Criterion Concert Hall

[Pete]

The fact that a place like the Diamond can consistently book good shows tells you all you need to know about the operation of the Criterion and even the Bricktown Events Center.

[Colbafone]

Agree on the booking and the marquee, but it's just a big metal/concrete shed, nothing really special about the bldg, IMO.

Maybe that's why I like it so much. It's like the Rudy of the music scene. There is absolutely no reason at all for it to be successful. It feels like a freakin bowling alley. And yet, I love it. It has its own mystique. It's like the differencr between eating at a super high end, quality restaurant and then going to a family gathering that has no business being worthwhile or meaningful, but a couple people in the family decide to start cooking, or maybe dad decided last night he was going to smoke some ribs and brisket in his own special way, and suddenly you have the best food you've tried in two years.

And Pete, I agree. Something drastically needs to change, and hopefully is, with our Bricktown concert venues.

[Pete]

This is the article from the Oklahoman and I think it's way, way off base.

The reasons the Tower deal didn't work and why the Criterion isn't booking many shows goes well beyond how people in OKC feel about live music, as noted by the relative success of the woeful Diamond.

Why is OKC such a fickle concert market?

The false start of Tower Theatre hasn't come as much of a shock.

To me, at least. People treated the heralded concert hall's marquee like a bat signal, as if a savior for Oklahoma City's live music scene would be summoned when it flashed to life. My experiences in booking and covering music here in the past decade have seen too many half-empty venues and balking at paying for a concert experience to not be apprehensive of any one thing jump-starting OKC into a new live music mecca.

[2Lanez]

I hadn't seen that. Cringeworthy. Can't help but think of all the times I've driven to Cain's, and run into literally dozens of people I know from OKC who happily drive 90 minutes because that's where the shows are.

[2Lanez]

Reminds me of a Lackmeyer live chat a few months ago where he said it was time for OKC concert-goers to "put up or shut up" in terms of attending shows. I'm paraphrashing from memory, but basically this is all the fans' fault.

[bchris02]

I am curious as to whether or not it has been a problem with attendance at the shows that have been booked at the Criterion and the Tower, a matter of bands choosing to pass over OKC for Tulsa, or a combination of both. People were very excited about both of these new venues when they were announced and its quite surprising that they have performed this poorly. It makes sense that it would take some time to really get things cranking, but both venues should be performing better than they are, even in this market.

[Pete]

^

It's the promoters, plain and simple.

[bchris02]

^

It's the promoters, plain and simple.

Does Levelland also promote Cain's or anything in Tulsa? I'm not that familiar with the concert booking industry. I do remember everyone on this board was very excited when it was announced they would promote the Criterion and the Tower because they have been very successful in other markets.

[Pete]

No, before Levelland only booked and operated the Wormy Dog.

What excited people was their eventual tie to Live Nation, the largest concert booker and promoter in the world.

But that hasn't panned out very well, and I'm quite sure it's because Levelland cannot get their act together.

[Bullbear]

The tie to Live Nation was what I was most excited about. I thought surely this meant we would see lots of shows of all sorts coming down the pike. however its been very disappointing and I still find myself headed to Dallas or Tulsa or even a Casino to see shows due to lack of bookings here.

[Questor]

I don't know anything about the concert promotion business, but I do know how to run a business and love music and go to Austin all the time. And I have resources. I have honestly wondered if I could do a better job as a n00b than some of these people in this town. With each passing day I consider finding out more and more.

[Pete]

The tie to Live Nation was what I was most excited about. I thought surely this meant we would see lots of shows of all sorts coming down the pike. however its been very disappointing and I still find myself headed to Dallas or Tulsa or even a Casino to see shows due to lack of bookings here.

As with any booking deal, a good part of the financial responsibility falls to the venue operator (in this case, Levelland) and if they can't handle things properly, shows don't get scheduled.

Even with the recent rash of announcements, the Criterion is still only averaging about 2 shows a *month*. Ridiculous.

[TheTravellers]

This is the article from the Oklahoman and I think it's way, way off base.

The reasons the Tower deal didn't work and why the Criterion isn't booking many shows goes well beyond how people in OKC feel about live music, as noted by the relative success of the woeful Diamond.

Why is OKC such a fickle concert market?

This guy's completely out of tune with reality, despite him saying he's booked and promoted shows for a decade. We have thousands of people here that would go to shows at the Criterion or Tower *if* they were booked. Chicken and egg somewhat, yeah, but his BS about the fans doesn't hold water - if some of the Diamond shows were booked at the Criterion, they'd be hits (If X was at the Criterion instead of the Diamond, I'd be so happy not to have to drive way down to that POS to see them, but I'll go to the Diamond because I've never seen X. Other acts at the Diamond I've passed on just because I don't feel like going down there, but I'd gladly have gone to them if they were at the Criterion).

