Tower Theatre

[TheTravellers]

Book Of Love at Tower July 27th.. Just went to Dallas two weeks ago to see them at Granada. Fun show for us of a certain New Wave era.

Wow, did not know they were touring, I'm gonna have to touch some roses and ring some tubular bells with the pretty boys and pretty girls and go see them, thanks for the heads-up!

[Urbanized]

Book Of Love at Tower July 27th.. Just went to Dallas two weeks ago to see them at Granada. Fun show for us of a certain New Wave era.

Hell yes! Saw them at the old Rome in Norman in the 80s.

[Urbanized]

[Bullbear]

Wow, did not know they were touring, I'm gonna have to touch some roses and ring some tubular bells with the pretty boys and pretty girls and go see them, thanks for the heads-up!

They toured last year with 3 out of 4 members and I saw them in Dallas.. I guess they liked the extra income so started another round of dates with just 2 of th 4 and saw them two weeks ago in Dallas. Glad they booked the Tower will be fun

[TheTravellers]

They toured last year with 3 out of 4 members and I saw them in Dallas.. I guess they liked the extra income so started another round of dates with just 2 of th 4 and saw them two weeks ago in Dallas. Glad they booked the Tower will be fun

Aw, crap, didn't know they were only half a band, but I guess it'll still be worth it, not much of a fan of "live" shows like that, but they can sometimes work out.

[soonerguru]

My understanding is that it has been that way for a few years. The way it was described to me - and keep in mind that this is second hand - is that DCF and Cain’s had a great relationship until DCF started also booking shows at Brady, at which point Cain’s ownership cut them off completely from booking the venue.

I have no idea if it is related, but I personally feel like Cain’s traditionally strong bookings have dwindled a bit over the past couple of years. I just got tickets to Lord Huron in October, but there hasn’t been much over the past year especially that has caught my interest.

Dude I hear you but Cain's is putting any venue in our town to shame. Just saw they got Beach House on May 5! Damn. Why don't we get shows like that in OKC? I think it's because bands have come through and played at places like Diamond and thought this city is a hellhole they won't return to soon. It's sad the owners of Criterion aren't getting it done. Can't they just work with a national promoter to keep the place booked? This is a much bigger city than Tulsa.

[zefferoni]

Dude I hear you but Cain's is putting any venue in our town to shame. Just saw they got Beach House on May 5! Damn. Why don't we get shows like that in OKC? I think it's because bands have come through and played at places like Diamond and thought this city is a hellhole they won't return to soon. It's sad the owners of Criterion aren't getting it done. Can't they just work with a national promoter to keep the place booked? This is a much bigger city than Tulsa.

I think part of that just has to do with Cain's itself. It's a historic venue and widely considered one of the best (of its size range) in the nation. When bands plan tours through Oklahoma, do they want to play at this amazing venue, or test the waters somewhere else? I hope with places like Tower and Jones that OKC can steal some of that market. I don't think Criterion will touch it until Levelland goes under/away.

[Urbanized]

Beach House played Cain’s just a couple of years ago (I attended). Makes sense they’d book there again. Developing reputation takes time. Obviously Criterion is underperforming (though since opening they have brought a few shows OKC could not have previously dreamed of; My Morning Jacket, The XX, David Byrne, Dave Chappell, plus a number of others). Tower is building show after show and it’s exciting as hell to think what they will be bringing a year from now. Jones is doing some really cool stuff (Spoon, for instance). Even Diamond has stepped up considerably.

That’s not meant to be a defense of Criterion, but if you look at all of the shows OKC has had in the past two to three years - combining Criterion, Tower, Jones, ACM Performance Lab, Diamond, even the odd show like Alt-J at the Chevy Bricktown Event Center - the cumulative effect is greater than the entire decade or more before it. It is undeniable that the live music scene is exponentially better now than it was just a couple of years ago.

It’s just going to take time, unfortunately. Tulsa has decades of supporting a wide variety of live music, OKC does not. We need to continue to prove ourselves as a market, which hopefully attracts more promoter interest and confidence, and obviously some wrinkles like promoter issues need to be worked out at places like Criterion and Chevy.

All of that said, shows like David Byrne, The XX, My Morning Jacket, Chappell, Alt-J (Chevy), Elvis Costello (Chevy) Local Natives (Diamond), Tame Impala (Diamond)...these shows are/were every bit as big as Beach House. One great show in Tulsa that doesn’t come here doesn’t mean OKC is failing as a market.

