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Welcome, {{secret_name | Secret Reader}}
Kansas City settles into its winter rhythm this week — the kind where jazz rooms glow a little deeper, holiday lights hit just right, and every bar seems to be running its own interpretation of “cozy.” From speakeasy cocktails to late-night DJ sets, indie rock at recordBar to full-tilt holiday flair, the city’s giving you more reasons than usual to stay out past your bedtime.
Consider this your map to the good rooms, the great sounds, and better energy. Let’s get into it.
I’ll see you at the bar.
—Jay, SecretKC editor
🕯️ Thursday — The Whisper
Winter Survival Cocktail Class & Jazz · Thu, Dec 11 | 6:00 PM · VOO Lounge
A chilled-out blend of cocktail technique and intimate jazz to glide into the weekend.
🔗 Event Website
Ken Lovern’s OJT · Thu, Dec 11 | 6:00 PM · Green Lady Lounge
Smooth, straight-ahead jazz in one of KC’s most reliable red-glow haunts.
🔗 Venue Website
Platinum Express · Thu, Dec 11 | 7:00 PM · Knuckleheads Saloon
Hard-driving rock/blues to kick off the weekend with some grit.
🔗 Event Website
The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show · Thu, Dec 11 · Evening · Uptown Theater
A campy, theatrical holiday performance with big personality and bigger laughs.
🔗 Event Website
House Picks
Our go-to rooms for cocktails, music, and unmistakable KC atmosphere.
The Monarch — Country Club Plaza
Gold-accented, elegant, and precision-driven. One of KC’s sharpest cocktail rooms and a flawless date-night opener.
🔗 themonarchbar.com
Libations & Co. / 1909 Club — Lee’s Summit
A true speakeasy: candlelit, quiet, and intentional. Serious cocktails, intimate pacing, and the kind of room built for leaning in.
🔗 Libations and Company
Brass Monkey — West Bottoms
Neon, vintage, playful. A cocktail bar with personality, unpretentious energy, and a touch of mischief.
🔗 instagram.com/brassmonkeykc
The Ship — West Bottoms
A back-alley institution pulsing with jazz, funk, and soul. Part bar, part club, fully KC.
🔗 theshipkc.com
Sherri’s Executive Lounge — East Side
Warm lighting, velvet R&B, and grown-night ambiance. A SecretKC anchor and one of the city’s great live-music lounges.
🔗 sherrislounge.com
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TGIF!
The Jackie Myers Trio · Fri, Dec 12 | 7:00 PM · 1909 Club
Soulful, cozy, small-room jazz just outside KC proper — a warm Friday pick.
🔗 Event Page
Teenage Bottlerocket · Fri, Dec 12 · The recordBar
Fast, loud punk rock in recordBar’s no-nonsense room.
🔗 Event Listing
DJ HighNoone/ Bowline Bros · Fri, Dec 12 | 9:00 PM · Tin Roof
Casual nightlife energy, danceable sets, easy vibes.
🔗 Venue Website
KCeMO – The Nightmare Before Christmas · Fri, Dec 12
Warehouse on Broadway · Doors 7 PM / Show 8 PM
A live, alt-leaning holiday reinterpretation with immersive energy.
🔗 Event Website
SCROOGE! (Holiday Musical) · Fri, Dec 12 · Storybook Theatre
A classic holiday musical for families and festive-mood seekers.
🔗 Venue Website
Holiday Lights / Winter Wonderlights · Fri–Sun, Dec 12–14 | 5:30–9:00 PM · KC Pumpkin Patch
Strollable lights, wine, and cozy seasonal installations.
🔗 Event Website
The Weekend List
Saturday, Dec 13
Wild Party, Jack · Sat, Dec 13 | 8:00 PM · recordBar
Indie/alt-rock with energy — great room, great sound.
🔗 Venue Website
Holiday Harmonies · Sat, Dec 13 | 7:00 PM · Folly Theater
A polished a-capella/barbershop performance — festive, theatrical, classy.
🔗 Event Website
Evergy Festival of Lights · Select nights Dec 11–13 · Powell Gardens
KC’s botanical light walk — magical, immersive, perfect for couples or families.
🔗 Event Website
Sassy Saturdays — Night of Live Music · Sat, Dec 13 · Gaels Public House
A neighborhood-bar live-gig vibe straight from KC’s music listings.
🔗 Venue Website
DJ Sir Queen · Sat, Dec 13 | Nighthawk
A high-energy, late-night DJ set in one of KC’s favorite underground-party spots.
🔗 Venue Website
Silent Ave — Country Night Debut · Sat, Dec 13 | Sherri’s Lounge
Sherri’s hosts its first-ever country music night — a fun curveball for the beloved late-night lounge.
🔗 Venue Website
Le Lounge — Lobby Bar Vibes · Sat, Dec 13 | Le Lounge
A chic, moody lobby-bar hang with cocktails and curated ambiance; expect a stylish, low-lit Saturday stop.
🔗 Instagram Page
Sunday, Dec 14
Sunday Jazz Brunch · Sun, Dec 14 | 10:00 AM · The Phoenix
Live jazz + brunch — one of KC’s signature Sunday experiences.
🔗 Venue Website
Sunday-night Jazz or Blues Set · Sun, Dec 14 | 5:00 PM · O’Dowd’s
A mellow, approachable way to close the weekend.
🔗 Venue Website
Evening Local Band / Chill Show · Sun, Dec 14 | 6:30 PM · Majestic Restaurant (Broadway)
Low-key live music with steakhouse ambience and old-KC charm.
🔗 Venue Website
Crown Center Ice Terrace & Holiday Installations · Ongoing
A classic winter KC stroll — ice skating, shopping, lights, seasonal displays.
🔗 Event Page
Last Call
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody.”
— Jane Jacobs
Last Call — The Kobayashi San
Before you call it a weekend, slip into XO HiFi and order the Kobayashi San — a clean, confident cocktail built on gin, shiso, tonic, and a whisper of soda. It’s one of those drinks that looks simple until you taste it: bright, herbal, quietly electric. Shiso lifts the whole thing into that rare space between refreshing and mysterious — the kind of flavor profile that made me pause mid-conversation.
If you need a reset after a loud night, or just want one perfect drink to close out the weekend, this is it. The room hums, the ice clinks, the shiso hits, and suddenly the world feels aligned again.
A sharp finish to a sharp weekend.
Stay sharp, KC ☾