i think the environment needs a change - a fenced-in asphalt parking lot in summer with no re-entry and no chairs allowed is off-putting to many.

Definitely needs to be in a nicer grass area where people can get comfortable. That was always a draw for the Zoo was there were areas you could just spread a blanket and enjoy the music

Each year many of the same acts hit festivals all over the country so its not hard to figure out booking. You can have older acts but not as the main draw. mostly you have to run the festival like a festival. you need a area that is comfortable and that allows your patrons to enjoy themselves. no re-entry is odd for a festival and screams that you are desperate for concession sales to make your money. People will buy your beer don't worry but you have to let folks roam and be comfortable. Gentleman of the road in Guthrie was such a great set up they did an amazing job on that festival.

Each year many of the same acts hit festivals all over the country so its not hard to figure out booking. You can have older acts but not as the main draw...

Or they can even still be the "headliner" in deference to their place in music history. An example would be this year's Lollapalooza in Chicago. Technically Paul McCartney and Metallica are the headliners, but I'll bet more tickets are being purchased to see the sum total of acts like Florence and the Machine, Sam Smith, Alabama Shakes, alt-J, Tame Impala, TVOTR, etc.

2015 Lineup | Lollapalooza 2015 (http://www.lollapalooza.com/2015-lineup/)

Now this is a festival.
Schedule 2015 | Lockn' Music Festival | Arrington, Virginia (http://www.locknfestival.com/lineup/schedule-2015.html)

I agree with others. Bring in a few current, relevant artists across a few different genres and the festival becomes a better draw. Sammy Hagar and Hank Williams Jr as headliners isn't going to cut it. Add to that the location and its a no wonder it was a failure. I applaud the people who are trying but if they really want to make this a festival that draws 30,000+, they need to change their approach.

Now this is a festival.
Schedule 2015 | Lockn' Music Festival | Arrington, Virginia (http://www.locknfestival.com/lineup/schedule-2015.html)

and here's a fest that has a pretty good cross-section of music that i think could attract a good-sized crowd here. i'm not sure okc could handle a 3-day festival downtown, but keep the current okcfest schedule how it is, maybe add a 2nd stage?
The Musical Lineup - Pilgrimage Music Festival (http://pilgrimagefestival.com/the-lineup)

Now this is a festival.
Schedule 2015 | Lockn' Music Festival | Arrington, Virginia (http://www.locknfestival.com/lineup/schedule-2015.html)

Yeah that wouldn't even draw 5,000 in Oklahoma. Each night has to have a big, relevant country music artist as it's headliner. People aren't going to roll out to a hot gravel parking lot for the doobie brothers or carlos santana. That just isn't the market that OKC is, and the festival isn't a comfortable enough environment to pull off a gentlemen of the road type festival.

I'd make blake and miranda the headline.
Slightly less known name (eli young band)
then young/local/etc type artists.

They have to keep getting it established before they can take bigger and bigger risks on the acts. That lineup you posted would be a huge risk.

Yeah that wouldn't even draw 5,000 in Oklahoma. Each night has to have a big, relevant country music artist as it's headliner. People aren't going to roll out to a hot gravel parking lot for the doobie brothers or carlos santana. That just isn't the market that OKC is, and the festival isn't a comfortable enough environment to pull off a gentlemen of the road type festival.

I'd make blake and miranda the headline.
Slightly less known name (eli young band)
then young/local/etc type artists.

They have to keep getting it established before they can take bigger and bigger risks on the acts. That lineup you posted would be a huge risk.

I think you might be underestimated the scene a little bit.

I think you'll see more booking control handed over to someone else (possibly Scott Booker, who I think was brought in too late this time to make much of a difference). I think you'll also see more of a focus shift to alt/indie acts, who largely rule the festival circuit. In the case of this festival, playing it "safe" has absolutely been the unsafe play. Hopefully this will convince organizers to take some risks with lineup next time. It's not like there aren't tons of examples of successful festivals to mimic from a booking standpoint.

