Criterion Concert Hall

[bchris02]

That is great news. I'm a firm believer in competition is better for the consumer which hopefully with them raising the stakes will require the other live acts to raise their game to be able to compete.

I wonder what will become of the Diamond. I can't imagine it sticking around.

[baralheia]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Diamond sticks around, but they most likely will lose out on a lot of the big name acts. I'd think they'd end up surviving on local and independent acts, probably.

[shawnw]

I will love not having to go to the Diamond for the shows I think deserve a better than adequate venue.

[OkieHornet]

keep in mind the diamond's capacity is less than 1000, so it's a good alternative for an act that's not quite big enough for bricktown events center, but bigger than conservatory.

[BDP]

keep in mind the diamond's capacity is less than 1000, so it's a good alternative for an act that's not quite big enough for bricktown events center, but bigger than conservatory.

This is true. I'm actually one that does not hate the Diamond, I just hate where it is and how it's run. The last few shows I have been to there sounded great and I really like venues of that size. They have been booking better it seems the last six months or so, imo, in that they are booking bands that fill venues twice as big in large markets and they haven't all been from the metal / thrash genre. OK GO, Spoon, Modest Mouse, and TMBG all in one month seems like a change in booking philosophy there. I wonder if the impending arrival of some new competition has made DCF a little more motivated in this market.

[bchris02]

This is true. I'm actually one that does not hate the Diamond, I just hate where it is and how it's run.

I couldn't agree more. The Diamond is definitely a relic from an OKC in which EVERYTHING had left downtown for the suburban fringe. The best live music venues in mid-sized cities are almost always in the urban core.

[OkieHornet]

their locations seems like it was middle-of-nowhere even back in the 60s when it was built... were they thinking the area would fill in at some point?

and speaking of the diamond, if anyone has an extra for modest mouse tomorrow night, i'll gladly take it off your hands ;–)

[Dubya61]

their locations seems like it was middle-of-nowhere even back in the 60s when it was built... were they thinking the area would fill in at some point?

and speaking of the diamond, if anyone has an extra for modest mouse tomorrow night, i'll gladly take it off your hands ;–)

I think that area of OKC was going to be something special at one time, but either politics got in the way or it was ignored or SOMETHING. I'll bet that with I-240 working on being an outer loop for OKC (I-44 stopped where the Turner Turnpike stopped -- in the early '80's, I-44 took over the west and north legs of I-240) and the start up of Crossroads Mall in 1974, you just know that the owners of Diamond Ballroom felt like they had hit the jackpot.

[Pete]

I was able to confirm that Live Nation will indeed be doing the booking for this venue.

Huge news for the OKC live music scene.

[BDP]

I was able to confirm that Live Nation will indeed be doing the booking for this venue.

Huge news for the OKC live music scene.

That's awesome. Bringing in a promoter like Live Nation was always more important than just getting a new venue. BEC is a good example of that. It's been open for bookings for months now since the upgrades and it's still not seeing that much action for concerts. So, with a dedicated music venue and top tier promoter, we should get some good stuff to the market.

[soonerguru]

That's awesome. Bringing in a promoter like Live Nation was always more important than just getting a new venue. BEC is a good example of that. It's been open for bookings for months now since the upgrades and it's still not seeing that much action for concerts. So, with a dedicated music venue and top tier promoter, we should get some good stuff to the market.

I really, really, really hope this is true. The promoters in this city are not getting it done. If they can't, get people who can. This city deserves better than third-rate options for live music. Tulsa is really benefitting from our lousy offerings; it is shocking (or maybe not) how many people from OKC go up the Turnpike to see shows there.

Consider me excited and impressed with this development.

[Spartan]

Tulsa has concert venues in droves and I've still driven to concerts up in Lawrence or KC before. With every state blanketed with these types of venues, multiples in most major metros, band tour locations often seem pretty random. That said, securing Live Nation as the booking agent will bring in legit up-and-coming bands.

Bricktown getting this venue is arguably more of a positive than getting the convention center.

[bchris02]

Tulsa has concert venues in droves and I've still driven to concerts up in Lawrence or KC before. With every state blanketed with these types of venues, multiples in most major metros, band tour locations often seem pretty random. That said, securing Live Nation as the booking agent will bring in legit up-and-coming bands.

Bricktown getting this venue is arguably more of a positive than getting the convention center.

