Shining at The Morton
- TheBetterHalf
- 24 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Partly thanks to those folks who sell salt in containers sporting the girls dressed in yellow skirts and toting yellow umbrellas, KC now has a great new amphitheater. It sits in an area surrounded by grassland and newly built warehouses not far from Parkville but located in Riverside, MO. The Morton, current name rights holder, sports a 12,000 padded seat amphitheater. This quite comfortable venue is where you can see and hear ‘60s and ‘70s top rock groups or modern day bands that are still climbing the charts.
The Morton has only been open since June and as a result, visitors are still educating themselves as to the best routes to parking and where the main entrance is. Expect slow but moving carloads of ticket holders. More signage and more staff members providing directions would help.
Once beyond the required 21st Century security paraphernalia, which is easier to navigate here than at Arrowhead, guests breeze into the plaza arena. Here large outdoor tables sprouting umbrellas, surrounded by Florida hued Adirondak chairs invite you to sit and relax. Note #1: If you don’t get there early, you will be standing. A few corn hole sets are grouped about to aid in passing the time.
Soft and hard beverages along with mega cans of beer are available for purchase. Note #2: Be prepared to pay handsomely. The songs maybe from the ‘70s but the prices are not.
At concert time, Cutest and I walked up the two flights of stairs, scorning the available elevators, to the main arena. Behind that section is The Lawn! providing space for an additional 4,000 patrons. By bringing your blanket or renting one of Morton’s lawn chairs, you can sit on the grass behind the seating sections. Note #3: Your own lawn chair is not allowed, but lawn patrons do save a few sheckles on the admission fee.
Sights and sounds are top drawer. No beams or weird building angles hinder your view of the stage. Two mammoth video screens flank the performance space so no binoculars are needed. (Cutest disagrees with "mammoth," saying large and could be larger would suffice.) Images on those screens are sharp and true to color. Sounds were crisp and clean yet not over-powering. Leave your ear protection at home.
The evening we attended, the Doobie Brothers and Santana performed. Enough Doobie Brothers are still alive to slide you back comfortably to the’70s, unlike today’s Beach Boys or Paul Simon. As a redish gold striped sun sat behind the stage and as monster ceiling fans pushed comforting air about, the "groovy" night began.
The Doobie Brothers performed an engaging hour-plus set, playing all of their hits. Shortly afterwards, Santana, of Latin, rock and blues fame, emerged from the darkened stage, guitar in hand and a rockin’ group of pro performers behind him. I must give a shoutout to Santana’s wife and lead drummer Cindy Blackman. That woman can play the skins as well if not better than any other percussionist. We had a great time.
As a brief side note; Many concerts today have a heavy oder of marijuana lingering in the air. Not so this night; whether it was the age of the revelers or the open-air design of the theater. Although it could be found, it was not abrasive to the senses.
Add the Morton to your list of KC entertainment locales. The Morton is where it’s happening, whether it rains or pours or shines.
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