Pet Shop Boy. To realize his vision, he enlisted leggy drag queens, nearly nude young things and boy-genius-from-outer-space Ashley Miller (Golden Calves, Pewep in the Formats). The product was the infectious, fabulous dance number "Street Jizz" — the anthem for anonymous park sex and the prototype for the Ssion's new sound. myspace.com/ssion

This Is My Condition

"Thanks. This Is My Condition." Craig Comstock's token response to applause is an apt description of his approach to performing as a one-man band: unpretentious, unpredictable and totally unhinged. Guitars shit their pickups when Comstock comes to the clearance rack, knowing full well they could end up on the receiving end of his merciless, high-flying drumsticks. Make a concerted effort to experience Comstock's condition at least once, and be grateful that he has found a productive outlet for his restless leg syndrome. thisismycondition.com