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. It was designed by architects Rose & Peterson in Georgian style. Establishment. This venue was built in 1923 then opened in 1925 as a combination civic auditorium and war memorial for World War I veterans. 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. 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 "," 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. 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 . On November 20, 2009, the venue hosted . On April 28, 2012, the venue hosted . On  July 28, 2012, the venue hosted . On October 6, 2012, the venue hosted . On January 5, 2013, the venue hosted . 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.