Thunder/Concerts

[mark]

i'm probably not remembering this correctly, so correct me if i'm wrong. while working to bring the sonics/thunder to okc, it was said that an nba team will help bring more conventions and events to okc. i see more conventions heading this way, but as far as concerts, i see them heading to tulsa. the eagles played there last month and have another show there in november and ac/dc will be playing there in january. is the ford center that bad? will we have to wait till it's updated for the thunder or a new arena is built, or are we just screwed?

if i was wrong in my opening sentence, than ignore this thread.

[OKCDrummer77]

Tulsa just opened a brand-new building, so they'll pull some good shows for awhile. I predict that it will shake itself out as the novelty wears off and the Ford Center improvements start taking place.

[BDP]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Tulsa is a new market and will do well bringing acts that tour a lot to the new facility. New facilties in new markets are a great way to ensure strong tickets sales especially for acts that have been through the region in recent years.

Many cities with both NBA and NHL teams still have plenty of acts play at those facilities. Just look at the Staples center. It is home to the Lakers, the Clippers, the Kings, an AFL team and a WNBA team, yet it still gets many touring events, despite the abundance of venues in the great Los Angeles area.

As long as the Ford Center's management is on the ball and promoters are still active in the city, it will still get its share of events. Oklahoma City is still the largest market in the state for concerts and will see its share, but I highly doubt you will see many large events come to both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Since Tulsa is the newer market with a newer facility, you will no doubt see many acts going there, especially ones that have been through OKC in the last 5-10 years already.

However, I would expect a slight drop off in the next few years due more to construction from the renovations than due to the Thunder. If anything, the NBA ensures that the arena will continue to generate revenue allowing for more improvements and maintenance which will in turn ensure that it remains a viable and competitive facility for all kinds of events, especially conerts.

[BG918]

The way I see it concerts will be more evenly distributed between the two cities. One national tour may have a show in OKC while another tour will have one in Tulsa. This basically assures the state will see concerts with every major tour in either OKC or Tulsa.

[jstanthrnme]

From where I sit, it seems like Tulsa has always had better bands perform there. I don't know why that is. I suspect it just works out because of the schedule they set.
Show in STL, next day Tulsa, the next in Dallas. Thats just my observation.
As far as big name bands in the big venues, I'll pass.
I want to see the bands on the way up. Places like the Brady Theatre and especially Cains do a lot to attract those types of acts that I like to see live.
Outside of the Diamond Ballroom and Bricktown Events Center, we lack mid-size venues. Will Rogers Theatre was a nice place to watch a concert...too bad its not used for that now.
The history and atmosphere of Cains Ballroom is really something special that adds a lot of energy to a show and managers of touring acts understand this.

[OKCMallen]

From where I sit, it seems like Tulsa has always had better bands perform there. I don't know why that is. I suspect it just works out because of the schedule they set.
Show in STL, next day Tulsa, the next in Dallas. Thats just my observation.
As far as big name bands in the big venues, I'll pass.
I want to see the bands on the way up. Places like the Brady Theatre and especially Cains do a lot to attract those types of acts that I like to see live.
Outside of the Diamond Ballroom and Bricktown Events Center, we lack mid-size venues. Will Rogers Theatre was a nice place to watch a concert...too bad its not used for that now.
The history and atmosphere of Cains Ballroom is really something special that adds a lot of energy to a show and managers of touring acts understand this.

This.

For those of you that haven't been paying attention, TUL kicks the living crap out of OKC in live music, particualrly for medium-sized, non-arena bands. Cain's has a ton to do with it. We don't have any medium-sized venues that can or will compete with Cain's. However, I've always thought if the Farmer's Market were adequately developed, it would have great potential to be similar (but certainly never truly comparable) to Cain's.

[BG918]

This.

For those of you that haven't been paying attention, TUL kicks the living crap out of OKC in live music, particualrly for medium-sized, non-arena bands. Cain's has a ton to do with it. We don't have any medium-sized venues that can or will compete with Cain's. However, I've always thought if the Farmer's Market were adequately developed, it would have great potential to be similar (but certainly never truly comparable) to Cain's.

The Tower Theater?? Assuming it is finally renovated I could see it being like Cain's or Brady in Tulsa. I'd also love to see the Boomer Theater in Norman restored to its original use for smaller concerts.

[metro]

The Diamond Ballroom does pull some good shows, but face it, the place is in a very poor location and it is a dump. Bricktown Coca-Cola Center has a good central location and pulls a few good shows a year, but it's nothing special as well. I too hope OKC finally develops a quality place for mid-sized concerts.

[OKCMallen]

There's nothing we can do to emulate Cain's as a structure and its history, so we'd need to make up for it in other ways.

