Art, Evolution, Hip Hop, Music Festivals, Religion, Sacred Space

Meeting Ringo Starr: My Jew-Ish Journey

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Miss Conceptionaly

“We are in the business of relationships” Rabbi Paul Steinberg from Congregation Kol Shofar always told me. And he’s not wrong. “I’ve been doing this my whole life,” I thought! It all comes down to who you know… truly.

Last week at my teen youth program when we were discussing famous Jewish and people of color, the students asked me who the most famous person I ever met was. Was it the time I (think) I almost dated Max Greenfield from The New Girl? No…That may or may not have been a catfish. Was it the time I had lunch in New York with the legendary talk show host Phil Donahue? Nope. (He was super cranky! But at least he paid.)

It was most definitely the time that I was fortunate enough to meet the iconic Beatle, Ringo Starr in Chicago in 2003.

We were celebrating my father Norman’s 47th birthday with my stepmother Adina (who I introduced to my dad after my parents divorced) and my brothers Adam and Netanel. Now nobody loves The Beatles more than Norman! His new wife, Adina (I call her my other mother), has a brother who is a Rabbi in Israel and happened to be friends with Ringo’s manager who was also an Orthodox Jew. (Ari and the manager were friends in high school at a yeshiva.) Adina reached out to the manager who said yes, we could meet Ringo before the concert, during the VIP meet-n-greet. Adina asked him if there was anything that we could do to repay him, and he said “It would be great if you could bring me a kosher sandwich. I only eat Kosher food”. So we went to Ken’s Kosher Deli in Chicago. We were trying at the same time to surprise my father by meeting Ringo, so we had to hide the sandwich on the way to the concert and smuggle it into the show! Quite fun for a 17-year-old. Norm sensed that there was a surprise in store, and he wrongly guessed that my grandparents were going to be meeting us there for the concert. Little did he know that it was actually Ringo who we were there to see.

We were the last people in line with the radio ticket winners for the special meet-n-greet and we got to shake Ringo’s hand and take this photo with him. Ringo didn’t say much, he mumbled something about the song The Beatles sing about Kansas City, and we asked him if he was going to play it, to which he replied “Maybe.” (He didn’t).

But it didn’t matter. We met RINGO STARR! Thanks to a sandwich, and an old friend from college type of connection.

It wasn’t until many years later, reflecting on this event, coupled with so many other rich experiences that have happened to me over the years, that I fully realized the value of investing in relationships. You never know what you invest in in the present and how it might later impact your future… what kind of job opportunities might raise your resume to the top of the stack because of who you kept up with from college, or who on your social media friend’s list might see a post of yours and offer up some brilliant information or resource, all because you thought to ask, and they cared enough to stay in touch and nurture that relationship.

Many years later, I was working on my 3rd hip-hop album and I wanted to write a hip-hop song that my dad, one of my favorite people in the world, could relate to. I wanted to show him how the beauty of poetry and words could be so powerful, and I thought about how much my father loves The Beatles. So I went and compiled all of The Beatles song titles I could find in a list and started editing them into a story. What fell out was, to this date, probably the most proud piece of work I have ever channeled as an artist. I called it, “Let It Beatles”, and it’s a story composed almost entirely of Beatles song titles:

These things happened in my life because of the meaningful relationships I have chosen to invest in. During the decade I previously worked at my current place of employment as a Communications Associate, I strived to form and maintain these kinds of relationships with our staff and community. I stepped in as needed, covering youth group programs and social justice initiatives that were not specifically part of my job, but needed to get done nonetheless. Last year, when I was looking at returning to Kansas City from San Francisco, I like to believe that it was many of these previous relationships that helped me secure this director position in my current role.

Who knows who I might meet next!?

Check out “Let It Beatles” the poetic Tribute by Sara Nicole Glass Listen to the song here: http://bit.ly/LetItBeatles202

All of these stories are true, and I have been so blessed by so many incredible relationships. (Now if somebody could let John Mayor know that there is a nice Jewish Girl in Kansas City who is still single and looking, that would be great, thanks 😉

Oh so sincerely,
MissConception

Music Festivals

Waka Waka Wakarusa

Posted on May 6, 2015May 7, 2015 by Miss Conceptionaly

Precursor: Accuracy of dates and information are as reliable as my memory. Please forgive any inaccurate facts, as being ass-deep into this experience for 12 years leaves some room for misconceptions.

I attended my first Wakarusa in 2004, when I was 18. My friend told me to buy a ticket that some great bands would be there. I loved OAR and they were the headlinder, so it seemed like a reasonable experience. When my parents dropped me off at my camp site, they almost didn’t let me get out of the car. After having my eyes blown open to a culture I had known very little about, I told myself I would go every year if I could afford it, and that I would never look back.

