Uptown Theater KC — Attraction in Kansas City

i am leaving this review several months late because life got away from me, haha. but this is all in reference to the motionless in white show that was on september 23rd.

i am physically disabled with a severe pain condition. i had never been to uptown theater before, and i cannot speak highly enough of how they are toward disabled people. truly. i have never experienced anything like it. i had a vip ticket, and when vip was about to be brought upstairs for the meet and greet, we were asked if anyone would be needing to use the elevator rather than the stairs. it can be a bit embarrassing and stressful to have to track down someone and ask about an elevator, so it was a relief to not even have to ask. i was handed over to a man to take me to the elevator (i believe his name was rico) and this guy became my guardian angel for the night for real. his thoughtfulness toward making sure i had a good experience that night was unreal. he would just materialize out of nowhere any time i might have needed help. he literally set out two chairs at the side of the front of the pit so if i decided i wanted to sit down, i wouldn't be in the back. i was too stubborn because i wanted to be in the middle of the barricade without the amps in the way haha, but i have never been given that option before. disabled seating is always, always, always in the back. it was so crazy for this man who has never even met me to go grab chairs for me and put them in the best place he had available. he showed me to the security guards so they would know who to keep an extra eye out for when the crowd got rowdy too.

the crowdsurfers were constant at several points throughout the night, and i can't lift people. one of the security guards asked if i was okay or if i needed help leaving. i told him that my favorite band was playing last and that this was really important to me. he nodded and didn't ask again if i wanted to leave but did continually check in with me and offered me water throughout the night, as did several other guards. it was a kindness that has never been given to me at a show before. the guards all worked really, really hard catching so many people. i know that i likely caused them extra work and stress, but this was quite literally the most important night of my life, and their hard work meant more to me than they will ever know.

every staff member i encountered throughout the night, including the people at the doors and the woman selling drinks, was just wonderful. this venue was a joy and i look forward to catching another show here soon. thank you so much to all of the staff...

The hubby and I have been to Uptown Theater twice now since moving back to the KC metro area in June 2019. This gem of a retro theater is a wonderful asset to the community!

Our first visit was for a Logan Mize/Jill Martin concert. Logan and Jill are from areas near where I grew up so we had to support the hometown kids! Uptown Theater was a great venue for this type of concert. Tickets for this event were general admission only so you were able to choose to sit or stand throughout the concert. Obviously to be right up front nearest the stage one had to stand the entire time or risk losing their spot.

Our second visit to Uptown Theater was to attend “Thundergong 2019”, our first time at this charity event. What a fantastic evening!! Tickets for THIS event were a choice between assigned seats or GA. We chose assigned seats but by the end of the evening had moved to stand in the GA area....even got fairly close to the stage at one point.

So about Uptown Theater specifically.....I do not profess to be an expert in regards to this venue. It has obviously been around multiple decades given its architectural style and the visible “wear-and-tear”. While the wear-and-tear certainly adds to the charm, I caution the owners against allowing it to continue to deteriorate too much. I wouldn’t want to see a complete overhaul nor change to the design, perhaps just a freshening up however. ::insert polite, pleading look here::🥺

Both times the staff were friendly, the second time the female bartender who served us at the beginning of the evening was particularly kind and patient with my indecisive self.

Oh, and a better explanation on their website of the parking situation and suggestions would be VERY MUCH appreciated!!!! (4...

The Uptown Theater was built in 1928 and it's primary use was showing first-run movies. Eventually led to stage productions and concerts (which is why I was there in September of 2022, to see the band Pavement). It was also one of the first theaters that used fragrances and aromatics during movies, which they implemented in the 1930s.

As for it's modern-day usage, parking could not be easier or more convenient, as there is a large parking area just north of the venue. Day of the show, you can line up on the north side of the building prior to the doors opening if you like.

The interior design is inspired by Italian Renaissance style, and there are various figures and intricate details everywhere. The floor of the venue is sloped slightly downward towards the stage, so no matter where you are standing/sitting, you'll have a good view of the stage. Seating capacity is under 2,000 as well, so I'd definitely consider it a fairly intimate venue.

I was worried after reading some reviews that the temperature sometimes gets a little warm inside. The day of the show I attended, the temp reached nearly 100 degrees in Kansas City, so I thought it was going to be warm inside, but it was perfectly comfortable and cool.

The opening band put on a great show, and seeing Pavement perform live was incredible. So glad Uptown Theater hosted them, and fans/security/etc all seemed great, at least from what I could tell. I certainly look forward to going back to this venue again in the future if there is another show I'm interested in seeing, and hope the theater stays a fixture of the city well...