OZARK TV : SEASON 1

Ozark TV / Stories & Lore : Season 1 – “The 417”

Season 1 takes Ozark TV / Stories & Lore deeper into the people, music, and culture of the 417 — the Ozarks region of southwest Missouri. Shot throughout the area, the season combines larger documentary projects with individual conversations featuring artists, musicians, and local personalities. The season includes the documentaries Third Thursday and Pillarfest, alongside interviews with halftimeshow, Baylee Scribner, Mason Bartlett, James Weaver, Modern View, Sketchy The Indestructible Clown, The Dark Council, and Payton Cron. Together, these episodes create a snapshot of the people and creative communities shaping the Ozarks, capturing a particular moment in the region’s music and cultural scene.

Payton Cron vs. Third Thursday

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore follows Payton Cron as he guides us through the madness, energy, and unexpected moments of Third Thursday — a monthly event hosted by the City of Joplin on the third Thursday of every month in downtown Joplin, Missouri.

With Payton leading the way, we get an up-close look at the people, personalities, artists, vendors, musicians, and all-around characters that make Third Thursday such a unique part of the Joplin community. What begins as a walk through a busy monthly event quickly turns into a series of strange encounters, hilarious moments, and conversations with people we may have never otherwise crossed paths with.

Payton brings his own goofy, fun-loving, and genuinely kind personality to the experience, striking up conversations and connecting with the people around him. As we follow him through the streets of Joplin, the line between stranger and friend seems to disappear pretty quickly.

Along the way, we meet a collection of wacky, wonderful, and unforgettable characters, proving that sometimes the most interesting stories come from simply talking to the people standing next to you. Some of the strangers we encounter become friends, and some of the moments captured along the way become memories that stick with us long after the night is over.

Rather than simply documenting Third Thursday as an event, this episode focuses on the people and spontaneous connections that make it what it is. Through Payton’s eyes, viewers get a glimpse of the unpredictable energy of downtown Joplin and the diverse collection of people who come together each month.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve more than just an event. This episode captures a particular piece of life in Joplin, Missouri — the weirdness, the laughter, the community, and the unexpected friendships that can come from simply stepping outside and meeting someone new.

Featuring: Payton Cron
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Event: Third Thursday
Topics: Third Thursday Joplin, Joplin Missouri, downtown Joplin, Joplin events, Joplin community, Ozarks culture, local artists, street culture, community events, Payton Cron, Missouri, 417 area, unexpected friendships

Pillarfest

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore takes us deep into the underground music scene of Southwest Missouri for Pillarfest — a DIY music festival hosted at a house in the middle of Joplin, Missouri.

Built around the spirit of independent music, community, and doing things yourself, Pillarfest brought together bands and people from across the Four States, with musicians traveling in from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri to descend upon the Pillar for a day of loud music, strange encounters, and unpredictable energy.

The event was anything but polished. Dingy basements, packed rooms, homemade setups, unfamiliar faces, and a constant sense that nobody quite knew what was going to happen next became part of the experience. Pillarfest existed somewhere between a house show, a music festival, and a gathering of people who simply wanted to see what would happen when they all ended up in the same place.

For this episode, we spent the entire day documenting the festival from start to finish, capturing performances, conversations, the people behind the music, and the atmosphere surrounding the event. What unfolds is a snapshot of a particular moment in Joplin’s underground music community — raw, chaotic, weird, and completely DIY.

The episode features interviews and appearances from Ransided, Wicked Scepter, Frankie, Cold Water Kills, The Dark Council, Gateway Collective, Garrett Hipp, and many more musicians, artists, and people who helped make Pillarfest what it was.

More than simply a record of a festival, this episode is a document of the Joplin and Four States underground music scene — a look at the bands, friends, strangers, houses, basements, and communities that exist outside the traditional music industry.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve these moments before they disappear. Pillarfest was a place where nobody knew exactly what was happening or what was going to happen next, and that’s precisely what made it worth documenting.

