Memorial Hall (Kansas City, Kansas)

Memorial Hall, or Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, is a multi-purpose auditorium located in Kansas City, Kansas. The 3,500-seat auditorium, which has a permanent stage, is used for public assemblies, concerts and sporting events. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.[2] It was designed by architects Rose & Peterson in Georgian style.[1]

Memorial Hall
Full nameSoldiers and Sailors Memorial Building[1]
Location600 North 7th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
United States
Coordinates39.112352°N 94.62761°W / 39.112352; -94.62761
Capacity3,500
Acreage2.2 acres (0.89 ha)
Construction
Built1923 (1923)
Opened1925 (1925)
ArchitectDavid Burton Peterson, Rose & Peterson Architects
Project managerDavid Burton Peterson
Tenants
Kansas City Steers (ABL) (1961-1963)

Establishment

This venue was built in 1923 then opened in 1925 as a combination civic auditorium and war memorial for World War I veterans.[2]

Musical events

Memorial Hall was the location of American country-music singer Patsy Cline's, Cowboy Copas' and Hawkshaw Hawkins' last public performance, during a benefit concert on March 3, 1963 – two days before their death in an airplane crash in Camden, Tennessee, while en route to Nashville, Tennessee, from Kansas City.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the venue hosted a number of iconic rock acts of the era, including Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Iron Butterfly, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Led Zeppelin, and Strawberry Alarm Clock.

Between the beginning of 1969 and the end of 1979, the Grateful Dead played a total eight shows there, which occurred on the following dates: 2/5/69, 11/12/72, 11/13/72, 10/28/77, 2/9/79, 2/10/79, 12/10/79 and 12/11/79.[3][4]

During its September 11, 1972 concert at Memorial Hall, Pink Floyd performed their new concept album, The Dark Side of the Moon, five months before the record-setting album's release. This was also Pink Floyd's first concert in the Kansas City Area.

KISS made their Kansas City metropolitan area debut at the venue on April 13, 1975, opening for the Dutch rock band Golden Earring. REO Speedwagon recorded parts of their first live album, 1977's Live: You Get What You Play For, including the album's closing track, "Golden Country," at the venue on October 31, 1976. During their second tour of the United States, Def Leppard performed at the venue on October 16, 1981, opening for Blackfoot. Side 4 of Peter Gabriel's 1983 double-LP, Plays Live, which featured the songs "Shock the Monkey", "Humdrum," "On the Air," and "Biko," was recorded at Memorial Hall on December 4, 1982.

The rock band Phish performed at Memorial Hall on April 13, 1993, the first of three shows the Vermont quartet would play there in the early 1990s. Grunge progenitors Nirvana played their only Kansas City area concert at Memorial Hall in October 1993.

Sporting events

Kansas City Roller Warriors

Memorial hall is home to the 15 year WFTDA sanctioned Kansas City Roller Warriors various roller derby teams. KCRW often hosts out of town and international roller derby teams from around the country and globe. The league is made up of 100+ volunteers consisting of KC metro and surrounding residents that volunteer their time, effort and passion to making KCRW a successful organization. Memorial Hall hosted some games of the Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball League from 1961 to 1963

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling was a Thursday-night tradition at the venue in the 1970s, with cards often taped for the All-Star Wrestling telecast days later.

Kansas City native Harley Race won his first National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship at the venue in 1973, defeating Dory Funk Jr. in a two out of three falls match.[5] Ric Flair won his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the venue in September 1981 defeating Dusty Rhodes.

Mixed martial arts

On August 28, 2009, the venue hosted the mixed martial arts event M1 Global: Breakthrough. [6]

On November 20, 2009, the venue hosted Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears.[7]

On April 28, 2012, the venue hosted Invicta FC 1: Coenen vs. Ruyssen.

On July 28, 2012, the venue hosted Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann.

On October 6, 2012, the venue hosted Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sigiyama.

On January 5, 2013, the venue hosted Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt.

Other events

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools district holds an annual convocation for staff at the venue each August. All district staff are present for this event.

See also

References
  1. Richard J. Cawthon (June 24, 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination". National Park Service. Retrieved December 20, 2017. With three photos.
  2. "National Register Information System – Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building (#85001981)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  3. The SetList Program
  4. "1972-11-12 Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS, USA".
  5. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=131036
  6. "M1 Global: Breakthrough". sherdog.com. Sherdog. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears". MMAJunkie.usatoday.com. MMA Junkie. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
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