If taking a bath this year causes them to shake things up, it could actually be a good thing. If a bad/unimaginative lineup had been commercially successful it might have encouraged them to stay on the same path in the future.

Agree with pretty much everything 200%. Did not know Scott was brought in, shame they didn't have him from the beginning of this year's booking, he's fantastic with some of the acts he's brought here (pretty much starting with Swans in 1989), hope they retain him for next year!

I have a few favorite music genres. But catching even my fav of favs live is not a big deal to me.

Give me the choice of my so-so knees and easy to drench fluffy self listening to music in a crowd in the heat, blacktop or grass is somewhat irrelevant to the portly, or listening in the well chilled comfort of home, I have discovered I truly have few qualms with being a well tuned hermit.

Yeah that wouldn't even draw 5,000 in Oklahoma. Each night has to have a big, relevant country music artist as it's headliner. People aren't going to roll out to a hot gravel parking lot for the doobie brothers or carlos santana. That just isn't the market that OKC is, and the festival isn't a comfortable enough environment to pull off a gentlemen of the road type festival.

I'd make blake and miranda the headline.
Slightly less known name (eli young band)
then young/local/etc type artists.

They have to keep getting it established before they can take bigger and bigger risks on the acts. That lineup you posted would be a huge risk.

Unfortunately you're probably right. Received an email from Zoo Amphitheater the Widespread Panic show cancelled due to the classic "unforeseen circumstance" OKC is so lame.

Unfortunately you're probably right. Received an email from Zoo Amphitheater the Widespread Panic show cancelled due to the classic "unforeseen circumstance" OKC is so lame.

Who's to say WP didn't cancel the show due to an unforeseen circumstance? Why don't you move? Seriously. If you hate it so much, why don't you go to Tulsa or Dallas where they never had any problems of any kind?

Who's to say WP didn't cancel the show due to an unforeseen circumstance? Why don't you move? Seriously. If you hate it so much, why don't you go to Tulsa or Dallas where they never had any problems of any kind?

I would be surprised if it was cancelled due to low ticket sales. Phish show a couple years back was packed.

The Jayhawks? Damn I didn't even know they were still around

Who's to say WP didn't cancel the show due to an unforeseen circumstance? Why don't you move? Seriously. If you hate it so much, why don't you go to Tulsa or Dallas where they never had any problems of any kind?

It was the only show on their schedule that encountered unforeseen circumstances. I'm just bummed. Love the Zoo and was really looking forward to it. You're right, hopefully the Brady will book them again soon.

OKC Fest will officially not be happening in 2016.

OKC Fest will officially not be happening in 2016.
OK, at least we won't have to listen to all of the complaints about it here this year. LOL

OKC Fest will officially not be happening in 2016.

Yay! And what I mean is that I don't wish OKC to not have good things, but this wasn't really a good thing (sorry, ljbab :) ), so might as well just kill it and put it out of its misery, figure out how to do it better (there are lots of ways), and bring it back in a couple of years.

This is probably a good thing. 2014 left a lot to be desired and 2015 was even worse. They need to do it right or not do it at all.

I don't think the time is currently right for a large scale music festival in OKC, but after the Criterion and Tower really get going and after OKC is on the map for live music, then it might be a good time for a real music festival.

I think the best thing is for the community to work with ACM@UCO to grow Metro Music Fest, which was retooled last year in a very positive way. ACM had done the ACM Rocks Bricktown festival for several years, but it always focused on a single headliner on a main stage and a catch-all of ACM acts performing throughout Bricktown. Last year, they kept the student stages, but instead of someone like Moby or Nile Rodgers as headliner, they brought SEVERAL national touring acts, smaller than those previous names but all with Oklahoma ties and all of them emerging rather than nostalgic.