Featuring: Ransided, Wicked Scepter, Frankie, Cold Water Kills, The Dark Council, Gateway Collective, Garrett Hipp, and many more
Location: Joplin, Missouri / Southwest Missouri
Event: Pillarfest
Topics: Pillarfest, Joplin music scene, Four States music, Southwest Missouri, DIY music, house shows, underground music, Joplin Missouri, Oklahoma musicians, Arkansas musicians, Kansas musicians, Missouri musicians, punk, independent music, live music, underground culture, Ozarks music

The Dark Council

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore sits down with The Dark Council, a creative collective working across the experimental, heavy, and electronic music worlds of the 417 area.

The 417 can be a difficult place to find music that pushes outside the boundaries of more traditional sounds. The Dark Council represents a group of artists exploring a different side of the local creative scene, bringing together experimental ideas, heavy music, electronic sounds, and a willingness to go somewhere unexpected.

For this interview, we sit down with members of the collective including M4NOURISH, Carson Powell, Pr0xima, Cyber Knife, and Alli. Together, we get to know the people behind The Dark Council and discuss the influences, ideas, experiences, and cultural observations that shape their creative work.

The conversation goes far beyond music. We talk about Drake, musical influences, school violence, pedestrians, the 417, and much more, moving between serious subjects, strange observations, personal experiences, and the unpredictable conversations that naturally come from getting a group of creative people in the same room.

Rather than presenting The Dark Council simply as a collection of musicians, this episode takes a closer look at the people and perspectives behind the collective. Their work reflects a side of the Southwest Missouri creative community that doesn’t always get documented — experimental, unconventional, heavy, electronic, and unapologetically different.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve the people and ideas that make the Ozarks’ underground communities unique. This interview offers a glimpse into The Dark Council, their influences, their creative world, and their place within the evolving 417 music and arts scene.

Featuring: The Dark Council — M4NOURISH, Carson Powell, Pr0xima, Cyber Knife, and Alli
Location: Joplin, Missouri / 417 Area
Topics: The Dark Council, M4NOURISH, Carson Powell, Pr0xima, Cyber Knife, Alli, experimental music, heavy music, electronic music, 417 music scene, Joplin music, Southwest Missouri, music influences, Drake, school violence, pedestrians, underground music, creative collectives, Ozarks culture

Will Rap Battle For Food

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore introduces us to Sketchy The Indestructible Clown, an infamous street performer and larger-than-life character known around the Joplin area.

In “Will Rap Battle For Food,” we sit down with Sketchy to hear the story behind the character. He talks about growing up, discovering his talents, finding his way into street performance, and the experiences that shaped the person he became.

The conversation also takes us into a less familiar side of life in the Ozarks as Sketchy shares his experiences living on the streets. Rather than reducing his story to a label, this episode gives him the opportunity to speak for himself about the realities, challenges, encounters, and experiences that have shaped his life.

Sketchy’s performances and personality have made him a memorable figure, but behind the clown makeup is a person with his own history, talents, struggles, and stories. Through his experiences, we get a glimpse into a side of Joplin and the surrounding community that often exists just outside the frame of everyday life.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to document the people and stories that might otherwise disappear. Sometimes those stories come from musicians, artists, or community figures; other times they come from the unexpected characters you encounter on the street.

This episode is a conversation with Sketchy The Indestructible Clown — his life, his art, his experiences, and the road that brought him to where he is today.

Featuring: Sketchy The Indestructible Clown
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Topics: Sketchy The Indestructible Clown, Will Rap Battle For Food, Joplin Missouri, street performers, street art, clown performers, homelessness, life on the streets, personal stories, Ozarks culture, 417 area, Joplin community, independent artists, street culture

417 Mud Baby

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore features Mason Bartlett, a self-proclaimed stoner also known by names including Yung 2 Trim, Yung Maso, and Street Thug.

In “417 Mud Baby,” Mason discusses his upcoming music projects, his experiences growing up in America and the Midwest, and what it was like coming of age in Neosho, Missouri. The conversation moves through music, culture, personal experiences, and the people and environments that have influenced the way Mason sees the world.

Mason also speaks openly about his disdain for tweakers, his experiences with the people and culture around him, and the events that have shaped his life. The interview captures his personality and perspective in an unfiltered way, allowing Mason to tell his own story in his own words.

What makes this episode different is that it isn’t simply a single interview. “417 Mud Baby” is a long-form documentary filmed over the course of two years, allowing the audience to see Mason at different points in his life rather than capturing only one moment in time.

