It might get loud 

Copperheads

Photo: Doug Schwarz

To paraphrase Kiss, Oklahoma City loves it loud.

It loves it so much so that the Okie Noise Fest, a free, nine-hour tribute to turning it up to 11, returns Saturday, this time to OKC, after a successful launch at Norman’s Opolis a year ago. Fest co-founder Robert Layton, front man for local garage rockers Psychotic Reaction, believes an untapped market for this type of music — that is, loud — exists.

Okie Noise Fest had its beginnings in The Campaign for Real Music in Pauls Valley, but when Layton parted ways with the friend with whom he’d put it on, so did that event.

“Noise Fest is just a continuation of that,” he said. “I changed the name to Okie Noise Fest because we want to showcase some really loud and crazy bands. It’s mainly anything ranging from stoner rock or grunge or garage — anything that’s just really loud and, you know, abrasive. That’s the kind of music I like to play, and the kind of music my friends like to play. It’s to showcase music that doesn’t usually get showcased.”

The festival, held in front of Bad Granny’s Bazaar in the Plaza District, is free and ends “right at midnight,” Layton said, “because of the sound permits.”

Psychotic Reaction

The tentative lineup of loud and
local bands includes:
• Psychotic Reaction,
• Fire Bad!,
• Dudes of America,

• Copperheads,
• The Norms,
• Electric Witchcraft,
• Dead Shakes
• and many
others.

Layton is most excited to check out OKC punk act Limp Wizurdz.

“They’re a bunch of, like, kids. They’re
probably like 17 or 18 years old. They’re awesome!” he said. “They kind
of remind me of the Dead Milkmen or Black Flag. They’re cool and
they’ve got a lot of energy, and that’s why they’re the perfect kind of
band to play Noise Fest.”

Layton
said he hopes Noise Fest attendees not only will have their eardrums
shattered, but perhaps will discover their next favorite band.

“Loud
music is one of the rawest forms of expression left in our culture,” he
said. “It’s not a dying art, but it’s an old form that’s still on the
rise here. People can come out and experience what it’s truly all about.
It’s not just some DJ playing his iPod for people to fry their brains
on; this is real live, real loud music that has something for everybody.
It continues a spirit that’s been moving through Oklahoma and the
world, since the beginning of rock ’n’ roll, you know?”

Hey! Read This:
• Campaign for Real Music feature  
• Copperheads' Apocalyptic Behavior album review