Life amid a Pandemic is one of the mixed emotions. From living your life indoors more than you ever would have imagined without delving into a dystopian fantasy. This breeds emotions that many people have never faced before. True “Cabin Fever”. The hardest part is we still go about our day-to-day lives, which mitigates the struggle. For people who are more tech-savvy, this is a little easier. But for music lovers, especially those who harmonize their emotions with music at their fingertips, this is another thing altogether. You see, music for many is a pulse that keeps their hearts pumping. The most shining example of people who exemplify this is musicians. I was fortunate enough to witness a demonstration that there is still life that is germinating within our local musicians. Now that I, sort of, sound like I know what I’m talking about, I want to share this amazing experience I had at one of Oklahoma’s “fertile grounds“, Bad Ass Renee’s.
I’m going to err on the side of cliché and say this place “rocks”. *buh dum pss*. Casually strolling in, I’m seeing several of the musicians loading in and going through their pre-show rituals. Just about all of them know each other, worked gigs together or played together in some form or another. As the first band tunes up, the electricity of the crowd generously echoed that of the amplifiers humming in anticipation of the night’s festivities. And in today’s world, that means blowing up social media to promote their homeboy’s show.
PC: David Howell–Howl Photographic
After getting my drink and doing my fair round of fist and elbow bumps, we settled for the music as the band finished final preshow tuning. First up…
If I were to describe The Down Times‘ sound, I’d have to say it’s a perfect journey between Reggae, Blues, Grunge, and everything in between. I was initially lured into them with my soft spot for funk. These cats led with a fun bouncy reggae funk that bounced my chin from my delicious “Liquid Marijuana” ($8) towards the stage. I settled in and I was in my happy place as I looked across the bar and saw all the musicians I knew, and those I didn’t, gelling. That’s the vibe that resonates from this band. Well, that was “When I Come Home”, if you’re playing along. The next half hour or so was an experience with bouncing punkish highs and painful angst-fueled depths of blues as the guitarist’s vocal solo hit a crescendo. I can’t wait to see more from them.
After the obligatory venture outside for a smoke, some fresh clean air, and another beer the band that lured me in due to this past week’s Surviving Rocklahoma Live…
After becoming intrigued by their video for “Tooth” that I featured early that week, I wanted to see more from Sabertooth. I was far from disappointed! One of the sounds I love in music is clean and dirty at the same time. I know there’s a term for it that the pros use for it. But a distorted guitar with clean notes, cords, and the like accompanied with a raw vocal and clean snare. That’s what I get from their more melodic punk tune that begs to be an anthem. “America’s #1 Surrogate Boyfriend”. What really stands out for me, beyond this spirit of Grunge that I kept sensing in these guys, is the sound resonates in both, the aforementioned song and the more aggressive “Tooth”.
The night then takes a turn towards that House of a Thousand Corpses / Hills Have Eyes looking alley. I’m talking about the thrashing nightmarish melodies of Harakiri. Now, the thing about metal, is that is not a good thing. It’s the friggin bullseye. Their track “NightTerrors” is just that. If you imagine Freddy Krueger’s dream where he woke up in Mortal Kombat. That’s Harakiri. I mean, that actually, sort of, happened. So it’s gotta be epic right? Anyway, NightTerrors takes you into a haunting fast-paced thrill ride of screaming, growling, thumping strings, and furious kick drums. That’s NightTerrors. I need a beer.
I’ve been itching to see Shelter in Place ever since they dropped their first track. I have seen several of these guys in other acts and several are playing several times a week in any of the venues around town. They don’t get more engrained in the scene than them. Shelter In Place sees this passion combined 5 fold. A powerful vocal powerhouse bolstered by guitars that will energize you and wicked solos that will make your pupils dance. Don’t believe me? I got me out front slinging my signature rocking locks as I head banged on front row till I about blacked out, 30 seconds into that same song. With this versatile arsenal and honed musicianship blooms in complex layers of melody, harmony, dancing solos, and commanding voice.
This night is what this music lover’s soul needed. an escape away from the mundane day-to-day that many of us are growing restless. It’s a sign that music is beginning to be not only heard but experienced again. The artists and the fans able to once again able to, responsibly, interact in-person, and share that common passion again. Just a few short days later, a wave of concert announcements at the Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre and other venues in Tulsa.
I special thank you to David Howell of Howl Photographic for allowing me to use his kick ass images of this amazing night.