The second year, I remember spending $79 on my ticket (I got the early bird special). Wilco and Gov’t Mule were apparently a big deal? Lawrence, KS never looked so good that summer going into sophomore year of KU. Chipotle sponsored a food/music tent, and it was the greatest event known to man in my eyes. Andrew Walker wore a red speedo with Trey Anastasio’s face and I spent most mornings on a fallen tree branch that hung out over Clinton Lake, thinking to myself “why couldn’t we live like this every day? In some sort of village…. with our friends. And great music. And good food and art?” I’m an idealist, what can I say…

2006 I joined the art team. Terribly proud, we painted street signs and snarky reminders like “wear sunscreen” which hung all over the festival and promptly got stolen. Lesson: Make art that is indestructible and that won’t walk off. Meet me at the piano is a great example.

That year I slept on top of my car because there was a spider in my tent. The Flaming Lips were there, wearing orange hazmat suits and doing what appeared to be very silly, yet important work, all weekend. My friend tried to buy me a hula hoop, but I said no. Didn’t really look like my thing… I can tell you that Michael Franti changed my life, though.

The 2007 lineup was fresh. I took it upon myself to run the Wakanvas, a giant piece of plywood that was an open canvas for anybody who wanted to paint. It was a lovely experience…these people worked on it all weekend and it was incredible. I walked away for a short while on Saturday night and somebody covered the entire mural with black paint while I was out, ruining this amazing piece of art. Lesson: Don’t leave important projects unattended. Anything is possible at Wakarusa.

2008 I became an intern for Pipeline Productions, working for the Barrett brothers in Lawrence, KS. In 2009 I began working on the street team, handing out fliers in Lawrence and KC in exchange for my ticket. I was more than thrilled with this arrangement. That was the year of C-mon and Kypsi. Another story, for another time, but I think it’s safe to say that weekend still may have been the best weekend of my life, to this day.

Then the next year, everything changed. The arrangements in Lawrence became heated. From what I understand, the police situation was getting a little outrageous, and the festival itself was damaging the National Park land of Clinton Lake. The festival made a decision to move the event to Mulberry Mountain, outside of Fayettville, Arkansas, however at first, nobody trusted it. In reality the magic was never lost. The festival’s original name stemmed from the Wakarusa river in Kansas, from a native word literally meaning “ass-deep”. Mulberry Mountain and the wacky nature of Wakarusa itself, never ceased to fulfill that title.

2010, The Black Crows headlined, and I’ve never seen a show like that again. STS9 was a staple at this point. G Love. Galactic. Yonder Mountain. EOTO. JJ Gray. Everybody that was anybody was there. I was thankful to be there, in Arkansas, the year I FINALLY learned how to hula hoop… and I wanted MORE.

Wakarusa allowed me bring a small team of fire spinners to help with the crowd entertainment. We called ourselves, the Vibe Tribe. Cicada Rhythms hosted a spoken word intermission featuring MissConception and Nightlife Jones. It was a good year for artists. That year Widespread Panic took the lead with Umphrey’s McGee, and Wookiefoot came on the scene. Spoonfed Tribe met The Heavy Pets, and it was all smooth on the Waka front.

2011, the vibe came on strong, with Thievery Corporation and Mumford and Sons to name a few. I worked the artist check-in that year, and while it felt like one small step for my kind, it was a tough position because I missed all the action! I wanted to be out in the thick of it. Not just experiencing the festival, but participating in it. Creating it. This experience gave me a huge appreciation for the people who run and work this festival, all of the volunteers and Pipeline Staff, who work endless to create this experience for us. THANK YOU WAKARUSA for doing it right.

2012 Pipeline brought Primus and Girl Talk…. OMG! What more do you need? I upped my game by bringing a team of 30 people and we created an artistic village, with light up jelly fish puppets, workshops and costumes galore. MissConception and the VibeTribe even had a set that year at the Satellite stage. Maybe a highlight of my performance career. The year there were storms. It was hard, on everyone. But NOBODY was prepared for 2013.

“Muckarusa” was a very real experience. Humbling. If you’ve never tromped around in nine inches of mud for four days, you really haven’t lived on the edge. It doesn’t matter who was playing, half of it was cancelled. I really only remember Snoop Lion bombing. Nobody had fun. Everybody was miserable. Nobody ever wanted to go back again. Ever. It was a low moment for the Waka crew. But it only made us stronger.

I went back. Those of us, who died hard the year before, we STILL went back. I went back namely because of the shrine that was built for Toby Keith out of the broken tents and chairs when all of the shows were cancelled during the mud storms. I went back because of the moment we were under Yosh’s geo dome and the tarp ripped off by the rain and we all scattered like ants for safety. I went back because, how could it get ANY MORE insane, right? I went back because that is the exact kind of wacky-waka spirit that was there since the beginning, and I couldn’t not see how it was all going to go down.

The only thing that could have saved 2014 was the String Cheese Incident… and by golly they did. By the grace of the Gods and the String Cheese Incident, Wakarusa prevailed… It was the Greatest Show on Earth. It was everything you would want in a festival and more. It was home, again. Bassnector, Wookiefoot, the Flaming Lips, Infected Mushroom, Edward Sharpe, John Butler, Claude Von Stroke, Nahko. That 1 Guy. It was BIG. We were larger than life.