I think this model can grow to eventually encompass even larger names with Oklahoma ties as multiple headliners, and eventually start attracting non-Oklahoma-based headliners. This is more of an organic growth model that frankly makes much more sense, is less expensive initially, and which will more easily establish public buy-in.

^^^ Yep, sounds very feasible, but for my own personal preference - don't make every band a "Red Dirt" band, that's not my thing, and it seems there are far too many of them in general, and way too many that I can't distinguish between (although that could be said of *any* genre, lol).

This is probably a good thing. 2014 left a lot to be desired and 2015 was even worse. They need to do it right or not do it at all.

I don't think the time is currently right for a large scale music festival in OKC, but after the Criterion and Tower really get going and after OKC is on the map for live music, then it might be a good time for a real music festival.

OKC can totally handle a large scale music festival. It just needs to be well done and people will come.

D-Fest in Tulsa was my favorite music festival. It had a great mix of national acts, up and comers, and local acts of all different genres (although primarily alternative and hip hop). Something like this would succeed almost immediately in my opinion.

OKC can totally handle a large scale music festival. It just needs to be well done and people will come.

D-Fest in Tulsa was my favorite music festival. It had a great mix of national acts, up and comers, and local acts of all different genres (although primarily alternative and hip hop). Something like this would succeed almost immediately in my opinion.

One of the issues is Oklahoma City isn't really on the map for much beyond red dirt and country. That is about to change and when it does, I think OKC will be ripe for a large-scale music festival. It isn't necessarily whether the city can support it. It's a question of whether or not the organizers have the weight to pull in the artists and genres that are needed for the type of festival many would like to see.

One of the issues is Oklahoma City isn't really on the map for much beyond red dirt and country. That is about to change and when it does, I think OKC will be ripe for a large-scale music festival. It isn't necessarily whether the city can support it. It's a question of whether or not the organizers have the weight to pull in the artists and genres that are needed for the type of festival many would like to see.

What makes you think OKC is so different from Tulsa (see D-Fest), Norman (see huge crowds for mostly underground bands), or most the rest of the U.S.? If you have a quality festival set up, the artists will come.

What makes you think OKC is so different from Tulsa (see D-Fest), Norman (see huge crowds for mostly underground bands), or most the rest of the U.S.? If you have a quality festival set up, the artists will come.

Tulsa has been the live music capital of Oklahoma for a long time. OKC has mostly been known as a place for red dirt and country. Like I've said though, over the next few years that is going to change in a big way. I completely agree that a quality festival, organized well, will draw people and be a success. I think the upcoming changes in the music scene here will lead to that.

One of the issues is Oklahoma City isn't really on the map for much beyond red dirt and country. That is about to change and when it does, I think OKC will be ripe for a large-scale music festival. It isn't necessarily whether the city can support it. It's a question of whether or not the organizers have the weight to pull in the artists and genres that are needed for the type of festival many would like to see.

Haha,how wrong you are. Maybe you have been running with the wrong crowd. But then again, maybe everybody has gotten old and these festivals are not as popular any longer with the Boomers.

Tulsa has been the live music capital of Oklahoma for a long time. OKC has mostly been known as a place for red dirt and country. Like I've said though, over the next few years that is going to change in a big way. I completely agree that a quality festival, organized well, will draw people and be a success. I think the upcoming changes in the music scene here will lead to that.

Wrong again. Back in the 70s there were hippies, freaks and disco nuts everywhere in Okc. The only thing that's changed is people got their hair cut and stopped wearing bell bottoms. But the people are still here.

Tulsa has been the live music capital of Oklahoma for a long time. OKC has mostly been known as a place for red dirt and country. Like I've said though, over the next few years that is going to change in a big way. I completely agree that a quality festival, organized well, will draw people and be a success. I think the upcoming changes in the music scene here will lead to that.

