The Tulsa Voice | Vol. 3 No. 10

PLUS HARRIET TUBMAN TAKES OVER THE TWENTY | P7 WHEN TEACHERS STOPPED SCREAMING | P8 RAY WYLIE HUBBARD RETURNS TO CAIN’S | P40

MAY 4 - 17, 2016

//

VOL. 3 NO. 10

YOUR

FESTIVAL PASS

A GUIDE TO CELEBRATING LOCAL MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE THIS SEASON

ADMITEMBEOR,N20E16

MAY - SE PT

mayfest mayfest mayfest

G FEST PREVIEW:

UNDER THE DOME:

MUSKOGEE’S INAUGURAL

AN INTERVIEW WITH

MUSIC FESTIVAL

JO ARMSTRONG

P24

P26

Grammy Winner

Peter Frampton May 18 • 7 pm Order your Event Center tickets at osagecasinos.com!

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2OEC-0028_PeterFrampton_Ad_TulsaVoice_FINAL.indd // CONTENTS 1

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA 3/23/16VOICE 9:46 AM

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CONTENTS // 3

4 // CONTENTS

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

contents YOUR FESTIVAL PASS

May 4 – 17, 2016 // vol. 3 no. 1 0 N E W S & C O M MEN TA RY 7 // F rom slave owner to slave liberator Denver Nicks, historian

Harriet Tubman replaces Andrew Jackson on the $20

A guide to celebrating local music, art and culture this season P13

bottomline

8 // W hen teachers stopped screaming Barry Friedman, booster

And started tilting at windmills viewsfromtheplains

FOOD & DRINK PLUS G Fest 101

A restaurant with purpose

Blue Dome Booster

Take 2 employs previouslyincarcerated women

P24 P26

ANGELA EVANS // 10

40 // From Texas to Tulsa

42 // Dog pile

Bobby Dean Orcutt, ruffian

Becky Carman, rock critic

Ray Wylie Hubbard returns to Cain’s

A Giant Dog comes to Tulsa

musicnotes

musicnotes

A RT & C U LT U R E 30 // H omestand hope John Tranchina, commentator

Drillers look to rebound from slow start sportsreport

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

32 // H igh five Liz Blood, art bug

5x5 offers high quality, low cost art

Send all letters, complaints, compliments & haikus to:

artspot

voices@ langdonpublishing.com PUBLISHER Jim Langdon MANAGING EDITOR Joshua Kline ART DIRECTOR Madeline Crawford ASSISTANT EDITOR Liz Blood DIGITAL EDITOR John Langdon GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Morgan Welch, Georgia Brooks PHOTOGRAPHY/MULTIMEDIA Greg Bollinger

facebook.com/thetulsavoice twitter.com/thetulsavoice instagram.com/thetulsavoice

Landry Harlan, unimpressed

popradar

45 // G et ‘Some’ 1603 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 P: 918.585.9924 F: 918.585.9926 PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller CONTROLLER Mary McKisick RECEPTION Gloria Brooks, Gene White

The Tulsa Voice’s distribution is audited annually by Circulation Verification Council THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

44 // H alf-baked Netflix’s newest batch of comedies disappoints

AD SALES MANAGER Josh Kampf CONTRIBUTORS Brook Becker, Peter Bedgood, Becky Carman, Angela Evans, Barry Friedman, Valerie Grant, Landry Harlan, Denver Nicks, Bobby Dean Orcutt, Joe O’Shansky, Bryon Shen, Megan Shepherd, John Tranchina

FILM & TV

Joe O’Shansky, nostalgist

Linklater’s spiritual sequel is a homerun filmphiles

R E G U L A R S // 10 downthehatch // 34 artgallery // 38 thehaps 43 musiclistings // 46 thefuzz // 47 crossword CONTENTS // 5

editor’sletter

T

he future of Oklahoma’s public education system is uncertain. With a $1.3 billion budget shortfall, schools have been dealt devastating funding cuts that have led to some schools implementing four-day weeks, cutting bus routes, laying off teachers, and increasing classroom sizes, among other things, and there are still more cuts to come.

In response to this, dozens of teachers have filed to run for state office. It’s both a symbolic gesture of dissatisfaction with our current legislature and a practical solution to the problem.

On page 8, Barry Friedman talks with several educators about

this crisis, including John Waldron, a teacher at Booker T. Washington High School who is running for state senate.

Our festival guide on page 13 highlights several dozen music, food and culture festivals happening in Oklahoma between now and September. We spoke with G Fest director Jim Blair (pg.

24) about the Muskogee music festival’s inaugural year and the unexpected passing of Merle Haggard, who was set to headline the festival. We also spoke with Jo Armstrong (pg. 26), co-owner of Arnie’s and executive director of two major downtown festivals: Eat Street and the Blue Dome Arts

Festival. Armstrong reflects on the history of the neighborhood, the growth of downtown, her and her husband’s ownership of one of Tulsa’s oldest bars, and the blood, sweat and tears involved in planning a festival.

Music writers Bobby Dean Orcutt and Becky Carman offer profiles of two wildly different acts coming through Tulsa in the next week: Texas troubadour and Oklahoma native Ray Wylie Hubbard, who on May 12 returns to Cain’s Ballroom (pg.

40), and rowdy garage rockers A Giant Dog, who will burn down Soundpony and possibly worse on May 14 (pg. 42).

understand all things.

May 15th Bible Lesson: Mortals and Immortals

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Finally, May is Mental Health month, promoted by Mental Health America— a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting the well-being of our country.

This year’s theme for the month is “Life with a Mental Illness” and individuals are encouraged to share their experiences using the hashtag #mentalillnessfeelslike. We’re proud to share Brook Becker’s poem on the topic on page 34. a

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INVESTIGATORS: Drs. Jamie Rhudy & Joanna Shadlow CONTACT: The University of Tulsa Psychophysiology Research Laboratory 918-631-2175 or 918-631-3565

A novel research study is being conducted at The University of Tulsa to identify potential markers of risk for chronic pain in healthy (currently painfree) Non-Hispanic White and Native American individuals.

This study is safe, non-invasive, and does not involve medication. Participants must be able to attend 2 laboratory sessions (4-5.5 hours/day) in which physiological and behavioral reactions to different stimuli are recorded. This is a University of Tulsa and Cherokee Nation IRB approved research study.

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

GEORGIA BROOKS

bottomline

From slave owner to slave liberator Harriet Tubman replaces Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill

by DENVER NICKS

N

ews that Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson as the face on the $20 bill has been justifiably met with widespread jubilation.

Not only is it a welcome change to have a woman and a non-European American on U.S. currency, it’s moving that we are honoring Tubman.

She became famous as an escaped-slave smuggler and abolitionist, but was an even more phenomenal human than most people know. Towering at all of five-feet-zero-inches, Tubman worked as a spy during the Civil War, during which she helped plan and lead a raid in South Carolina that freed hundreds of slaves (and, she complained later, nearly destroyed the dress she wore through the entire operation). She is said to have once declined an offer of anesthesia during brain surgery and bit an actual bullet instead. And, though she was poor her entire life, Tubman’s generosity was legendary—she donated a section of her small property to establish a home for poor, elderly African Americans, into which she herself, being poor, old and black, eventually moved.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

Tubman’s visage on the $20 will be a welcome sight, but there’s another element of the story, of course. Tubman, a famous former slave, is replacing a famous slave owner, “Old Hickory,” America’s seventh president, and the architect of one of this country’s most successful exercises in ethnic cleansing: Andrew Jackson, whose mug will be moved to the back of the bill.

As many an Oklahoman will already be aware, Jackson was the chief proponent and implementer of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which set in motion the removal of Native American tribes and their slaves from lands in the southeastern United States, in exchange—for awhile—for sovereignty over land west of the Mississippi, in what is Oklahoma today. Many of the state’s residents are the ancestors of the survivors of that pre-industrial crime against humanity. It was a moral outrage, a national tragedy, and there were politicians—including Jackson’s fellow Tennessean, David Crockett—who said so at the time.

So what on earth is Jackson doing on our money in the first place?

I posed the question to Dr. Mark Cheathem, author of Andrew Jackson: Southerner.

“Jackson was chosen to be put on the $20 bill in 1928,” he told me. “He was likely chosen because of his commitment to the Union during the nullification crisis,” a dress rehearsal, basically, for the Civil War. “He also was a popular military hero because of his victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

He also promoted democracy, or, as it was considered during his era, and he fought governmental corruption.”

Fair enough.

It must also be said that Jackson’s Indian Removal policy was not intended to be an exercise in genocide, as some suggest, but something more like the opposite.

The forced migration of Native Americans to Oklahoma was the culmination of decades of strife between sovereign tribes and Americans illegally encroaching on their lands, many of whom really would have liked to see the tribes simply eradicated. Andrew Jackson was a racist, but he wasn’t looking to exterminate Native Americans. You’ll note that there was no Trail of Tears from the

northeastern United States, and it’s not because nobody was living there when Europeans arrived.

For now, Tubman and Jackson will share the $20 bill in an immaculately weird illustration of the tragic and immensely complicated history of this country of ours. One hopes Tubman remains a face on our money for a very long time. As for Jackson, even if the current balance of power, with Tubman on the front and Jackson on the back, is satisfying in a certain way, I wouldn’t be sad to see him go.

Neither, apparently, would his biographer, who has a cool idea to get more people like Tubman in circulation.

“I am delighted with the Treasury Department’s decision to replace Jackson with Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill,” Cheathem said. “It’s a symbolic gesture, but a good one. Secretary Lew should go even further and implement a process of regularly rotating historic figures, thereby giving many less-recognized—but no less American—individuals, groups and perspectives a more prominent place in our marketplace of ideas.” a NEWS & COMMENTARY // 7

viewsfrom theplains

John Waldron, teacher at Booker T High School, is running for Senate district 39 | GREG BOLLINGER

When teachers stopped screaming And started tilting at windmills

by BARRY FRIEDMAN

T

here are times you know exactly when and where you first heard the voices.1

On March 31, almost 25,000 Okl ahoma teachers and others boarded buses and carpools and met at the state Capitol for a rall y. They came to show solidarity with one another and to demand from legisl ators more money and support for public education. And considering how, since 2008, the state has now slipped to 49th in education funding, they should reall y come more often.

I wrote that a little over two years ago.

Why bring it up now?2 More than 30 educators from around the state 8 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

filed into the state capitol Wednesday to turn in their application p ackets to run for office.

That was a little over two weeks ago.

Quite a day, then, April 13, when Oklahoma Public School social studies and English and biology and gym teachers, tired of state legislators using their profession as a chew toy, decided to do something about it.

It shouldn’t have come to this.

As Charles P. Pierce of Esquire said, “Sometimes it’s enough to yell at the right building.”

This is what happens when it’s not.

Cathy Cummings, former candidate for lieutenant governor who helped orchestrate this educators’ assault on the capitol,

is making bread when I contact her.

“It was very organic,” she says of the moment, not the bread. “It started with just a few of us.”

Cummings, who was the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014, is sane, progressive, funny. During that last election, she decided, along with her husband, to try to live on minimum wage. They moved into a small apartment.3 A bit of grandstanding, sure, and, sure, she got clobbered by incumbent Scott Lamb, but a state needs people like her who see the importance of theatrics in activism.

“It exploded!” she says of the teachers who filed. “I contacted county party chairs, friends that I made along the way, anyone I knew, from one end of the state to the other. And then I went on my

own to recruit and promote only Democrats to try to fill every seat that was going un-opposed.”

She’s not taking credit for it all. Others were involved in recruiting and encouraging teachers—the OEA and Angela Clark Little,4 to name two—but Cummings contacted and recruited 25 Democratic candidates. Teachers who lean Republican, too, have filed.

“A revolution is an evolution,” Cummings says.

A great line, maybe, but she admits her candidates are novices at running for statewide elections, there may not be enough time to mount successful challenges, and, not to put too fine a point on this, most of them are broke.

“Fortunately they’re schoolteachers so they’re used to working with no money on a time May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

crunch,” she says. “Okay, bread’s in the oven, Barry.”

“Do you need to go?”

“No. Just need to turn and watch it.”

The symbolism is wonderful.

“What if it doesn’t work,” I ask her. “If it fails?”

“Either way,” she says, “the Republican House and Senate is on notice that people are not just going to take this lying down.”

Down at the state capitol, I spoke with Amanda Ewing, Associate Executive Director, Oklahoma Education Association for Legislative and Political Organizing, who, while excited about the potential of changing the education conversation at the capitol, knows the real battle ahead.

“If the state doesn’t increase revenues, I’m not sure what kind of difference it’ll make, no matter how many are elected.”

The other problem, more serious, is what difference does it make if the educators coming in are as narrow-minded and intellectually incurious as the people they’re replacing. Take for instance Jim Beckham (please), Superintendent of Blanchard Public Schools, who’s running in House District 42 on the same dusty, discredited platform of traditional marriage, pro-gun, anti-Obamacare, lower taxes, and securing the southern border.5 Nothing says better Oklahoma schools more than getting tough with Mexico.

Longtime friend of this column, Laura Belmonte, head of the OSU History Department, says the rumblings of this go beyond education.

“It remains to be seen whether this groundswell translates into electoral victories, but it is nonetheless remarkable that almost every incumbent in the state drew a challenger, in some cases, multiple challengers.”

Belmonte acknowledges that in the end this may not shift the overall partisan make-up of the legislature very much, but it signals that people are tired of business as usual.