Proudly, as this year’s the 2015 Live Art Coordinator for the Wakarusa Music Festival, it is with my whole heart that I jump into this experience year after year…. knowing that there is no greater place on earth for my soul, than ass-deep amongst my best friends rockin’ out to Slightly Stoopid, spinning fire beneath those mountain stars – it’s EXACTLY where I need to be June 4-7th. You buy the ticket, you take the ride, and you never know what you’re going to find…. but I find comfort in knowing that at Wakarusa, it’s going to be something interesting that leaves me begging for more. Wakarusa. “Where music meets mother nature”. This year it is with deep gratitude that we bring to you not only more live painters and interactive art, with an emphasis on participation and circus entertainment, installations and also with a focus on leaving no trace. You can attend a solar workshops. Reusable and functional art are the goal.

I look forward to making it to Mulberry Mountain every year, and for many years to come. Thank you Wakarusa community for sticking it out and making this so all so magical! Until next year, you have my heart, Wakarusa. You always will.

Love,

MissConception

Hip Hop

What’s UP Kansas City ?

Posted on February 17, 2015May 7, 2015 by Miss Conceptionaly

How ya’ll doing? Really, I’m curious… TELL ME please in the comments below. What do YOU have going on that’s worth noting?

I thought I would check in and say HI! Real talk. I’ve had my pulse on you for a while now, KC, and we’re just getting started! As I’m gearing up for another Spring and Summer of enlightenment, I’ve been hibernating and feeling out the calm before the storm.

There are some wonderful things coming up in KC, and I wanted to fill all you loyal bloggers in; so take out your calendar and write down anything that seems interesting! I’d love to see you out and about, painting the town whatever color you like, naturally.

First I’m working on recording a new album! It should be out by late Spring; Title and release date coming soon! Special thanks to Little Class Records!

2/25 Will be another fantastic feature poetry reading, brought to you by Nightlife Jones and MissConception, also featuring the illustrious Cheri Lou Woods. Be at the Arts Bar (3611 Broadway) pre-open mic on Wednesday, February 25th for a special feature that will BLOW YOU AWAY. Feature 8-9, open mic 9-11, always free, donations always welcome!

Dr Seuss’s birthday bash is happening on Monday evening, March 2nd at the Uptown Arts Bar 6:30 p.m. Come and celebrate the life and poetry of Dr Seuss with myself and some other local poets! AND this one the donations go towards a good cause, Community LINC.

Save the Date for the screening of the documentary I produced titled “The Hellraiser”. When a man (who happens to be my Grandfather!) decided he needed to call the Pope one day years ago, the impossible happened. Suddenly, an ordinary lawyer found himself in not so ordinary positions. Meet Sid Willens, civic activist and lawyer representing the underdog in many cases and platforms. Sid has developed strategic tactics and systematic flow charts to accomplish what maybe would call the impossible, and he’s not afraid to share with the public the methods he uses to succeed. Essentially, the film is about activism and how to make systematic change as an individual in this discriminatory system.

Please join your community on Thursday, April 2nd, 7:00 p.m. at the Uptown Arts Bar for a screening and discussion over the movie “The Hellraiser”. Doors are at 7:00 p.m., followed by the film screening and a discussion panel from 8-8:30 consisting of Sid Willens, Al Brooks and Rabbi Mark Levin. Other organizations will be there representing social justice actions happening today, including Ida B Wellls, The American Friends Services Committee and more. Details coming soon!

Worth Noting: I’ve recently taken a job with The Kelly Gallery working on weddings and graphic design (two of my loves), so if you need all things wedding, SEND ME A MESSAGE at sara.serendip@gmail.com! I want to help you!

Performance wise, I’ll be featuring at a TED TALK event in Lawrence March 23rd, performing at a MyArts KC Open Mic for youth in KC on March 27th, and doing a Burlesque show for adults on March 28th (hello busking burlesque poetry schtick)!

I am THRILLED to be collaborating with Matt Diamond for our multi-venue production of the Rhythm Rhyme and Blues Series… we’ll be heading to Lawrence, Liberty, St Joe (and of course KC) in April! As one of his newest additions to the IMagery brand, great collaborations are to come!

I’ve got a weekly hula hoop class starting at City in Motion on April 1st!

Luckily enough, i’ll be working with KC Young Audiences and the American Friends Services Committee for the “How to Change the World through Spoken Word” workshops, working with youth in Kansas City teaching them about spoken word and performance! What an honor.

And lastly, dare I remind you of my one true love, Wakarusa? If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, please get them NOW while they are affordable, and come share this incredible experience with me! There is no place like Wakarusa…. no place like OM.

We all have a lot going on. Pick what you love and STICK WITH IT. Keep lists. Keep calendars. Throw away that which doesn’t serve you any longer. Think ahead. Be proactive. And do it with LOVE. You can always check my website www.themissconception.com for upcoming events and music, and please help contribute to my vision by spreading the word, when it matters to you!

As always, thanks for reading!

MissConvention
IMagery & Matt Diamond Photography