Okcfest 2014

[dcsooner]

It didn't take me reading all 5 pages of this thread to come to the conclusion that for some of you, nothing will ever be enough. I am not a fan of country music but anything that could get 30-40,000 people out and about downtown is a damn good start. There are too many members of this board who complain OKC still doesn't have enough to offer but then bitch and moan when an event that will draw thousands doesn't fit the bill. Cry me a damn river.

ANYTHING?
Would you Still say that if DT had 30,000 hip hop fans listening to rap?

[David]

Why would that make the slightest difference? If 30,000 hip hop fans want to show up to a festival in DT, more power to them.

[s00nr1]

ANYTHING?
Would you Still say that if DT had 30,000 hip hop fans listening to rap?

Well if this isn't stereotyping, I'm not sure what is.

And to answer your question, yes I would still say that.

[TheTravellers]

It didn't take me reading all 5 pages of this thread to come to the conclusion that for some of you, nothing will ever be enough. I am not a fan of country music but anything that could get 30-40,000 people out and about downtown is a damn good start. There are too many members of this board who complain OKC still doesn't have enough to offer but then bitch and moan when an event that will draw thousands doesn't fit the bill. Cry me a damn river.

One of my problems with the festival is the billing of it as "Oklahoma's Premiere Outdoor Music Festival", when it's all a bunch of country acts, with absolutely no other genres of music represented at all (yet). Call it what it is - OKCountryFest 2014. And it should probably be "Premier" instead of "Premiere". :-P

[bchris02]

One of my problems with the festival is the billing of it as "Oklahoma's Premiere Outdoor Music Festival", when it's all a bunch of country acts, with absolutely no other genres of music represented at all (yet). Call it what it is - OKCountryFest 2014. And it should probably be "Premier" instead of "Premiere". :-P

I agree with this fully. If you want to have a country/redneck festival with country music, big trucks, cheap American beer, etc then fine, but don't market it as something that represents the entire city of OKC. Doing so simply re-enforces a stereotype that the city has been trying to move on from since the first MAPS was passed.

[adaniel]

I don't care for country music in the least but to automatically associate it with rednecks and "cheap American beer" is as ridiculous as associating rap with gangs and shootings. And what stereotype are we reinforcing? People in OK like country music? Shocking, I know! Are people in Charlotte too sophisticated to listen to country music?

The hyperbole in this thread is off the charts. If you don't like it don't go.

[bchris02]

I don't care for country music in the least but to automatically associate it with rednecks and "cheap American beer" is as ridiculous as associating rap with gangs and shootings. And what stereotype are we reinforcing? People in OK like country music? Shocking, I know! Are people in Charlotte too sophisticated to listen to country music?

We have a festival called Speed Street which draws 400,000+ people into Uptown annually. Notice it's not called CharlotteFest.

600 FESTIVAL - Coca-Cola Speed Street | At Food Lion Speed Street demographics range from corporate america, families, race fans and fans of the national recording artists

[bradh]

I agree with this fully. If you want to have a country/redneck festival with country music, big trucks, cheap American beer, etc then fine, but don't market it as something that represents the entire city of OKC. Doing so simply re-enforces a stereotype that the city has been trying to move on from since the first MAPS was passed.

predictable...saw this coming a mile away.

MAPS has nothing to do with moving away from a country heritage stereotype, that's just what you and all these other hipsters want it to be. Such a double standard at play here with this entire crowd. I agree if it's going to be named OKCFest, represent more than one genre, but don't act like it's only going to attract toothless rednecks. That's the same as me saying a roster of Bonnaroo bands will bring skinny hipster guys in tank tops and smelly girls who don't bathe.

[dcsooner]

Why would that make the slightest difference? If 30,000 hip hop fans want to show up to a festival in DT, more power to them.

It should not and maybe would not in a lot of places but we are talking OKC here and Oklahoma writ large

[bchris02]

I never said it's only going to attract toothless rednecks. However, music and musical preference is tied closely to cultural identity. There are exceptions to every stereotype. Not all country fans are rednecks. Not all indie rock fans are hipsters. Not all classical fans are snooty. Not all hip-hop fans are gangsta. However, each genre of music carries with it a certain culture. The fact that OKCFest is ONLY country you can make a pretty educated guess as to what the crowd will be like. There is nothing inherently wrong with that except it should be called OKCountryFest, not OKCFest.

[RadicalModerate]

The Number One Ranked Restaurant in Bartlesville (Frank and Lola's) played Waylon Jennings Hits, back to back, the entire time we were there. That, the classic bicycles suspended from the ceiling, and the quality and quantity of food offered, makes me wonder, "Who Are These People, in OKC, Who Are So Intent on Hatin' on Country?" =) (it's certainly not my personal favorite genre, these days, but its OK . . . Ain't it?)

I mean . . . we plugged a Pierce Hart CD (recorded live at Sean Cummings) into the player and let it roll two and a half times between Pawhuska and OKC.

