OKLAHOMA CITY – No matter how you celebrate the winter holidays, chances are good that music will be playing a big role.
Whether that’s traditional songs in holiday ceremonies, beloved jingles or singalongs on TV, or even just your favorite seasonal playlist, music is likely to make a pretty big impact on your wintertime, and I don’t just mean Mariah Carey blasting over every store speaker in the city.
But even as the holiday season wears on, the music scene keeps on rolling, hitting stages all over town for some special, once-a-year shows that celebrate the spirit through charitable drives, Christmas showcases, unexpected collaborations, and more.
So if the stress of all the shopping and planning is getting to you, or if you just want to keep the celebrations coming all month long, here’s a handful of can’t-miss musical extravaganzas to soundtrack your December.
A Vince Guaraldi Christmas w/ The Kendrik McKinney Jazz Trio – Okie State Room Harrah – Thursday, December 11th
In all the storied annals of Christmas jazz, there’s just nothing better than the immortal tunes that legendary pianist Vince Guardaldi and his band laid down for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
With the unforgettable, effortlessly simple “Christmas Time is Here,” the frenetic energy of “Skating,” and of course the iconic “Linus and Lucy,” Guaraldi and company turned the soundtrack into one of the very finest holiday records of all time.
And now, one of the hardest working jazz outfits in OKC is set to bring those magical standards to life yet again with a night of Guardali’s holiday compositions performed by pianist Kendrik McKinney, bassist Rei Wang-Bowen, and drummer Dave Bowen at the Okie State Room in Harrah alongside a program of other Christmasy, wintery favorites.
If you prefer to get jazzy with your holiday music (like me!) then this bound to be a can’t-miss this season.
For tickets and more information, follow @kendrikmckinney on Instagram.
TRIPHARMONIX feat. Trip G & The Stringsmen – Sunday, December 14th
It might not be explicitly billed as being holiday-themed, but if you can think of something that says “winter wonderland” more than fancy dress and a string quartet, I’d like to hear it.
The relentless (and recently featured) Trip G is back for the third installment of TRIPHARMONIX, pairing the local rap giant with endlessly eclectic OKC-based string quartet, The Stringsmen, with soulful queens Shay Lyrique and Cortney Lachelle, beatmaker DJ Shaheed Ali, and visual artist/host Traxler rounding out the evening’s entertainment.
The goal, as ever, is to bring the community together to celebrate the season, appreciate the musicianship and cross-genre, cross-cultural talent of The Stringsmen, and of course to shock and stun in your best formalwear.
But even in the middle of December, Trip knows how to turn up the heat, so you should probably expect some surprises and a little wildness, too.
For details, address, and more information, follow @tripgofficial on Instagram.
Jabee presents Gift Raps 2025 – Blue Note – Thursday, December 18th
Speaking of rap giants, community king Jabee Williams is once again rolling out his annual Gift Raps showcase, bringing a host of hip-hop and R&B talent back to the Blue Note stage with a community-minded, holiday twist.
This year, the lineup is stacked with some of the hottest up-and-coming talent in the city’s soul and hip-hop scene, boasting Trevo, Draco, Maiguy, a welcome second December appearance by Cortney Lachelle, and of course, the man of the hour, Jabee himself, on the mic.
But best of all, it’s a totally free event for anyone that brings an unopened toy or non-perishable food item to be donated to our community members in need this holiday season.
Because the only thing more important than appreciating all we have this season is extending our hearts and our resources to those that have less.
For more information, visit okcbluenote.com.
Blue Door holiday shows, feat. Ian Moore, Tequila Songbirds, & The Red Dirt Rangers – Blue Door – December 18th, 20th, and 21st
There might be no other music venue in town that gets into the holiday spirit quite as deeply as the historic Blue Door, with no fewer than three big Christmastime musical blowouts in one week.
First up, the 18th will see bluesy, guitar-slinging singer-songwriter Ian Moore continuing a 20-plus year tradition as he brings his annual holiday tour once more to the Blue Door stage.
Next, the 20th sees another beloved yearly tradition for the listening room venue as country-kissed folkstresses Kierston White, Elizabeth Forsythe, and Camille Harp join forces once again as the Tequila Songbirds to chat, croon, laugh, and harmonize for their annual holiday showcase.
And then the early afternoon of Sunday, the 21st will see the legendary Red Dirt Rangers scootin’ their boots for families for their annual Kids Christmas Show, spotlighting their electrified country sound for kids of all ages.
So if you’re looking for an especially Okie-style, down home Christmas concert, you’ll know where to find one.
For times, tickets, and more, visit bluedoorokc.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 is our Arts and Entertainment Editor. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for 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.
