Disturbing Visions of Sleep (D.V.S.) is no more.  The founding members Heath Booker and Robert Duvall have started a new band called Consoul and are in the process of writing all-new material.

Slim was also honored when his most recent release, Up Close & Personal, made the National Top 20 Blues Charts for 2004.

Guitarist Jason Velasquez has decided to leave Star Crash Speedway.  Thus, Star Crash Speedway is looking for a new guitarist.  If you are interested or know someone that is, contact Trace, Todd or Scott.

Jonathan Russo will be helping out on the next couple tours filling in on drums.

Fist of Five have added a new guitarist, Chris Larkins, and a new drummer, Aldryn Murrell.

They are currently writing new material with the new members and hope to be back on stage soon.

If interested, please contact the band here. Please be sure to specify contact info and provide a general list of your influences and experience.

In the coming months, the band's main focus will be on recording an album. The band is currently writing and demo recording songs in preparation of their entrance into the studio.

After almost 3 years of existence, Day By Day has called it quits

Moon Mission Death Squad have re-launched of their website and posted their entire catalog of albums online in MP3 format. Ex Nhilo Nhil (1999), The Fake Pope (2000) and Ignore Your Problems and They’ll Go Away (2002) are available in their entirety, with album art coming soon.

MMDS' new album is slated for release in early 2005. It will be the band’s first since the limited-release Best Of package, which featured “King of Nothing” and “Short and Lazy.”

The band’s next show will be December 16 at Book Beat & Co., 9136 S. Walker Ave., and will benefit Toys for Tots. Admission is $4 at the door and the show starts at 8pm. Donations to Toys for Tots are encouraged. Skies Fallen will also play.

Owners Tim & Melissa O'Brien have decided to watch their kids grow up and they couldn't own/operate a bar and do that at the same time.

The Red Dirt Cafe has been open since the summer of 2000, when it took the place of Liberty D's.

Stolen were (all in cases):
-A black Epiphone Gothic SG (with a Bill Lawrence Humbucker in the bridge position)
-A black Jackson
-A black 5-string Warwick Rock bass

The guitars and bass were taken from Little Guys Movers, 1142 North Flood, in Norman.

If you have any information regarding these stolen guitars and bass, please contact them via e-mail. All information will be kept confidential, as the bands simply want their guitars back.

Singer/guitarist Ricky Salthouse and bassist Mike Allen, along with Jason Salthouse have formed a new band called Rubbish. Their first show will be December 11 at Buzz's Subs in Norman.

Applicants must be willing to practice twice a week.  If interested please call (405) 706-9729 or email them here.

The band have also been goofing around - recording songs by artists who have influenced them.  They have uploaded the songs to their website for free downloading.

The three tracks are: The Beatles' Abbey Road (medley), The Pixies' Velouria & Sparks' Thank God It's Not Christmas.

Choice had been in business since September 1994.

In the meantime, you can check out their recorded music at The Price8records Music Archive.

Over the weekend, Tied For Second had their trailer and all their band equipment stolen on a road trip to Texas.

Here's a message from the band:
well just to let you know what has been going on in our life, we had a show last night at the vibe in austin but... i mean but, we ran into alot of car problems and needless to say we spent tons of money fixing it... anyways thats not the bad part, after we thought we fixed the car more stuff went wrong on the car and we planed to not play the show that night and get a hotel in fort worth and figure out the car problems the next morning... anyways we checked into our hotel and before you could say "i hope a car hits me and i die tonight" our trailer was stolen with all of our band equipment... so as you can see we are kinda in a bind, anything anyone could do to help out would be amazing... from a couple of dollars to a hug
to contact us please email geoff.

If you want to send monetary support through Paypal, TFS has an account under adam@tiedforsecond.com.

There are 16 categories.  Vote for the nominee of your choice in each category. Only one vote per category. Your entry must be entered before midnight on October 22, 2004 to be considered.

You may vote online only once. You may vote as often as you like with mail-in ballots, which are available in the Tulsa World's Spot Magazine. Multiple mail-in ballots may be submitted in the same envelope.

Winners will be announced at the Spot Music Awards -- November 19, 2004 at Cain's Ballroom.  Tickets to the awards show are $5 and go on sale October 16, 2004 at the Cain's Box office, (918) 584-2306 or online at startickets.com.

The film features top wakeskaters from Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, California and Mexico.  Three other Corban Eldra songs are also on the video as bonus footage.

Visit sidewayz.com to see the trailer for Fill In The Blanks.  The release date is set for early November.

The band auditioned 15-20 singers and want to thank everyone who auditioned. They hope to be back in the clubs by late October or early November.