[TheTravellers]

And I'll add to Urbanized's post that the bands I've seen at the Criterion seemed to have very good crowd support and seemed to be happy to play there, so hopefully they'll be back there on their next tours, and pass the word along that the Criterion is a decent place, despite Levelland being really crappy at their job. Not sure how much those count in getting bookings, but .....

[Roger S]

And I'll add to Urbanized's post that the bands I've seen at the Criterion seemed to have very good crowd support and seemed to be happy to play there,

I've seen Jason Isbell there twice and both times had great crowds and after the first time he played there he even tweeted about how much he loved the venue. At the last show he commented during the show how much he enjoyed seeing people standing and enjoying the music after having played in some venues with seating.

[soonerguru]

UGH. You keep saying, "Diamond." Words cannot express how badly I hate seeing shows at that place. Also, Urbanized, you missed my rhetorical question wondering why the Levelland guys can't figure out a way to team with a national promoter to get that place booked. Can they? Do they care? It would seem they would be better off having the venue consistently full than sitting empty.

[Urbanized]

Whether you (or me, or anybody else) LIKE Diamond is immaterial to what we are talking about, that is, are there better acts coming to OKC today than a few years ago. There are, and for better or for worse a lot of them are at Diamond Ballroom.

Regarding the Levelland question as far as I know they still have a relatiop with LiveNation. I heard it got dicey at one poin, but not sure of the current status. Obviously the room is currently underperforming, though still getting occasional acts which are bigger names than any other venue’s present bookings. Tower is closing fast though.

[Pete]

Hell yes! Saw them at the old Rome in Norman in the 80s.

I'll be there!

[stjohn]

One great show in Tulsa that doesn’t come here doesn’t mean OKC is failing as a market.

LOL. "One great show in Tulsa"? It is literally dozens and dozens of shows, every single year, for decades, that smaller-market Tulsa gets, which OKC does not. And you know this. As you pointed out for us, you were astute enough to go to Beach House way back in 2015. Wow!

What good does it do to act like Tulsa doesn't kill OKC in concert bookings? Call it failing or whatever you want to call it. OKC has A LOT of ground to make up in order to do just AS GOOD as Tulsa.

As far as Diamond goes, Diamond has been good for a handful of solid indie shows a year for at least a decade. That's not new.

[HOT ROD]

I dont think he said that OKC was as good of a market as Tulsa, I think he meant that just because Tulsa got one great show that OKC didn't - doesn't mean that OKC is a failing market. Could OKC be doing better? ABSOLUTELY Would OKC be better than Tulsa if we utilized Criterion and Chevy much better along with Tower/Diamond/Jones/etc? I would think so.

but just because OKC isn't there yet doesn't mean OKC is failing. OKC is growing and that's a good thing because prior to 2014 really I think everyone would agree that OKC was failing, not so much now but still much more room to even meet the little sister to the NE.

[stjohn]

I don't know what "failing" in this context even means.

We're getting consistently, massively outbooked - and have been for decades - by a smaller city 90 miles away. Whatever you want to call that, pretending this a "one great show in Tulsa" problem is completely delusional self-reassurance.

[TheTravellers]

Great page that shows the disparity between Tulsa and OKC bookings - http://oklahomarock.com/shows/

It's also a great page in general, but it does highlight how much Tulsa gets over OKC all in one handy place.

[soonerguru]

Whether you (or me, or anybody else) LIKE Diamond is immaterial to what we are talking about, that is, are there better acts coming to OKC today than a few years ago. There are, and for better or for worse a lot of them are at Diamond Ballroom.

Regarding the Levelland question as far as I know they still have a relatiop with LiveNation. I heard it got dicey at one poin, but not sure of the current status. Obviously the room is currently underperforming, though still getting occasional acts which are bigger names than any other venue’s present bookings. Tower is closing fast though.

Something isn't working. You know it. I know it. Why are you trying to argue and obfuscate? This isn't a Lincoln-Douglass debate. I love you man but sometimes you are a little obtuse. Nothing happening in OKC is remotely competitive with what is happening at Cain's. Nothing. It's nice that we've had a few more bro-bands and some more frat-rock faves, but I can count on my right hand the shows that have gotten my attention in the last year in OKC.

