Wednesday 19 Jun
 
 

Kanye West — Yeezus

Try as you might, but there’s no escaping Kanye West. Turn on the TV, radio, computer — hell, take a stroll downtown and you might see his mug projected on the side of a building. It’s an undeniable fact of life in 2013: Kanye West is bigger than Buddha, Krishna and The Beatles (today, anyway) and he’ll be the first to let you know about it.
06/18/2013 | Comments 0

John Moreland — In the Throes

With the soul of a poet and the look of a Sons of Anarchy extra, Tulsa’s John Moreland has been gifted the sort of gravely, booming voice that does Bruce Springsteen proud and a similar understanding of the universal human experience. It’s made for some fantastic records — both as a solo artist and with his dissolved Black Gold Band — and In the Throes is his best yet.
06/19/2013 | Comments 0

Jumpship Astronaut — Lights Burn Out

Oklahoma has never been the haven for electronic rock music that it is for country, folk and, as of late, psychedelic pop, but from the sound of Lights Burn Out, Oklahoma City upstart Jumpship Astronaut seems intent on changing that.
06/12/2013 | Comments 0

Various artists — Reaching Out

Like so many Oklahomans, the local music scene has responded with generosity and grace in the wake of last month’s tragedy in Moore. In the weeks since, droves of local musicians have banded together for benefit concerts and radio marathons to raise funds for the relief effort, and with extraordinary results.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0

Progress in Color — Get Well

It’s been a long, bumpy ride for Glenpool’s Progress in Color, which saw a record deal with Epic evaporate before even one record could come of it, but it’s led the outfit to where it was supposed to be.
06/04/2013 | Comments 0
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Music

Still groovin’


No matter its age, Groovefest gets going Sunday, bringing a day's worth of good music and — fingers crossed — good weather to Norman.

Stephen Carradini May 11th, 2011  

Groovefest
Noon-9 p.m. Sunday
Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws, Norman
groovefest.org
Free

Montu

Between age 25 and 50, there’s a lot of life to be lived. That is, unless you’re Groovefest, which is 25 and 50 at the same time. The free festival is also 26 and 40-something this year, too.

The brainteaser goes something like this: Started by the University of Oklahoma’s Amnesty International chapter in 1986, Groovefest has been around for 26 years. However, organizers are choosing to celebrate its 25th anniversary this weekend. On top of that, Groovefest is biannual, meaning that, if things were perfect, it would also be celebrating its 50th concert.

But they’ve “missed a few here and there,” meaning this is Groovefest’s 40-something-eth concert.

Got it? It really isn’t going to matter when you’re chilling in Norman’s Andrews Park on Sunday, listening to some sweet tunes, sitting on your picnic blanket and loving life.

“There’s nothing like being in the park with your kids,” said Aimee Rook, Groovefest 2011 coordinator. “We try to be a positive day in the sun.”

To that end, the festival has enlisted an eclectic batch of musicians to play the one-day-only event. From the country rock of openers The Workweek to the electronic jam-band tunes of headliner Montu, the genres represented run the gamut.

Grateful Dead tribute act The Electric Okie Test will take the stage before modern rockers Never My Hero, who precede OKC mellow-pop group The Grown Ups. The rock and pop of Dorian Small will lead directly into Montu’s party-friendly instrumentals.

If that weren’t enough to put a smile on your face, it’s all for a good cause.

“Groovefest promotes community through arts, music and human rights awareness,” said Rook. “And how do you get people to come out and support? Organize bands in the park.”

For this installment, Groovefest has partnered with Mindy’s Memory Primate Sanctuary in Newcastle, raising awareness for the monkey-rescue efforts performed by the organization.

“We’re really working toward the same end,” she said. “They’re working to save primates, and so am I.”

GROOVY SCHEDULE

noon: tie-dye fundraiser

2 p.m.: The Workweek

3 p.m.: Dad

4 p.m.: The Electric Okie Test

5 p.m.: Never My Hero

6 p.m.: The Grown Ups

7 p.m.: Dorian Small

8 p.m.: Montu

 
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