“Many Oklahomans simply aren’t buying the message that lower taxes create more well-paying jobs and that smaller government means better government,” she continues. “When your child THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

“When your child is suddenly on a four-day school week, in a class of 45 students, and told a program or class they love is being abolished because of budget cuts, the fiscal realities and policy priorities of the Oklahoma Legislature are no longer a distant phantom, but an upsetting daily reality.”

is suddenly on a four-day school week, in a class of 45 students, and told a program or class they love is being abolished because of budget cuts, the fiscal realities and policy priorities of the Oklahoma Legislature are no longer a distant phantom, but an upsetting daily reality. That is something that could animate voters across party lines.”

Cummings, too, understands the slog ahead.

“For the ones that don’t get through this time, they run again next time in two more years.

Then, if 15 get through or if 20 get through the whole map changes. And finally, they get a seat at the table.”

John Waldron is at the table, literally.

We’re at Tally’s Cafe late in the afternoon. Waldron teaches social studies at Booker T. Washington, has since 1999, and he’s now running in District 39 for a seat held by Brian Crain, who can’t run again because of term limits. Waldron spends his free time knocking on doors and, at times, getting them slammed in his face. One resident told him he’s overpaid (an Oklahoma teacher on average makes about $45-thousand per year—that’s 48th in the nation. An Oklahoma legislator

makes, with per diem, $38,400 … for three months work—that’s 15th in the nation). Six hours of work a day, summers off—he’s heard it his entire professional life.

“So much is at stake here—it’s not just about teacher pay, but the very idea that the state can support a decent education system and other public services.”

But some want to talk about other things. He’s been asked about same-sex marriages and has been told gays are going to hell.

“But I’m here to talk about education,” he says to nobody in particular.

He’s going to need at least $200-thousand for this race, minimum. He orders a salad.

“I’m in training,” he says.

“So why are you doing this?” I ask.

“What are we doing for the future, for students, how are we preparing them in this state?”

Oklahoma has cut more from education in real dollars since 2008 than any other state—as much as anything, that’s where the decay started.6 Waldron talks about class sizes, the horror that was former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi, money and focus being diverted to charter and private schools, the over-promise of lotteries, political and religious agendas, and about condescending legislators who before the filings wouldn’t even pick

up the phone to talk to constituents like him.

“They didn’t have to,” he says, “most of them ran unopposed.”

Since April 13, they’re picking up the phone.

I ask about the church membership listed on his campaign flier that’s lying on the table.

“Why mention it? Really necessary?” I ask.

He smiles.

“Yeah. People want to know.”

It never stops, the religious pandering, but considering this new energy, at the moment, it can be forgiven. Belmonte’s right, something is happening. I’m looking for a metaphor. It’s not Don Quixote and windmills, it’s not Lech Walesa, climbing the fence at the Gdansk Shipyard, but it’s something.

It’s hope.

It’s how a state finds itself again.

“I feel very much as though, if people do not make a stand today, so much of what is good about our state will blow away tomorrow,” Waldron continues. “That is the ‘Dust Bowl of the mind’ I’ve been talking about. This is a George Bailey campaign. I am counting on the good people of Bedford Falls to stick together, support their communities and do the right thing. Otherwise, for so many good people in this state, it will be as Woody Guthrie sang: ‘So long, it’s been good to know you.’”

I bring up the Pierce quote.

“Yeah, I know it,” Waldron says. “They cut over $100-million dollars from education on that very day.”

“They were laughing at you,” I say. “You didn’t even matter enough not to be humiliated.”

“Yeah, so now, we’re not just screaming at the building. We want in.” a

1) thetulsavoice.com: Screaming at the right building 2) kfor.com: Teachers taking action: Many file to run for office 3) kfor.com: Lt. Gov. hopeful and husband living on minimum wage for month experiment 4) swtimes.com: About 30 Oklahoma educators expected to run for Legislature 5) jimforthehouse.com: Jim Beckham for State Representative 6) newson6.com: Study: Oklahoma Is Number 1 In Education Spending Cuts Since 2008 NEWS & COMMENTARY // 9

The Impressions sandwich, cold sides, and exterior at Take 2: A Resonance Café | VALERIE GRANT

A restaurant with purpose Take 2 employs previously-incarcerated women

by ANGELA EVANS

T

ake 2: A Resonance Café, the newest lunch spot downtown is an iteration of an old favorite—a hidden gem called Impressions. Savvy downtowners would often take ‘newbies’ there as if it were an initiation. The cafeteria-style restaurant featured delicious sandwiches made fresh along an assembly line. But about five years ago Impressions shut its doors, presumably forever, which makes this comeback story even more exciting.

Around the same time the restaurant faced moving or closing its doors, the owner Tom Butcher was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Butcher had been in the restaurant biz since the ‘60s and his hand-crafted sandwiches, massive baked potatoes and homemade pies created a cult following in downtown Tulsa. When Impressions shut down, seemed like the end of an era for this downtown eatery.

Luckily, it was only a short break and Butcher’s work was far from over.

Springing forth from Impressions’ ashes is Take 2, a restaurant with a purpose. The café is owned and operated by Resonance for Women, which helps women who have been incarcerated transition back into society.

Take 2 is part of Resonance’s Choose to Change program that provides job training that help ensure a successful transition.

Six women are employed by Take 2 Café, with Butcher managing day-to-day operations. During a lunch rush, their fine-tuned machine churns out orders to happy customers.

The majority of Take 2’s customers were longtime fans of Impressions. Butcher donated his recipes, much of his equipment and his know-how to the Resonance project. So for fans of Butcher’s menu, Take 2 Café will not disappoint. The same sandwiches, soups, spuds, and sides will stoke the nostalgia of old fans and are sure to delight new ones. The secret? Butcher eschews “industrialized food” and makes everything in house.

“We make our meats fresh, each day,” says Butcher. “The meat you are eating today was slow cooked the night before.

And we slice it fresh, right in front of you.” Butcher handles the prime rib at the front of the line, piling juicy slices of medium-rare perfection onto the fluffy bread of your choice, then adding a side of au jus. (For an extra kick, ask for the fresh horseradish.)

The Take 2 Club sandwich features slow-roasted roast beef, crisp thick-cut bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo, served with a side of au jus. The crusty French bread is the perfect vessel for this masterpiece.

If you want to “go big or go home,” then the Impressions sandwich has your number. This sandwich is a decadent mound of ham, turkey, pastrami, roast beef, salami, Swiss, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and mayo. You can have it hot or cold, but with a little heat it becomes melted magic.

Take 2’s cold sides are also made fresh daily. The vibrant tabouli, savory potato salad, and

coleslaw are delicious, but the shrimp pasta salad is tops in my book. With a mayo-based sauce, the freshness of the shrimp with the crunch of celery is an excellent foil to al dente macaroni. Their huge, loaded baked potatoes, soups and on-the-go salad bar are also popular. For a little more indulgence, a slice of homemade pie will hit the spot.

Take 2 Café takes call-in orders, but may not answer during peak lunch hours. It’s best to arrive before 1:30 p.m. if you are craving prime rib, and if you are in a hurry, you can hit the salad bar without waiting in line. It’s not often you can change lives just by eating lunch. But at Take 2 Café, you’ll be making a real difference, one bite at a time. a

TAKE 2: A RESONANCE CAFÉ 309 S Main St. 918.861.4555.

Mon-Fri 10:30 a.m. to 3 PM. Dine in and carry out available. www.take2tulsa.com

FIND THIS AND OTHER DELICIOUS MORSELS AT TULSAFOOD.COM, COVERING RESTAURANTS, PRODUCTS, EVENTS, RECIPES—EVERYTHING A TULSA FOODIE NEEDS 10 // FOOD & DRINK

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

downthehatch

by LIZ BLOOD

Texas grain Herman Marshall Small Batch Whiskey comes to Oklahoma

B

on vivant Marshall Louis, originally from South Africa, has been in Dallas for the last 35 years and making whiskey with Herman Beckley for the last twelve. Together, the two make up Herman Marshall, Dallas County Texas’ first distillery, and the only distillery in Texas producing bourbon, rye and single malt from grain to glass.

I met him at Franklin’s Pork and Barrel in Broken Arrow for a tasting of his product, which has recently expanded into the Oklahoma market.

Marshall poured me a halfdram of the bourbon, which won third place in the 2015 International Whisky Competition’s best small-batch bourbon category.

“This is what took us to the dance,” he said, setting down the bottle.

The square-ish bottle has black wax on its cap and neck—though there’s no drip.

“Maker’s Mark copyrighted the wax drip,” he said. “We’re not allowed to have one.”

Nevertheless, the bottles are hand-dipped in wax once full, and then hand-labeled—indicative of the intimately crafted product that sat before me on Franklin’s beautiful, shiny bar top.

An imperfect circle encompasses the brand initials. When I asked why, Marshall responded, “because life isn’t perfect.”

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

Hence, whiskey.

I take a sip. Herman Marshall’s bourbon is buttery, caramel in taste and color, with a honey flower blossoming as it hits your tongue.

“How did you start?” I asked.

“In Herman’s garage. So, illegally. But, show me a whiskey maker who’s started legally,” he laughed.

When the two met fifteen years ago at a Starbucks in Dallas, Marshall was newly retired, ready to begin an adventure of scuba diving and fishing.

“I said, man, don’t mess up my plan.”

But mess it up they did. With a seven-men-and-women team, Herman Marshall is currently in 3,000 Texas locations (restaurants, bars, and stores) and has broken into 40-plus locations in Oklahoma.

On the sides of the bourbon, rye, and single malt bottles you’ll find a triptych of photos that create one image—a pre-prohibition Dallas street scene.

“I wanted to throw a little local-schmocal in there. Prohibition laws are alive and well in this part of the country, but I guess I’m ok with it.” a

In “Down the Hatch,” assistant editor Liz Blood offers a look inside Tulsa’s many bars, pubs, saloons and gin joints. Send suggestions for future columns to liz@langdonpublishing.com or @lizblood on Twitter.

FOOD & DRINK // 11

TERNAT TULSA IN

12 // FEATURED

IONAL

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

YOUR

FESTIVAL PASS

ing on your Hark! Festival season is upon us. Depend ambient to g in op ho lahu n ea m t igh m at th s, st re inte side to play music in the great outdoors or heading in lay wear. sp co t es fin ur yo in es m ga de ca ar ge ta vin ly has a festival Whatever you’re into, Oklahoma probab celebrating ts en ev s de clu in e id gu ’s ar ye is Th it. r fo art, and al loc to ity rs ve di , ga yo to e im an m fro everything are in or near ts en ev e th of st Mo y. ed m co to er be t af cr away.

Tulsa, though a few will take you farther sting.

(We promise they’re worth it.) Happy fe

ADMIETMBOERN, 2E016

M AY - S E P T THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FESTIVAL GUIDE//| 13 FEATURED 13

OKLAHOMA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

MAYFEST

Saturdays and Sundays throughout May The Castle of Muskogee, Muskogee $5.95-$59.95 | okcastle.com

Thurs., May 19 through Sun., May 22 Deco District | tulsamayfest.org

Travel back in time to 16th Century England at The Castle of Muskogee’s 21st annual Renaissance Festival. Over 600 costumed stage and street performers, merchants and artisans will bring the village of Castleton to life.

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FEST Mayfest | COURTESY Hop Jam in the Brady Arts District | JEREMY CHARLES

Fri., May 6 | Guthrie Green guthriegreen.com Presented buy TulsaJazz.com and SpiritBank, this festival (which takes place during the upcoming First Friday Art Crawl) is an International Jazz Day-sanctioned event, and Tulsa’s first official participation in the holiday since its inception in 2012. The festival will feature The Cynthia Simmons Quintet, R.701: a 15 member jazz vocal group accompanied by the Claremore High School Jazz Band, Tulsa Latin Style, a dance group from Tiberias, Israel, and more.

Over 100 artists display and sell their work at Mayfest, which also boasts four stages of live music, tons of food, and activities for kids. Headlining musicians include Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, William Clark Green, and Band of Heathens. Dozens of local acts will also perform, including klondike5, Sam & The Stylees, Steve Liddell, Johnny Badseed and the Rotten Apples, Eric Himan, Brujoroots, and Count Tutu.

BLUE DOME ARTS FESTIVAL Fri., May 20 through Sun., May 22 Blue Dome District | bluedomearts.org The “Locals Only” answer to Mayfest features around 250 local visual artists. From paintings, carvings, and photographs to apparel, glass work and artcars, local talent is on full display. Blue Dome’s stage (which is always surrounded by some of T-Town’s best food trucks) will feature over two-dozen performances, including Dustin Pittsley Band, Zach Short Group, Adrienne Gilley, and FM Pilots.

ROOSTER DAYS Oklahoma Renaissance Festival in Muskogee | COURTESY

Thurs., May 12 through Sat., May 14 Central Park, Broken Arrow Admission is free, ride passes are available at $25-$45 | roosterdays.com Now in its 85th year, Broken Arrow’s Rooster Days is Oklahoma’s longest-running festival. Carnival rides, great food, live entertainment, the Miss Rooster Days pageant, and the Rooster Days Parade bring families back year after year.

SUPER ULTRA MEGA NERDRAGEAPALOOZA EXTRAVAGANZA Sat., May 14, 9 p.m. | IDL Ballroom $15 in advance, $20 at the door idlballroom.com Blue Dome Arts Festival | COURTESY

Famed photographer David Lackey, IDL’s Tom Green, and Christopher Rowe have teamed up for the ultimate nerdout party, hosted by national cosplayer It’s Raining Neon and featuring vintage arcade games, cosplay contests, themed cocktails, and music by DJ abSRD and Mysti Jynx. Judged by cosplayers Sinfonie, Kiki and Hikaruhime, the costume contest will award trophies, movie tickets, a PS4, tattoo gift certificates, and signed artwork to the best and worst costumes; other prizes will also be awarded throughout the night, courtesy of GameStop.