Joe Godwin, drummer of Push Madelyn, is moving to Tempe, Arizona and leaving the band. The band will miss him and wish him luck.

Push Madelyn is seeking a new drummer. If interested, please contact them via their web site.

Eric Pennell will be taking over drumming duties for the band.

Estalline will be playing their first show back since a departure of three members.  The show will be a benefit for Holmes, who does not have medical insurance. The show will take place on Sunday, October 3 at The Pinkeye in Tulsa.

The Costellos have, more or less, disbanded.

Drummer Corey, bassist Skinny & guitarist McClintock have all left the band. Singer/guitarist Danny Foote will continue to play music in some capacity.

KTLS Radio is seeking local music for airplay on their station.  Craid Stone hosts a new / local rock show called College Rock Night on Thursday night from 8-11pm.  

KTLS currently plays the following Oklahoma bands: Headroom, Starlight Mints, Philmore, Hinder, Falcon Five-0, Erick Alexander, Johnny Reliable, Zac Maloy and the Killer Grins, Spooky Fruit, American Ruse, Load Center, Hosty Duo, Bishops Alley, The Hex, Circle of Woe, Cheyenne & Roma Secrets.

In addition to airplay, Stone features a band every week, including an interview and selected tracks from their album.

Stone also interviews national acts, including The Walkmen, Tantric, Alter Bridge, Less Than Jake, Snow Patrol and Flogging Molly.

For more information, contact Craig Stone or send your CD to KTLS via the information below:
Craig Stone
KTLS Radio
1188 North Hills Centre
Ada, OK. 74820
E-mail

The Wire is a 24-hour college music station on television, located on the University of Oklahoma campus.  The station is available on Cox Cable Channel 4 in Norman and online at http://wire.ou.edu/

For more information, e-mail Jen Hawk at wiremusic@ou.edu. Or send your CD to:
Jen Hawk
Wire Music Director
860 Van Vleet Oval
Norman, OK. 73019

If you are a drummer, you can contact the band here to inquire about the position.

They will receive a one year contract with Budweiser's True Music Label, have the opportunity to record a demo in the KATT's Jungle Room and get to play with The Vanished at Frontier City on Saturday August 28.

Other bands in the final round were Troopsonic and Counterfall.

The Oklahoma Gazette's Best of OKC Reader's Poll came out today.

OklahomaRock.com placed fourth in the Best Local Website category.

A big thank you goes to those who voted and who continue to support the site. As the only non-corporate web site in the top five, we are more than honored to be recognized.

They will be holding a CD Release/Bon Voyage Show on Friday, August 27 at The Diamond Ballroom in Oklahoma City.

John Gates, of Fist of Five and formerly of Sixstone, has decided to end his music career and pursue other interests.

Fist of Five have decided to continue as a band and are currently searching for a singer.

After five years of rocking and skanking, Special Disaster Team has come to an end.

With, trumpet player Marcus Spitz moving to Arizona, trombone player Grant Slater traveling to Russia to study abroad and drummer Brian Stansberry wanting to focus on school, the timing was right to go their separate ways.

SDT is having one final farewell show on Thursday August 12 at Buzz's Subs in Norman.  The show will also serve as a CD release show for their final CD, Eve of Destruction.  Third Grade Scuffle & Jackroller will open the show.

Singer/guitarist Jake Behrens and trombonist Greg Johnson have a new project, an acoustic, ska, reggae, punk, mellow act named Double Danger Club.

If you could take a moment to vote for the site, we sure would appreciate it.  It's up against some heavy hitters (two radio shows, a television station and the state's largest newspaper/television station combo), so every vote helps.

You can vote online here.  You may also pick-up a copy of the Gazette on the weeks of July 21st or 28th.

You must complete at least 26 questions for your ballot to count.  The Best Local Website category is the third from the bottom.  Other noteworthy categories include: Best Local Singer or Band, Best Live Music Venue and Best Place to Buy Vinyl or CDs (or 8-tracks).

After two and a half years as a band, Hopes the Carrot is calling it quits.  Their last show will be August 14 at The Green Door.

You can still check out two of their recently recorded songs here.

Some members of Hopes the Carrot were also members of the band Plead Like Angels, which broke up earlier this month.

Dave Brown (pictured) has left Western Justice to be closer to his children in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Prior to joining the band, Brown was a member of Rambler.

As for Western Justice, Bruce J. Bennett goes back to playing bass after playing keys, acoustic guitar and mandolin while Brown was in the band.  Newcomer Jesse Weaver joins the group on vocals and acoustic guitar.

Three members of the the Red Dirt Rangers were injured in a serious helicopter accident on Saturday, June 26th.  Two of the five passengers were killed in the crash.  Further details of the accident can be read here.

