There is a new group on facebook called "BOYCOTT DEEP FORK GROUP:Save the Blue Note from the Deep Fork Group." There isn't much real info on their page. Does anyone know the story on this?

All I know is that TBN is under new management and last time I went there (St. Patrick's Day), they didn't have their liquor license and could consequently only serve 3.2 beer.

Aside from that, the place is OLD, but aside from the stories I hear from old timers, there's nothing remarkable about the place. The Deep Fork Group has been pretty hit or miss with their restaurants. Nova is doing okay, the Deep Fork Grille has been great for years, but their place on Memorial tanked.

If Deep Fork can take the place over and respect its history, this could be the best thing to happen to TBN in a long time. It's a unique property with a lot of history.

You knew the last group was in trouble when they hosted the Girls Gone Wild bus last year.

The place is in desperate need of adult supervision.

There's a reason they lost their license.

If they revoke their lease, can they still use the name Blue Note. I thought the current owners of the businesss have proprietary rights to the name. I live in the neighborhood and The Blue Note is okay, I would like to see the name stay for the history and would applaud any efforts to make the place nicer and maintain the history and sign.

Also, Good egg group owns the building that Palma's once occupied. That could be a good change too.

that section of 23rd street could be the new Western! :bow:

Strangely that of all the bars I've frequented in this town, I just realized I've never once set foot in the blue note. This needs to be fixed.

They may have their license by now. Back in mid-March, they were under new management, so they had to reapply for their license. That takes time. Perhaps after time is passed and fees are paid, the situation will normalize.

That said, it's nothing incredibly special. It's pretty much the same layout as Cock of the Walk, except it's darker, has a stage and the walls are painted black.

My understanding is that after the previous owners left, some of the bartenders took over the lease and business. So you can't really blame any of the current problems on current management.

I loved the Blue Note because it reminded me of a cool, punk rocky place to have a brew much like used to exist in the East Village in NYC before it turned into an upscale boutique. I enjoy a good smoky bar (though I don't smoke) with classic punk rock tunes on the jukebox. Not everything needs to have a yuppie sheen.

I loved the Blue Note because it reminded me of a cool, punk rocky place to have a brew much like used to exist in the East Village in NYC before it turned into an upscale boutique. I enjoy a good smoky bar (though I don't smoke) with classic punk rock tunes on the jukebox. Not everything needs to have a yuppie sheen.

HAHA, agreed...

Yuppie sheen? Like Whole Food or Anthropolgie??

Yuppie sheen? Like Whole Food or Anthropolgie??

Hmmm. If you wonder what I mean about yuppie sheen, check out Republic Gastropub.

Hmmm. If you wonder what I mean about yuppie sheen, check out Republic Gastropub.

I totally agree.
Nothin like a big ole TV and surley service to make me think my food is awesome.

So has Deep Fork Group bought it or what?

Heard Deep Fork is taking over everything, blue note, the wedge, drunken fry. Any bar or restaurant doing good with locals and having built a good little local rep....they want it one way or the other.

The Wedge and Drunken Fry are already both DFG products...

They did take over Sidecar and turn it from a shoebox into something actually worthwhile (Drunken Fry).

rwade, they've always been behind the Wedge and Drunken Fry.

Looks like DFG is really taking it over.

^^ More good news for this area along 23rd, Uptown I believe.

That's a great little strip, and I'd love to see it all renovated.

Noticed this weekend that the old neon sign is gone. Hopefully they are restoring it to it's former glory......

Drove by today, looked as if there were construction / remodeling workers going in and out.

yeah, there was an article about it somewhere, anyhow yes they are restoring it as well as the sign. DFG will be managing it.

I had a short mention of it on my blog Metro, but no article. One of those things I've got to get done soon.

I don't know how I feel about this. I want the Blue Note to exist for the next Flaming Lips to get their start in. They are a valuable piece of our community for what they are. The Blue Note is not some street in terrible need of being repaved and restreetscaped..it is what it is. It's good that it's being improved by the Deep Fork Group but at the same time, the Blue Note, a yuppie dive? Did pigs start to fly again?

It will be awesome to see some more attention given to 23rd and Robinson. What an area budding with potential. McDonald's is rebuilding, there's that new furniture store in the EIFS-ruined bldg on 23rd, Blue Note being renovated, new Market C, Tower renovations, the Cottages, and Big Truck Tacos all right in that area--there is some definite energy taking root along Uptown 23rd.

It can still be a dive, just with good management. It's not like they are turning it into a salad bar.

Blue Note doesn't strike me as a Deep Fork Group kinda thing.

