Although football season is finally here and Labor Day as already flown by, fall hasn't quite arrived yet. Sure, all the signs are there and it was a little cooler last weekend, but we've still got a few weeks of summer left, so why not embrace and enjoy it?
One of the best parts of summer is festival season and although most of our major festivals have passed, we've still got a couple left to close out the summer. This weekend, BOK Center welcomes back the annual Rock-N-Rib Fest on the plaza and street in front of the arena.
If you're a BBQ connoisseur, you'll want to check this out as the vendors represent a variety of styles and regions, from Southwestern and Memphis to St. Louis and Texas. Besides competing for the title by presenting their best ribs, each vendor will also be offering a variety of items for purchase, from ribs to shrimp, chicken, beef and pork as well as a variety of different sauces.
If you only try a couple of vendors, you can't overlook Cowboy's BBQ from Fort Worth, TX. This group has won the "Best of Show" award in 2010 and 2011 and is returning to try and take home its third consecutive title to add to its collection of over 200 trophies.
Of course, you should also support our local boys, The Pig Men (Rib Crib's competitive BBQ team) while you're out and check out a little of the competition from Chicago BBQ Company, Desperado's, Porky 'N Beans or any (or all) of the others.
As in past years, the festival opens on Thursday morning, September 13 and runs through Sunday afternoon, September 16. The festival and vendors open at 11am each morning and will be open for lunch, giving those working downtown an extra option and reason to go out for lunch. Of course, admission is free, although you'll be paying handsomely if you actually work your way through all of the BBQ competitors and vendors.
Just as the title suggests, however, the weekend is about more than just ribs. The festival also serves up a weekend's worth of music, and although it doesn't bring in a national headliner like most festivals of this nature do, it does draw from a deep talent pool to show off a selection of Oklahoma and Tulsa based musicians.
Music on Thursday evening keeps things relaxed and fun with a trio of cover bands, presenting Beacon Drive at 5pm, followed by The Jumpshots at 7pm and The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band at 9pm.
Friday evening, September 14 officially opens the weekend with a country and Red Dirt theme. The night kicks off with The Charmers at 5pm and Outlaw Son at 6:30pm. A couple of our more recognized and popular artists then take over as Thomas Martinez takes the stage at 8pm, followed by Red Dirt Rangers to close out the night at 10pm.
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Once the weekend arrives, the entertainment starts early as Bellevue opens up the day at 11am on Saturday, September 15. After a 1pm auction, Jay Falkner (of South 40) appears at 3pm, followed by Squeezebox at 5pm, Eric Himan at 7pm and Cruize Control at 10pm to wrap up the night. If you're downtown on Saturday afternoon, you won't want to miss Jay Falkner at 3pm as he doesn't play in Tulsa nearly often enough. Likewise, Eric Himan's 7pm set on Saturday evening promises to be one of the best shows of the weekend.
Finally, Sunday afternoon wraps thing up by 3pm, but the Spectrum Band will be providing the music for the day to make sure the festival atmosphere and celebrational vibe continue right to the end.
If you haven't visited the Rock-N-Rib Fest in years past or if you're just looking to get out and enjoy the weather, this is a great opportunity to check out a few free bands and try out some of the best BBQ you'll find in Tulsa all year long.
Songwriting and More
Looking forward another week, the 2012 Songwriter's Festival and Competition is coming to Persimmon Hollow Village, near 71st and Garnett (6927 S 115th East Ave) in Broken Arrow, next weekend over September 21-23. This year's competition has over 100 entries all vying for over $2000 in cash prizes and the chance to have their song heard by Nashville music publishers.
At its heart, the weekend is really about Northeast Oklahoma's songwriters and rich talent pool. Each day includes a handful of panel discussions and workshops to help local writers and musicians continue to hone their craft and become better composers. The weekend is open to all music lovers, however, with a number of arts and food vendors during the afternoon and concerts each night.
Friday evening's program begins at 8pm with Bryan Huling and Acoustic Mojo, followed by Mike Brandon in concert. Saturday's center stage opens at 7pm with the singer-songwriter semi-finals, followed by Jay Speight and Tyrus Morgan in concert at 9pm and the announcement of this year's finalists at 11pm. Finally, the weekend wraps on Sunday, September 23, with the Finals performances and People's Choice judging at 2pm, Local Scene at 3:30pm and the awards presentation at 5pm.
Admission to the festival is free for all, but tickets to the concerts are $10 each day with additional registration fees for the various workshops. More information and a full schedule can be found online at troubadoursalliance.org.
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