John Cooper, Brad Piccolo and Ben Han(left to right) were rescued while clinging to the upside-down helicopter in the Cimarron River. Cushing's interim Fire Chief Dennis Fisher credited Piccolo for assisting in the rescue of his fellow band members, Cooper and Han by keeping them awake and talking.

Although Coop, Brad, and Ben survived the crash, they sustained a number of injuries. Piccolo has broken ribs, a spot on his lung, lacerations on his arms, a swelling knee and a possible broken tailbone. Cooper has a broken leg, broken pelvis, collapsed lung and bad lacerations.  Han was improving and could be discharged soon.

Unfortunately, none of the three has medical insurance.

A recovery fund has been set up at BancFirst.  If you wish to donate to the Red Dirt Rangers Recovery Fund, you may do so at any location. Click here for locations.

Donations may also be mailed to:

BancFirst

Attn: Janice Liggett

P.O. Box One

Stillwater, OK 74076-0001

Shawn Howard (pictured-left), owner of one of Tulsa's original-music hotspots, the Deadtown Tavern, passed away this past Friday from injuries he received in a beating late Wednesday night.

Howard & his bar manager Josh Martin were leaving around 4:30 am late Wednesday/early Thursday when they saw a man urinating in a nearby parking lot. Howard approached the man and asked him to leave, at which point the man picked up a metal pipe and hit Howard in the head. Martin tried to stop the man, and was beaten several times himself. Martin was released from the hospital Friday with 20 staples in his head. Howard passed away Friday afternoon. The attacker, Terry Badgewell, is currently in jail on $100,000 bond.  You can read more about there story here.

The Deadtown Staff have posted a few things on their web site, deadtowntavern.com, including information on the Shawn Howard Fund to cover medical expenses(Howard didn't have medical insurance), as well as photo & video tributes to Shawn.  A tribute site has also been set up here.

In the three years he had owned the Deadtown Taven, Howard had become a big part of the local original music scene in Tulsa.  In addition to the bands who were performing last weekend, lots of local musicians and music fans came out to show their support.

From RadioEmporium.net:
OKLAHOMA CITY - Citadel's Alternative KSYY ("

The Spy was not an average alternative station by industry standards. In any given hour, one could hear The Smiths, Muse, Oasis, Depeche Mode, Cake, They Might Be Giants, Frou Frou, The Strokes, Missing Persons, Portishead and Pink Grease. Bands like The Killers, The Sounds, Franz Ferdinand and Elefant all made their local debuts on KSYY.

All of the KSYY staff remains with Citadel in other capacities.

“We’ve been looking for a place in Tulsa for years, there are so many kids and so few lasting venues for live music. We think this will be a good move for us, the kids, and the community,” said Chris Lobser, booking agent for The Tree.

The Pink Eye has not officially had it’s grand opening yet. With the recent addition of manpower, equipment, and funding, the facilities will undergo further renovation before the grand opening, tentatively scheduled for July.

Twelve Pearls were recently invited to showcase at the Midpoint Music Festival, to be held Sept. 22-25 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the lone band from Oklahoma to be invited. Other bands performing at the four-day music conference include the Ass Ponys and Moth.

Also, Twelve Pearls were recently renewed for another year as the Budweiser True Music Live band for Oklahoma City. The Hero Factor are the new BTML band for Tulsa.

Twelve Pearls will be recording this summer at Reel Time Audio in Denton, TX with producer Eric Delegard (Bowling for Soup, Edgewater, Jibe, Upside).

As reported earlier, the other members of Shade Seven have joined in forming Courier.

The Green Door is now available for nightly rental to host your private or public special event. The club is equipped with a house P.A. and is fully staffed.

For quotes and date availibility, contact them here.

The air times for the episode are:
June 25 - 12:30 AM CST - ESPN2
July 20 - 1:30 AM CST - ESPN2 (Re-air)

Signaling the end is singer/guitarist Chris Palmer's impending move to Georgia.

The band's final show will be Tuesday, June 15 at The Conservatory with The Octopus Project, Little League Hero & Viewers Like You.  Smarty Pants will have CDs and shirts on sale at this show.

The ever-inventive El Paso Hot Button has topped himself once again.

On Sunday, June 13, he will be performing a Drive-By Tour.  He bought a van(pictured) for $50 and found a 20 dollar bill inside.

He'll be playing the full one-man band set-up in the van, as his driver "Pancho" leads him across the metro.  To top it all off, the van is going to get blown up after the one-day drive-by tour is done.

EPHB will be in Moore at noon, Norman at 1pm, south.Oklahoma City at 2:30pm & north Oklahoma City at 3:30pm.

