Criterion Concert Hall

[BDP]

oops.

(what is wrong with me today)

[OKCRT]

Is the Critererion just starting to add events? I only see a few booked so far but I wonder if they will have a problem going against all the casinos for shows?

[OSUFan]

Is the Critererion just starting to add events? I only see a few booked so far but I wonder if they will have a problem going against all the casinos for shows?

I've only been to a couple of concerts at casinos so I'm far from an expert but I wouldn't think so. I've read that casinos are usually not the best setup for artists. I could be wrong but I would think if an act had a choice between a casino and an actual live music venue in downtown they would go with the live music venue.

[BDP]

Is the Critererion just starting to add events? I only see a few booked so far but I wonder if they will have a problem going against all the casinos for shows?

Yes. The first show was announced last Monday and these were just announced this week.

I think there's a lot of acts out on the theater circuit that aren't playing casinos. Casino's also seem to favor nostalgia acts and country. So, I think there's plenty of room for the Criterion to work with.

[OKCRT]

I've only been to a couple of concerts at casinos so I'm far from an expert but I wouldn't think so. I've read that casinos are usually not the best setup for artists. I could be wrong but I would think if an act had a choice between a casino and an actual live music venue in downtown they would go with the live music venue.

I would assume that the criterion will be much better than a casino setup goes but I am talking about dollars. Can Criterion compete with the Casinos in that department. Everything usually boils down to money.

[Urbanized]

Casinos hurt local concert markets for sure, but not so much in the portion of the market where this venue will be situated. As mentioned, they tend to focus more on classic acts and pop country, neither of which would probably be that big of a segment for this room, anyway. There might be crossover with some acts like Pretenders, James Taylor, Dylan, etc, but Criterion would generally not be booking acts like Foreigner, Wayne Newton, big R&B acts, Reba, etc., and casinos wouldn't be booking shows like MMJ or Ben Rector, nor would those acts generally play casinos.

The reason casinos are generally disruptive in the industry is because for the artists who play them they are a much higher payday and they encourage shorter sets in an effort to get people not the gaming floor ASAP.

[Bullbear]

Keep in Mind Criterion is promoted by Live Nation. They won't have any problem getting shows.

[bchris02]

I would assume that the criterion will be much better than a casino setup goes but I am talking about dollars. Can Criterion compete with the Casinos in that department. Everything usually boils down to money.

Tulsa has much better casinos in their metro than OKC does and their venues don't have any problems getting shows.

The casinos and venues like the Criterion likely won't be competing for the same acts.

[trousers]

I'm really hoping that this results in us stealing some shows from Tulsa.
Tom Waits and the Pixies played the Brady...they aren't casino acts. I can really see them playing the Criterion.

[shawnw]

I'm okay with having the same acts that stop in Tulsa stop in OKC. I just want parity, no need to "steal".

[trousers]

I don't see many acts stopping in Tulsa AND OKC, so yeah we need to steal some of those shows

[OKCRT]

Tulsa has much better casinos in their metro than OKC does and their venues don't have any problems getting shows.

The casinos and venues like the Criterion likely won't be competing for the same acts.

What the Hard Rock Casino? Pretty much everything else is the same as OKC are they not? I don't go to casinos very often so maybe I am off base. But OKC being much larger than Tulsa one would think our casinos would be just as good. What am I missing here? I want good casinos!

[bchris02]

What the Hard Rock Casino? Pretty much everything else is the same as OKC are they not? I don't go to casinos very often so maybe I am off base. But OKC being much larger than Tulsa one would think our casinos would be just as good. What am I missing here? I want good casinos!

Hard Rock and River Spirit/Margaritaville.

My point was if those casinos don't detract from Tulsa getting good concerts, then Riverwind should detract from OKC. Casinos don't usually compete for the same acts anyways.

[BDP]

I'm really hoping that this results in us stealing some shows from Tulsa.
Tom Waits and the Pixies played the Brady...they aren't casino acts. I can really see them playing the Criterion.

the Pixies played OKC a few years ago.

[trousers]

^^^
Yeah my bad, forgot about that one. Terrible venue...Bricktown Events Center.

[Bullbear]

^^^
Yeah my bad, forgot about that one. Terrible venue...Bricktown Events Center.

yes it was before the Bricktown events center remodel.

[Urbanized]

If OKC works from the premise of OKC has to "steal" shows from Tulsa to be successful, OKC will fail as a concert market. That is the same line of thinking that has caused an OKC-based promoter to steer most of his quality shows to Tulsa for the past couple of decades. For all of these great new venues to work will require OKC to hold its own as a market, and for the state to emerge as a two-stop market on many tours (which it will). Tulsa will still get just as many shows, because it is an established, proven market.

Also, regarding Bricktown Events Center, it wasn't a great venue before the remodel, but it is a fantastic venue today. You can't make a direct comparison to Criterion since Criterion isn't open yet, but the Chevy is comparable to what I expect from the Criterion. Hopefully the promoters that they have been working with will step up their respective games with the new competition from Criterion/Tower/Levelland, and everyone will benefit in the end. I think it is also possible that - assuming Levelland and the owners of the Chevy maintain a good working relationship - you will perhaps see some overflow and conflict dates booked by Levelland end up at Chevy. There is no reason that they can't also book shows there, if their own venues have a conflict for whatever reason.

[edcrunk]

I used to be the tour manager for Shiny Toy Guns and I was shocked at how much ridicule OKC received because of the Diamond. I am excited at all the new venues that are slated to open. Long overdue, IMHO.

[OkieHornet]

mmj tix are $43 total (30.50 + fees). livenation presale going today on ticketmaster.

[TheTravellers]

mmj tix are $43 total (30.50 + fees). livenation presale going today on ticketmaster.

$15 for MMJ's Roll Call program was well spent, got 2 tickets for $86.20 (including the $15), and Ticketbastard gets none of our money!

[BDP]

$15 for MMJ's Roll Call program was well spent, got 2 tickets for $86.20 (including the $15), and Ticketbastard gets none of our money!

Haha. Yeah, that was an added bonus. Though, there could be some contractual obligation to ticket master for the tickets they got to list themselves. Either way, I'm sure ticket master is doing just fine in the deal, but hopefully a little bit more went to the band's top line going through the club. They at least got their $15 from me and I happy to give it to them.

[Easy180]

Got my ticket yesterday. Haven't seen MMJ live since I caught them in Dallas a few years back. That Dallas concert was a top 3 concert for me. They are crazy good live.

[soonerguru]

Fired up about MMJ and Ben Folds!

[Pete]

Just heard an ad for Weezer coming to the Zoo Amphitheater in June.

[Pete]

You can see bricks starting to be installed just to the left of the entrance.