I'm sensing a need to make me get out more. I've been real hermity for a few weeks. I get out, but only when I really have to.

I saw today the JaneDear Girls and some others will perform Friday at the Diamond Ballroom. They JaneDears are an acceptable, and then some, rising act in country music. I did not really register the names of the others.

Anyhow, enough muttering on my part. What's the Diamond Ballroom like as a venue. Big ol' smoky bar, or reasonably nice? Food service of any type, or grub out before you go? Security systems in place or bring your own bodyguards?

Never been, never even heard of it until I ran across an ad.

Pretty good venue and rather large inside...Much nicer inside than out and I believe it is non smoking

Been to several shows there recently and as far as I could tell they did not serve food...Beer prices were pretty reasonable too...I like da place

yes, it's non-smoking. but i've read at some past shows this summer that the a/c has been an issue. hopefully they've got it fixed by now. and the crowd should be much more well-behaved at the janedear girls show than say, an anthrax show ;–)

it's got somewhat of a low ceiling, making it feel more intimate than a place like the bricktown events center. the sound's pretty good, but it all depends on the soundman. it's not that hard of a place to mix, i wouldn't think.

grub before you go, unless you like pringles. for some odd reason, they have a big selection of them.

and check out all the promo pics of all the acts who've performed there over the years on the north wall. pretty diverse!

yes, it's non-smoking. but i've read at some past shows this summer that the a/c has been an issue. hopefully they've got it fixed by now. and the crowd should be much more well-behaved at the janedear girls show than say, an anthrax show ;–)

it's got somewhat of a low ceiling, making it feel more intimate than a place like the bricktown events center. the sound's pretty good, but it all depends on the soundman. it's not that hard of a place to mix, i wouldn't think.

grub before you go, unless you like pringles. for some odd reason, they have a big selection of them.

and check out all the promo pics of all the acts who've performed there over the years on the north wall. pretty diverse!

I personally like the Diamond as a venue... eat before you go and plan for hot. I was at the Skrillex show a couple weeks back and it was HOOOOOTTTT in there. It was a hot sweaty mess of humanity... Left completely soaked, but, it was a sold out show and there was quite a contingent of sweaty, half-naked females so it wasn't a bad experience at all. lol

I would imagine the show you are going for will be a much different crowd, but it may still be pretty hot in there if they haven't dealt with the AC issues.

here's a virtual tour:
http://www.virtual360s.com/360/diamond/diamond.html

Wow looks a lot nicer than what I would have imagined.

Thanks for the link. I think I'm probably just going to stay in this weekend after all though. My interest in decent music and my sense of needing to get out is now outweighed by a lack of interest in doing so. The head's up on questionable A/C is appreciated. That is also a bit significant on its own. I rarely do crowds, and it is even rarer to consider a crowd sans A/C.

Nice virtual tour. It does look pretty nice inside. Much nicer than it did 20 years ago. Some updating has been done.

Dance Floor looks HUGE from that pic. Thanks for sharing.


Chris
www.radiookc.com

I personally dislike the Diamond. I've been to probably 10-15 shows at the Diamond over the past decade and I have NEVER seen it that clean before (virtual tour). The bathrooms are so gross, I think people just urinate directly onto the floor and walls. Even though it's technically non-smoking now, when you have 1500 people packed in there, you'll still have plenty of people smoking in the crowd. If it's a band I really want to see, I'd rather drive to Dallas and see them at the House of Blues, Verizon Theatre, or the Palladium where I can find nice clean restrooms with an attendant, a coat check, and very attractive bartenders.

Not going to argue about the Dallas venues being nicer cause they are...Downside is the 3 hour drive and $150+ for a hotel room and gas

I have been to several over the past year and did not notice any cleanliness or smoking issues

It's basically a big barn. Not exactly nice. But on the other hand I usually find it to be clean and safe. The smoking thing they have cracked down on.

Last year they actually had a lot of great concerts come through... some really great modern indie bands. This year it has been more hit and miss.

I have wondered what the place was like also. I've noticed a few acts there I might be interested in seeing.
Do they have chairs and tables or is it a SRO place?

Stan

It is a SRO place...For their bigger concerts I believe they have a few tables in the very back that are way away from the stage

Heading there tomorrow night for Ian Moore...Hoping the previous post about the heat doesn't hold true since it's over a Hundo again tomorrow

180,did you make the Ian Moore show? That was the one I was considering but the thought of standing in a sweaty mass for several hours didn't appeal to the wife.
I read a review on newsok that said there were only aprox 400 there so it may not have been that crowded.

Stan

180,did you make the Ian Moore show? That was the one I was considering but the thought of standing in a sweaty mass for several hours didn't appeal to the wife.
I read a review on newsok that said there were only aprox 400 there so it may not have been that crowded.

Stan

Wow... Ian Moore sold 400 while Skrillex sold out 2000???? This is very surprising...

Wow... Ian Moore sold 400 while Skrillex sold out 2000???? This is very surprising...

i'm pretty sure the diamond doesn't hold 2000. i think the bricktown events center only holds 1500 and the diamond's not that big.

180,did you make the Ian Moore show? That was the one I was considering but the thought of standing in a sweaty mass for several hours didn't appeal to the wife.
I read a review on newsok that said there were only aprox 400 there so it may not have been that crowded.

Stan

I did and it was comfortable inside...Great show but the sound quality wasn't as good as the Minus the Bear show a few weeks before

I just read 1,900 is the capacity at the diamond...The place is pretty big

Wow... Ian Moore sold 400 while Skrillex sold out 2000???? This is very surprising...

Bunch of us 30+ yr olds at Ian Moore...The place packs it in when they book bands for the teens and college crowds

Really thankful this venue is around as it's pretty much the only one bringing in quality bands in the metro

I played in a hard rock band in high school and am 33 now so I listened to a lot what people would call "nu-metal" or just hard rock then. I found out today that Limp Bizkit is coming to the DB on 5/31. The Diamond Ballroom is placing itself on the forefront of great rock venues, not by its location or what it looks like, but the bands it brings in. Sevendust and Coal Chamber play tomorrow night there, then Twiztid and HedPE on Saturday, Slightly Stoopid on 4/10, Deftones on 4/28, Dropkick Murphys on 6/1 and Son volt on 6/28. The Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa is still one of my favorite places to see live music, but the Diamond Ballroom is getting up there. I know it will never compare to the history that the Cain's or the Farmer's Market but they have a hell of a promoter.

I'm with you Warren. The Diamond is slowly becoming Cain's Jr. and is really bringing in quality bands

At the Sevendust concert Thursday night, Lajon Witherspoon, the lead singer said the venue reminded him a lot of the Cain's Ballroom and it was cool to see a great venue in OKC. The sound at the show was better than any other show I have been to considering how loud it was.