I don't have a Facebook (the only way to comment on newsok.com) or Twitter account, but I know almost everybody else does, so please comment on that article on newsok.com or tweet at JLBoydston telling him he's full of sh*t blaming it on the fans!

[Pete]

By the way, OKC has supported with incredible enthusiasm and lots of spending virtually anything entertainment, shopping or food related that has come to this market.

There is a huge hunger for more things to do, in particular. Yes, we've improved drastically but still lots of room for the new and improved.

It simply doesn't make sense that OKC is somehow 'not a live music town'. What about all the shows at the Peake and the ultra-crappy Diamond? What about the people that drive all the bloody way to Tulsa or Dallas, even on weeknights? Exactly who is attending all these casino shows?? Why on earth would Tulsa, considerably smaller, be inherently supportive while OKC is not??

When was the last time a decent live show was not well attended in OKC??

Someone please name the last new-to-market anything that hasn't been successful???


That argument is complete BS and absolutely everything in the local press written about this or any subject is always, always told from the side of big business and advertisers and absolutely without any fact checking or real investigation.

Someone with money and influence says something, that gets printed without any independent verification or the slightest bit of research.

But their stories get told so many times people begin to accept and repeat them and thus, OKC somehow is now branded a bad live music town.

It's infuriating.

[Mike_M]

There are basically no positive qualities to the Diamond. It is a total dump with bad bones and an a worse system. Unfortunately in the grand scheme of things, I don't think that matters to most promoters. The Diamond has been the only venue consistently bringing shows to OKC for decades, so they have the $$ and relationships with probably every major manager and promoter to monopolize the concert scene here. The Diamond knows exactly what it is and has parlayed that into a solid working relationship with outside promoters. I think Levelland understimated how difficult it was going to be to dismantle that institution. Sadly whoever is taking over these venues should expect to pay some premium cash for a while to establish their brand.

[Pete]

^

All true but the Criterion has the massive advantage of having a contractual relationship with Live Nation.

That alone should be bringing in tons of shows that we would never otherwise get and that would never consider someplace like the Diamond.

And beyond all that, the Critierion has much more capacity, plus the flexibility to do Diamond-sized shows.

[sooner88]

Does Levelland need to show success booking shows before Live Nation will step in? Or what's holding Live Nation from stepping in and booking now?

[Pete]

Does Levelland need to show success booking shows before Live Nation will step in? Or what's holding Live Nation from stepping in and booking now?

Every agreement is different but it is usually up to the venue operator to book the shows with Live Nation signed acts. Live Nation provides access to these acts (and in turn has revenue sharing contracts with them) but does not dictate which ones and when/where they perform.

And the venue operator also bears a lot of cost and risk with each booking, then share proceeds with Live Nation based on their contract.

The arrangement requires a financially strong venue operator as well as one that knows how to deal with and book acts.

[tsou89]

Wow. Somehow just found this thread and I was actually thinking what's going on with the lack of shows at the criterion. When I heard Silver Sun Pickups were coming I thought for sure it would be at the Criterion... but nope!

Glad some of you could shed some light on the issue. Unfortunately 3 of the last 4 shows I've seen I had to go to Tulsa.

[TheTravellers]

Just bought tickets for Explosions In The Sky on 4/29 (at their box office since there is a fewer amount of fees - $5 per ticket instead of $10.50 per ticket if you buy online). We're numbers 117 and 118. Amazing and really sad that there are only 118 people (so far) in OKC (OK, really, since I think this is their only date in the state) that want to see them since they play to many many many times that amount of people all over the world.

[StuckInTheCapitol825]

Well, the show is the night before the marathon.

[Questor]

More significantly, that is the weekend of Norman Music Festival. All us music fans will be there.

[JarrodH]

More significantly, that is the weekend of Norman Music Festival. All us music fans will be there.

This was my thought exactly. How out of touch do you have to be as a music promoter to not think that the NMF will adversely affect a show, especially one that shares the same demographic.

This is sad really.

[TheTravellers]

Yeah, I don't think the intersection of the 2 sets of EITS fans and marathon runners was too big, but having EITS play same day as the NMF is stupid (although I'm not sure which one was booked/scheduled first). My brother is actually going to the NMF first, then seeing EITS. But yeah, kind of a fail for Levelland.

[Questor]

NMF dates were announced in The Oklahoman on Sept. 23, 2016. Levelland must be totally unaware.