14 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

HABIT MURAL FESTIVAL Fri., May 20 through Sun., May 22 East Village District, Brady Arts District habitfestival.com Over 15 street artists descend upon downtown with a mission to enhance our city and inspire cultural growth. The hub of the festival will be a 49,000 square foot warehouse in the East Village at 856 E. 1st St., and there will also be a satellite arm of the festival (a collaboration with The Hop Jam) in the Brady Arts District at 209 N. Main St.

THE HOP JAM Sun., May 22 | Brady Arts District Concert is free, music VIP is $65, Unlimited craft beer tickets are $35-$150 thehopjam.com The Hanson brothers’ beer and music festival has blown up in its third year, featuring over 100 beers from 60 breweries, including 15 from Oklahoma, and breweries from 20 states and 10 countries participating. No, unfortunately Hanson isn’t going to play this year, but they’re making up for it with a lineup that includes Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Albert Hammond Jr., X Ambassadors, John Moreland, Chase Kerby + The Villains, and the winner of Hop Jam’s annual opening band contest.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FEATURED // 15

deadCenter Film Festival in OKC | COURTESY

Tulsa Tough Crit Racers | PROPELLER COMMUNICATIONS

TULSA INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FESTIVAL

REAL OKIE CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

DEADCENTER FILM FESTIVAL

Thurs., May 26 through Mon., May 30 Tulsa Downtown Airpark | $5-$10 tulsaibf.com

Friday, June 3 Honor Heights Park, Muskogee | $25-$30 friendsofhonorheightspark.org

A replacement for Gatesway Balloon Festival, which ran for 20 years, Tulsa IBF is Oklahoma’s largest ballooning festival and one of the largest in the country. The festival also includes six stages of live music, and a huge carnival with rides, games and more.

True to its name, Real Okie is a beer festival featuring only Oklahoma breweries. In addition to the twelve breweries on site, the festival features food and live entertainment.

Wed., June 8 through Sun., June 12 Downtown Oklahoma City All-access passes: $150, individual event tickets also available Deadcenterfilm.org Oklahoma’s largest film festival features over 100 films of all genres selected from thousands of entries. Last year 30,000 people attended the festival’s screenings.

TALLGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL ROCKLAHOMA Fri., May 27 through Sun., May 29 Catch the Fever Festival Grounds, Pryor Tickets start at $162, Camping passes start at $100 Rocklahoma.com The 10th anniversary of the state’s hardest rocking festival will feature performances from Rob Zombie, Scorpions, 3 Doors Down, Disturbed, Megadeth, The Sword, Sebastian Bach, and many more.

Fri., June 3 and Sat., June 4 Skiatook Sports Complex, Skiatook $15-$20 | tallgrassmusicfestival.com Skiatook’s annual bluegrass festival will feature performances from Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Grass Crack, The Farm Hands, Wood & Wire, Southbound Mule, and Blue Pearl. Each night ends with a Band Scramble featuring musicians from several bands jamming together.

TULSA PRIDE FESTIVAL & PARADE ROUTE 66 PATRIOTFEST Sat., May 28 | Webster High School, Route 66 route66patriotfest.com Route 66 PatriotFest features a classic car and motorcycle show, military exhibits, live music, arts, crafts, and activities for kids. Starting at 8 a.m., classic cars will cruise through Tulsa on the Mother Road, starting at the east Route 66 Gateway near East Central High School and ending at the west gateway in the historic Red Fork area of West Tulsa.

16 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

Sat., June 4 and Sun., June 5 Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, Centennial Park | okeq.org Celebrate Tulsa’s LGBTQ community in Oklahoma’s longest-running Pride celebration. The Parade starts at 6 p.m. at 13th and Boston and ends at the Festival outside Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, where dozens of organizations will have exhibits, and an outdoor stage will feature folk, rock, DJs and drag performances. The festival runs from noon to 10 p.m. On Sunday, OKEQ holds Picnic in the Park, a family-friendly picnic under the skyline at Centennial Park.

TULSA TOUGH Fri., June 10 through Sun., June 12 Fri.: Blue Dome District, Sat.: Brady Arts District, Sun.: Cry Baby Hill tulsatough.com Go back to 2005 Tulsa and tell someone that in the future, the craziest weekend every year will be a series of bicycle races. You may have a hard time convincing them, but time has proven it to be true.

Tulsa loves cycling, especially when it gives us a reason to wear rubber baby masks and completely ruin the lawns of all the houses near 13th and Indian Ave.

WINGAPALOOZA Sat., June 11 | BOK Center | $25-$75 bokcenter.com/event/wingapalooza Dozens of local restaurants toss up their variations on chicken wings hoping to be named the best cluckin’ wings in town.

FUNNIEST 4 DAYS IN TULSA

BRADY ARTS DISTRICT TULSA, OK

CAI NS BALLRO OM | VANG UA RD | H UN T CL UB | W G UTHRI E C ENTER | SOU N DP O N Y | C OM E DY PA R VANG UARD | INNER C IRCL E V OD K A B A R | YE TI | M ERIC ANDRE, FORTUNE FEIMSTER, RHEA BUTCHER, ASHLEY BARNHILL, IAN ABRAMSON, HEY CL M UB AMB O | OD A L OFT C A INS BA L LR OOM | VANG U ARD | HUNT | WO Y DJ DOUGGPOUND, TONY HINCHCLIFFE, JULIAN MCCULLOUGH, BRENT WEINBACH, AND MANY G UTH RI E CE NTER | SOU NDPO NY | CO MEDY PA RLO R | MORE. STAY TUNED FOR MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS! V AN GU ARD | INNER CI RC LE VODK A BAR | YET I | MA J E S TI C | HEY MAMB O | AL OF T WEEKEND AND FESTIVAL VIP PASSES ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.BLUEWHALECOMEDYFESTIVAL.COM.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FEATURED // 17

Tulsa FreedomFest | RICHARD HARKINS

OK Mozart Music Festival in Bartlesville MARK BLUMER

OK MOZART INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL – OPUS 32 Sat., June 11 through Sat., June 18 Bartlesville Community Center, Woolaroc, and other venues in Bartlesville Prices vary per performance okmozart.com The 32nd OK Mozart festival is a week-long celebration of classical music and more, with many performances featuring ensembles of varying sizes, including Tulsa Symphony, Bartlesville Symphony, Signature Symphony, jazz and soul singer Catherine Russell with quintet, pop-classical crossover trio Simply Three, Miró String Quartet and many more.

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Festival in Okmulgee | COURTESY

G FEST

FOLDS OF HONOR FREEDOMFEST

Thurs., June 16 through Sat., June 18 Love-Hatbox Sports Complex, Muskogee $44-$379 | gfestmuskogee.com

Mon., July 4 River West Festival Park, Veterans Park riverparks.org/freedomfest

The inaugural G Fest will feature performances from Kacey Musgraves, The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Turnpike Troubadours, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, John Fullbright, Uncle Lucius, Red Dirt Rangers, Desi & Cody, Brujoroots, Junior Markham, Levi Parham, Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps, Green Corn Rebellion, Travis Linville, and many more.

Celebrate our great nation with a picnic, live local music, and one of the biggest fireworks displays in the country.

MVSKOKE NATION (CREEK) FESTIVAL MID WEST HESH FEST PRESENTS: FREAKTULSA Fri., June 17 through Sun., June 19 Downtown Lounge | $25-$100 facebook.com/FreakTulsa A weekend of heavy doom awaits at Downtown Lounge, with nearly 30 dark rock and psychedelic bands, including Smoke Offering, Senior Fellows, Silver Screen Monsters, Violent Wednesday, Skeleton Farm, Blunt Splitter, Psychotic Reaction, Brother Gruesome, Sun Vow, and more.

JUNETEENTH Fri., June 17 through Sun, June 19 Guthrie Green; Greenwood and Archer; Jazz Hall of Fame | guthriegreen.com The beloved music celebration will take place across three days and venues, with each day focusing on a different genre of music. Friday focuses on Jazz and Blues with a tribute to the late Wayman Tisdale at Guthrie Green, Saturday will feature an R&B/Hip Hop-centric street party at Archer and Greenwood, and Sunday’s event at the Jazz Hall of Fame will feature Gospel music.

18 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

Arlo Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival GUY ZAHLLER

Thurs., June 23 through Sun., June 26 Claude Cox Omniplex, Okmulgee creekfestival.com Now in its 41st year, the Mvskoke Nation Festival celebrates the culture of Muscogee (Creek) Nation and features arts & crafts, food, a rodeo, sports and games tournaments, music and more. This year’s music lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but keep an eye out for some greatness. Last year’s headliners were The Commodores, Kool & The Gang, and A Tribe Called Red.

WOODY GUTHRIE FOLK FESTIVAL Wed., July 13 through Sun., July 17 Pastures of Plenty, Okemah $30-$75 | woodyfest.com Woody Guthrie Folk Festival is held on the weekend nearest Woody Guthrie’s birthday (July 14) in his hometown of Okemah. The lineup includes John Fullbright, David Amram, Samantha Crain, Michael Fracasso, Ellis Paul, Kalyn Fay, Jared Tyler, Peter Case, Wink Burcham, Ali Harter, John Calvin Abney, and more.

TOKYO IN TULSA Fri., July 15 through Sun., July 17 Cox Business Center, DoubleTree Downtown tokyointulsa.com Tokyo in Tulsa is Oklahoma’s largest celebration of anime, cosplay, and Japanese pop culture, with guest speakers, panels, exhibitors, live music and entertainment, and gaming of all varieties. The festival’s theme this year is “Worlds Collide: Mecha vs. Pirates,” and will feature appearances by Italian cosplay superstar NadiaSK, “hardcore” cosplay group Mythos Creations, anime and gaming voice actress Rachael Messer, actress/dancer/fight choreographer Viviane Wolf, writer/actor J. Michael Tatum, and gothy visualkei band MeteoroiD, among others.

8 STAGES OF MUSIC 200+ MUSICAL ACTS 100+ VISUAL ARTISTS 100+ VISUAL PERFORMERS HELICOPTER RIDES GIANT HAY MAZE CAMPING ON SITE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

300’ SLIP-N-SLIDE FERRIS WHEEL FIRE LASER-TOWER CLIMB ART INSTALLATIONS BEACH ACCESS ARTS & CRAFTS VENDORS FOOD TRUCKS

FEATURED // 19

WILL ROGERS & WILEY POST FLY-IN

FESTIVAL AMERICAS

POSTOAK WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL

Sat., Aug. 13 Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, Oologah willrogers.com

Sat., Aug 27 | Guthrie Green guthriegreen.com

Fri., Sept. 2 through Sun., Sept. 4 PostOak Lodge & Retreat $10 | postoaklodge.com

Watch more than 100 small planes fly-in and land on the 2,000-ft. grass airstrip on Will Rogers’s former home. Chat with pilots, listen to a Cherokee storyteller, take a free tour of the Will Rogers Birthplace and more.

WILD BREW Sat., Aug. 27 | Cox Business Center $45-$165 | wildbrew.org Never has funding bird conservation efforts tasted so good. This year, Wild Brew, which raises funds for the Sutton Avian Research Center, promises beer and food from more breweries and restaurants than ever before.

La Semana and Guthrie Green present a celebration of Mexican culture and the rich diversity within Tulsa’s Latino community. The family-friendly festival will feature live music and dance, Luchadores, a street market, and plenty of food from around the Americas.

BACKWOODS MUSIC & CAMPING FESTIVAL Thurs., Sept. 1 through Mon., Sept. 5 Tatanka Ranch, Stroud In its second year since upsizing and moving to Stroud, Backwoods continues in its tradition of electronic and jam-filled lineups. This year will feature Nero, Big Gigantic, moe., Nahk and Medicine for the People, Chet Porter, Groovement, Zoogma, Helen Kelter Skelter, and more.

CLAREMORE BLUEGRASS & CHILI FESTIVAL Thurs., Sept. 8 through Sat., Sept. 10 Claremore Expo Center, Claremore bluegrasschilifest.com Claremore’s Bluegrass & Chili Festival is the perfect place to bid farewell to summer and welcome autumn. An always-great lineup of bluegrass musicians from around the country, tasting chili from competitors in one of the biggest chili cook-offs around, and just maybe that first hint of evening chill in the air.

Wild Brew | DAN REINKING

Backwoods Music & Camping Festival in Stroud | JAMIE SEED

Will Rogers & Wiley Post Fly-In in Oologah WILL ROGERS MEMORIAL ARCHIVES Festival Americas | ERNESTO HERNANDEZ

20 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

Not much information has been released yet on the second year of this festival, but if wine, jazz, and those lovely rolling Oklahoma hills are things you enjoy, look no further.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FEATURED // 21

Blue Whale Comedy Festival | ERNESTO HERNANDEZ

BLUE WHALE COMEDY FESTIVAL Thurs., Sept. 8 through Sun., Sept. 11 Various locations in Downtown Tulsa Weekend passes start at $85, individual show tickets also available bluewhalecomedyfestival.com Blue Whale Comedy Festival just announced its first round of performers for the third annual festival. The oh so weird and wonderful Eric Andre will headline, along with Fortune Feimster, DJ Douggpound, and many more to be announced.

