Last Updated on May 31, 2022, 10:35 PM | Published: May 31, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) – After more than half a year of major renovations, COVID slowdowns, and last-minute delays, OKC’s historic Blue Note Lounge is ready to reopen this week, beginning on Thursday, June 2nd, with an absolutely stacked month-long lineup combining lauded locals with visitors and national tours covering a range of styles and sounds.
For years, the Note was known as one of the city’s most consistent destinations for punk, metal, and hardcore acts, and while all of those are still set to be welcomed with open arms, the new ownership is working to widen the scope of genre and style to really make for an all-inclusive and diverse venue.
Hot on the heels of the official announcement of reopening, and the release of the June lineup that will welcome audiences back to the Blue Note for the first time since October, I spoke to booker and talent buyer Jon Jackson about the shows that are set to light up the stage over the next month.
June 2nd – On Holiday Tour Kickoff w/ Caught Stealing and A Weighted World
Fittingly, the first official show back on the (newly rebuilt) Blue Note stage will be Jackson’s own band, the pop-punk powerhouse On Holiday, as they launch a tour of the southern states.
“We weren’t sure it would even happen,” Jackson told me. “We’re basically the guinea pigs for the soft launch, and I’m head over heels that we’re going to be one of the first acts.”
June 4th – Official Grand Reopening Party
Saturday night sees the official celebration to re-launch the beloved venue, and rather than focus on live music, the night will be about the fans and patrons, old and new.
“The grand opening will be basically a chill party,” Jackson said. “No live music. No cover charge. Just a chance for all the friends and family and local regulars to get together and celebrate the reopening of this historic and legendary venue and neighborhood lounge.”
June 14th – Bang Bang Queer Punk Variety Show
Longtime fans and mainstays of the recently departed Hi-Lo, whose owner Chris Simon is now at the Blue Note’s helm, Bang Bang will be brining all the Freak City fun they’re known for to the new Note, and in the process making a strong case for the Blue Note as a possible heir to the Hi-Lo’s legendary community.
Featuring everything from belly dancing, drag performances, burlesque, and more, this is a show for anyone seeking the wilder side of the OKC nightlife.
June 17th – BC and the Big Rig w/ Rachel Lynch
Straight out of Tulsa come southern-friend rockers BC and the Big Rig, one of the state’s hottest recent offerings to the “red dirt” sound that’s helped define Oklahoma’s signature, homegrown combo of rock and country.
With a bit of a harder, fiery edge, BC and the Big Rig prefer the self-styled descriptor “shred dirt.”
“BC is a tremendous songwriter and these guys have released a new album late last year that is killer,” said Jackson. “If you like americana or rock-and-roll, this will be a treat.”
June 19th – The Big News w/ The Third Rates and Grandpa Vern
Haven’t you heard? Ska is coming back. That classic cross between pop-rock, punk, and horns is proving surprisingly popular among the up-and-coming generations looking for an adequately wild, fun soundtrack to their party instincts, and Oklahoma’s own The Big News are already popping.
“The 19th is Ska Night!” Jackson said excitedly. “The underground ska scene is exploding right now and the heavy hitters are doing big things. The Big News are becoming more familiar to Oklahomans now. They were on the big stages at the last few Norman Music Festivals, and they just kill it.”
June 26th – Jazz Night featuring Brian Gorrell Trio
Though the decades-long history of the Blue Note is murky at best, consensus is that it likely sprang to life as a jazz club back in the OKC jazz heyday of the 50s and 60s. One of the biggest hopes from the new ownership is that they can bring some of that back to the stage, starting with the Brian Gorrell Trio on the 26th.
Gorrell is a jazz giant for OKC, serving as Director for the renowned UCO Jazz Lab.
“I’m so excited about this particular night because I studied under the great Brian Gorrell at UCO,” Jackson said. “That man is a fantastic director. His set list will be a surprise, but I’m sure it’ll be awesome.”
This is all just scratching the surface of the full month’s slate of shows, of course, but it goes to prove just how engaged and excited Jackson and the Blue Note team are about their commitment to music and to making sure that the Note continues to be an integral part of the city’s scene.
“We want to serve the local music community and help the musicians on the road too, but we’re not going to be pigeonholed to just being a metal and punk dive any longer,” Jackson said. “I absolutely love punk and metal, and that’s going be on the plate for sure, but I’m a huge indie and red dirt guy too, and even big band jazz has a soft spot in my heart.”
Going forward, Jackson says there’s only one clear requirement for the performers at the Blue Note.
“If someone is talented,” he said, “that’s who we want to work with.”
Brett Fieldcamp has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