You need to look at a website call pollstar.com. It lists all the concerts for basically anywhere in the world. If you look up a place called the Diamond Ballroom, you will see the following concerts through 5/26/16:
Bullet for my valentine (metal), here come the mummies (funk), wolfmother (rock), nightwish (metal), Mayday Parade (punk), Between the Buried and Me (metal), Killswitch Engage (metal), The Struts (rock), Ghost (metal), Flogging Molly (punk) and Tech N9ne (rap). Stoney LaRue is the only red dirt artist for that venue for the near future. The 89th Street Collection has a concert about every 3-5 days of mostly rock/metal acts.

^^^^^^^
Yeah, I have zero idea where you are coming from, Chris. You're better these days, but I think you still need to get out more. Other than Wormy Dog, I can't think of any other OKC venue with regular live music that is heavy with Red Dirt. There's tons of singer-songwriter stuff, which is often INFLUENCED by country - as is the case with that type of music everywhere in the U.S. - but little of which I would term actual country or red dirt.

I personally go to dozens of shows each year, and the places in the metro most known for live music lean indie/punk/rock/metal. The problem with live music in this town has ZERO to do with the TYPE of live music here; it is all about the AMOUNT of it.

I might be wrong but I don't think this is an on the map issue. It's a money issue. While OKC could easily generate solid attendance, it's probably way easier to acquire sponsorship for a red dirt festival vs hip hop or EDM. Hopefully we see a shift, maybe with the success of the Criterion and the other new music venues.

^^^^^^
Not really accurate. It wasn't so much sponsored as it was conceived and underwritten by Fred Hall, and a passion project for him. Fred has number Nashville connections, so he naturally pursued those when putting it together, which is one of the main reasons it was country-heavy.

^^^^^^
Not really accurate. It wasn't so much sponsored as it was conceived and underwritten by Fred Hall, and a passion project for him. Fred has number Nashville connections, so he naturally pursued those when putting it together, which is one of the main reasons it was country-heavy.

And got a lot of inspiration from Stagecoach... a country music festival outside Palm Springs.

That makes sense, as there is/was a Hall family connection in Palm Springs.

I would love to OKCFest expand to a multi-venue festival. You could have larger concerts at the ballpark (I've see Dave Matthews Band there, it works), then the Criterion, Chevy, ACM Performance Lab and Wormy Dog would have different bands. You could also expand it to other venues west of Bricktown, but keep The Peake out of it.

^^^^^^^^
I think this will happen, but it will be ACM's Metro Music Fest or something else growing into this role. OKCFest is officially over. Stay tuned for other live music news relative to Bricktown.

^^^^^^^^
I think this will happen, but it will be ACM's Metro Music Fest or something else growing into this role. OKCFest is officially over. Stay tuned for other live music news relative to Bricktown.

Looks like Fred Hall disagrees with you. OKCFest to return in the fall, probably at the Jones Assembly building.


Festival founder Fred Hall confirmed Friday that OKCFest's third installment will return to downtown Oklahoma City with a new location and date. Hall didn't hesitate when deciding to tackle another year of OKCFest.

"The question was just the physical location," Hall said.

Will OKCFest return in 2016? | News OK (http://newsok.com/will-okcfest-return-in-2016/article/5478511)

Long Live OKCFest! Growing with Pride....

Good news then. I was told that it was over, but apparently they were meaning the large-scale outdoor event. Sounds like it will be scaled down, which is probably a good idea if so. Hope it grows into its own.

Good news then. I was told that it was over, but apparently they were meaning the large-scale outdoor event. Sounds like it will be scaled down, which is probably a good idea if so. Hope it grows into its own.

They need one or two big name acts, and by big name, I mean people you won't see at the State Fair or at a casino around here. Yes, that's more expensive, but it also draws in the crowd.

Also, I am torn whether or not they should stick with a single genre of music. Sticking to country and doing it well might be better than tying to cross genres and missing the mark big time like they did last year.

Anyone seen the lineup for Wichita's Riverfest this year? Pretty awesome

Wichita Riverfest [Music - Riverfest Concerts] (http://wichitariverfest.com/music.php?page=riverfest_concerts)

OKC has mostly been known as a place for red dirt and country.