FOURTH ANNUAL MEDICINE STONE FESTIVAL Thurs., Sept. 22 through Sat., Sept. 24 Diamondhead Resort, Tahlequah Tickets on sale June 1 at 10 a.m.

Medicinestoneok.com Red Dirt connoisseurs rejoice: Tahlequah’s threeday Medicine Stone Festival brings together the best Red Dirt acts from Oklahoma and beyond.

This year’s line-up has not yet been announced, but last year’s festival featured everyone from Jason Boland & The Stragglers and Turnpike Troubadours to Billy Joe Shaver and Randy Crouch.

MOTHER ROAD FOLK REVIVAL WEEKEND

Shakey Graves for the Mother Road Folk Revival | NINA WESTERVELT

Thurs., Sept. 8 through Sun., Sept. 11 Circle Cinema, Woody Guthrie Center, BOK Center, Cain’s Ballroom Tickets prices vary per event bokcenter.com/mrr Celebrate Route 66 with a weekend of events honoring her, including a Folk Film Series at Circle Cinema, discussions on Woody Guthrie’s late life in Greenwich Village, a concert at BOK Center featuring Jason Isbell, Shakey Graves, and Lucero, a Gospel Brunch at Cain’s, and more.

I AM Yoga Festival | CASSIE PATTON

Fri., Sept. 23 through Sun., Sept. 25 Cox Business Center $30-$75 | xpotulsa.com Get a first look at new gaming technology, hear panels and speakers from inside the industry, and play plenty of games at this inaugural convention.

There will be a film festival, cosplay contests, a retro gaming lounge, a live $10,000 Rocket League tournament, and more.

TULSA GREEK FESTIVAL

OKLAHOMA INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Thurs., Sept. 15 through Sat., Sept. 17 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church tulsagreekfestival.com

Thurs., Sept. 29 through Sat., Oct. 1 Cottonwood Flats, Guthrie $15-$70 | oibf.com

Tulsa’s oldest ethnic festival features a menu of home-cooked Greek delicacies, dancing, gifts, jewelry, and more.

The brainchild of three-time National Fiddle Champion Byron Berline, OIBF is now in its 21st year. This year’s lineup hasn’t been released, but expect plenty of world-class pickin’. a

SCOTFEST Fri., Sept. 16 through Sun., Sept. 18 River West Festival Park | okscotfest.com Strap on your tartan and enjoy the food and drink, music and entertainment, and of course, the highland games of Scotland. There’s something for everyone, whether you own a kilt or not.

I AM YOGA, ART + MUSIC FESTIVAL Fri., Sept. 16 through Sun., Sept. 18 Veterans Park | iamyogafestival.com Free entrance, tickets are required for some classes and workshops I AM features yoga classes and workshops for all levels and interests taught by locals and yogis from around the country. The festival also features art and performances by local musicians.

22 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

XPO GAMING CONVENTION

WORLDS COLLIDE

JULY 15-17, 2016

w w w.

.com

Tokyo in Tulsa is powered by our Partners:

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FEATURED // 23

G Fest 101 Four questions with event director Jim Blair The Tulsa Voice: Can you tell us a little about G Fest's origin story?

Jim Blair: The concept was tossed around Muskogee for a few years, but never got traction until the City started exploring the re-use of Hatbox Field, which is the location of an old airport. They’d established a successful waterpark and sports complex on the property, but there was still a ton of room. They realized they’d get more bang for their buck if they did something they could host festivals at. The Hall of Fame has had to rethink how to maintain our sustainability, which is hard to do with museums and inductions, so we saw Hatbox Field as an opportunity, too. The establishment of the City of Muskogee Foundation helped, too. They’re funding a lot of good things.

They’ve given away $38 million dollars for various projects. The festivals that are sustainable are the ones with serious backing.

And, so far, we’ve sold tickets in 24 states and in the UK. TTV: What is it about Muskogee that makes it such an ideal festival town?

JB: None of the festivals that go on here are necessarily music festivals. The Azalea festival goes back to the 1940s, when those plants were planted. The Castle’s Renaissance Festival attracts people from all over the country. Because of Muskogee’s size, we’re known for our specific festivals. We see G Fest as the new branding for Muskogee. That’s why we kept the name simple.

Hipsters call Muskogee “the G” or “the Gee,” and if you don’t name the festival that, your patrons will rename it for you.

TTV: The recent death of Merle Haggard was obviously a huge

24 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

loss to the music community.

G Fest had him booked as the headliner. How has this last minute scramble affected the late stages of planning the festival?

Old Crow Medicine Show | COURTESY Kacey Musgraves | COURTESY

JB: It was shocking. My first thought was not what it does to the festival, to be honest. Merle was the biggest of 82 acts we have scheduled, but my first thought was for his family and fans. We were one of a number of dates he had scheduled. We didn’t scramble—pretty quick we figured out what we were going to do. Kacey Musgraves will replace him. Well, nobody can replace Merle, but she’s a great compliment to the other music we have scheduled. We’ll do everything in honor of Merle, which includes naming a street and launching a campaign for a memorial bench in Muskogee.

Turnpike Troubadors | COURTESY

TTV: You’ve got some pretty big names on the lineup. Anyone in particular that you’re most excited to see?

JB: I don’t want to hurt feelings here, but two of the acts I’m really looking forward to seeing and meeting are Marty Stewart and Robert Randolph. But I’m excited about all of them. The Avett Brothers—they’re the biggest band to have ever played in Muskogee, and we’ve never had a stage this big in Muskogee. a The Avett Brothers | COURTESY

G FEST MUSKOGEE MUSIC FESTIVAL Love-Hatbox Sports Complex, Muskogee June 16-18 Tickets $44-$379 gfestmuskogee.com

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

FEATURED // 25

Blue Dome booster

An interview with Jo Armstrong, Blue Dome Arts Festival organizer

by MEGAN SHEPHERD

J

Festival, too.” I was like, “wait, what?”

o Armstrong is the executive director of the Blue Dome Arts Festival and Eat Street Tulsa. She’s also co-owner, along with her husband Chris, of the Blue Dome District’s first and finest neighborhood watering hole, Arnie’s. In between catching up with regulars, the lively drink slinger-turned-business owner and civic booster filled us in on new developments in the Blue Dome, downtown’s growth, and what to expect from two of Tulsa’s favorite city festivals in 2016.

TTV: You’re also the Executive Director of Eat Street Tulsa. How’d you launch that?

JA: I was home with my twins who were quarantined for their first year and I was going stir crazy. I was so happy to be a mom, but we couldn't leave the house and my mind needed an escape. We loved The Great Food Truck Race, and thought, there are some good food trucks getting started here in Tulsa… so I talked to Chris, who said, "You want to do it? Just do it." And then I talked to Josh Lynch who said, "I've been thinking about it, too." So we decided to move forward.

The first year, we had 12 trucks and people were saying, “There aren’t even 12 trucks in Tulsa. You're ridiculous." I said, “trust me, there are.” This was five years ago. We had 30 this last year. There were 34 the year before. It's just growing so much, and I think a lot of that is because of this whole food truck frenzy. There are so many cool food trucks offering unique, quality meals and cuisine.

The Tulsa Voice: So first of all, how’d you make your way to Arnie’s?

Jo Armstrong: Oh, gosh. Let's see.

[My husband] Chris and I have owned the bar since December of '04 and he says it’s where we fell in love. I don't disagree. We met working at Spaghetti Warehouse.

Everybody laughs about it, but you have to think back to 2000…there was nothing else down here.

Anyway, he asked me out and I said no, but we'd come down here after work and hang out with our co-workers on the patio. And I’d work on St. Patrick's Day when they needed extra bartenders. Essentially, we both ended up bartending quite a bit together, and we just fell in love, and fell in love with Arnie's. I’d finished college at OSU at this point. Then the owner was in financial trouble, and we just eventually said, “you know what? We're interested in buying it.” We got married in '03 and bought the bar in '04.

TTV: Right after you were married?

That's crazy!

JA: Yes. It was crazy. He was an accountant and I was in school for a second degree. We went from accounting and nursing to buying a bar. And at the time, there was nothing going on downtown, so our parents were saying, "No, no,

26 | FESTIVAL GUIDE

Jo Armstrong, owner of Arnie’s Bar and executive director of Blue Dome Arts Festival | GREG BOLLINGER

no. Please don't do it." And we're like, “yeah, it'll be fun and it'll be great.”

And it is very fun. That's why I work up in the Dome. It's hard to get work done down here because we know everybody and love everybody. It's like our family. We're a big, annoying family.

TTV: How’d you come to be in charge of BDAF? JA: It was always one of my favorite festivals. I’d walk the festival with my double stroller and kids, trek-

king it out as a mom. We’d come down to say hi to Daddy selling beer on the corner, and the next year, we ran it.

Michael Sager, who started the festival, was our landlord here at Arnie's and owned the Blue Dome.

The two buildings are connected, and we’d wanted it forever. Any business owner would prefer to own their building for job security, if nothing else. He came to us and said, “I'm ready to sell the Dome.”

So we bought the Dome and bar, and he said, “by the way, I want you running Blue Dome Arts

TTV: You've been downtown since before the boom. Do you feel any responsibility for Tulsa's forward momentum as a leader of that charge?

JA: I feel like within what I do, my responsibility is to keep things down here as original as possible, and to keep the growth coming.

With the festival, I want to go back to the roots and make sure we stay local. Things had kind of gotten out of control for a while. I think that if you want downtown to be really cool, then you can't sell out. You have to stay true to who you are.

We don't feel like we're greater than what we are. We're not trying to be a movement. We're just trying to make sure that whatever it

Friday, June 3rd, 6-10 pm honor heights park — beer, food, entertainment

pr

ing a r u at hom rs e f l a ee ok ft b a cr

e

se ho frien nted no ds by: rh o eig f ht s

tickets

tickets

(advance)

(at gate)

$25

$30

sponsored by:

Blue Dome Arts Festival | COURTESY

is we're in charge of, we take full ownership of and do it right.

TTV: What are some of the most challenging parts of owning a bar or organizing a festival?

JA: The hours that you put in. As far as the festivals go, I find trouble at the end of the day even explaining how many hours it takes.

The organization needed to make that happen when you have a family zone and a pet zone and you’re doing a stage for three days and have 22 food trucks all in one space. Between a skate park and 238 artist booths—possibly more as we get it going—and figuring out how to organize them correctly… You ought to see the color-coded spreadsheets.

TTV: That makes my brain hurt.

JA: I hired an assistant this year— she's incredible—because I think my father-in-law was going to kick me out of the family if I didn't. I'm so lucky to have her. Chris is obviously an amazing help. We have some incredible sponsors that have been very helpful with graphic design and whatnot. Add in our stage managers, emcees, sound

Tickets available at Honor heights park and blossoms garden center online at friendsofhonorheightspark.org

guy, electricians, handyman, and bartenders, and we’ve got a full crew. And obviously it takes a ton of volunteers to help make these events happen. HEY, please, we're looking for volunteers. We need a lot of volunteers. Anybody…

TTV: I’ve heard you might be repurposing the Dome.

JA: We're in meetings, and we’re real excited about moving forward.

We’re in the initial stages of the design for a small events center. I want something very lively. People are always stopping to take selfies with the Dome. Why not let people come in and create their own memories in it?

TTV: People are so familiar with the Dome as a landmark. It's cool to see you guys doing something new with it.

JA: New purpose, yes, but we’re going for more of a kickback.

Kind of recovering it back to its old glory, but then repurposing the inside. We want to keep it as close to the original as possible.

It's not going to be a fast project, but it's going to be one that's done right. a

The oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

Join John Hope Franklin, Greenwood Chamber, Living Arts, Guthrie Green, The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, and the Skunk Run for a weekend of celebration in Downtown Tulsa on

June 16-19, 2016!

For more information, visit www.tulsajuneteenth.org.

FESTIVAL GUIDE | 27

918.732.7992 | CreekTourism.com

28 // FEATURED

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

AFTER FIVE A D M I R A L

&

L E W I S

THURSDAY, MAY 12, 5:00–8:00pm FOOD » MUSIC » AFTER HOURS SHOPPING Shade Tree Music Series

BRUJOROOTS Free outdoor concert, plus food trucks and Marshall Brewing Company

Ticket prices are $25 each day. There will be a limited number of 3 day passes for $60.

Also an even smaller number (25 to be exact) of 3 day VIP passes that will include a poster signed by all the bands and a shirt (shirts will not be guaranteed to be in a size of your choice, limited runs, so first come first served). The VIP tickets are $100.

Open Studios, featuring Rebecca Joskey, Carrie Wilson, Taylor PainterWolfe, and Loyal Roach.

One night only Framed Art Sale! The entire stock of framed art, including Tulsa art, will be 20% off!

Enjoy a special After Five cocktail at Kendall Whittier’s neighborhood bar, open daily 4pm to 2am.

Special one-night showing of High Stakes: The Life & Times of E.W. Marland at 7:30pm.

Buy a specialty coffee, get one FREE churro during After Five!

Stop by for a different dinner special every Thursday night for After Five!

Fair Fellow Coffee has special coffee drinks in store for After Five!

Screen the first of six collectible prints, only during After Five!

Lovely bouquets and custom floral arrangements, open late!

Vintage furniture and eclectic collectibles, open late!

