Music scene’s biggest names lighting up OKC stages all weekend

Last Updated on March 19, 2024, 10:04 PM | Published: March 19, 2024

OKLAHOMA CITY — Not quite winter and not quite spring, here are we are in the complicated, transitional month of March, with all its seasonal identity crises, green holidays, and time-changing.

But where the music scene is concerned, March can actually be pretty special. It’s the last month on the calendar before Oklahoma’s spring festival season revs up – cramming as many acts as possible onto every bill – and before the major summer tours start rolling through and wreaking havoc on everyone’s live music budgets.

March tends to offer a wealth of chances to catch some of the scene’s best bands and artists in their own focused elements, and that’s been especially true this year.

The second half of March is stacked across all the heaviest-hitting indie stages around town, with some of the most exciting and familiar names across genres and styles, all kicking off this upcoming weekend with a back-to-back couple of absolutely overloaded nights.

Lincka / Nia Moné – Resonant Head – Friday, March 22nd

The most colorful, eclectic stage in town welcomes this can’t-miss double bill pairing the queen of psychedelically-imbued Latinx pop with the queen of sensual, celestial R&B.

It’s safe to say that there’s no venue more perfectly matched to Lincka’s daringly colorful, category-defying aura than Resonant Head, with its otherworldly air, shining silver curtains, and of course its home among the historic and diversely Hispanic cultures of Capitol Hill.

Add OKC’s reigning soul songstress Nia Moné into the mix, with her and her band blending funk and R&B into something evocative and just a touch risqué, and you can bet that there’ll be a sizeable crowd, and that crowd will be moving.

For times, tickets, and more, visit resonanthead.com.

Johnny Manchild & the Poor Bastards – Beer City Music Hall – Friday, March 22nd

Back on the other side of the river, Beer City is hosting a bash for one of the scene’s most explosive recent breakouts, as Johnny Manchild and his incomparable Poor Bastards crash the stage to celebrate the release of anticipated new album “Rapture Waltz.”

Manchild and the boys have just about perfected the subtle infusion of jazz and orchestral touches into hyperemotional indie-rock, but the lead-off singles that have heralded the impending “Rapture Waltz” make it clear that they’re aiming for something even more intense and distraught this time around.

So you can expect that this Beer City blowout will be a fist-pumping, top-of-your-voice singalong to remember, especially as it’s the boys’ last hometown gig before setting off throughout April and May on a sprawling nationwide tour.

For times, tickets, and more, visit beercitymusichall.com.

Queensrÿche w/ Sisteria – Tower Theatre – Saturday, March 23rd 

If you’re a fan of dense, conceptual, theatrical prog-metal, then the great Queensrÿche need no introduction.

As the band that arguably carried guitar-focused progressive hard rock through the 1980s, their influence is surely bigger than their mainstream name recognition, and even though they’ve sadly parted ways with immensely talented, operatic singer Geoff Tate, they’re still sure to put on a hell of a show.

Sisteria combine textures, influences into stage presence, musical power

But more important here is the inclusion of the towering Sisteria being invited to open the show, returning the psych-tinged dark-rockers (and Free Press favorites) to the Tower stage where they made their unassuming debut opening a local showcase back in 2021.

If you’re looking to bang your head and blow out your eardrums this weekend, this is where you’ll need to be.

For times, tickets, and more, visit towertheatreokc.com.

2nd Annual Crawfish Boil and Blues Showcase – Blue Note – Saturday, March 23rd

If, however, you prefer your guitar to be of the “gently weeping” variety, OKC’s historic Blue Note Lounge has you covered with the return of their day-long blues showcase, starring some of the scene’s best from across the blues landscape.

Powerhouse singer Chanda Graham is bringing her rhythm & blues stylings, Chebon Tiger Band is holding down the classic southern blues-rock, and recent Free Press feature Brad Fielder will be smashing his way through his singular brand of chaotic, straight-from-the-gut Delta blues.

And you can enjoy it all the way nature intended: with a heaping plate of boiled crawfish and plenty of beer.

Now, if that’s not the perfect way to usher in the springtime, I don’t know what is.

For times, tickets, and more, visit okcbluenote.com.

Future of Sound Fest – Factory Obscura – Saturday, March 23rd (Update)

The music scene’s cup continues to runneth over with another all-day Saturday showcase, this time focused on some of the most forward-looking and creatively unique artists OKC has to offer.

The free event’s outdoor alley stage will see recent glitch-pop favorites Sweetest Pot, as well as Challo, Baileyboy, Cheyenne Marie, Psychic Baths, and the transcendent Moriah Bailey all launching Factory Obscura’s brand new compilation “Mix-Tape Volume 5,” featuring each of the artists celebrating the immersive Mix-Tape arts space.

Each act’s track is set to interpret one of Mix-Tape’s six emotional explorations, with the songs tackling joy, angst, love, melancholy, hope, and wonder in turn, so expect a particularly diverse and varied afternoon of styles and sounds colliding.

There’ll even be a guest appearance from untouchable hip-hop mastermind Original Flow.

Plus, it’s all set to wrap up around 8pm, so you’ll still have plenty of time to catch the evening’s other awesome shows around town.

For set times, lineups, and more information, visit factoryobscura.com.

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