Second Time Around

For those of you who are still debating to attend the Absolute Best of Tulsa Music Awards on Aug. 5, you might be wondering what to expect from the ceremony. When people asked last year, we could only speculate, but with an inaugural year gone, we've got some idea of not only what to expect but what could make it better.

Where to start? Perhaps the best place is the location itself: Cain's Ballroom. Known as one of Tulsa's treasures, almost any event is a good excuse to return to "The house that Bob built," but when decked out for the music awards, it is possibly even more impressive.

Table seating throughout the ballroom paired with huge video screens and a special host for the evening in Jeff Scheel add a classier vibe to the room and the excitement as the evening goes on and the awards are handed out.

If you arrive early, you won't just see your favorite local stars on the stage or at their tables, however. Beginning at 7pm, all the nominees arrive early with red carpet introductions to give the evening a more glamorous feel. With the perfect vantage point, you can see them arrive, hear their comments and perhaps even get a quick picture with your favorites before the awards ceremony starts.

Of course, this is a music awards show, so you know there has got to be live music. While the main stage is decked out for the awards, the stage in Bob's is dressed out for performances, and you can either float between rooms to catch all of the action live or stay in one place and catch the activity in the other room on video feed.

This year's performances promise to be particularly special, not only because each of this year's "Artist of the Year" nominees will be appearing but because of a special twist that's been added. You'll get to see Olivia Duhon, Eric Himan, Fiawna Forte, Ben Kilgore and Brandon Clark deliver one-of-a-kind performances backed by our music awards' house band, Tulsa Rock Ensemble, which will add a classical twist and full string arrangement to each artist's songs. When even the artists themselves are excited about this opportunity, you know it's going to be a special night and a performance you don't want to miss.

Of course, this is also your opportunity to rub shoulders with a veritable who's who of Tulsa's local music community. Sure, most of them are accessible at their shows, but how often do you get to see this many artists and band members congregated in one place at one time?

And if you've never gotten a chance to hang out and meet your favorite local artist, there's no better time or place than at the ABoT Music awards. If you've ever wanted to meet your favorite artist or ask about one of their songs, this provides the opportunity. Everyone is in a good mood, enjoying the opportunity to celebrate the local music scene and adding local music fans to the mix only makes the evening more special.

Although we are honoring the artists for their work, the music awards are really about the fans. Our readers are the ones who chose the nominees and likewise, you are the ones who voted and selected the winners. It's only appropriate then, that you should be present when the awards are handed out. Sure, you can find the list of winners online or check for a recap in the next week's Urban Tulsa, but wouldn't you rather be a part of the excitement and be there as the awards are handed out?

These are your awards and you should be there to help make it a real celebration. Tickets are still available at protix.com, and you can choose between reserved table seating in the ballroom or general admission seats in Bob's, right in front of the live performances. Either way, you're welcome to bounce between rooms, rub shoulders with the bands and add to the excitement of the evening.

So don't miss the ABoT Music Awards ceremony at Cain's Ballroom on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 8pm. We're designating one evening to celebrate the local music scene, but it's not really a party if you're not there.