This market is ready for something better, and it is totally relevant that a depressing venue like the Diamond Ballroom has a disrupting impact on concert attendance in our city. I recall a post a few years ago in which you or someone else here said they purposely drove to Tulsa to see Local Natives, which also played at Diamond, because Cain's is a better place to see a show.

I don't know why you are defending the status quo when it pretty much sucks. We have seen improvement, yes, but we need to see more.

[Urbanized]

LOL. "One great show in Tulsa"? It is literally dozens and dozens of shows, every single year, for decades, that smaller-market Tulsa gets, which OKC does not. And you know this. As you pointed out for us, you were astute enough to go to Beach House way back in 2015. Wow!

What good does it do to act like Tulsa doesn't kill OKC in concert bookings? Call it failing or whatever you want to call it. OKC has A LOT of ground to make up in order to do just AS GOOD as Tulsa.

As far as Diamond goes, Diamond has been good for a handful of solid indie shows a year for at least a decade. That's not new.

I was NOT saying Tulsa gets one good show. Don’t put words into my mouth or twist what I’m saying. I was referring only to soonerguru’s post that made it sound like just because Beach House booked Cain’s this time around means it’s the end of the world for the OKC concert market or something. There will continue to be shows that Tulsa gets that we believe we should be getting here. That’s the way it’s going to be for a while until the new venues are proven. It’s a process.

I would be surprised if any regular posters on this board (who haven’t lived in Tulsa) have been to many more shows at Cain’s than I have. Same with Brady. I’ve been to many, many dozens of them over the past 25 years or so and probably still average 10 or more Tulsa shows per year. I have tickets to four different Cain’s shows right now and will probably pull the trigger on 3-4 others currently on the calendar. I’m VERY aware of the bookings in both cities.

I’ve never said Tulsa wasn’t doing better in bookings. It clearly is and always has. It will for a while yet. Maybe read my posts a little more closely. What I HAVE said is that the OKC bookings have improved dramatically over the past 3-4 years, and that is undeniable and incontrovertible.

[jonny d]

You know, if you people would contact the promoters of some of these venues you incessantly mock and deride with this ferver, you might have more luck than pissing and moaning on a message board.

[stjohn]

Wow, that reply is even more Urbanized than I expected.

Yes, concerts have gotten a little better the past year or two. No, Diamond is not providing the boost. Diamond has been booking a few decent shows a year forever. You can save us your concert resume.

[Urbanized]

Again, maybe try reading for once before getting so overwhelmingly snarky. I never credited Diamond with the uptick in the local scene. I only acknowledged that they’ve stepped up their bookings, which is undeniable even if you hate the place. I don’t love it OR hate it. It’s just a room.

OKC concert bookings have improved because of the new venues, period. Is it equal to Tulsa? No. It’s going to take time, effort and local ticket sales to make that happen. And I’ve never said anything different. Which makes it pretty ridiculous and inexplicable that you’re trying so hard to come after me.

[HangryHippo]

You know, if you people would contact the promoters of some of these venues you incessantly mock and deride with this ferver, you might have more luck than pissing and moaning on a message board.

With all due respect, how the hell would you know what others have or haven’t done away from this message board?

[TheTravellers]

^^^ And also, would it do any good whatsoever to contact Levelland (the worst of the bookers, from what I can see) or others and ask them to step up their game? I'm guessing they'd say "thanks for your input" and then ignore/forget everything you just said to them. From what I've heard, Levelland just doesn't have the money to do good bookings, and asking them to do better won't help that situation, not sure what the other booking companies' problems are, though.

[Uptowner]

Aside from the bickering not relevant to the title of this thread. It is obvious that Tower is aggressively booking and ramping up production. The sound is killer and the venue has decent charm. You don’t show up as a newcomer and instantly start booking top tier acts. Obviously you have to pay your dues and book your share of bowling for soups and smash mouths. But their calendar is filled with bookings and I don’t think it will be long before they start to draw more and more serious shows. They’ve got rev. Horton heat this spring which is a steal from diamond ballroom.

I think people forget that Levelland puts on multiple festivals a year like rocklahoma, music & mayhem, and several others. So when Scott Marsh put the criterion deal together they immediately had reputation for big bookings and a relationship with live nation. I’m pretty stoked they tanked at Tower as it gave an opportunity for Stephen and Chad to create a new platform that doesn’t cowtow to the interests of DCF and levelland. Which were basically the only games in the state for the last couple decades.