It’s Alive! Its Alive!
Full bar, outdoor concerts, live entertainment, no cover, Halloween & New Year’s Eve events, late-night pass, big screen for sports
KC Live!, the centerpiece of downtown Kansas City’s $850 million Power & Light entertainment district, appeals to those of us who like the idea of barhopping but would prefer to streamline the “hopping” element. Located in the southwest corner of 13th Street and Grand Boulevard, the semi-enclosed, two-tier patio is ringed by a city block of restaurants and nightspots, including The Dubliner, McFadden’s Sports Saloon, Howl at the Moon piano bar and Mosaic Lounge. It’s usually free to enter (except late on weekends, where you’ll pay for a “late night pass” and get two tickets for drinks or food) and can serve as either your basecamp for evening expeditions or a destination in itself—there are weekly concerts in summer and plenty of other events throughout the year.
Since its establishment in 2007, KC Live! has made its name as the place to go for special events in Kansas City. It hosts annual Halloween and New Year’s Eve bashes (heaters in the overhead canopy keep the party going in winter), and the concert stage at the south end is topped by a big screen TV perfect for communal viewing of sporting events. In fact, the 2010 World Cup viewing party here made it onto ESPN’s nationwide round-up of crowds going wild after Landon Donovan’s extra-time goal against Algeria. Recently, KC Live! became something of an auxiliary location to Kansas City, Kan.’s Sporting Park for Major League Soccer All-Star game festivities, hosting a concert by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and a Sporting KC fashion show.
The Power & Light District most likely appeals to the young-with-disposable-income crowd, as drinks within the space will be inflated by one or two dollars and some of the bars and lounges carry cover charges. Its reputation is for the crowded, loud, short-skirt-and-Axe-body-spray kind of parties; it somehow seems like one can never leave there without having beer spilled on them.
The KC Live! space is designed to keep things interesting and entertaining. The ground floor is split into different sectors that tier toward the stage so sightlines remain unobstructed. Small evergreen trees and deep wooden benches that make you feel like you’re on someone’s back porch in Estes Park set off the middle section. The upper floor features a walkway three-quarters of the way around, offering access to second-story venues and a bird’s eye view of the people below. The openness of it gives you a pleasant version of al fresco seating, with giant fans and overhead heaters to keep the temperature comfy and a canopy to keep out all but the worst precipitation.
KC Live!, unsurprisingly, has a bright, shiny new feel to it. At its worst, it can feel a bit too corporate and impersonal, but at its best, you’ll feel like you’re participating in something built just for you: a twenty-first century Kansas Citian looking to have a good time.