The Unreliables final show as a band will be Friday, June 4th at the First Baptist Church Youth Center in Sapulpa. They will be performing with Prizefighter. All merch at the final show will be 50% off.

Estalline is in limbo right now.

Bassist Tony Goodwin will be playing his last show with the band on June 19th at The Mustard Tree in Claremore.  This also may or may not be drummer Aaron Newberry and guitarist Nick Stiverson's last show as well. Newberry is considering leaving for Arizona for school.  Stiverson left the band last month, but has since reconsidered...maybe.

The band has had three label offers in the last three weeks which has swayed the decision of Newberry and Stiverson.

Oklahoma City University student Natalie Loftin bested thousands of hopefuls to win the national "Be A Radio Star" competition. The prize brings a recording contract with Epic, a $50,000 signing bonus, and an option for a management deal with the William Morris Agency. The contest was co-sponsored by the Clear Channel radio network and Sony Records. She will open for Jessica Simpson at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City on July 11. National television appearances are being scheduled.

Loftin, of Plano, Texas, is a senior music theater major at OCU’s Wanda L. Bass School of Music. She met with Sony executives in New York before the Memorial Day weekend and thanked fans who voted for her though the months of competition. “It’s all because of the public voting,” she said. “I’m just so grateful.”

Loftin has starred as Laurie in "Oklahoma!", Anita in "West Side Story," Genovieffa in "Suor Angelica" and Valencienne in "The Merry Widow.

After announcing their break-up last month, Cessation Bustle has had a change of heart and announced their reformation.

Jimmy Ramsey of Movie Vs. Film will be playing second guitar with the band and contribute vocal duties as well.

They are, however, lacking a drummer.  They are looking for someone 17-25 years old, with 3 or 4 years experience, with a good attitude, willing to practice, etc.

The Agony Scene was previously with Solid State Records.  Their 2003 self-titled release was produced by current labelmates' Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz.

The Nolans have broken up.  A farewell show and CD are being planned.

Sean McGillicuddy, lead singer of Spooky Fruit, and fiance Lacie were married this past weekend in Lake Tahoe by Courtney Love.

The couple was also recently featured in Spin Magazine (left) with Love.

According to courtneylove.com, the winning couples were provided with: a wedding ceremony performed by Courtney, followed by champagne toast, a bachelor party at Caesar's Nero nightclub with one complimentary drink for the bachelors, a bachelorette Party at Harrah's High Altitude Club with one complimentary drink for the bachelorettes, roundtrip airfare for two to Reno, roundtrip ground transport, two nights hotel stay in Lake Tahoe and a Nevada marriage license.

Twenty-one couples from across the country participated in the ceremony. The contest was organized by several radio stations.

You can read McGillicuddy's account of the weekend here.

Following their breakup last year, Rewake is currently rehearsing again and plan on returning to playing live as early as mid-May. The entire line-up as of last year is intact.  Their first show back will be Mayfest in Tulsa on Friday, May 14.

Stay tuned to their web site at rewake.com for the latest news on the band.

The Celtic Cup, 2315 N. Hudson, in Oklahoma City closed their doors yesterday for the final time.

The owners wish to thank all their customers, friends and family for their support over the last two years.  They also send out a big thank you to all the musicians that have played there.

Cessation Bustle played their last show last night at The Conservatory. After constant line-up changes, the band has decided it was enough.

Lead singer/guitarist Tim Miller is looking to start a new band with a female singer. Miller says the sound will be similar to Mogwai, Ester Drang and Unwed Sailor. He asks that applicant be between the ages of 17-25, live in the OKC have a good range and be dedicated.  If you are interested, drop him an e-mail or call 405-799-6211.

Salt in The Wound have decided to call it quits because the band was in a rut due to the line-up changes and other problems.  Singer/guitarist Matt Ramey will be taking a break from music for the time being. However, he will be forming a new and different band sometime soon.  The band thanks all their fans and non-fans for giving/not giving a damn.

Guitarist Nick Stiverson has decided to leave Estalline. Here's an official statement from Nick:

"The road that Estalline and I followed together has come to an end for me. I dropped out of the band last night, which is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Nothing came between us, we're all still brothers, I just felt like it was my time to move on. I've had the feeling for a long time that God wanted me to part ways with the band, but it's always been something I pushed to the back of my mind, and tried to ignore. I justified by telling myself that it wasn't God talking, it was just my mind wandering and making stuff up. I never wanted to leave the band, and I still don't, which is what made the decision so hard. I came to the realization that it is not bright to push God's voice in the back of your mind (which is what I knew I was doing), while claiming to be a part of a ministry. Estalline is and always was a ministry, but i think by my disobedience toward God, I could have possibly been holding them back. who knows how far they'll go? I'm praying that they continue playing together, I think the "hardcore" scene needs a band that's sold out for God, and that's what Estalline is collectively. Anyway, I am still playing the four shows that we currently have scheduled in Oklahoma, but the Georgia tour is a no-go, unless they replace me by June."