Having a good live music scene requires both a quality venue and a good promoter. If you have one without the other, that is a recipe for a subpar music scene. Up until now, OKC has had neither. In the near future this city will have a great promoter and a few venues to choose from. OKC may never be a top-tier live music city like Austin or Nashville, but it will at least now be on the map.

[warreng88]

Having a good live music scene requires both a quality venue and a good promoter. If you have one without the other, that is a recipe for a subpar music scene. Up until now, OKC has had neither. In the near future this city will have a great promoter and a few venues to choose from. OKC may never be a top-tier live music city like Austin or Nashville, but it will at least now be on the map.

I can agree with you on the quality of the venue (The Diamond is a warehouse with a sound system in the middle of nowhere) but to say they don’t have a good promoter, is just not true. Over the next two months, they are bringing in Blue October, Mastadon and Clutch, They Might Be Giants, Spoon, The Used and Chevelle, Nothing More, Tech N9ne, and Awolnation. And bands that played recently are Marilyn Manson, Modest Mouse, Stone Temple Pilots, Brand New, OK GO, Chase Bryant, Bush and Theory of a Deadman and many others who I don’t recognize and that is just this year. You don’t get bands with that kind of name recognition unless the promotion is excellent. One can only hope the Criterion steals that promoter.

[BDP]

I can agree with you on the quality of the venue (The Diamond is a warehouse with a sound system in the middle of nowhere) but to say they don’t have a good promoter, is just not true. Over the next two months, they are bringing in Blue October, Mastadon and Clutch, They Might Be Giants, Spoon, The Used and Chevelle, Nothing More, Tech N9ne, and Awolnation. And bands that played recently are Marilyn Manson, Modest Mouse, Stone Temple Pilots, Brand New, OK GO, Chase Bryant, Bush and Theory of a Deadman and many others who I don’t recognize and that is just this year. You don’t get bands with that kind of name recognition unless the promotion is excellent. One can only hope the Criterion steals that promoter.

That promoter is DCF. They will be competitors with Live Nation. I do agree though, it's hard to complain with what they have been bringing in lately. I believe they are also responsible for some of the BEC shows and some Conservatory shows and some Zoo Amp shows. Outside of the group who does Wormy Dog and the Opolis, DCF is responsible for most of the shows put on here. They do seem to be paying attention to the market a lot more than they did just 2 years ago, despite having a presence here for a long time. I imagine they are fully aware that they're about to have to work much harder in this market and are trying to get a head start.

[BDP]

Having a good live music scene requires both a quality venue and a good promoter. If you have one without the other, that is a recipe for a subpar music scene. Up until now, OKC has had neither. In the near future this city will have a great promoter and a few venues to choose from. OKC may never be a top-tier live music city like Austin or Nashville, but it will at least now be on the map.

Personally, I don't really define a city's music scene by what come to the market, but more what comes out of the market. Nashville's and Austin's music scene was built on what happens on 6th street and Broadway more than what tours visit their larger venues. I'm very excited about these new venues and the arrival of top national promoters to the market, but I think a good "music scene" is more dependent on bars and clubs booking quality local /regional acts on a regular basis and those shows being well attended by residents on a regular basis. If you have that, then bands actually come and set up base in your town and an actual industry grows up around it.

Really, I think the best catalyst for an improved music scene is ACM. There's some talented people in that program and if anyone is working to improve the music in OKC, it's the people at that school.

[sooner88]

Having national acts will also give our local bands the opportunity to open for them, which can spread their name very quickly. (Lots of national acts bring their own openers instead of using local acts, but it is definitely not out of the question.)

[Bullbear]

DCF has stepped up their game a bit in the past few years but I think its due to the fact they know they have to with other major players coming to town. I think Live Nation will be a total game changer and we can expect great things witht hem involved. Most shows I have been to in the past 5 years have been Live nation related.

I understand what you say about a vibrant music scene being about local artists, and we don't have a 6th street but OKC does have a lot of music playing around town. maybe I see it more because many of my friends are musicians and invite me out almost every night of the week to see them or a buddy play but if you love live music you can findit pretty easy in this town. Ther are lots of great artists here in OKC.

[BDP]

I understand what you say about a vibrant music scene being about local artists, and we don't have a 6th street but OKC does have a lot of music playing around town. maybe I see it more because many of my friends are musicians and invite me out almost every night of the week to see them or a buddy play but if you love live music you can findit pretty easy in this town. Ther are lots of great artists here in OKC.