Flaming lips played their first show there.

The sign is back up!

What are other famous bands that have played there?

I have heard Red Hot Chili Peppers played there, don't know if that is a fact though.

Wow, that was quick.

I doubt the Chili Peppers played there. The Lips played there long before they ever "made it." Wayne's dad owned the business next door to the Blue Note back in the 80s and that was just the first guy that agreed to let them play. lol

And the rest is history.

Actually Spartan I'm pretty sure they did, back before they "made it" either.

The red hot chili peppers played at VZD's way back in the day. That's probably what you're thinkng of.

What are other famous bands that have played there?

I have heard Red Hot Chili Peppers played there, don't know if that is a fact though.

No. They played at VZD's in 1987. I was scheduled to go but we had an ice storm, and driving up from Norman seemed risky. I think the 50-plus people who braved the weather probably had a great time.

No. They played at VZD's in 1987. I was scheduled to go but we had an ice storm, and driving up from Norman seemed risky. I think the 50-plus people who braved the weather probably had a great time. Wish I coulda been there.

No. They played at VZD's in 1987. I was scheduled to go but we had an ice storm, and driving up from Norman seemed risky. I think the 50-plus people who braved the weather probably had a great time.

Weird, because the last time they were here, about 4 years ago, they had to cancel their show at the Ford Center because of a big snow/ice storm. It sucked because Gnarls Barkley was supposed to open the first go around and then on the make up date we got Mickey Avalon instead. That kinda sucked. But as for RHCP, they sounded great live.

Irony is: So much for being the "Red Hot" Chili Peppers when it comes to playing in OKC..lol

Irony is: So much for being the "Red Hot" Chili Peppers when it comes to playing in OKC..lol Why ya say that?

Saw the renovations in progress yesterday. Place was gutted, re-plumbed, rewired, re-furbished. Nice custom built red oak bar and furniture. Tripled HVAC capacity. Stage remains with brand new sound systems and some accoustic improvements to the room. Installed a small kitchen for "bar food". Will still allow smoking inside and on the new back patio. Estimate of renovation costs is well north of $100K. Guesstimate of opening was two weeks out. Given maintenance of the proper crowd for the neighborhood, this should be really good for the customers. We'll see how it goes for the staff. Gotta be an improvement over the recent past though.

Saw the inside on Monday. Every major system professionally renovated or replaced. Nice custom built red oak bars, fixtures, and furniture. HVAC capacity tripled and "smoke-eaters" added. Stage remains with brand new sound system and accoustic improvements to the room. New deck out back on the agenda. Added small kitchen with window at left of stage to serve "bar food". Guesstimate from on-site staff is two weeks to re-opening. Now if the new management can balance things correctly for the neighborhood, it will be a vast improvement over the last chapter of the Note.

Is the rest of the building going to be renovated as well? That would be another nice area for retail and/or restaurant.

I doubt the Chili Peppers played there. The Lips played there long before they ever "made it." Wayne's dad owned the business next door to the Blue Note back in the 80s and that was just the first guy that agreed to let them play. lol

And the rest is history.

Wayne's older brother was the lead singer at the time, too.

Betts,

I don't believe so. The tattoo shop adjacent is actually in quite nice shape on the interior and the next north facility is a cabinet shop that does not utilize a "Storefront", so i don't think there is a landlord perceived demand yet.

Given maintenance of the proper crowd for the neighborhood.



What does this mean?

What does this mean?

Paying attention to the demographics of the neighborhood that patronized the place regularly until the downturn in January, which in my mind is not 23rd and Robinson, but a two mile radius to include Paseo, Edgemere, Jeff Park, Mesta, etc.

Paying attention to the demographics of the neighborhood that patronized the place regularly until the downturn in January, which in my mind is not 23rd and Robinson, but a two mile radius to include Paseo, Edgemere, Jeff Park, Mesta, etc.

You are absolutely right!

the girl that is partnering up with the deep fork folks has been deeply entrenched in the dallas scene and is originally from oklahoma city. she has a keen sense of where to take this historic bar and who it will appeal to. a lot of money will be pumped into it... but it will be a nice alternative to bricktown or western. i will be working closely with them once everything gets up and running.
i'm excited about this venture.

Flaming lips played their first show there.
the flaming lips first tour manager, darryl bascome, is in town. he came out to ROBOTIC wednesday night and said he is gonna do his videology thing at electro lounge on saturday night alongside of dj katie wicks.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers played the club on 10th and McArthur that has been Quicksilvers, the Roxy, and now a new version of Fritzi's at least twice. Did Marty Dillon who owns Party Galaxy ever own the Blue Note? The Dillon family owns some of the other properties in the area including the Tower Theater.