As the footage progresses, viewers can watch Mason grow and change over those two years. His ideas, ambitions, music, relationships, and outlook develop as time passes, turning the episode into more than just a conversation — it becomes a record of a period in someone’s life.

Set against the backdrop of Neosho, Joplin, and the broader 417 area, this episode offers another look into the people and personalities that make up the underground culture of Southwest Missouri.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve these stories while they’re happening. “417 Mud Baby” documents Mason Bartlett through multiple stages of his life, giving viewers a chance to see not just who he was, but how he changed.

Featuring: Mason Bartlett / Yung 2 Trim / Yung Maso / Street Thug
Location: Neosho, Missouri / 417 Area
Filmed: Over the course of 2 years
Topics: 417 Mud Baby, Mason Bartlett, Yung 2 Trim, Yung Maso, Street Thug, Neosho Missouri, Joplin Missouri, 417 music, Midwest culture, Missouri musicians, underground music, stoner culture, life experiences, personal growth, long-form documentary, Southwest Missouri, Ozarks culture

halftimeshow

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore features halftimeshow, a Joplin, Missouri band bringing their own brand of Midwest emo, heartfelt songwriting, and beautiful storytelling to the 417 music scene.

At the time of this interview, halftimeshow had just played their first show and released their first album, making this episode a snapshot of the band at the very beginning of their journey. Since then, their music has continued to reach listeners far beyond Southwest Missouri, making their early story an important part of the Joplin music archive.

In this conversation, the members of halftimeshow discuss life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, along with the experiences and ideas that brought the band together. They talk about how halftimeshow was formed, their progression as musicians, and the process of putting their first album together.

The band also looks back at some of their favorite songs, moments, and memories from creating that first record, giving viewers an inside look at the people and experiences behind the music. Their songwriting carries a strong sense of emotion and narrative, turning personal experiences and everyday life into something listeners can connect with.

One song in particular, “Hero of Roku City,” left a lasting impression. It’s the kind of song that sticks around long after the interview is over — and one that, personally, is still in heavy rotation to this day.

More than simply an interview with a band, this episode documents halftimeshow at the starting line: before the years of shows, releases, and growth, when they were just beginning to figure out what this band could become.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve these moments while they’re happening. This episode captures a young Joplin band, their first album, their early ambitions, and the stories behind the music that helped establish halftimeshow as a memorable part of the 417 and Midwest emo scene.

Featuring: Halftimeshow
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Topics: Halftimeshow, Midwest emo, Joplin music scene, 417 music, Joplin Missouri, emo music, songwriting, music production, Hero of Roku City, independent music, Missouri musicians, Midwest music, band formation, first album, live music, Ozarks music, Southwest Missouri

Faye

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore follows Faye, a pianist, vocalist, and musician, as she prepares to release her long-awaited album.

Shot during the period leading up to the album’s release, this documentary takes a close look at the person and experiences behind the music. Faye opens up about her inspirations, muses, love, heartbreak, and the experiences that shaped the songs that would eventually become the album.

Throughout the documentary, Faye reflects on what influenced her creatively and personally, exploring the people, emotions, memories, and moments that found their way into her songwriting. The album becomes more than simply a collection of songs — it serves as a reflection of a particular chapter of her life and everything that came with it.

The conversation also explores why this album was important for Faye to release after such a long wait. Through her own words, we get a glimpse into the vulnerability involved in turning deeply personal experiences into music and finally sharing them with the world.

Rather than simply documenting an album release, this episode captures the process of becoming ready to let go of something deeply personal. We follow Faye as she stands on the edge of releasing a project that has been years in the making and learn more about the person, artist, and experiences behind it.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve not only the finished art, but the stories and people behind it. This documentary offers an intimate look at Faye’s creative world, her relationship with music, and the inspirations that ultimately became part of her long-awaited album.

Featuring: Faye / Baylee Scribner
Location: Southwest Missouri / 417 Area
Topics: Faye, Baylee Scribner, Joplin music, 417 music, Southwest Missouri, piano, vocals, songwriting, album release, independent music, love and heartbreak, musical inspirations, creative process, Missouri musicians, Ozarks music, singer-songwriters

Jemes

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore features James Weaver, sitting down for a wide-ranging conversation about life, music, and his experiences in Joplin, Missouri.

