The spring/summer stretch in Oklahoma rolls around each year with the expected pouring rains and sweeping storms, but also a flood of anticipated local releases and high-profile shows to celebrate the scene.
Once the spring festival season starts to die down, the best and brightest artists from around OKC start to refocus their efforts on new album and EP drops, new collaborations, and newly refined, electric energies for the stage.
Over the next few weeks, some of the city’s hottest local stages are set to see some shimmering indie, some hard-driving jams, and the long-awaited return of one of the scene’s most unique and exciting acts.
Worry Club / SUNFO / Daychaser – 89th Street – May 28th
Chicagoan emo kids Worry Club are bringing their sprawling US tour through town late this month, but for OKC emo die-hards, the big draw will be the show’s local support.
SUNFO are just coming off a major slot on the NMF main stage, where they blasted through the rain-soaked afternoon with their own brand of sad-punk, and the poised-to-pop Daychaser are ready to punch above their weight in the battle for melodic emo supremacy.
For more, visit 89thstreetokc.com.
Finite Galaxy – Bookish – May 30th
It’s been nearly two full years, but the long-awaited return of perhaps OKC’s most sonically singular act is finally upon us.
Finite Galaxy – the creative union of cosmically spiritual rappers Eidreveni and Sun Deep – have been laying low since the summer of 2023, allowing some time to explore personal needs and personal projects, but they’re finally ready to re-combine their powers for an intriguingly chill night of re-emergence.
It’s set to be a seated performance inside an indie bookstore serving specially curated Indian-themed mocktails, no doubt filled with celebrations of storytelling, of friendship and community, and of the kind of defiant intellectualism that a place like Bookish proudly represents.
This is a show that shouldn’t be missed.
For more, visit shop-bookish.com.
The Sweet Talkers – Album release w/ The Muffled Siren – Resonant Head – June 6th
Synth-infused indie-rockers The Sweet Talkers are launching their debut full-length album “Rhinestone Reality” into the world next month, and they’ll be celebrating the feat with a rock n roll blowout at Capitol Hill’s Resonant Head.
Following a string of slick, high-energy singles and EP releases, the stylish electro-rockers feel perfectly suited to the day-glo neon of the Resonant Head stage, and they’ll be bringing along some other hard-hitting theatrical rockers as well.
Hot off a wave-making spot at NMF, where he trotted out a full-scale mini rock opera, reigning local hard-rock glam god The Muffled Siren will be tossing his sequined hat into the evening’s festivities to support The Sweet Talkers for their big release.
For more, visit resonanthead.com.
The Nghiems – EP release w/ Mister Mandala & splendora21 – 51st St. Speakeasy – June 13th
Possibly the act that’s turning out the very simplest, most straightforward, and most undeniably tight and catchy pop-rock in Oklahoma right now, The Nghiems are following up their own string of one-off bops with the upcoming “El Camino EP,” their first collection since 2018’s “Soulmatic.”
This is grooving, toe-tapping power-pop driven by chill pianos and guitar melodies, with no shortage of full-grinning fun and Pixies-style hooks.
But they’re not the only ones celebrating a new release that evening.
They’ll be joined by the brand new Mister Mandala, who’ll be bringing the chilled-out psych-pop that you can hear on their own brand new, three-track EP right now.
And rounding out the evening’s bill is the elusive splendora21, the vibe-heavy, spacey synth-wave side-gig from members of Mad Honey.
For more, follow @the_speak on Instagram.
Coat – Blue Note – June 28th
The semi scene supergroup Coat have already proven themselves to be one of the tightest and best-produced acts in OKC right now with last year’s standout self-titled EP and even a recent appearance on the newest Johnny Manchild single “Home Movies.”
But if you’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live, you’ll know that while they can bring all that same gently floating, funky sound to the stage, they also bring some fierce, fiery jams.
If you only know Coat from their studio releases, you’d do well to get out and catch them on stage to see and hear how they can turn a groove into something rocking and loudly powerful. And also to see just how much impressive sonic mileage singer Hannah Edmondson can get out of her electronic clarinet-looking “wind synth.”
All things considered, Coat are making a genuine run to be one of the very best bands in the scene right now.
For more, visit okcbluenote.com.
You can find out about local music and performance happenings in the OKC metro weekly in this music column by Brett Fieldcamp. | Brought to you by True Sky Credit Union.
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.