Estalline is now looking for a new guitarist.  To try out, email them here.

Shade Seven is no more.

As a parting gift, the band is offering fans four songs recorded in February:
Scorched Earth Romance, Brilliant Secret, These Burning Ashes & What You Never Knew

Guitarist Andy Hale is seeking to start or join another band.  Influences include Jimmy Eat World, Kissing Chaos, Taking Back Sunday, Appleseed Cast, The Promise Ring, The Cars, Blondie and more.  If interested, you can reach Andy by e-mail or call him at 405-226-3822.

The other three former members of Shade Seven have gone on to form a new band, Courier.

Congratulations to Force of Habitt for winning Ultimate Battle of the Bands 2004 last night at The Floyd Ranch in Norman.

Victims of Life were named First Runner-Up and Baseline Theory were the Most Well Loved Band.

Other bands playing this year included: Soaked, Blank Stare, Required By Law, The Villins, Ballista, Nimic, The Bad Mamma Jammas, Aslan, Axolotls, Cell Blok, Remnant, Vertical Edge, Dead at Twenty-Two, 4th Order, Of Infinity, Average Life Story, Mosaic Minds, The Pull, Westover, The Freshtones, The Ability, No One's Slave, Decibel Industry, Farewell Down & Somniac

According to Steve Pryor's Web site, the Tulsa-based blues-rock star was seriously injured in a single-car accident on Friday and is currently being treated in an Arkansas hospital. A message posted on Tuesday afternoon reported that Pryor's injuries apparently include "both feet crushed, one crushed vertebrae and three cracked ribs."

UPDATE (April 30): Pryor did indeed break his back, his feet and has severe kidney damage. He left the Arkansas hospital early this week

The webmaster is pooling together money to buy Pryor a new acoustic guitar; since two guitars were destroyed in the wreck.  If you are interested in contributing, contact Steve Hoog with 'Pryor' in the subject line.

After a year of playing, The Ability has called it quits.  The band is ending on good terms and would like to thank everyone who has supported them over the past year.

Lead singer/guitarist Clint Goldschmidt is currently looking for a new project. You can check out some of Clint's solo work on IUMA.

Last night at Frontier City, Sly's Alter Ego won the

You can call The Buzz to request SAE's song "Instrumental" at (405) 460-9470.

Upside, Aranda and Shade also competed in the event.

Tied For Second came in second place and Tyler's Stereo came in third.

94.7 FM The Buzz in Oklahoma City has narrowed the field down from 8 contestants to a Final Four in their March Bandness Local Band Tournament.

The four bands advancing to the final round are:
Sly's Alter Ego, Upside, Aranda and Shade.

These four bands will compete at the Battle of the Bands concert April 4th at Frontier City.  The winner will walk away with studio time, cash and their song added to the Buzz's regular rotation.

After one and a half years with Hurricane Jane, vocalist Carrie Webber has decided to leave the band and pursue other avenues in life. The band wishes her the best and thank her for the time they have shared.

Upon Webber's departure, Hurricane Jane is now looking for someone with an excellent voice, a solid Rhythm/Lead Guitar and/or Keyboard, and the creative drive to write extensively with the band. All three elements are essential.

Hurricane Jane wants potential applicants to be aware of a few requirements:
- This is a full time engagement.
- We travel every week.
- We live in and operate out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- We play up to five shows a week, anywhere in the country.
- We rehearse up to three times a week.
- We focus on original music, but will play some covers depending on the show.
- We want you to love doing all of the above with us.

If you are, or know somebody who is, interested, contact Steve at 405-245-0307 or newmember@hurricane-jane.com.

The eight bands advancing are:
Sly's Alter Ego, Minutes Too Far, Upside, 13 Stars, Erick Alexander & CO, Waffle, Aranda and Shade.

Go to 947thebuzz.com to vote for the band you think should advance to the final round and compete at the Battle of the Bands concert April 4th.

The winner of March Bandness will walk away with studio time, cash and their song added to the Buzz's regular rotation.

From The Tulsa World:

Verbie Gene "Flash" Terry, whose affable nature and resistance to musical barriers made him a living bridge between black and white musicians in Tulsa, died Thursday night after being hospitalized for a series of strokes.