Bigray in Ok

One more addition to the rapidly reviving 23rd corridor. It's great that OCU students finally have something nearby.

It's open now. New bar and tables has given it a neighborhood pub feel. Stage is still there and will be used. $3 domestics, nice selection of imports and craft beers up to $7 and a very well stocked liquor bar. Wine too.

Sounds nice. Any type of food menu? Being part of the deep fork group now.

Four or five snaks. Some kind of sliders and Pita pizza are the heartiest of the bunch.

I loved the Blue Note because it reminded me of a cool, punk rocky place to have a brew much like used to exist in the East Village in NYC before it turned into an upscale boutique. I enjoy a good smoky bar (though I don't smoke) with classic punk rock tunes on the jukebox. Not everything needs to have a yuppie sheen.

I went to the new Blue Note the other night and was extremely disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice place, but unsurprisingly the Deep Fork Group did nothing to retain the spirit of the place at all.

I couldn't believe I was in the Blue Note when I walked in. Mostly older, professional, conservative types in there eating food. I don't have anything against these types of people or these kinds of pubs. What the Blue Note has turned into is a kind of place that's a dime a dozen here in OKC. The Blue Note, whether you like the kind of crowd that used to frequent the place or not, (chances are you don't, the bar wasn't exactly for everyone), was a truly unique place for OKC.

The middle class crowd consisting of bikers, the punk rockers like soonerguru mentioned, arty types, the old drunkards that would slip into the bar and get thrown out, and just the general eccentric crowd that would never dream of ordering a "fancy drink" will never be found there again. And keep in mind this is something that had been going on for decades. I remember one night having a conversation with a guy that used to go to the Blue Note back in the 60's. He then told stories about his interesting life like men-only bars Mexico that served drinks made of a hallucinogenic cactus.

The one thing that they held over (reluctantly), was the famous beer and shot for $5 deal. Since they are still going to have live music and since I live so close, I'm sure I'll be back. It's just going to take a while to get past what the bar has become and how fun it used to be. I, like a lot of others, had made a lot of friends in there that I wish I could see again. The night I went in there, I couldn't find a single regular from the old Blue Note.

It's sad to see a place like that go. The new place is still very above average for a drinking establishment in OKC, and it looks really nice inside, but it's not the Blue Note. I really wished they had changed the name.

This is an incredibly sad deal:

http://kfor.com/2017/08/30/oklahoma-city-man-dies-from-head-injury-after-staged-wrestling-move/

He was an ACM@UCO alum and - based on social media - obviously really well thought of by the ACM faculty plus extended Flaming Lips family.

Insane freak accident, he played guitar in one of my best friend's band

He was also a big time mainstay in the OKC stand up comedy scene.

Here is a link to a gofundme page helping to pay for funeral expenses if you wish to help out
https://www.gofundme.com/memorial-fund-for-william-ogletree

Iconic Blue Note Lounge being full renovated (https://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=764-Iconic-Blue-Note-Lounge-being-full-renovated)

One of Oklahoma City's oldest live music venues and bars has a new owner and is in the process of receiving a complete facelift.


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The Blue Note Lounge is temporarily closed to facilitate a comprehensive remodel. The historic venue was recently purchased by Chris Simon, the proprietor of the HiLo Club on Classen Circle.

Simon told OKCTalk his plan is to bring long-overdue improvements that will position the Blue Note for success for the next 50 years while also retaining the ample history and charm.

The Blue Note opened in 1961, its landmark blue neon sign beckoning travelers along Route 66. It hosted the first performance by OKC's legendary Flaming Lips, and the Lips returned to perform there in April as part of the Jimmy Kimmel Live show.

Located at 2401 N. Robinson in Uptown just off NW 23rd, the updates will involve renovating the neon sign and exterior, adding new booths, slightly expanding the stage, adding a green room for performers, refinishing the bar, installing a new cooler and bar equipment, completely redoing the restrooms and greatly enhancing the back patio.

The two-level patio to the east will include a permanent cover on the top section, with umbrellas and shade sails in the lower area. It will also get two new restrooms of its own, outdoor TVs, and a projector system where movies will be screened. Heaters, fire pits, and misters will be installed to make the space usable year-round. Food options are also planned.

The live music tradition will continue with a comprehensive new sound and lighting system. Simon plans to book local and touring artists across a diverse spectrum of music types. Jazz, comedy, and burlesque will also be featured.

The grand reopening is planned for March of 2022.


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Surprised with such a renovation that they're not going smoke-free.