It isn’t especially often that three of a city scene’s most exciting live bands wind up on a single bill. But that’s Friday’s free show on the University of Oklahoma campus, and the competition’s set for “fierce.” For the blown-fuse vintage punkers of Broncho (right) ,that means sweating, riffing and mid-song crowd-surfing like never before. […]
Norman Music Festival
Posted inFood & Drink
Two-carb Garage
That’s the question the minds behind The Garage, 307 E. Main, faced when formulating the idea for a new bar and hamburger grill in the college town. They opted for something familiar but entirely new. “It’s not the run-of-the-mill hamburger joint or sports bar,” said Dustin Wall, general manager. “You can take a look around […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Downtown gets down
More small-business owners flock to renovated buildings along Main and Gray as the area gains a reputation as one of Central Oklahoma’s most vibrant and eccentric districts, defined by locally owned boutiques, galleries, pubs and diners celebrating a progressive arts scene. The unique sense of community convinced Corey and Julia Gingerich to leave Los Angeles […]
Posted inMusic
Walk to remember
In 11 years as a band, The Walkmen has never had a man walk. “It’s a band. It’s supposed to be a group of people doing something, not just a business or a name. If one of us left, it wouldn’t be the same thing,” said Peter Bauer, pianist and organist for the New York-based […]
Posted inMusic
Mim’s the word
It had been almost a decade of wanting what you couldn’t have for rock’s The Mimsies. After the Norman-to- L.A. band split in 2004, its members migrated across the country, and the years since have been spent waiting and wishing. “It’s strange. For the last seven years of considering doing a reunion, there needed to […]
Posted inMusic
The 411 on NMF4
MAIN STAGE Saturday’s Main Stage sees more indie rock and less diversity than in previous years, with Oklahoma City instrumental wunderkinds The Non; San Franciscan garage-rocker Ty Segall; Austin, Texas-based indie-dance crew Foot Patrol; and New York City’s harsh/beautiful indie rockers The Walkmen all gracing the spot. Local folkster Penny Hill Party will open the […]
Posted inMusic
Urban renewal
The Neighborhood has some good neighbors. The Norman four-piece broke up a couple years ago, easing to a halt after the release of its excellent debut album, “Our Voices Choked with Fireworks.” It wasn’t apparent whether the group would ever play again, as members got busy with other projects, moved to far-off places and got […]
Posted inMusic
The Walkmen, Peelander-Z to headline Norman Music Festival 4
According to Holly Jones, NMF publicity chair, the approximately 150 local bands playing the festival will be announced in the next week. In all, some 200 musicians will perform on 12 stages. The festival coordinators are playing coy with the rest of the main stage, as well as the headliner of the second stage. “We’ll […]
Posted inMusic
Swordplay
If you are looking for a metal mentor, you could do a lot worse than J.D. Cronise, vocalist, guitarist and lead songwriter of heavy metal three-piece The Sword, and he’s got your very first lesson right here. “When you start a band, you say, ‘I want a band that sounds like,’ then you fill in […]