Every Saturday & Sunday April 30th - May 30th

10:30am - 6:00pm Also, Memorial Day, Monday, May 30

Save $3.00 on tickets at

okcastle.com

Accessible Free Parking THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

800-439-0658 okcastle.com

Second Thursdays mean an evening in Kendall Whittier! historicKWMS.com » facebook.com/historicKWMS FEATURED // 29

sportsreport

Chris Anderson delivers the first pitch of the ‘16 season at ONEOK Field | RICH CRIMI

Homestand hope Drillers look to rebound from slow start

by JOHN TRANCHINA

T

hey may have gotten off to a slow start this season, but the Tulsa Drillers hoped that a long homestand would help jump-start a climb up the standings.

Following a difficult 2015 in which Tulsa set a franchise record by using 69 different players throughout the season, going just 62-77 (their worst record since 1995), the Drillers were looking to start their second year as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ AA affiliate a little stronger.

Unfortunately, they stumbled to a league-worst 4-11 mark over the first 15 contests, but seemed to start the process of turning things around with consecutive wins in late April.

The first was an impressive comeback that saw the Drillers enter the ninth inning trailing 4-3 before a five-run outburst led them to an eventual 8-6 triumph at Springfield on Sunday, Apr. 24.

The next night, before a boisterous home crowd of 3,616 at ONEOK Field, the Drillers defeated the Arkansas Travelers 4-3 in the first of eight straight home games.

That win left Tulsa four games back of the Texas League’s Northern Division-leading Springfield Cardinals (10-7).

30 // ARTS & CULTURE

“We just keep playing hard,” said Drillers first-year manager Ryan Garko, who played in the majors, primarily with Cleveland, from 2005-10. “The guys are having better at-bats, it’s just good to see. The wins will come. We have good, young players and they’re getting better each night.”

On this night, the Drillers chased Arkansas starting pitcher Victor Alcantara (the L.A. Angels’ No. 4-rated prospect by Baseball America) in the fourth inning after Willie Calhoun jacked a twoout three-run home run over the wall in right field, putting Tulsa up 4-1.

Tulsa starter Chris Anderson (2-1), who led the Drillers with a 9-7 record last season, had his usual issues, mixing in occasional excellence with control problems. He allowed three runs on three hits in five innings, but also walked six, increasing his season total to a league-leading 20.

In the top of the fifth, he walked the first two batters, and both subsequently scored on RBI singles, cutting the Drillers’ lead to 4-3.

“He battled, he was good early and he battled late,” Garko said of Anderson. “That’s progress.

He keeps getting better each time out.”

The good news is that the Drillers’ bullpen held on to the lead, as relievers Rob Rogers, Jordan Schafer and Caleb Dirks combined to allow just two hits and one walk over the final four innings.

Schafer, a former major league outfielder from 2009-15 before being converted to a pitcher for this season, struck out two and didn’t allow a baserunner in the eighth inning. Dirks earned the save with a perfect ninth.

“We’ve had some leads that we’ve lost, so for those three guys to come in and do it with the onerun lead and hold it, it was good to see,” Garko said.

Overall, the Drillers are hoping for more consistency this year, although another season of frequent call-ups is likely on tap once again, because that fits with the parent club’s philosophy. The idea is to try to instill in its players a resiliency that enables them to handle continual change, thereby producing better, mentally tougher players in the long run.

“It’s the norm, it’s not the exception, for the Dodgers now and we love it,” Garko said of player movement. “We give guys different opportunities each night.

We ask our players to be flexible, whether it’s playing different

positions, hitting in different spots in the lineup, or moving throughout the different levels.

We ask our players to be strong enough mentally to go compete at the next spot. It gives guys opportunities much more than it’s a hindrance. For us in this locker room, whoever’s here, we are all Dodgers first and they know what we expect of them each night.”

Third baseman Brandon Trinkwon, who played 58 games for the Drillers and 70 for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga last year, admitted that it can be unsettling to have an unstable lineup all season, but acknowledged that is the nature of minor league baseball.

“Last year was a pretty intense year for that, we had a lot of people going up and down, basically it was a different team the whole year,” recalled Trinkwon, who batted .232 in Tulsa last season.

“Minor league baseball is a crazy game, it could very well happen this year. Any day, your name could be called and you go somewhere else. Some guys, I feel like, would be a little more comfortable knowing they’re going to be here most of the year. It just depends on who we pick up and who we lose. You just got to stay with it.

“But right now, the core of this team is pretty good.” a May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

MAY 6 from 6-9 PM

THE TULSA VOICE

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5.1 Woody Guthrie Center Anniversary Weekend: Gretchen Peters, David Amram, Red Dirt Rangers, Ellis Paul, Desi & Cody, Jacob Tovar, Paul Benjaman 2:30 pm 5.6 FIRST FRIDAY: International Jazz Fest presented by TulsaJazz.com, 6 pm 5.8 HORTON RECORDS Sunday Concert with Jane Lee Hooker, Matt Stansberry & the Romance, & Katy Guillen & the Girls 2:30 pm 5.12 KELLER WILLIAMS Annual Red Day, 9 am 5.13 LINDY in the Park 6:30 pm 5.15 KOSU Invisible Nations Sunday Concert with AARP, 2:30 pm 5.20 American Cancer Society Relay for Life, 6 pm 5.20 (AT CAIN'S BALLROOM) On a Night Like This: A Celebration of Bob Dylan 8 pm 5.22 Hop Jam & Emergency Infant Services Family Fun Zone & Concert 3 pm 5.28 The Skunk Run: 2nd Annual Race Against Racism, 8 am 5.29 La Semana Sunday Concert & Women's Expo, 2:30 pm

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BRADY ARTS DISTRICT GUIDE // 31

artspot

5” x 5” art work hung at TAC Gallery | COURTESY

High five Annual show and fundraiser, 5x5, offers high quality, low-cost art

by LIZ BLOOD andwiched between Gitwit Creative and Chrysalis Salon on M.E. Brady Street, the Tulsa Artist Coalition is one of the original arts anchors of the Brady Arts District.

“TAC has been around since 1986, so we are celebrating our thirtieth year this year,” said Dean Wyatt, president of the organization. “We are a small independent nonprofit, totally grass-roots and volunteer-run, developed to support local artists and provide them opportunities.”

To that end, TAC offers its gallery space at no cost to artists to show their work. “That was really missing in Tulsa [back then],” Wyatt continued. “And I would argue that, to an extent, it still is.”

TAC’s gallery is a perfect size for an intimate, one-artist show.

There are few other spaces in town like it.

“Being a nonprofit, we’re not constrained by the rules of a commercial gallery, like worrying about art being commercially

S

32 // ARTS & CULTURE

viable or too controversial. TAC serves a strong purpose in Tulsa to this day.”

But, being a nonprofit, fulfilling that purpose is made possible by a slew of volunteers and through funding from its patrons and the gallery’s annual, artist-driven fundraiser, 5x5, which opens Friday, May 6, at 5:55 p.m.

Other than 5x5, which TAC began in 1999, the coalition is funded by memberships and some art sales. But 5x5 is their main fundraiser and what they look to each year to help keep them going.

“It’s a fun show and an opportunity for the public to pick up a nice piece of affordable art,” Wyatt said. “These are small pieces that don’t require a massive commitment for a person size-wise or pocket money-wise.”

Each piece in the show is donated by an artist and is a 5” by 5” square sold for $55. TAC provides the canvas to the artist if he or she wants it, but many artists

choose to use their own materials.

This year, Wyatt expects they will have 250 pieces in the show.

“We hang the show in a grid pattern, which has a striking, visual effect.”

The price, the look of the show in its entirety, and the opportunity to get a unique piece— all of these things have made TAC’s 5x5 show an institution, even for one artist who no longer lives here.

Scot Nobles, who now lives in Denver where he teaches art to high school students, said TAC was one of the earliest organizations to give him support as an artist.

“They were the first gallery that gave me a solo show,” Noble said. “[5x5] is an easy way for me to give back. I feel a lot of gratitude for them.”

In the past, 5x5 was an invitational show, but as its popularity quickly grew, Wyatt said TAC decided to open it up to other artists. “So many artists were

interested that we had to. The show grew in size and it’s carried its own momentum.”

Every year, 5x5 sees Tulsa arts patron die-hards line up early to be the first in to see the show.

Because it will be held on First Friday this year, Wyatt expects they’ll get a lot of new faces for this particular show.

The event is a win-win for everyone: 5x5 provides key funding for TAC, visitors are able to buy quality work at a low price point, and the artists are able to get their work in front of thousands of visitors to the show.

“We appreciate the artists who participate because it’s a donation of their art,” Wyatt said. “They’re donating to an organization that does nothing but promote artists in Tulsa. So, really, it’s artists supporting artists in the most pure way.”

There’s a $5 requested donation at the door on opening night.

TAC will provide light snacks and refreshments. a May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE // 33

artgallery

Basic Disaster Procedure

BY BROOK BECKER

With a more peaceful calm, The more dangerous storm: Like a silent atmosphere Before the tornadoes twist.

Or, the time lapse in response When you tell the mentally ill: “It’s all in your head.” As if We didn’t know where it was.

In tornado alley, people like to say The weather is bipolar.

A word they scraped out Of their gutters and storm drain.

You’d be smart to leave for shelter, To head for calmer ground.

But I can’t stop you if you won’t.

If you stick around like a storm chaser, If you want to stay after sirens Warn of my pending episode, Then let us enjoy the falling sky.

Let’s build a sanctuary of Polaroids and selfies.

I don’t need you to love me, I just need you to not call me crazy.

“The Coming Calm,” oil on canvas with twine, 48” x 36”, 2012 Byron Shen holds an Brook Becker was the 2014 Louder Than a Bomb (LTAB) Champion. She currently works as a teaching artist for LTAB and is pursuing a degree in journalism.

34 // ARTS & CULTURE

MFA degree in painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art and teaches art at Holland Hall’s Upper School. Represented by the M.A. Doran Gallery, Shen is best known for painting “emotional landscapes.” He believes in art’s ability to transform individuals and society to seek better ways of being.

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

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MAY 19 • 6-8 P.M. • Level: Adults, Beginners and up Bring your friends for a fun night out. Enjoy a glass of wine while learning to paint using watercolors without fear. Indiana artist Donna Whitsitt will show you how to play with paint and teach easy techniques to create a colorful spring watercolor. See more of her artwork at www.donnawhitsitt.com.

THEATRE NORTH presents

Long Time Since Yesterday

$30 • $25 Gilcrease Museum members.

Registration is required. Class size is limited.

Go to gilcrease.org to register. For more information, contact Cindy Williams at 918-631-4402, or cindy-williams@utulsa.edu.

by P.J. Gibson

Directed by Dr. Rodney Clark

MAY 6, 7, 13 & 14 | 8:00 P.M. Tulsa Performing Arts Center Charles E. Norman Theater 110 E. 2nd Street, Tulsa, OK $20 (Adults) | $15 Seniors, Students, groups of ten or more

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ARTS & CULTURE // PM 35 3/21/16 3:49

thehaps Positive IMPACT: Historic Tax Credits Transforming Tulsa Tuesday, May 17, 6 p.m.

36° North, Universal Ford Building, tulsaarchitecture.com Many important buildings downtown would still be collecting dust without the Historic Tax Credit program. HTC projects have pumped $163,000,000 of private investment into Tulsa since 2000, adding many places to live, hotel rooms, office and retail spaces to downtown Tulsa. Tulsa Foundation for Architecture recently commissioned a study of the economic impact of HTCs in Oklahoma.

On May 17, economist Donovan Rypkema of Washington D.C.based Place Economics will present his findings at the newly completed Universal Ford Building in the Brady Arts District. A reception and tours of the Universal Ford Building will follow the presentation.

Cinco de Mayo Street Festival and Chihuahua Races

Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science

Thurs., May 5, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Elote Cafe and Catering, elotetulsa.com

Tues., May 10, 7 p.m., $30.25-$76.75 Chapman Music Hall, PAC, tulsapac.com

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. (No, it’s not Mexico’s Independence Day. That’s on September 16.) What better way to celebrate the glory of victory than with the unending battle of good and evil that is lucha libre? Chihuahua races, you say? Good point. Luckily, Elote’s Cinco de Mayo Street Festival has both, as well as plenty of tequila, cervezas, and puffy tacos.

Lee Roy, Speed, West Texas, and Bob Fri., May 6 through Sun., May 29 Mainline Art & Cocktails, Mainlineartok.com A few years ago, photographer Western Doughty took a bunch of speed and went on a road trip with his friend, the late journalist and historian Lee Roy Chapman, to retrieve Bob Wills’ old tour bus, which Lee Roy and Marcos Matheos had recently discovered in West Texas. Doughty captured the journey, creating a document of a deepening friendship against the evocative, tranquil images of the small towns and countryside leading to Big Spring, Texas, where they found the storied bus rusting in a field. Doughty unveils the exhibit on First Friday at Mainline, which will run through the end of the month.

Tour de Tulsa Sat., May 7, 8 a.m., $10-$35 River West Festival Park, tulsabicycleclub.com A spring tradition in Tulsa for 29 years, Tour de Tulsa reintroduces cycling to the city when the weather gets nice. There are routes ranging from 5 miles to 100 miles for cyclists of all ages.

For the most up-to-date listings

thetulsavoice.com/calendar 36 // ARTS & CULTURE

Alton Brown, author and Food Network star, will present his new live show, which includes songs, multimedia presentations, talk-show antics, and potentially dangerous food demonstrations. “You’ll see things I’ve never been allowed to do on TV,” he said in a press statement. Alton Brown is the author of the James Beard Award-winning book “I’m Just Here for the Food,” and is the host of numerous series, including “Cutthroat Kitchen” and “Iron Chef America,” and was the creator, producer and host of the Peabody Award-winning series “Good Eats.”