In terms of what? What comes out of it, or what comes to it?

Now, in terms of what is actually happening in OKC, Red Dirt is a small part of it. The Wormy Dog and Grady's in Yukon are the only places I know of that really have any focus on that type of music. On any given weekend in OKC, Red Dirt is not what you will find at most of the venues that regularly have music.

As far as what comes out of OKC, maybe. But the thing is, this is because a lot of Red Dirt acts have musicians from OKC or around OKC and, really, they pretty much go to Texas and take part in the Texas Music scene because that is where there are A LOT of venues catering to Red Dirt music. If anything, we export more Red Dirt than we bring in or cultivate and, in that case, yeah, we're known for it.

As for Tulsa, without trying to inject the stupid pissing contest, it's really known for one place and it's not like it's anything like an Austin or Nashville as far as it's own music scene (far from it). Cain's is a nice venue that books well, imo. But it should also be noted in this context that Cain's currently has several Red Dirtish acts on the books like Drive-by Truckers, Blackberry Smoke, Old 97s, Heartless Bastards, etc. And a couple of those I actually WISH were coming to OKC (again) soon.

At the end of the day, there are a lot of shows in OKC that are not Red Dirt country and a lot of resident bands that aren't as well. If you follow what's going on at 89th St. Collective (just saw Surfer Blood there) and the Opolis, they get a lot of indie rock that often only play in OKC when they come to Oklahoma. Of course, two years later they end up playing at Cain's and everyone goes "why do they get all the shows".

^^^^^^^
Absolute truth.

Talked to the guys at Jones Assembly and they are definitely working on the next music festival.

Cains is a "nice venue"? Try charming steeped in history along with the Brady. I'm hopeful for the Criteron and have my Greg Allman tickets. Be nice not to have to drive to Winstar or Newkirk but frankly I'll believe it when I see it. Tulsa does support a wider variety of music. Central Ok fascinated with Red Dirt Americana and not much else. Widespread POanic has played to BOK. The show at the Zoo cancelled because apparently I was one of the few ticket holders. Went to Grady's once to hear world class blues guitarist Jimmy Thackery. There were 15 people there. I was so embarrassed. Jimmy was pissed which he fortunately channelled into his playing. btw, Opolis is in NormanOKC can't have it, neither The Deli..

Where is all of this Red Dirt and country that you and Chris keep griping about? Here is a listing of pretty much every major (and most smaller) shows booked in the entire state: Shows (http://oklahomarock.com/shows/)

Tulsa has many more shows than OKC (especially before the Criterion comes online), but also has WAY more Red Dirt and Americana or country. Your assertions are completely invalid.

Cains is a "nice venue"? Try charming steeped in history along with the Brady.

Compared to many venues, yeah, it's a nice venue, a very nice standard ballroom set up really. I really think it and the Brady are WAY over sold, though. That's just my opinion and I know a lot of people in Oklahoma disagree and I know artists like playing there. Cain's is a nice ballroom with good history for sure, but I have been to nicer ballrooms with more history, that's all. That doesn't mean I don't like going there or that I don't understand its history. I like the Brady, too, but compared to a lot of theaters, it's really on the blah side.

But, at the end of day, they both sound pretty good, which is what really matters.

Cains is a "nice venue"? Try charming steeped in history along with the Brady. I'm hopeful for the Criteron and have my Greg Allman tickets. Be nice not to have to drive to Winstar or Newkirk but frankly I'll believe it when I see it. Tulsa does support a wider variety of music. Central Ok fascinated with Red Dirt Americana and not much else. Widespread POanic has played to BOK. The show at the Zoo cancelled because apparently I was one of the few ticket holders. Went to Grady's once to hear world class blues guitarist Jimmy Thackery. There were 15 people there. I was so embarrassed. Jimmy was pissed which he fortunately channelled into his playing. btw, Opolis is in NormanOKC can't have it, neither The Deli..

