Criterion Concert Hall

[warreng88]

Saving Abel announces for August 11th

Saving Abel will be playing their own show at The Criterion and they are also touring with Trapt, Saliva, Alien Ant Farm, CrazyTown, 12 Stones and Tantric on the "Make America Rock Again Tour" that will be coming to The Criterion on 10/5/2016.

[Jeepnokc]

They hosted Smoklahoma this last weekend. Here is write up on it. I didn't go to event but went to the VIP event the night before. Several of the national brand owners and reps were in town for it. http://okgazette.com/2016/06/08/ciga...r-smokelahoma/

[Pete]

Here is something super strange.

Currently, there is only one show scheduled at this venue for the entire month of July (Glass Animals on a Monday) and only one in August (Alice Cooper on a Friday).

Only one in September as well, also on a Monday.

So only 3 shows in 3 months and zero on Saturday.

What the heck is going on here?

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^
I suspect it is partly because summer bookings are generally done so far in advance, and they were late to the game for this summer.

[warreng88]

^^^^

Agreed. Add to that a lot of acts that would be able to play in a place like The Criterion are already playing at the Cain's Ballroom or The Brady Theatre in Tulsa and have a show before or after in Dallas. Cain's has Fitz and The Tantrums, josh Abbott Band, GBV and The Melvins all playing in July and August. The Brady has Garbage, Chevelle, Phillip Phillips, In This Moment, Volbeat and Deftones all playing in the same time frame. I would suspect next summer will be much more active for the Criterion as they will start getting bookings early in 2017.

[Pete]

But remember, they knew they would be opening in the spring a long time ago.

They could have booked these summer months without any fear of not being ready, and done it a year ago or more.

[warreng88]

But remember, they knew they would be opening in the spring a long time ago.

They could have booked these summer months without any fear of not being ready, and done it a year ago or more.

Sure, but I would chalk it up to no one knowing who they (The Criterion) were and not having other bookings ahead of them. Also, the plans for the summer of other bands might have already been in the works and playing venues they were familiar with.

[sooner88]

There's also the summer festivals that eat up a lot of time for the bands that would typically play here. Regardless, it does seem a little surprising that there is only 1 show booked per month. I could see more shows added closer to the date of as their schedules change.

[Pete]

To be fair, the schedules at the Brady and Cains are very light the next few months as well.

Must be a summer amphitheater and festival thing.

But still. *One* show per month for the next 3 months??

[warreng88]

There's also the summer festivals that eat up a lot of time for the bands that would typically play here. Regardless, it does seem a little surprising that there is only 1 show booked per month. I could see more shows added closer to the date of as their schedules change.

Didn't even think of that. The summer is the prime time for outdoor venues. All you have to do is look at the lineup at the Gexa Pavilion in Dallas or even the Zoo here in OKC. It's also a pretty busy time to perform overseas.

[Urbanized]

I agree with warreng88. It would have been harder for them to book when the building was just coming out of the ground, because they had no rep to live on except for in the Red Dirt/alt country world. That business is all about rep, which they undoubtedly are racking away at this point, and which the owners took very seriously when building artist amenities. Until the building was open, the safest Oklahoma play for a booking agent was without question a place like Cain's or Brady, but that is changing rapidly now.

Also, I'm not sure the Live Nation affiliation was official until well after the place was announced/underway, so they might not have had LN doing bookings until that point. Might be wrong about this and too lazy to check. But yeah, between festivals sucking up much of the talent and the fact that in general most summer bookings happen well in advance, I don't think it is that concerning that the summer schedule is light.

[BDP]

I'm also not sure that Cain's and the Criterion are interchangeable. There's some cross over for sure, but it seems to me Cain's can maybe make it work with anything down to 500 people (and I have been there with less people), but 500 at the Criterion would pretty much be a failure.

However, I don't think they would be killed by half capacity shows. I imagine there is a number at which it makes more sense to have a show than to be dark, but I don't know what that number is. I sort of expected them to start booking some "filler" like tribute bands and specialty acts like House of Blues does. I have no idea what the draw is on those acts, though.

[warreng88]

Now, if next summer is light, it is a completely different story. I don't think it will be though. They are establishing a good rep and have a great affiliation with Live Nation that will, no doubt, get better as the venue continues to succeed.

[Urbanized]

I'm also not sure that Cain's and the Criterion are interchangeable. There's some cross over for sure, but it seems to me Cain's can maybe make it work with anything down to 500 people (and I have been there with less people), but 500 at the Criterion would pretty much be a failure.

However, I don't think they would be killed by half capacity shows. I imagine there is a number at which it makes more sense to have a show than to be dark, but I don't know what that number is. I sort of expected them to start booking some "filler" like tribute bands and specialty acts like House of Blues does. I have no idea what the draw is on those acts, though.

I would think the 500-ish shows would be steered to the Tower Theater. But you're right that Cain's and Criterion are not apples-to-apples comparisons. I think Criterion falls into a spot somewhere between Cain's and Brady, honestly.

[Pete]

That's a good point about the timing of the Live Nation agreement.

Although it seemed to always be part of the plan, it probably wasn't formally inked until this spring, leaving little time to do any real booking.

Just very weird they had a pretty hot start and now the place will just sit there for months with almost nothing going on.

[jccouger]

Wasn't there still construction that needed to be done? Maybe they are putting some finishing touches in place during the downtime.

[Bullbear]

I would think the 500-ish shows would be steered to the Tower Theater. But you're right that Cain's and Criterion are not apples-to-apples comparisons. I think Criterion falls into a spot somewhere between Cain's and Brady, honestly.

Criterion is really more of a peer to Brady.. Brady holds 4200 and Criterion 4000. Brady has history and Criterion has superior set up in my opinion.

[BDP]

I would think the 500-ish shows would be steered to the Tower Theater. But you're right that Cain's and Criterion are not apples-to-apples comparisons. I think Criterion falls into a spot somewhere between Cain's and Brady, honestly.

I agree, but probably more flexible than both in terms of crowd size. It can handle Brady size shows, yet I don't think it would feel that empty with Cain's size shows.

[animeGhost]

I'm pretty sure Maxwell is playing the Criterion next month as well.

[Pete]

I'm pretty sure Maxwell is playing the Criterion next month as well.

That show is tomorrow night.

[animeGhost]

Nvm, that show is tomorrow lol.

[warreng88]

I am curious if we will see last minute additions like the Chappelle's Show (pun intended).

[OkieHornet]

Criterion is really more of a peer to Brady.. Brady holds 4200 and Criterion 4000. Brady has history and Criterion has superior set up in my opinion.

brady holds 2800 according to their twitter. and i'm really curious as to how many people can actually fit inside criterion in a full, standing room crowd. 3000? i think it's listed at more, but i just can't see more than 3000 fitting into that place.

[KayneMo]

^ The Criterion's website and Facebook page say 3,500-4,000 and their Twitter says 4,000.

[OkieHornet]

^ The Criterion's website and Facebook page say 3,500-4,000 and their Twitter says 4,000.

i'm curious to see actual attendance numbers and compare them to the shows i've seen there (mmj, sturgill) to get a feel of how much that place holds. i'm usually good about guessing attendance, but since it's a new, unfamiliar venue i'd like some hard numbers to go by.