Mothers and Sons Fri., May 13 through Sun., May 15, $21-$31 John H. Williams Theatre, PAC, tulsapac.com At turns funny and powerfully moving, “Mothers and Sons” tells the story of a woman who pays an unexpected visit to the New York apartment of her late son’s partner, who is now married to another man and has a young son. Generations collide as she revisits the past and begins to see the life her son might have led. The play, by Terrence McNally, is presented by American Theatre Company and stars Lisa Wilson, Sterling McHan, and Chad Oliverson.

Tulsa Craft Beer Week Sat., May 14 through Sun., May 22 Various locations facebook.com/TulsaCraftBeerWeek An annual celebration of the growing craft beer culture in Tulsa, this year’s Tulsa Craft Beer Week will feature more sudsy events than ever. Check TCBW’s Facebook page for the latest info on all events.

May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE // 37

thehaps

BEST OF THE REST EVENTS

Tulsa Symphony: American Fanfare Sat., May 14, 7:30 p.m., $21-$76 Chapman Hall, PAC, tulsapac.com The finale of Tulsa Symphony’s 10th anniversary season will pay tribute to the land of the free with performances of pieces by some of America’s greatest composers. TSO will perform Aaron Copland’s third symphony, which features “Fanfare for the Common Man,” George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” featuring soloist Jeffrey Biegel on piano, and Aaron Jay Kernis’s “Musica Celestis.”

Super Ultra Mega Nerdrageapalooza Extravaganza Sat., May 14, 9 p.m., $10-$15 IDL Ballroom, idlballroom.com Photographer David Lackey, IDL Ballroom’s Tom Green, and Tulsa Comic Expo’s Christopher Rowe have joined forces for this costume dance party for gamers. There will be themed cocktails, free-play vintage arcade games, music by DJ abSRD and Mysti Jynx, and a costume contest with prizes including a PlayStation 4, $150 tattoo credit from Geek Ink Tattoo, and more. There will also be a trophy for worst costume, so feel free to set the bar low.

First Friday Art Crawl – May 6 108 Contemporary – Joe Cunningham: Beyond Quilts; AHHA – “Arrangement for a Silent Orchestra” by Julie Comnick, Recent Works

by P.S. Gordon, The Arts Abide: Works by John Hammer, music by Angie Cockrell and Kyle Williams; Arts Alliance Tulsa – Artist Josh Butts to paint Phase 4 of Arts Barometer on south wall of Hey Mambo; Brady Artists Studio – pottery by Mel Cornshucker, Donna Prigmore, Chas Foote, Murff & Julie Box, jewelry by Rachael Dazey, music by Seth Dazey; Caz’s Chowhouse – music by Josh Caudle; Caz’s Pub – artworks by Ryan Smart; Chrysalis Salon & Spa – “Re-Discovering the Familiar” oils and acrylics by Blake Walinder; Club Ma jestic – Hoe You Think You Can Dance! Dance Contest; Colors of Etnika – pottery

by Jane Strutt and Jezz; Guthrie Green – International Jazz Fest presented by TulsaJazz.com and Spirit Bank; Gypsy Coffee House – art by Kevin Ray, music by Hector Ultreras; Hey Mambo – art by Karen Lamb, music by 7blue Jazz Trio; The Hunt Club – music by Steve Pryor; Living Arts – “Seeking Shelter,” Unhomed: Without – Lacking – Displaced;” Lucky’s on the Green – Conversation: Painting and Poetry Exchange between Cascia Hall and Riverfield; Mainline Art & Cocktails – Photography by Western Doughty, “Bob Wills & West Texas,” music by Double Treble; Philbrook Downtown – Art talk with acclaimed street artist Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, Cady Wells: Ruminations; Soundpony – Art byJhohn Arlie, music by Migrant Kids; T.A.C. Gallery – Annual 5 X 5 Show; Tulsa Glassblowing School – Project Director Kenneth Gonzalez will create a glass saxophone for International Jazz Fest; Woody Guthrie Center – “Seeking Shelter” in collaboration with Living Arts; Yeti – photography by Blastoff Prodoctions, music by DJ Skanka; Zarrow Center – Street Level: Photography by Mike Simmons, music by Mark Gibson; ZIN – Art by Andrew Rasinski and Brittany Walker, music by Chris Foster 38 // ARTS & CULTURE

2nd Saturday Walking Tour: Exploring the Brady Arts District // Tulsa Foundation for Architecture’s monthly walking tour for May will focus on the Original Townsite, Old Town Tulsa, the area now known as the Brady Arts District. TFA’s tours are always fun and informative and offer a look into our city’s past and future. // 5/14, 10 a.m., Gypsy Coffee House, $10, gypsycoffee.com A Kaleidoscope of Art // This exhibition feature a wide range of art by Alpha Rho Tau, an arts organization of nearly 100 members with Green Country roots. Mediums on display include oil, pastel, acrylic and watercolor paintings, photography, and graphite, charcoal and silverpoint drawings. // 5/4-5/29, Tulsa Performing Arts Center - PAC Gallery, tulsapac.com/index.asp Works by JCE Parker // Oklahoman’s for Equality’s monthly exhibition of works by local artists features JCE Parker in May. Parker creates abstract pieces that incorporate chaotic, amorphous, brushless strokes and exact, deliberate outlining. “This series is about connectedness,” said Parker, “knowing that we all experience turmoil and we all try to make sense of it. This series is dedicated to the idea that I can make an attempt at reconciling the disarray and to be empatheic to those who go through the same battles.” // 5/5-5/31, Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, okeq.org Movie In the Park: Blues Brothers // 5/5/16, 7:30 p.m., Guthrie Green, guthriegreen.com Movie In the Park: Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead // 5/12, 8:30 p.m., Guthrie Green, guthriegreen.com

voix,” known in its English translation as “Softly awakes my heart.” Tulsa Oratorio Chorus and Portico Dans Theatre join Tulsa Opera for this production, which will be sung in French with projected English subtitles. // 5/6-5/8, Tulsa Performing Arts Center - Chapman Music Hall, $31-$121, tulsapac.com/index.asp

COMEDY Pop Up Players // 5/5, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Army of Stand Ups // 5/6, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Blue Dome Social Club // 5/6, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Jeff Dunham // 5/6, 8 p.m., BOK Center, $48.50, bokcenter.com Dear Diary // 5/7, 7 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Sunday Night Stand Up // 5/8, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com Improv Club // 5/12, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Tulsa Tonight // 5/13, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Crayons // 5/13, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Comfort Creatures // 5/14, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com

7th Annual Hasty-Bake BBQ Competition // Owners of Hasty-Bake Charcoal Grills will come together to show off their smoking prowess on Hasty-Bake’s home turf, vying to win one of three brand new grills. Tulsa-owned and operated, Hasty-Bakes are some of the best smokers on the planet. If you don’t agree, go see what Burn Co. cooks on. The categories for this year’s competition are Land and Sea. The competition is open to the public, and you can probably snag a few tastes of the competition. // 5/14/16, 10 a.m., Hasty-Bake Charcoal Grills, hastybake.com

Komedy Kombat // 5/14, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com

PERFORMING ARTS

SPORTS

Bye Bye Birdie // Theatre Tulsa Family presents this classic satire of America in the mid-20th century, starring graduates of the company’s Broadway Bootcamp. Admit it, you know all the words, so put on a happy face and sing along. // 5/13-5/22, Tulsa Performing Arts Center Liddy Doenges Theatre, $20-$22, tulsapac. com/index.asp

Cian Baker says Laugh it up, Tulsa // 5/15, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com Triple Feature w/ John Christ, Alvin Williams, Roy Haber // 5/11-5/14, Loony Bin, $2-$12, loonybincomedy.com/Tulsa Mike Merryfield, Rob Brackenridge, Brett James // 5/4-5/7, Loony Bin, $2-$12, loonybincomedy. com/Tulsa

WWE NXT // 5/7, 7:30 p.m., BOK Center, $22-$77, bokcenter.com Tulsa Drillers vs Springfield Cardinals // 5/7, 7 p.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35 Tulsa Drillers vs Springfield Cardinals // 5/8, 1 p.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35

Long Time Since Yesterday // A group of former college classmates reunite in suburban New Jersey in the 1980s, at the funeral of a friend who took her own life. These prosperous and professional black women have lived through the ‘60s and come out on top in the ‘80s, but they are forced to confront harsh truths at their friend’s wake. This 1985 drama by P.J. Gibson is presented by Theatre North. // 5/6-5/14, Tulsa Performing Arts Center - Charles E. Norman Theatre, $20, tulsapac.com/index.asp

Tulsa Drillers vs Springfield Cardinals // 5/9, 11 a.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35

Tulsa Opera: Samson & Delilah // Tulsa Opera presents Camille Saint-SaÌÇns’s operatic interpretation of the Biblical love story of Samson and Delilah. The opera features some of the most enduring and popular mezzo-soprano pieces ever composed, including “Mon cÅÒur s’ouvre ÌÊ ta

Tulsa Drillers vs Arkansas Travelers // 5/13, 7 p.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35

Tulsa Drillers vs Springfield Cardinals // 5/10, 7 p.m., ONEOK Field, $2-$35 Tulsa Drillers vs Arkansas Travelers // 5/11, 4 p.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35 Tulsa Drillers vs Arkansas Travelers // 5/12, 7 p.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35

Tulsa Drillers vs Arkansas Travelers // 5/14, 12:30 a.m., ONEOK Field, $5-$35 May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

UPCOMING MAY 1-7 BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL Tulsa Project Theatre

4 COUNCIL OAK TRIO Brown Bag It, PAC Trust

4-29 A KALEIDOSCOPE OF ART

“THE CROWD GOES WILD!” —The New York Times

20 KYLE ABRAHAM/

ABRAHAM.IN.MOTION Choregus Productions

24-29 JERSEY BOYS Celebrity Attractions

Alpha Rho Tau, PAC Gallery

6, 8 SAMSON & DELILAH Tulsa Opera

6-14 LONG TIME SINCE YESTERDAY Theatre North

10 ALTON BROWN LIVE: EAT YOUR SCIENCE

35 Concerts

13-21 MOTHERS AND SONS American Theatre Company

13-22 BYE BYE BIRDIE Theatre Tulsa Family

14 AMERICAN FANFARE Tulsa Symphony Classics

alli V ie k n a r f f o y r o T s e Th & The foUr seasons May 24-29 • Tulsa PAC 918.596.7111 • MyTicketOffice.com Groups 10+ call 918.796.0220

TICKETS MOVING QUICKLY

GREAT FOR MOTHER’S DAY!

MAY 10 • 7PM

TICKETS: www.tulsapac.com myticketoffice.com • (918) 596-7111 Tulsa PAC Ticket Office Discounts for groups of 10 or more: (918) 596-7109 www.altonbrownlive.com THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE // 39

musicnotes

From Texas to Tulsa

Folk outlaw Ray Wylie Hubbard returns to Cain’s Ballroom after 40 years

by BOBBY DEAN ORCUTT

D

espite being touted as one of the forefathers of the Texas country music scene, Ray Wylie Hubbard has never considered himself a “country” singer.

“I’ve never been concerned with being country, I’ve always just done my own thing,” Hubbard told me. “My first record was a folk-rock record and the label made it sound like Nashville. I started out as a folk musician and it’s turned into a blues style, but I’m not country and don't pay any attention to what's coming out of Nashville.”

This mindset shows on his latest release, The Ruffian’s Misfortune.

His 16th in a career that spans five decades, the album blends hill country blues with a storytelling style uniquely his own, though Hubbard, an Okie by birth who got his start in the ‘60s as a folk musician, acknowledges one major influence.

“All roads lead back to Woody Guthrie,” he said. “Growing up in Hugo, Oklahoma, you heard Woody Guthrie and Lefty Frizzell and that was about it …The thing that was remarkable was [Guthrie] had these dark and powerful songs that had a wit and humor about them.”

Hubbard’s sound has evolved over the years to be less folk and more blues, but his lyrical styling still very much resembles Woody’s, with songs ranging in content from the cooking of crystal meth to salvation and redemption.

“The creative spark, a lot of times, is nourished by pain and

40 // MUSIC

Ray Wylie Hubbard | COURTNEY CHAVENELL

hardship, as a result of being in pain, or sadness or despondent or hurt, it triggers the need to create art. Songs that were created as an escape and documentation of it, the Great Depression, all those great songs telling a sad story but giving people a sense of hope and survival. Desperate hardship and art that was breathtaking and significant.”

Hubbard gravitates to modern songwriters like Hayes Carll, James McMurtry and Slaid Cleaves. “I

have my little dark kingdom of guys that I listen to, guys like me that are out there doing and writing real songs about real things.”

One member of Hubbard’s “dark kingdom,” singer-songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan, will open the show at Cain's. “Oh man, Aaron, I’m nice to him so when he's playing stadiums maybe he'll let me open for him. He’s just so good and his heart's in it for the right reason. He’s humble and funny and cool and has great songs. Plus

with him opening I have to go out there and try.”

Hubbard will play Cain’s Ballroom on May 12, a show he’s particularly excited about—the last time he performed at the venue was nearly 40 years ago. A flyer for a show from Hubbard’s 1976 tour with his band The Cowboy Twinkies can be found on the wall next to Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, which as far as he recalls was his last appearance at Easton and Main.