[jbrown84]

The Tower Theatre is our only hope.

[mark]

ac/dc is going to be a monday night, so it's a no go. can't see leaving work early to drive to tulsa, back the same night and be somewhat functional the next day.

is the tower theater on 23rd?

the farmer's market would be a neat place if developed properly.

[mmonroe]

I ran a venue till it closed a year and a half ago. I really want to open one of my own with bigger shows.

[southernskye]

I would really love to see more places here with Live music. Even on the level of small clubs with local bands.

[jstanthrnme]

The Farmers Market is actually a decent venue. It certainly needs more events, and a lot more love.

[BDP]

You guys are right. Venues matter and we are hurting in way of medium size / theater circuit type venues and the ones we have are underutilized.

Another factor is promoters. I don't know for sure, but it seems like whoever promotes the shows for Cain's does a hell of a better job than anyone in Oklahoma City. I just don't even see much effort here to bring in very many acts other than club and arena size tours.

The Tower would be great, but I am not even sure if it's big enough. The Continental would have been perfect and the lobby was big enough for it to be a lounge/bar to keep it from being dark most of the time. Oh well... I wonder what they built there after they tore it down.

[OKCMallen]

Parking/access would be awful for the Tower, and it's not a great part of town. (comparing it to Cain's.)

[smacketyanne]

What are you people talking about? RATT is going to be at Riverwind...and Farmers Market , though cool place, is way too small a venue for AC/DC or Chicago.

[kevinpate]

With the apparent success of Riverwind and Firelake venues, I'm a touch surprised they dinna work a hall into, or at least nearby, the Remington renovation

[BDP]

Parking/access would be awful for the Tower, and it's not a great part of town. (comparing it to Cain's.)

It's been a couple of years, but I don't really remember Cain's being in a paticularly nice area and isn't it mostly street parking and side lots down there?

The Tower has a lot right across the street and I believe there is parking behind it, as well as a lot of street parking up and down the block at night. I think it would be a great place for a venue and really help the area out. In fact, most theaters in many cities are in districts not unlike the uptown area. There's I-235 to the East and Classen to the West. 23rd is pretty accessible, imo. I think it's situation is better than the Farmer's Market at this point, but it has a longer way to go before it's a viable venue.

[OkieHornet]

Cain's is in an OK part of Tulsa, not great, but not bad... the parking's at least close, whether it's the lot across the street or down the road...

but the Tower won't solve OKC's issue of not having a decent 1000-2000 seat venue, will it? it's not that big, right? the Diamond's about 1000 and Bricktown Events Center holds 1500, but the sound and atmosphere in that place isn't good...

Cain's has great history on its side for sure... the Farmer's Market is kind of cool - i saw the Black Crowes a few years back there... there was something in the paper a few years ago about Cains and Farmers Market sharing shows where someone would play Tulsa one night and OKC the next night, but it never came to fruition, which is too bad, seeing as how Cain's seems to get seemingly every mid-level band on tour...

[Lord Helmet]

The Bricktown Event Center would be fine if it were more of a concert only venue.

[BG918]

How big is the Tower?? I've never been inside but I'm sure it's close to the size of Cain's. The area would improve if the Tower was operational. And there is plenty of parking along the streets in that area.

Another place that could be turned into a music venue is the Army National Guard Armory on 23rd by the Capitol. I believe it's still in use though, but if the Army could give it up some investors could really turn it into something cool, and it would be large enough for most medium-sized shows. I've always thought that place could be utilized much better.

[jbrown84]

Parking/access would be awful for the Tower, and it's not a great part of town. (comparing it to Cain's.)

Whaaat? The two are VERY similar both in parking options and how "nice" the area around them is. They both are in slightly sketchy areas with good interstate access.

[OKCMallen]

Have you BEEN to Cain's?

1. There is almsot zero traffic (foot or auto) around Cain's at night unless there's a show. 23rd St is...well, 23rd. You have gangbangers cruising up and down it all night.

2. Cains, since there's no one around at night, has ample parking in the streets. On 23rd, there is traffic all night, especially on weekends. You would have to park into neighborhoods around the Tower to permit everyone space. Those neighborhoods are NOT nice.

3. And finally, there are safe walking areas around Cains as it has developed some (e.g.- walking from Caz's to Cain's is no big deal and it's safe). While sidewalks exist on 23rd, there's no "tourist" pedestrian traffic like that at night other and it wouldn't be safe for, say, two girls to walk alone at night in that area like you could from Caz's to Cain's.

[OKCMallen]

BTW, I'm not saying it can't be done, it just won't stack up to some of the built-ins that Cain's has.