Terry had been taken out of intensive care, but died from a blood clot that cut off the oxygen to his lungs, according to Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame executive assistant Bettie Downing.

A guitarist, vocalist, bandleader and songwriter who was raised in rural Inola, Terry became acquainted with the Tulsa club scene in the late 1940s, sitting in on guitar with the popular Ernie Fields Orchestra before landing his first regular job with Jimmy "Cry Cry" Hawkins. He played with Hawkins at the legendary north Tulsa venue the Flamingo Club, later headlining there himself. It became a place where both black and white could meet and stand on common musical ground.

"If you were a musician or a music fan, you could come in there and sit down," said Terry in an interview a few months ago. "There wasn't any discrimination. Not at the Flamingo. I remember around '54 or '55, way back there, some of Bob Wills' guys used to come in the Flamingo. And then, when it was kinda goin' out in '58, '59 and '60, when they were about ready to tear it down, Leon (Russell) and (J.J.) Cale and (Jimmy) Markham and Rocky (Frisco), all those guys, they used to go over there."

In 1994, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. He called it "an honor and a pleasure . . . but I had no idea it would ever happen."

Other noteworthy events in Terry's musical life over the past few years included a 1998 appearance with his band at the Blues Estafette, a major blues festival in Amsterdam, Holland, and his induction into both the Spot Music Award's Hall of Fame in October and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in November.

"We're all deeply saddened at the loss of Flash Terry," said Holly Rosser Miller, executive director of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. "He was a wonderful musician and a wonderful man, and we're thrilled that he was here in Muskogee and got to play on our stage -- where he got two standing ovations. Oklahoma music has lost one of its greats."

The 16 bands advancing are:
Sly's Alter Ego, Minutes Too Far, Upside, Pulltoy, Head Room, 13 Stars, Slowvein, Erick Alexander & CO, Highwired, Falling High, Waffle, Aranda, God in a Machine, Troopsonic, Echoflyer and Shade.

From The Tulsa World:
Davit Souders' celebrated rock venue Ikon closed its doors at 606 S. Elgin Ave. in 1997. Since then, the local concert promoter / DDS front man has been waiting for the right time to reopen the club in another location.

On May 1, Ikon will open in the building formerly occupied by Curly's, 216 N. Elgin Ave.

"All the elements that made Ikon classy and put it on the map will return," Souders said in a recent interview at Ikon, where construction is progressing rapidly.

Souders signed the lease March 2. After he signed, he headed straight to Ikon's future home. It was a momentous day and he wanted to make the most of it, so as he made his first footstep in the new Ikon, the stout, bleach-blonde recalled that he said to himself, 'One small step for man, one giant step for club kind.' "

From

ADA — Ada Fire Department is still investigating a suspicious fire at Legends early Tuesday morning. The early morning blaze left the area dance hall, located southeast of Ada on Ken Lance Road, barely standing.

“This fire is being investigated under very suspicious circumstances,” said Ada Fire Marshal Donnie Moore.

Union Valley Fire Department arrived first at approximately 3 a.m., and found the fire on the north side of the building, Moore said. “When they arrived, they found one of the front doors partially open,” he said. “This is very suspicious with the one door open.”

Moore said the value of the dance hall is estimated at $500,000 for the structure and the contents. Damages have been estimated at $350,000.

“I’m just devastated,” said Legend’s owner Jerry Collier. “This has happened three times before, and they never caught who did it. I just pray they find who did it. There is a lot of history with that building.”

Collier said he does not believe Legend’s will be rebuilt in the near future. “As it is right now, it can’t be built back,” he said. “From what I’m told, it would have to be stripped down to be rebuilt. The fact that we had no insurance on the building, I just don’t know what to think right now.”

Moore and two agents from the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Jim Simmons and Cary Williamson, were called to the scene because of the suspicious nature of the fire.

This is the second time in six months that Legends has been the center of a suspicious fire. Moore said on Sept. 5, 2003, arson occurred at the dance hall.

“The fire on Sept. 5, 2003, was definitely second-degree arson,” he said. “The Ada Fire Marshal’s office and Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating that incident.”

During the fire in 2003, Ada Firefighters arrived to find thick, heavy smoke fuming from the vents. The fire caused $8,000 in damages.

Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department is also investigating the incident. “This fire is being investigated because of very suspicious circumstances,” said Pontotoc County Sheriff Jeff Glase. “We are investigating the causes and origins of the fire.”

A total of five fire departments helped extinguish the fire, including Ada, Union Valley, Stonewall, Homer-Lovelady and Lula Fire Departments. “All of these fire departments did a great job,” Moore said.