It’s fitting that Hubbard’s Tulsa show is right up the road from Woody Guthrie’s archives. The Woody Guthrie Center sits near the center of a downtown to a city that has in the last decade reawakened its sense of local pride and musical heritage, and there’s frequent talk of the city being the next Austin or Nashville. On this topic, Hubbard has some frank advice for Tulsa.

“The thing that happened with Austin, it's great for the economy, but it's grown so much,” he said.

“Musicians can't even live in Austin anymore. It's too expensive. It becomes less about the music and more about the scene. Embrace it but don't let it become a beast. Tulsa has such a great cool vibe to it, I love it, keep the heart of Tulsa.” a

RAY WYLIE HUBBARD with Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights and Aaron Lee Tasjan Thursday, May 12 Doors at 7pm, show at 8 p.m.

Tickets $20-$35 May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

MUSIC // 41

musicnotes

A Giant Dog | SEAN DAIGLE

Dog pile A Giant Dog comes to Tulsa on the heels of its new album

by BECKY CARMAN

E

qual parts vulgar party band and thoughtful pop artists, Austin quintet A Giant Dog has spent eight years culling the best of its influences—think the creepy-sexy swagger of T. Rex and the driving energy of AC/DC, among other things—and mutilating them into its own brand of garage glam rock.

Songwriters and vocalists Sabrina Ellis and Andrew Cashen formed A Giant Dog in 2008 with guitarist Andy Bauer, bassist Graham Low and former drummer Orville Neeley (current drummer Danny Blanchard is new to the lineup). Their newest record, Pile, out May 6, is a 15-song tour of sex, drugs and rock. The album is the band’s first offering on Merge Records, and it nearly never came to be.

“We’ve had it recorded for a year and a half and almost gave up trying to put it out,” Cashen said. “Then Merge happened.

We’re excited.”

Pile (which follows the also comically titled albums Bone and Fight) is the band’s second record with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, White Denim) who, according to Ellis, captured the band’s live energy “almost protectively.”

42 // MUSIC

Ellis noted, “He’s a collector of vinyl and always pulled out stuff for us to listen to. He goes really deep into immersing himself in what he wants the sound to be, an engineer through and through.”

Among McCarthy’s LP references during the making of Pile were of course a lot of AC/DC, but also The Pretenders—a surprise that ultimately makes sense when you arrive at the gentler moments on the album. Singles “Get With You and Get High,” which features guest vocals from Spoon’s Britt Daniel, and “Jizzney” are definitively love songs, though still peppered with the band’s signature debauchery. The latter is an admonition for infidelity in an imagined relationship and comes across heartbreaking and a little stalker-y. It’s a great example of the pervading tongue-in-cheek lyrical humor that appears throughout the album.

Overall, though, Pile is certainly more sour than sweet. A Giant Dog’s songwriting has honed in on the bravery found in hopelessness, the moment when caring becomes too much, so you just don’t. I could watch you die and not feel a thing, Ellis sings on “Creep.”

I can’t even remember being young, goes the dire refrain of “Sex and

Drugs.” These are anthems for lovelorn nerds and hungover outcasts alike, written and performed to sound both flawless and reckless by seemingly loose cannons with intent focus and style.

Notably, Cashen and Ellis are also the primary songwriters for a second Austin act, Sweet Spirit, founded in 2014. On keeping their creative endeavors separate, Ellis said, “You know when there’s a litter of puppies born, you can tell right away which puppies are going to be good and which puppies are going to be really bad dogs? It’s the same way with babies: You know which one’s going to be really good and take care of you and which one’s going to end up in jail. When we’re writing songs, we know right away whether they’re going to be better for Sweet Spirit or A Giant Dog. A Giant Dog is our ‘end up in jail’ band.”

Would-be show-goers should heed that warning: Ellis is a renowned frontwoman with antics ranging from the coquettish and dramatic to the outright gross, and the band’s shows are always loud and always interactive. A Giant Dog is in the midst of a sixweek club and bar tour, a room size Cashen said he appreciates

because it’s easier to get a feel for the night.

“We can figure out what kind of mode the crowd is in,” he said.

“How drunk they are, if they wanna go apeshit or just stand there with their arms crossed.”

And if it’s an arms-crossed kind of night? “We try our hardest to make them uncross their arms.”

“If I feel like people are bored, I start acting like an angry child who’s been told that they’re very beautiful and special,” Ellis added.

“In Brooklyn one time, I peed myself. I spit at people, pour beer…especially on people who seem vulnerable.”

A Giant Dog will perform at Soundpony May 14, a venue perfectly suited for the leotard-wearing, head-banging, sweat-spraying crowd involvement the band’s fans have come to love and expect. Until then, stretch, hydrate, and study hard the overarching message of Pile, perfectly summed up in a single chorus line: “I believe that there’ll come a time when we can all just rock ‘n’ roll.” a

A GIANT D O G Saturday, May 14, 10:30 p.m.

Soundpony | 409 N. Main St. www.agiantdog.com May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

musiclistings Wed // May 4 Inner Circle Vodka Bar – Bethany Grace and GypsySoul Sandite Billiards & Grill – Justin Whisnant, Cold Water County Soundpony – Kingdom of the Holy Sun, Shitstorm, Gnarly Davidson, Cucumber and the Suntans The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project BOK Center – The 1975 – ($39.50-$49.50)

VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Heather Buckley Band Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Mikey Bee

Sat // May 7

Brady Theater – Lamb of God, Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity – ($35-$39.50) Cain’s Ballroom – Memphis May Fire, We Came as Romans, Miss May I, For Today – ($21$36) Crow Creek Tavern – The Blue Dawgs Downtown Lounge – Smoke Offering Gypsy Coffee House – *Hector Ultreras Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Travis Kidd Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – The Hi-Fidelics, Mezclave Salsa River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Jason Young Band Roosters Cocktails – Cole Lynch The Colony – Honky Tonk Happy Hour w/ Jacob Tovar The Shady Tree – Kelli Lynn and the Skillet Lickers The Vault – Live Jazz w/ Jordan Hehl & Friends The Venue Shrine – Curtis Grimes – ($8-$10) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Brad Hopkins Band Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Matt Lip

Billy and Renee’s – The Plums, Machine in the Mountain, American Shadows Cimarron Bar – Seven Day Crash Downtown Lounge – *Tulsans Healing Tulsans w/ Smoke Offering, Redneck Nosferatu, Silver Screen Monsters, Oklahombres, For the Wolf, Oldman, Had Enough and more – ($7) Gypsy Coffee House – Chris Blevins Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Western Justice Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Reverse Reaction, The Hi-Fidelics Hunt Club – BC and the Big Rig Knuckleheads Too – Medicine Train Lennie’s Club – David Dover Mercury Lounge – Opal Agafia, The Sweet Nothings Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – The Hi-Fidelics River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Annie Up Soul City – Red Dirt Rangers Soundpony – Pageant Boys - Happy Hour Show Soundpony – Soul Night The Colony – Shades of Gray, Tony Gray Band The Shady Tree – RPM The Venue Shrine – Hayseed Dixie, Grass Crack – ($10-$15) Vanguard – Dreamers, The Young Wild – ($10.45) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – The Sail Cats Woody’s Corner Bar – Urban Addiction Yeti – DEVTH BOK Center – Pentatonix – ($35-$59.50)

Fri // May 6

Sun // May 8

Thurs // May 5

American Legion Post 308 – Round Up Boys Brady Theater – An Evening with Harry Connick, Jr. – ($45-$99) Cain’s Ballroom – Asleep at the Wheel – ($26-$41) Cimarron Bar – The Boogie Downtown Lounge – Dead Meadow, Good Villains, Dead Shakes – ($15) Ed’s Hurricane Lounge – RPM Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Rusty Meyers Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Banana Seat, Sweet Caroline Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – *Paul Simon – ($115-$125) Hunt Club – *Steve Pryor Mercury Lounge – Shane Smith & The Saints Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – The Hi-Fidelics Pepper’s Grill - South – David Skinner Band River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – FuZed Smitty’s 118 Tavern – The Blue Dawgs Soul City – *Fiawna Forté Soundpony – Migrant Kids The Colony – Cowboy Jones The Venue Shrine – Rocklahoma Pre-Party w/ Severmind, Enslaved By Fear, Locust Grove – ($5) Vanguard – The Rocketboys, The Young Vines, Unsung Alibi – ($10) THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

Wed // May 11 Cain’s Ballroom – *JJ Grey & Mofro, The Ben Miller Band – ($25-$40) Main Street Tavern – Cynthia Simmons Soundpony – *Lizard Police The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project

Thurs // May 12 Cain’s Ballroom – Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Aaron Lee Tasjan – ($20-$35) Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Paul Bogart Hard Rock Casino - The Joint – *Gregg Allman – ($45-$55) Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Deuces Wild, Chad Lee River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Travis Kidd Soundpony – Bud Bronson and the Good Timers The Colony – An Evening with Jared Tyler The Shady Tree – Kerry Duane Johnson, Patti Taylor Band The Vault – Live Jazz w/ Jordan Hehl & Friends VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Pat Ryan Key Whiskey Dog – Paris Faye Woody’s Corner Bar – Brandon Jackson

Fri // May 13

Cimarron Bar – Patti Taylor Band Fifteen Below Bar and Grill – *Concrete Mondays w/ Darku J feat. Ject&Svenchen, Hoks Soundpony – Nutrio The Colony – Singer/Songwriter Night The Venue Shrine – Vital Remains – ($10-$12) – Cypher 120

American Legion Post 308 – Joe Harris Cain’s Ballroom – *FILTER, Orgy, Vampires Everywhere!, Death Valley High – ($20-$35) CJ Moloney’s – FM Pilots Downtown Lounge – Holy Grail, Incite, Silver Screen Monsters, Redneck Nosferatu – ($10) Elephant Run – Brent Giddens and the V.C.R. Band Four Aces Tavern – David Dover Gypsy Coffee House – John Ratliff Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Chad Lee Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Imzadi, Chad & Keith Hunt Club – Dachshund, Preslar Music Rock Band Showcase Mercury Lounge – *Red Dirt Rangers Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – Darrel Cole Pepper’s Grill - South – The Living Room Project w/ Wanda Watson & Jennifer Marriott River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Squadlive Soul City – Dan Martin Soundpony – Afistaface The Colony – Justin Bloss Band, Kyle Reid Band The Venue Shrine – Dead Metal Society – ($7) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – The Hitmen Whiskey Dog – Tyler Brant, Brad Hargrove Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Spin

Tues // May 10

Sat // May 14

Cain’s Ballroom – SoMo – ($23-$400) Gypsy Coffee House – Tuesday Night Open Mic – 6 p.m.

Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Timekiller Band Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame – Depot Jazz and Blues Jams River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Something Steel The Colony – Tuesdays with Maury Tin Dog Saloon – Jake Flint Yeti – Yeti Writer’s Night

727 Club – Calvin Youngblood Billy and Renee’s – After Glow, Burning Icarus, Octave Son, Dream Scythe, Pittersplatter Brady Theater – *Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue – ($25) Cain’s Ballroom – Granger Smith, Earl Dibbles Jr., Lindsay Ell – ($18-$33) Crow Creek Tavern – David Dover Dwelling Spaces – *Kalyn Fay – 6 p.m.

Gypsy Coffee House – Terry Azere Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Chad Lee

Guthrie Green – Paul Benjaman Band, Matt Stansberry & the Romance, Katy Guillen & the Girls – 2:30 p.m.

The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing The Venue Shrine – *Cash’d Out - Johnny Cash Tribute – ($6-$10)

Mon // May 9

Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Thomas Martinez, The Hi-Fidelics Hunt Club – Deacon Lefty’s On Greenwood – Scott Ellison Band Mercury Lounge – Strangetowne, Radio Birds Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – Darrel Cole River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Hi-Fidelics Soul City – British Invasion of Tulsa Soundpony – Giant Dog, Dead Shakes The Colony – *Gogo Plumbay The Shady Tree – Midnight Run Band The Venue Shrine – Kill ‘em All - Metallica Tribute – ($10-$13) Vanguard – My So Called Band – ($10) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – *Selby Miner Band Woody’s Corner Bar – SpeakEasy Yeti – Jitsu, JBrown

Sun // May 15

Cain’s Ballroom – Atreyu, Islander, Sworn In, Silver Screen Monsters – ($20-$35) Elwood’s – Jarrod Johnson Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame – Donald Ryan – ($5-$20) Soundpony – Nihil The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing Tulsa Botanic Garden – *klondike5 – 3 p.m.

Vanguard – Social Repose, Whitney Peyton – ($10-$13)

Mon // May 16 Soundpony – Jody Seabody & the Whirls The Colony – Singer/Songwriter Night – Cypher 120

Tues // May 17 Gypsy Coffee House – Tuesday Night Open Mic – 6 p.m.

Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Brian Capps Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame – Depot Jazz and Blues Jams Soundpony – The Deadly Vipers The Colony – Tuesdays with Maury Yeti – Yeti Writer’s Night

Your VOICE For

Live Music Send dates, venue and listings to John@LangdonPublishing.com MUSIC // 43

popradar

Will Arnett in “Flaked,” Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott in “The Ranch,” Paul Rust and Gillian Jacobs in “Love” | COURTESY NETFLIX

Half-baked

Netflix’s newest batch of comedies disappoints

by LANDRY HARLAN

E

very comedian wants to work with Netflix. Who wouldn’t? The streaming service-turned-original content producer offers a creative playground free from the constraints of ad-fueled network television.