I don't get this. If Widespread Panic is a wider variety of music, then what is Stevie Wonder, Dawes, OKGo, Foo Fighters, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ben Folds, Alt J, Primus, Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Fleetwood Mac, Phish, Surfer Blood, Twenty One Pilots, Spoon, They Might Be Giants, Vampire Weekend, Young the Giant, AWOLNATION, That's just off the top of my head from the last year or so in OKC. And that's not even mentioning anything in Norman.

Edit: Ben Folds hasn't happened yet this year, but I did see him in Norman once and in OKC with the Philharmonic (and, yes, at Cain's last year by himself).

Talked to the guys at Jones Assembly and they are definitely working on the next music festival.

I hope it's packed with Red Dirt bands. ; )

Agree with BDP about Brady. Sounds great, neat history, but there are dozens of more impressive theater venues around the country; I've been to a number of them myself. Cain's OTOH is pretty special. Much of that because of history; not specific to the room itself. But the room is great too.

That said, once again there are plenty of examples of similar rooms; you have to look no further than the upstairs ballroom at OKC's Farmers Market. With consistent great bookings it would be very similar to Cain's.

Cain's OTOH is pretty special. Much of that because of history; not specific to the room itself. But the room is great too.

Well, it always seems to happen when I talk about Cain's. I never say anything bad, but because I don't use any superlatives when talking about, people seem to take it wrong. I think I should just start nodding my head and saying "yeah totally the best". :D

I guess it's just that when I was told how amazing it was I was expecting something like

The Fillmore (which is probably unfair, but it lives off its history a lot too):

http://specialevents.livenation.com/uploads/assets/venues/slideshows/32/5.jpg

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Fillmore(2).jpg

Or great American Music Hall:

http://3m1yvb3ekpj045f9t02a2ryq.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Pedro-Paredes-18.jpg

As for the Brady, by the way some talk about, I was expecting something like the Warfield:

http://az100346.vo.msecnd.net/content/images/rockandbus/venues/thewarfield/primary.jpg

or The Wiltern

http://specialevents.livenation.com/uploads/assets/venues/slideshows/35/2.jpg

So, again, when I say they are nice venues, I am not putting them down at all as venues. Nor am I any kind of venue snob, I'm just saying that strictly looking at them as rooms, I don't find anything particularly unique or amazing about them and, really, I think it might just be a case of them initially being over sold to me. But like I said, that doesn't really matter if it sounds good and they do. And I'm going to Cain's next week and I am very much looking forward to it.

It doesn't get too many actual "concerts" a year, the Civic Center is extremely nice... although I don't see it ever getting shows like the Brady.

Looks like Fred Hall disagrees with you. OKCFest to return in the fall, probably at the Jones Assembly building.

Will OKCFest return in 2016? | News OK (http://newsok.com/will-okcfest-return-in-2016/article/5478511)

Well, it is officially fall, I assume nothing will happen this year?

Well, it is officially fall, I assume nothing will happen this year?

That's a correct assumption. Fred Hall has said it wouldn't be back this year. I believe the plan is to bring it back and use venues like the new Jones Assembly as focal points

Looks like it is coming back, but it will be ACM@UCO Metro Music Fest on Saturday, April 8th. Guided by Voices at The Criterion, Must Die! at the Performance Lab and a bunch of other bands I haven't heard of at various venues in OKC.

http://www.pollstar.com/resultsArtist.aspx?ID=355734

Looks like it is coming back, but it will be ACM@UCO Metro Music Fest on Saturday, April 8th. Guided by Voices at The Criterion, Must Die! at the Performance Lab and a bunch of other bands I haven't heard of at various venues in OKC.

http://www.pollstar.com/resultsArtist.aspx?ID=355734

acm metro music fest has been around for years and is not the same thing as okc fest.