It never got old, and it sure ain't "Country".

Frankly . . . I wish Okcfest could bring in a bunch of Celtic/Irish/World Music Bands (with Dropkick Murpheys at the top). Maybe for Okcfest 2039.

[Urbanized]

We have a festival called Speed Street which draws 400,000+ people into Uptown annually. Notice it's not called CharlotteFest.

600 FESTIVAL - Coca-Cola Speed Street | At Food Lion Speed Street demographics range from corporate america, families, race fans and fans of the national recording artists

Are you KIDDING me? Have you looked at the announced entertainment schedule for Speed Street?

THURSDAY, MAY 22
5:30 p.m. The Stranger, a Billy Joel tribute band
7:45 p.m. Backbeat, a Beatles tribute band
9:15 p.m. Coca-Cola Presents: Who’s Bad, the Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band

FRIDAY, MAY 23
5:30 p.m. Zach Ludlam (COUNTRY!!)
8:00 p.m. Tim Dugger (COUNTRY!!)
9:30 p.m. Chevrolet Presents: Thompson Square (COUNTRY!!)

SATURDAY, MAY 24
4:00 p.m. Julie Gribble (COUNTRY!!)
8:00 p.m. School of Rock (Charlotte's version of ACM@UCO)
9:30 p.m. Coca-Cola Presents: 38 Special (REDNECK SOUTHERN ROCK)

Sprinkled in among all of these "multi-genre" musical legends are appearances by NASCAR drivers..

Is the irony intentional? Are you simply trolling?

[RadicalModerate]

"CharlotteFest" . . . heh, heh, heh . . .
(sounds more like a case of Charlotte's Web or OKC Envy t' me . . .)

Ya' reckon' the avatar of the OKCfest hater is that Third Eye Blind that I keep "hearin'" so much about?

[bradh]

that lineup brings 400k? Headlined by .38 Special? No way

[hfry]

^^ I thought the same thing but I didn't have the energy to debate it with him. Not to mention the 400,000 has a large overlap with the 2 separate weekends of Nascar races and events, with a track that seats around 140,000. Don't get me wrong, the event sounds great but in its 20th(I believe) year I have more than enough faith we can get a great music festival going here in that time period.

[RadicalModerate]

Looks to me like Charolette SpeedFest picked up all the entertainers that every Casino in Oklahoma rejected . . .
Or "juried out" as the case may be. =)

[Edgar]

I never said it's only going to attract toothless rednecks. However, music and musical preference is tied closely to cultural identity. There are exceptions to every stereotype. Not all country fans are rednecks. Not all indie rock fans are hipsters. Not all classical fans are snooty. Not all hip-hop fans are gangsta. However, each genre of music carries with it a certain culture. The fact that OKCFest is ONLY country you can make a pretty educated guess as to what the crowd will be like. There is nothing inherently wrong with that except it should be called OKCountryFest, not OKCFest.

It's OKCFest because Cornett's going to make it a hokey marketing event for OKC. It'll be white bread safe. A diverse lineup might attract a diverse crowd and that makes Mick and the boys uneasy. You'll have to got to Austin or up the pike for a cool diverse music festival.

[trousers]

It's OKCFest because Cornett's going to make it a hokey marketing event for OKC. It'll be white bread safe. A diverse lineup might attract a diverse crowd and that makes Mick and the boys uneasy. You'll have to got to Austin or up the pike for a cool diverse music festival.

You are so absolutely right. If we would elected Shadid we would have gotten that grindcore festival that the majority of OKC not only needs...they crave.

[Dubya61]

^ or at least the promise of one.

[trousers]

Yeah...Shadid seems more like the crust punk type.

[Edgar]

Shadid probably would book a mariachi band and we all know the crowd that would draw. Dodged one there

[warreng88]

Plus EDgefest was already taken...

[Dubya61]

but a DRED-fest! We be JAMMIN'!!!

[gopokes88]

One of my problems with the festival is the billing of it as "Oklahoma's Premiere Outdoor Music Festival", when it's all a bunch of country acts, with absolutely no other genres of music represented at all (yet). Call it what it is - OKCountryFest 2014. And it should probably be "Premier" instead of "Premiere". :-P

They aren't going to call it what it is because that would be shortsighted and terrible marketing.

If you want "call it what it is" you would call it

"Hey OKC wants to build up a big annual music festival to draw in thousands of tourists, but in order for that to happen it will need a few years to grow. To ensure that year 5 is a success year 1 must be a smash hit so let's have a broad based appeal so that year 1 takes off and we can add more genres later because we have branded under the vague term of OKCfest which this year is country, but more can be added because we aren't going to be shortsighted and throw the word country into the name-festival"

[Bigrayok]

but a DRED-fest! We be JAMMIN'!!!

We do have Reggae Fest in Bricktown every summer. Of course, not all reggae fans and musicians have dreadlocks. LOL