OKLAHOMA CITY – Any time a local artist or bands drops a new release, it’s surely a cause for celebration, but it’s even better when there’s an actual celebration attached to it.
The release show has become one of the most vital tools in the live music world, building anticipation for something new and giving audiences something unique to look forward to beyond just another show and standard setlist.
In just the next few weeks, OKC is set for a trio of release shows celebrating an intimate, personal new single, a creative new EP, and a mammoth, no-holds-barred new album from the scene’s most intense – and most unexpected – global breakout.
Antonio Otero presents B-Side: ‘Mad’ EP release party – 1984 Studio – Saturday, August 29th
Alt-R&B up-and-comer Antonio Otero is set to drop his newest offering surrounded by a slew of other audio, visual, and performing arts as he co-hosts the next installment of his B-Side multimedia arts showcase.
B-Side is an all-arts blowout spotlighting some of the best in Oklahoma’s painting, photography, visual arts, filmmaking, poetry, and more, and Otero will be holding down the music side with a full-band performance celebrating the release of his new EP, “Mad.”
His compellingly orchestrated and deconstructed grooves and experimental R&B should be the perfect soundtrack for the largely cross-cultural and cross-media event.
For more information, follow @1984studios on Instagram.
Kat Lock – ‘Far’ single release – The Blue Door – Saturday, September 5th
One of OKC’s most lively and vibrant singer-songwriters, Kat Lock has already proven her penchant for pop and energetic indie, but her latest release hits at something far deeper and far more personal.
“Far” is a building ballad detailing the emotional weight of broad ambition in the face of chronic illness and the quiet, often unspoken pains of learning your limits while refusing to compromise your dreams.
It’s a deeply intimate and powerful song, and the official release show and celebration for it will be equally special as Lock takes the historic Blue Door stage for the first time, supported by friend and collaborator Baileyboy.
For tickets and more information, visit bluedoorokc.com.
Chat Pile – ‘Who Loves the Sun’ album release – Tower Theatre – Saturday, September 12th
Against all odds, the near-nihilist sludge-crushers Chat Pile have become possibly OKC’s most important and influential cultural ambassadors for the dark and desperate underground.
Their newest full-length, “Who Loves the Sun” has already been preceded by some seething, despondent new tracks dissecting the formalities and broken promises of modern life, and the full album looks to be even more devastating.
To birth it into the world properly, Chat Pile will storm the stage at one of OKC’s most legendary venues, and they’re bringing a small army of friends and supporters with them.
They’ve got close friends Portrayal of Guilt, Kansas City’s Nightosphere, hardcore OKC thrashers Primal Brain, and local legends Traindodge (who recently celebrated their own 30th anniversary.)
More importantly, proceeds from the bash will be going to Sisu, Oklahoma City’s leading outreach for unhoused and at-risk youth, meaning that all the anger, aggression, and cathartic intensity of the night will result in something undeniably positive.
For tickets and more information, visit towertheatreokc.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 the owner and Editor in Chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly two decades and served as Arts & Entertainment Editor before purchasing the company from founder Brett Dickerson in 2026.
He is also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
