FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2007

CONTACT:
Michael Johnson, Director of Communications
816-421-1388
michael@maaa.org

Spontaneous Combustion to Perform at Live in the Crossroads
Free outdoor concert coincides with First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District

What: Mid-America Arts Alliance Presents: Live in the Crossroads

Presented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, the Kansas City Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, and the Metropolitan Arts Council of Greater Kansas City.

When: Friday, August 3, 2007
            7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  

Who: Spontaneous Combustion

Spontaneous Combustion is a band that defies musical boundaries by approaching all songs as bluegrass. From the Beatles to Beethoven, The Moody Blues to Mozart, Spontaneous Combustion put on an interactive show that is undeniably fun. The quartet takes classic '60s fare, like "Summer Song," "Georgy Girl" and "My Girl," and turns them into toe-tapping bluegrassy chestnuts, while the group's adaptation of Mozart's "Rondo alla Turca,” does the unthinkable by bringing out the bluegrass in classical.

Spontaneous Combustion was formed in the summer of 1986, and in the years since they first got together, the four original members have found a lot of reasons to keep playing. By refusing to define its boundaries, Spontaneous Combustion has taken the approach that all songs are potential bluegrass songs, which means that there’s a lot of territory to be explored.

Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine says of their first album "BlueRock," that the "blend of contemporary popular material and bluegrass instrumentation . . . has an undeniable appeal." That appeal comes partly from the band’s irreverent notion that even classical music has a place on a bluegrass stage, encouraging the speculation that if Mr. W.A. Mozart were alive today, he may well be composing for high-energy bands like Kansas City’s own Spontaneous Combustion.

Spontaneous Combustion will have audiences eating out of their musical hands. If you feel like dancing, do so; if you want to sing along, this is a perfect opportunity. Great music, fabulous picking and singing, timeless music, and a touch of hunor come together in this wildly entertaining package.

For more information about Spontaneous Combustion, please visit http://shorock.com/spontane/index.html.

Where: Across from Mid-America's headquarters at 2018 Baltimore Avenue in the Crossroads Arts District

Why: After 30 years in downtown Kansas City, Mid-America Arts Alliance moved to its new location in the Crossroads Arts District. Because Mid-America's programs include visual and performing arts, free concerts are an appropriate addition to First Fridays and an opportunity for Mid-America to celebrate its new home with neighbors, friends, and KC art lovers.

For more information, please visit www.maaa.org or contact Andrew Graham.