This is very true. OKC's music scene is not lacking talent. Like just about every other city that does not have industry support, it can often fluctuate, but it's not like it's not there. Honestly, I think people who often complain about the music scene here don't really go and check out the music that is being performed every week in the city (and probably complain about $5 covers for "a band I've never heard of")

[Pete]

Yet another example of how OKC's burgeoning bar scene is making a difference: Many host live music from time to time.

Although not technically live music venues, many places now provide the opportunity for individuals and small bands to perform, make a bit of cash and be heard.

The one night I was at R&J, they had a jazz guitarist that was very talented, and that's the last place you would think of as a live music venue.

Fassler Hall will soon start to feature live music as will the Rabbit Hole and Power House.

Just so many possibilities once you create places for people to congregate, something that is still relatively new to OKC.

[sooner88]

Yet another example of how OKC's burgeoning bar scene is making a difference: Many host live music from time to time.

Although not technically live music venues, many places now provide the opportunity for individuals and small bands to perform, make a bit of cash and be heard.

The one night I was at R&J, they had a jazz guitarist that was very talented, and that's the last place you would think of as a live music venue.

Fassler Hall will soon start to feature live music as will the Rabbit Hole and Power House.

Just so many possibilities once you create places for people to congregate, something that is still relatively new to OKC.

That was most likely Maurice Jonhnson at R&J. Both R&J and Bleu Garten have started "Midtown Jazz Crawl" every Wednesday... pretty awesome to hear that as background music every Wednesday night. Those are the only two places I know doing it right now, but I'm sure they're trying to grow that.

[BDP]

Yet another example of how OKC's burgeoning bar scene is making a difference: Many host live music from time to time.

Although not technically live music venues, many places now provide the opportunity for individuals and small bands to perform, make a bit of cash and be heard.

The one night I was at R&J, they had a jazz guitarist that was very talented, and that's the last place you would think of as a live music venue.

Fassler Hall will soon start to feature live music as will the Rabbit Hole and Power House.

Just so many possibilities once you create places for people to congregate, something that is still relatively new to OKC.

I think it always helps when you have places like that which have their own built in draw and the bands can get broader exposure off the regular crowd. What I think OKC currently lacks is a place where people go specifically to see live music because of the reputation of the bar or club, even if they have no idea who the band may be (though the Blue Note might qualify now). At one point in time, VZDs kind of had that going, but I think that dropped off in recent years with new competition and, possibly, the smoking laws hurt them a bit (for whatever reason, the live rock and roll consumer demographic seems to have more smokers). Now, it sounds like live music will be a lower priority for the new operators.

It will be interesting to see if any of the new places develop a reputation as a place to see live music as a primary draw, that is, where people go there specifically for live music instead of it just being a "value add" for the overall experience.

[sooner88]

I think it always helps when you have places like that which have their own built in draw and the bands can get broader exposure off the regular crowd. What I think OKC currently lacks is a place where people go specifically to see live music because of the reputation of the bar or club, even if they have no idea who the band may be (though the Blue Note might qualify now). At one point in time, VZDs kind of had that going, but I think that dropped off in recent years with new competition and, possibly, the smoking laws hurt them a bit (for whatever reason, the live rock and roll consumer demographic seems to have more smokers). Now, it sounds like live music will be a lower priority for the new operators.

It will be interesting to see if any of the new places develop a reputation as a place to see live music as a primary draw, that is, where people go there specifically for live music instead of it just being a "value add" for the overall experience.

A friend from California was in town and asked if there was a place they could go see live music. Aside from country and specific events, there wasn't a single place we could think of. Is there any place I'm not thinking of?

[BDP]

A friend from California was in town and asked if there was a place they could go see live music. Aside from country and specific events, there wasn't a single place we could think of. Is there any place I'm not thinking of?

As of right now, probably Blue Note Lounge would be the best bet. They probably have the best set up for it and pretty much always book Friday and Saturday and a couple of days during the week. Grandad's dabbles in it and the Speakeasy and the Hi-Lo have bands about once a week.

[hfry]

Whiskey chicks regularly has live music. Truly it's hard to find a place on the weekends that doesn't have a band. Heck Baker Street pub on memorial always seems to have acts playing and the majority of the time it's a variety of acts and not just country. We have a great rock scene here and there seems to be a perception going around that the only live music you can see is country and frankly that's just not true.