For more than 40 years, Legends, formerly known as Ken Lance Sports Arena, was the stomping ground for numerous rodeos, and the starting point for many country music stars. Several legendary country artists, such as Willie Nelson, George Strait, Loretta Lynn and Hank Williams Jr. have performed at the arena.

Moore said if anyone has any information pertinent to any of the fires, contact the Ada Fire Department at (580) 436-8076.

The group cites "moving into new phases of our lives" as the reason for the split.

Eric Davison has plans of moving to New York City, Lindsay Jones is heading to Europe for grad school, Brad Fielder will continue playing keyboards for The Magnificent Seven and John will be heading out on the road with the Starlight Mints to sell merch.

The 32 bands chosen were:
Sly's Alter Ego, Minutes Too Far, Upside, Reminiscent View, Pulltoy, Head Room, 13 Stars, Slowvein, Erick Alexander & CO, Highwired, Falling High, Big Sky, Waffle, Aranda, Pigpens Mess, Eternal Decision, God in a Machine, The Candyguns, When Worlds Fail, Skratch, Bristol Park, The Kniption Fitz, Animation, Tony Romanello Band, Edensleeve, Bent, Sugar Free All-Stars, Troopsonic, Outland, Echoflyer, Failsafe and Shade.

The winner of March Bandness will walk away with studio time, cash and their song added to the Buzz's regular rotation. Last year, Falcon Five-O walked away with the grand prize.

Go to 947thebuzz.com to vote for the band you think should advance to the next round.

Local band 12 Pearls' March 5 show at Brothers, 563 Buchanan on Campus Corner in Norman, has been turned into a benefit for the Christina Simmons Support Trust following the death of 3 Strange Days lead singer Curt Martin Feb. 21.

"3 Strange Days were the Budweiser True Music Live band for Tulsa, and we're the True Music Live band for Oklahoma City, so we shot ideas off each other a lot," 12 Pearls' lead singer Brandon Jackson said. "We were really shocked to hear about Curt's death, and wanted to do whatever we could to help."

Martin was killed in a traffic accident on the way back from 3 Strange Days' farewell show at the Voodoo Room in Tulsa. He had recently found out that he was going to be a father, and the Christina Simmons Support Trust has been set up to help his unborn child.

A portion of the proceeds and merchandise sales from Friday's show will be given to the trust. A donation jar will also be set up at 12 Pearls' March 6 show at the Bricktown Brewery in Oklahoma City with Falcon Five-O.

Friday's show begins at 10 p.m. Admission is $5, and only 21 and over will be admitted.

Push Madelyn took home first place in Teddys Battle of the Bands this past Saturday night.

Axolotls finished second and 4th Order finished in third place.  Also in the competition were Super Heroes in Training, Bishops Alley and Socoe

The Stellas have decided to part ways.

Drummer John London plans to move to San Francisco in the May and take up music full-time.

The Stellas last show will be Saturday, March 6 opening for Mr. T Experience at The Green Door.

From The Tulsa World:

According to 3strangedays.com, Martin's funeral will be held Wednesday, February 25th at 2pm at the Church of the Nazarene in Sapulpa.

OklahomaRock.com sends our thoughts to the Martin family and his former band mates.

Evenmark is presently booking shows in the Oklahoma City and Dallas areas.

MTF will be heading out on a short Midwest tour at the beginning of March and all shows will go on as scheduled.

Thirty Called Arson has called it quits.

According to Pluto Records, the band has decided to break up due to numerous lineup changes.

The upcoming EP planned for release will not be happening.

Carisa Bitting-Cheek of The Hex gave birth to her baby girl, Clover Meloura, today

Yesterday, Tory Ayers of Asleep! Audience... Dream! and formerly of Euclid Crash has given birth a baby girl, Isobela (Izzy) Dean.

Congratulations to both new mothers.

Oklahoma Gazette came out with their 2004 Woody Awards today.

The winners were:

Best New Artist - Jonesound
Best Blues Act - Scott Keeton Band
Best Rock Act - The Hex
Next Big Thing - The Redbud Revival
OKGazette.com People's Choice Award - Hi-Def Howlers

Congratulations to all the winners!

OklahomaRock.com has won the Payne County Line 2004 Best Oklahoma Supporting Website Of The Year in the 2004 Payne County Line Music Awards.

4931 online ballots were cast in over sixty different categories of local music.  Voting took place online in the last three week of 2003.

For a list of all the winners, go here.

Oklahoma City's 94.7 FM The Buzz is once again having their March Bandness Local Band Tournament.

Take your one song CD demo to Larsen Music, 4001 NW 63rd in OKC, Brook Mays Music, 2280 W. Main in Norman or the Buzz Studio (50 Penn Place - 10th Floor) during regular business hours. Deadline is February 27 at NOON. Be sure to include the band name and a contact number with the demo. When you drop off your demo, make sure and register to win one of six free guitars.