Netflix’s business model thrives on variety and risk-taking. It’s too bad the new offerings from Will Arnett, Ashton Kutcher and Judd Apatow forgot to focus on the most important aspect of a comedy: being funny.

“Flaked” is a strange creature, too niche for its own good. Its lived-in vibe, shot entirely on location in the sun-baked hipster haven of Venice, CA, makes for an intimate view of an intriguing setting. The characters, led by recovering alcoholic Chip (Will Arnett), meander through neighborhoods and conversations without much of a plot to propel them.

The writing tries to be cutting and self-aware but comes off weak and irritating instead, especially during any of the awkward tonal shifts to

44 // FILM & TV

melodrama. There’s a good show in there somewhere, but it gets lost in a haze of aimlessness and cliché.

“The Ranch,” a single-camera sitcom starring Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott, plays to the cheap seats. Kutcher is Colton, a failed football player visiting his family in Colorado where his dad, Jameson (Elliott) runs a bankrupt ranch. He’s not happy to have Colton back in his life, at least until 20 minutes in (surprise!) when Colton decides to stay and become the new farmhand. The insulting rapport between the two grows tiresome quickly. An undercurrent of sexism runs through several jokes and the creators too often fall back on lazy stereotypes. The occasional f-bomb is the only thing that sets it apart as a Netflix original—scrub the language and it’d fit right in with the lowestcommon-denominator sitcoms on ABC. The misfires of “Love” are the most vexing of all. Judd Apatow is

a master of finding the endearing within the lewd, whether it’s the sexual exploits of Steve Carell’s Andy in “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” or the stoner hi-jinks of Apatow’s beloved “Freaks and Geeks.” Yet, the characters at the center of “Love,” Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) and Gus (Paul Rust), initially come off as extraordinarily bland and un-sympathetic. Mickey is an erratic mess, while Gus is a “nice guy” prone to awkward encounters.

Their dysfunction and the raunchy dialogue is painful to watch in the early episodes. The slow-churning plot leaves the audience considering why these characters merit time and attention, and the comedic momentum is frequently broken by the misguided sitcom structure. The romantic struggles of white, middle-class Los Angelenos have been well-documented on TV (see: Hulu’s “Casual,” or FX’s criminally under-appreciated “You’re the Worst”). Many critics say that the second-half of the season justifies the weak start, so

Netflix’s binge-ing format may work to “Love’s” benefit. Still, your time is better spent elsewhere (seriously, with “You’re the Worst”).

“Flaked,” “The Ranch,” and “Love” ultimately fall flat because they rely on self-involved assholes to carry their narratives, but none are as witty or charming as the writers think they are.

There’s no beating heart beneath the mean-spirited barbs—all three shows could learn a thing or two from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Master of None.”

Don’t get me wrong—there are delightfully weird moments in each show. The problem is, the sheer quantity of content available is so seemingly infinite that if a series doesn’t immediately demand our attention, it’s overwhelmed by waves of new programming. In the end, these new offerings aren’t entertaining enough to demand your attention, nor banal enough to ignore completely. They just should have been better. a May 4 – 17, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

filmphiles

Get ‘Some’

Richard Linklater’s spiritual sequel to ‘Dazed and Confused’ is a homerun

by JOE O’SHANSKY

T

here are so many ways Richard Linklater’s latest love letter to youth, “Everybody Wants Some!!” could have gone wrong.

A spiritual sequel to his most popular film, the ‘70s-set stoner comedy “Dazed and Confused,” the movie is largely concerned with privileged athletes trying to get laid in 1980s Texas and could be accused of being a masturbatory return-to-the-well for the 55 year-old director, who recently rode a wave of Oscar acclaim for “Boyhood.” The concept begs the question: do we need another movie like this?

Thankfully, this isn’t Cameron Crowe grasping for relevance or the cinematic equivalent of “That ‘80s Show.” Despite its title, “Everybody Wants Some!!” is a shamelessly great movie, and Richard Linklater is a goddamn wizard.

Jake (Blake Jenner), a talented high school baseball pitcher, rolls into town three days before his freshman semester at a Texas college. He finds his new home in a ramshackle quasi-frat house occupied by the upperclassmen of the school’s championship-winning baseball team.

Tulsa’s independent and non-profit art-house theatre, showing independent, foreign, and documentary films.

THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

Temple Baker, Ryan Guzman and Blake Jenner in “Everybody Wants Some!!” | COURTESY

Glen (Tyler Hoechlin) is the ultra-competitive hitter who never takes a loss well, and who won’t even initially befriend Jake because they might wind up on opposing teams one day—if they ever reach the big leagues. Roper (Ryan Guzman) and Finnegan (Glen Powell) are the unrepentant ladykillers (though, really, that describes all of them). Plummer (Temple Baker) is the laidback pragmatist of few words. Willoughby (Wyatt Russell) is the Pink Floyd-infused stoner. Beuter (Will Brittain) is the resident hick. Dale (J. Quinton Johnson) is their sole black friend.

Despite some initial shade-throwing, they almost immediately band together to meet girls and drink all the beers in a last blow-out weekend before the impending doom of responsibility drops the hammer on them all.

And that’s kind of it. But within the threadbare structure and meandering story, we feel these sweetly evocative memories made tangible through Linklater’s affectionate film craft.

Each day is an act in a threepart structure, wrapped in a

different kind of music (depending on where they’re trying to “pick up chicks”). On their first night out they hit up a dance club, and we observe Finn’s game in action—regaling potential mates with tales of his average penis. It works for him because most guys go on about how well-hung they are instead of underselling their endowments, which takes the ladies off guard.

When their insane pitcher Jay (the amazing Juston Street) gets them kicked out for fighting, the boys are forced to go to the country club the next night, trading disco moves for line-dancing.

Another night, it’s a punk party.

And when Jake finally gets his opening with the lovely Beverly (Zoey Deutch), whom he has been crushing on since his first day on campus, it’s at a theater-nerd party set to the New Wave sounds of Brian Eno. From Sugarhill Gang to The Knack to Eddie Rabbitt, the music mirrors the exploratory choices they make. These guys are exiting the off-ramp of childhood and joyriding a little bit

before getting on the long road to adulthood. But they aren’t men yet. They’re just getting a feel for it, like trying on different clothes to see what fits.

“Everybody Wants Some!!” is a richly warm and funny film, as vibrant as anything Linklater has ever done. It’s a party movie on the surface, but with a thematic depth that belies the horn dog title. Rendered without an ounce of pretension, it’s sweet but never syrupy; funny, but never particularly crude or lascivious, the male and female gaze being afforded equal time. I’m not sure if I felt even one disingenuous moment, either from the actors, who are uniformly wonderful—and again, Juston Street is riot—or from Linklater, whose shit-eating grin you can practically feel beaming from behind the camera.

There’s a certain literary quality to it all—a Mark Twain innocence as applied to a party movie that leaves one yearning for those moments when everything lay enticingly ahead, when times were simpler, when the world was less connected but the people seemed more so. a “Everybody Wants Some!!” is now playing at AMC Southroads.

4/20 SOLUTION: UNIVERSAL SUNDAY

FILM & TV // 45

THE FUZZ THE TULSA VOICE SPOTLIGHTS: TULSA SPCA 2910 Mohawk Blvd. | MON, TUES, THURS, FRI & SAT, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 918.428.7722

FOSTER is a two monthold domestic shorthair orange tabby/manx.

This little guy is a tiger trapped in a kitten’s body, pouncing on anything that moves: jingle toys, feathers, leaves, strings, dust balls. He’s great entertainment and loves car rides.

He will hang out on the dash to watch the cars go by.

SNOWFLAKE is a one year-old Lhasa apso mix. She is very shy and may bark at first, but she warms up quickl y and likes to be held. This little girl came from a hoarding situation and would do great in a quiet home where she feels safe all the time. We dare you to not fall in love with her.

The Tulsa SPCA has been helping animals in our area since 1913.

The shelter never euthanizes for space and happily rescues animals from high-kill shelters. They also accept owner surrenders, rescues from cruelty investigations, hoarding, and puppy mill situations. Animals live on-site or with foster parents until they’re adopted. All SPCA animals are micro-chipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and treated with preventatives.

Learn about volunteering, fostering, upcoming events, adoptions, and their low-cost vaccination clinic at tulsaspca.org.

PLUM is a four year-old domestic long hair tabby. She is young enough for energetic playtime and old enough for chill lap time. Plum has FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and can only be with other felines that also have FIV. She doesn’t require any special needs other than a quality diet and a stress free environment.

CHARLIE is a nine month-old Australian shepherd mix. He is an affectionate, attention-loving little guy. He settles down quickly and enjoys all the belly rubs and back scratches you will give him. He likes to run and explore, and it wouldn’t take much to teach him how to catch a Frisbee.

HEIDI is a two monthold boxer/lab mix. She is a quiet little girl, kind-of shy, and likes to hang out on her bed and play alone with her toys. She is also very much a lap puppy. All of her siblings have already been adopted so she needs someone to hold, play with, and love her.

For the Love of Active Dogs…

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ACROSS 1 Model wood 6 Hardly emotional 11 Easily split mineral 15 Belgian composer Jacques 19 Green card carrier 20 Name in toy trucks 21 Gem from Australia 22 Political strategist Karl 23 Wizard with a broomstick 25 One with a nightstick 27 Nautical distance unit 28 Yawning, perhaps 30 Serengeti “laugher” 31 Soccer stadium cry 32 Cob and buck 33 Do smithy work 35 Shyly modest 39 Dinner fork quartet 40 Having the lead 44 Bring forth 45 Gadget on a selfie stick 47 Whisper sweet nothings 48 Mudville team complement 49 Mischievous Norse god 51 Read, but not post 52 Prefix with carpal or tarsal 53 Addams cousin 54 Unit controlled by a joystick 58 Added a kick to 59 Turn to speak 60 Just ___ (not much) 61 Led Zeppelin’s “Whole ___ Love” 62 Smith Brothers features 63 First anniversary gift 65 Just sits 66 “I wanna try!”

67 Those not of the cloth

69 Baker who sang “Sweet Love” 70 Pasta sauce brand 71 Nile slitherer 74 Butler’s invitation 75 Early purveyor of lipstick 77 The bossy Stooge 78 Mineral hardness scale 79 Goose liver delicacy 80 Shopper’s aid 81 Having the know-how 82 Hubbub 83 Job that might employ a dynamite stick 87 French filmmaker Rene 88 Not as tough 90 Jolly Roger features 91 Hockey rink walls 92 Industrious bugs 93 Breads served with hummus 94 ___-I-Am (Seuss character) 95 Clothing designer Perry 98 Passover ritual 99 Mischief makers 103 President who said “... carry a big stick” 106 Drink served with a cinnamon stick 109 Wound at Pamplona 110 Monogram part (Abbr.)

111 Hayes who voiced Chef 112 Sphere of conflict 113 Wallet stuffers 114 Mini-whirlpool 115 Butcher shop buy 116 Does a bank service DOWN 1 Dickensian outburst 2 “___, poor Yorick!”

3 Euros supplanted them 4 Blood fluids 5 Ever again 6 Furrier’s item 7 Pari-mutuel machine 8 Hamilton’s prov.

9 Japanese art of flower arranging 10 Holiday singer 11 Puts on a puss 12 Apple music player 13 Berkeley school, informally 14 Baron Cohen character ___ G 15 Stephen of the Supreme Court 16 Hadrian’s domain 17 Hunter who wrote “The Blackboard Jungle” 18 River of Siberia 24 Huge amount 26 Job jar item 29 Take five 32 Mockingbird, e.g.

33 Chain unit 34 Greenberg in Cooperstown 35 Leary of Ford ads 36 Role for Madonna 37 British troupe known for slapstick 38 Tiny Tim’s instrument 39 Tut-tutted 40 NFL coaching legend Don 41 Treat on a popsicle stick 42 Took down 43 Prods 46 Takes part in a scheme 49 Grow dark 50 Epps of “House M.D.” 52 “Just the facts, ___” 54 Slack-jawed one 55 Doo-wop song, say

56 Nick of “Lorenzo’s Oil” 57 Make off with 58 Ring-tailed primate 62 Father, biblically 64 Iowa State city 65 Chip giant 66 Little shavers 67 Paul of “American Graffiti” 68 Battery terminal 69 Notable Titanic casualty 70 Athens attractions 72 Like some pool balls 73 Members of the jury 75 Chair designer Charles 76 Bitter ___ (purgative) 79 Fresh-mouthed 81 ___ broche (skewered) 83 Slow on the uptake 84 Footnote’s “the same” 85 Of a tribal emblem 86 Pressed for time 87 Laugh-a-minute 89 Places for roasters 91 Minstrel poet 93 Not worth the bother 94 Proposal details, briefly 95 Cartesian adverb 96 Bird on a Canadian dollar 97 Handed-down tales 98 Eluded the tag 99 Assault from 77-Across 100 Pit stop item 101 Paradise lost 102 Texter’s button 104 Go for the gold 105 The last word 107 Mekong Valley native 108 ___ Tafari (Haile Selassie)

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NEW MIDTOWN Tulsa’s Couples Friendly Adult Superstore!

Kama Sutra Products Large Selection of Ladies & Men’s Lingerie, Adult Novelties, Video’s and Bachelorette Gifts!

LOCATED IN THE ♥ OF THE BLUE DOME DISTRICT

319 E. 3rd St. • tulsaadultfun.com • 918.584.3112 • Open 24/7 THE TULSA VOICE // May 4 – 17, 2016

ETC. // 47

Pleas e re cycle this issue.