It was sometime in May of 2010 when I received word that the string of annual, blissful summer weekends I'd been experiencing on account of D-fest was coming to an end. Sure, there were plenty of perfectly logical reasons why it just wasn't going to work anymore. But as a young man with a deep infatuation with live music and Tulsa's nearly enchanted Blue Dome district, no amount of explanation was going to make the news bearable.
Enter Free Tulsa, an intended D-fest after-party that was forcibly thrust into the Oklahoma music-fest spotlight mere moments after the Greens announced the hiatus of D-fest last summer. Now, in 2011, and only in its second year of existence, Free Tulsa brings more to the table than anyone could have expected. Two days packed with upwards of 175 Oklahoma-based artists, complete with food, art, and scorching heat. How much more "Tulsa" can you get?
I arrived early to load in, being a performer myself on the McNellie's indoor stage. Parking, even at six in the evening, was brutal. As I made my way upstairs with my drums, I immediately began seeing familiar faces. Hank from the Red Alert and Damion from The Savage Young were both enjoying plates of McNellie's famous sweet potato fries. After my third or fourth elevator trip, I began the process of scoping out the grounds. Already, I could hear the strains of a Beatles cover coming from the Dilly Deli. I decided to meander in that direction.
After working my way through a seemingly endless herd of people that I needed to high-five, I navigated my way through the various skateboard ramps in front of Dilly Deli, before deciding to go inside and have a sandwich. While enjoying my very own creation between bread, Kelli Lynn approached my table and gently placed a temporary tattoo bearing her band's name next to my basket, and invited me to come see her show. How rude would it have been to say "no?" After I scarfed down the rest of the sandwich, I ran outside to catch Kelli Lynch and the Skillet Lickers. For those of you unfamiliar with the Skillet Lickers, they offer a very entertaining blend of cabaret and rockabilly that turned out to be a perfectly acceptable way to kick of Free Tulsa 2011 for me. After a few songs, I set back out with This Land Press's official artist lineup to get my fill of Oklahoma original music.
I couldn't help but notice that in comparison to D-fest, Free Tulsa was lacking in organization, but exceeding in ownership by the artists. Boasting set times that were fifteen minutes longer than D-fest's, I had a lot less stressful of a time catching bits and pieces of bands' sets than I did in the past. Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Free Tulsa 2011 was FREE.
So now, let me point out a few of the musical highlights of the weekend. The Savage Young never disappoints, with their powerful fusing of atmosperic indie and aggressive blues rock. If you haven't had a chance to catch them, do yourself the favor.
Scales of Motion celebrated their tenth anniversary on Saturday night. It's like clockwork - the few parts during Scales' set that you can look around at the audience members and see laughter of disbelief because of the amazing display of musical prowess they just witnessed. "Are you effing kidding me?" read the text message I received from a buddy of mine a few feet away after Scales tore through "Signal," a memorable track from their second record.
Rumor had it that Panda Resistance brought Fassler Hall down, but I had to miss it on account of my own performance with the Lonelys at McNellie's. Right before I played, though, I was able to catch a few songs by Tulsa's garage rock heroes, Rude Amps, as well as a few songs from my old friends in Milo's Fare and Baron Von Swagger. Between those three bands, I got a nice, healthy dose of booty shaking rock and roll. Also, I was finally able to catch Oilhouse, which is a collective of the best alternative style hip-hop artists that Tulsa has to offer. Inside Dwelling Spaces, I was lucky enough to catch a few minutes of Roger Jaeger plucking away at his sitar.
Possibly the most lasting impression, for me, was And There Stand Empires' Saturday night slaughtering at Fassler Hall. Think Explosions in the Sky meets the Vince Guaraldi Trio, performed by guys with backgrounds in funk and metal. I hadn't had the chance to see them since their recent addition of a six string electric guitar, and, honestly, I feared that it would deter from their ultimate coolness. I was more than happy to be proven wrong, though, as I watched Empires shake the walls of Fassler hall and rattle the stomachs of what must have been the nearly three hundred music lovers in attendance.
What is there left to say about Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, who performed the entirety of their Race Riot Suite on Saturday night? A cornerstone of Tulsa original music, JFJO reminded all of us why they are held in such high regard.
Here's the bottom line, folks. Free Tulsa is not D-fest. It's not as streamlined, not as large-scale. It's also not as expensive. But is it as worthy of our attention? Without a doubt. If you've missed the last two years of Free Tulsa, cross your fingers for the 2012 edition, and make plans to be there for it!
-JR
check out some of the artists mentioned here:
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