The winner of March Bandness will walk away with studio time, cash and their song added to the Buzz's regular rotation. Last year, Falcon Five-O walked away with the grand prize.

To be considered, bands can e-mail their mp3 files to SGA@swosu.edu or submit a compact disc to:
SWOSU SGA
SWOSUpalooza
100 Campus Drive
Weatherford, OK. 73096

You may vote for DeAngela here.

Josh Gerheart of Tulsa has been named the new bassist of Ferret Music's Remembering Never.

Curlys at the East End in Tulsa has closed it's doors.

(We at OklahomaRock.com hope that Curlys may be re-opened under new management in the near future, and once again will be a great venue for the City of Tulsa.)

Falcon Five-O has been named "Breakout Band of 2003" by The Happy Hour Radio Show on KFNX in Phoenix, Arizona.

AnyTime Soon has signed on to become the Official House Band of 94.7 FM The Buzz. Tune to The Buzz to hear about upcoming shows and appearances.

Veteran studio producer James Wisner has been chosen to produce Mourning September's forthcoming debut on Floodgate Records.

Wisner is best known for the his work on Dashboard Confessional's The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most, and Further Seems Forever's How to Start a Fire. Additionally, Wisner was the man behind the console on releases by such artists as New Found Glory, 238, Underoath, Glasseater and Legends of Rodeo.

Recording for the currently untitled album is set to begin in early March at Wisner's studio in Orlando, Florida and is slated for a late summer release. Floodgate Records' roster also includes East West, Number One Gun, Cool Hand Luke & Denison Marrs.

Hi everyone. I thought that I should make a post to explain anything that you may have heard about Next Door Music. We are trying not to start any rumors, but also to address any that are already out there. Basically, Megan and I were the managers of the store and we handled all booking, management, promotion, studio, etc. We have had a falling out with the owner, Sherry, who happens to be Megan's mother. We had to remove all of our personal belongings yesterday before they locked us out. So, as far as we are concerned, any shows that we have booked are cancelled. We have been trying to contact everyone today to give them this information. I have heard rumors that Sherry plans to continue to book and have shows. I am not sure if this is true or not. I believe that she can still be contacted through the store phone.

We will still be running the Futuronics Studio, but will be taking some time off to find a space and recoup. We really appreciate the support we have been given over the past year. We also wish the best of luck to Guestroom Records and Size Records and encourage everyone to support them as much as they possibly can. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings. Megan and I would be glad to help out any bands or venues in need of support. We have really enjoyed the past year and hope to continue to be a part of the Oklahoma music scene. We have met some very interesting and wonderful people and have had the opportunity to see some really great bands in the past year. You may still contact us through nextdoormusic@excite.com or futuronicsrecordingsystems@yahoo.com.

Thanks again,
Mason Weaver

Dol-Face Productions and Dol-Face Records has opened their office for business in Norman.  DFP's new home is complete with a media room, a lobby and even a massage room/dayspa for photo shoot and performance days. The first photo shoot took place last night of the solo artist Zend.

The DFR Recording Studio will be up and running in the next six months to a year and DFR has already pre-hired the recording engineers and producer. Any bands interested in working with Dol-Face Productions or Dol-Face Records, stop by and meet the staff or their web site. Call 405-573-9608 to make an appointment.

Shade Seven has won an opening slot on a regional date of The Suicide Girls Live Burlesque Tour.  The band will open the January 16th show at Hailey's House of Blues in Denton, Texas

The Stellas and Same Day Service were also up for slots on the tour, but were not selected.

View the winning bands here.

(WARNING: SuicideGirls.com is an adult web site and is not intended for minors.)

Nathan Thompson (aka Nate Dogg) of Element passed away yesterday from injuries sustained in a fatal car crash in Oklahoma City.

A benefit concert for Nate Dogg's family is being planned for February 29.  Check the "Shows" page for future details.

Just bring your CD by the store and they'll sell them like hotcakes (hopefully) for you.

BOOK BEAT & CO.
Books & Music New & Used
9136 S. Walker
OKC, OK. 73139
bookbeat@yahoo.com
405-616-7407

The Sugar Free All-Stars' Suburban caught fire on their way home from a show in Tulsa on January 1.  The fire destroyed everything inside the Suburban and part of what was in the trailer.

While they still have the necessary equipment to play gigs, about half of what they had was burned up or melted beyond use.  So, head out and see some Sugar Free shows and help them recoup their losses.

You can see pictures of the Tulsa show and burned up Suburban here.

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