By Don Bradley
The Waldo Folk music summer series rests on a simple belief that great artists shouldn’t have to play in noisy bars.
That’s why Chuck Schmitz and Phil Bourne started the Waldo Folk summer series as a means to put singers and musicians in listening rooms where the music takes center stage.
Cozy, intimate.
And it gets started this year June 19 in the Tap Room at Waldo Pizza with Minor Gold, an Australian folk duo who won the Queensland Music Award.
And with all the construction and traffic snafus in Waldo, the area could use some kumbaya.
Schmitz and Bourne both live in Waldo, met through a love of folk music and wanted to share that love with the rest of Kansas City. And they convinced Waldo Pizza to let them use the Tap Room.
They say Kansas City is a pretty good music town, but it doesn’t have enough venues for all the great musicians.
“I’m a build-it-and-they-will-come believer,” Schmitz said. “I would love to see a dozen more venues like ours.”
Bourne described the two as “professional fans.”
“The focus is on the music and you can trust us to bring in an artist you want to see,” Bourne said.
This year’s Waldo Folk summer series at Waldo Pizza, 7433 Broadway:
- June 19: Minor Gold, Australian duo known for Americana folk music, winner of Queensland Music Award 2024
- July 10: Shane Hennessy, an Irish virtuoso guitarist known for blending traditional Irish music with elements of jazz, country, blues and hip-hop
- Aug. 28: Siomha, Irish singer and guitarist specializing in folk, jazz and neo-soul.
- Sept. 11: Pat Byrne, Irish singer now living in Austin, Texas, blends his native roots with new musical influences.
For more information, go to waldofolk.com.