James talks about what it’s like living in Joplin, his relationship with music and the influence it has had on his life, as well as his goals and ambitions for the future. The conversation wanders through everything from the Chiefs and DUIs to music, personal experiences, and where James hopes life will take him next.

What makes this episode particularly unique is the contrast between the interview itself and the way it was presented. The documentary has been edited into an absolute shit storm — chaotic cuts, strange production choices, and an intentionally unruly presentation that often feels completely at odds with the conversation happening underneath it.

And that’s where the irony comes in.

Beneath the chaos of the production, James brings a genuine sincerity and heartfelt honesty to the interview. His thoughts about music, his life, and his future goals are earnest, creating a strange but compelling contrast between the ridiculousness of the edit and the sincerity of the person being interviewed.

The result is an episode that doesn’t take itself particularly seriously while still managing to capture something real. It’s messy, funny, unpredictable, and at times surprisingly heartfelt — another strange little document of life in the 417.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to preserve the people and personalities that make the region interesting. This episode captures James Weaver as he was at this particular point in his life, surrounded by music, stories, ambitions, questionable decisions, and a production that probably got a little too out of hand.

Featuring: James Weaver
Location: Joplin, Missouri
Topics: James Weaver, Joplin Missouri, 417 area, Joplin music, Chiefs, Kansas City Chiefs, DUIs, music influence, independent music, personal experiences, future goals, Southwest Missouri, Ozarks culture, documentary, Missouri musicians

The Wonton Swan Cron With His Swag On

This short mini-episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore features Payton “The Swan Don Ton Ton” Cron, returning for another conversation filled with opinions, stories, and general shenanigans.

Payton discusses the eternal question of Joplin, Missouri vs. Springfield, Missouri, giving his own perspective on the differences between the two cities and the cultures surrounding them. From there, the conversation takes a more personal turn as Payton talks about his love life, his experiences, and whatever other nonsense happens to come up along the way.

Short, unpredictable, and unmistakably Payton, this mini-episode is less about a single subject and more about spending a little time with one of the more colorful personalities in the 417.

As with Ozark TV / Stories & Lore, sometimes the best stories aren’t planned. They’re the conversations that happen when you put a camera in front of someone and let them run with it.

Featuring: Payton “The Swan Don Ton Ton” Cron
Location: Joplin, Missouri / 417 Area
Topics: Payton Cron, The Swan Don Ton Ton, Joplin Missouri, Springfield Missouri, Joplin vs Springfield, 417 area, love life, personal stories, shenanigans, Ozarks culture, Southwest Missouri

Modern View

This episode of Ozark TV / Stories & Lore features Modern View, a grunge and punk band emerging from Southwest Missouri, with roots in the Joplin and Carl Junction area.

In this interview, Modern View discusses the musicians and bands that have influenced their sound, their experiences growing up and making music in the Ozarks, and what it means to be part of the Southwest Missouri music scene.

The conversation covers everything from their favorite Ozarkian animal to the stinkiest place in Joplin, Missouri, alongside a deeper discussion about the band’s music and where they’re headed next. Modernview talks about their upcoming album and the creative process behind it, giving us a look at what listeners can expect from the band as they continue developing their sound.

The band also reflects on the success of their first single, “Caroline,” and what that song has meant for Modern View as they begin building their audience. From their influences to their ambitions, the episode captures the band during an exciting period of growth.

Rather than simply focusing on the music itself, this interview gives viewers a chance to get to know the personalities behind Modernview — their influences, sense of humor, local perspective, and the experiences that have shaped them as musicians.

As with the larger Ozark TV / Stories & Lore series, the goal is to document the people creating music in the region and preserve their stories as the 417 music scene continues to evolve. Modernview represents another piece of the Southwest Missouri underground — loud, grungy, punk-influenced, and proudly local.

Featuring: Modernview
Location: Joplin / Carl Junction, Missouri
Topics: Modern View, Caroline, grunge, punk, Joplin music scene, Carl Junction, Southwest Missouri, 417 music, Ozarks music, musician influences, independent music, upcoming albums, local bands, Joplin Missouri, Ozarkian animals, Ozarks culture