When tulsamusic.net appeared online at the beginning of the year, it immediately caught my attention as one of the most comprehensive Tulsa concert calendars I've found on the Internet. Sure, we've got curtslist.com and a few others, but tulsamusic.net isn't niche specific. It's clean and efficient and takes in as many local venues as I can imagine.

What would prove to be intriguing, however, was how the site would find a way to draw attention to itself. A comprehensive calendar and a weekly Top 5 list of the week's most anticipated shows are cool and a great resource, but word of mouth alone isn't going to give the site the following it needs to keep progressing.

The next step in raising awareness of the site just emerged, but it's not focused strictly on the website alone. With a digital sampler, appropriately titled TulsaMusicNet Sampler #1, the site has compiled tracks from 14 Oklahoma acts to shed some new light on local music and draw awareness to the website as well.

Launched last week as a download on bandcamp.com, the sampler was initially made available for download for only $3 -- a ridiculously low price for an album's worth of material. That price will rise to $6 on the band camp site next week as tulsamusic.net launches a campaign of download cards (which will be available to purchase for $3.99 at local retailers in the near future) with a download and release party this Saturday night, May 7, at Agora Coffeehouse in the Fontana shopping center.

The sampler itself really serves more to provide more exposure to a fistful of bands that generally fly under the radar here in Tulsa. Some of them are locally based, others are currently located elsewhere, but all of them have ties to Tulsa and greater Oklahoma. Perhaps most impressive is that the sampler covers a variety of genres, yet flows relatively smoothly from style to style.

Sweet Sounds.

The sampler jumps to life with a one-two punch from Oklahoma City's Glister and long-time Tulsa favorite Gooding before gliding into "Crazy For You" by Oklahoma native Luke Dick. Additional artists include: Jarrod Gollihare; Debate Team; Future Depression Sound; Green Corn Revival; Acoustic Ross; Tim Casey; Soul Crisis; First Lady Assassins; Radio Wave Days; Malan Darras and Tony Romanello. Overall, it's an impressive collection of songs and artists with an engaging song arc.

The real beauty of this compilation is that there's a little something for everyone within the collection. Pure pop fans won't want to miss Jarrod Gollihare's solo debut, "Everyone Lies," which carries his own distinctive stamp even if it doesn't stray too far from his history with Admiral Twin. Equally intriguing is the inclusion of Debate Team (featuring members of One Republic, Hush Sound and OK Go) and its single "Curious Pair", which sounds curiously similar to something you'd expect from pop masters Fountains of Wayne.

The collection also signals the debut appearances of Future Depression Sound with "The Least Thing I Could Do" and Tim Casey's more experimental/ambient side with "Chemicalove."

If those tracks don't hook you, perhaps a remix of Tony Romanello's "Streets of Tulsa" or an otherwise lost Malan Darras solo track, "Aliens Might," can catch your attention. Personally, I find the collection worth purchasing if only to collect the lost Darras track and to get a head start on Gollihare's solo excursion. Of course, any collection that includes criminally overlooked Weatherford, OK band Green Corn Revival will get my seal of approval.

A quick conversation with tulsamsic.net founder Joe Cinocca revealed that proceeds from all sampler sales and the download party will be donated to local charity, Missy's Keys 4 Cabs. The organization was founded by a group of friends in 2010 after Missy Eubanks was killed in an auto accident with a drunk driver. The organization was formed to reduce drunk driving and is currently partnered with over 40 local establishments to provide free cab rides for anyone who has had too much to drink.

Once production costs for the sampler have been covered, all proceeds will be donated to keys4cabs.org. Cinocca said the ultimate goal is to raise $10,000 for the charity via download sales and future events. He also said that he chose to make sampler only available as a complete download via bandcamp.com in order that any single sales be directed toward the participating artists themselves as each of them has donated their music to the project in consideration of the charity's exposure.

If you're looking for some cool new tunes, be sure to look up the Tulsa Music Net Sampler online at omnirecordsonfb.bandcamp.com or keep an eye out for the download cards at local retailers in the near future. You can also support the sampler and Keys 4 Cabs by attending the release party on Saturday.

Festival Weekend

Bixby Rotary Club hosts its 10th annual BBQ cook-off and music festival this weekend, Friday and Saturday May 6 and 7, at Washington Irving Memorial Park, 13700 S. Memorial Dr. Over the past couple of years, the festival has moved from blues to a more pop and rock oriented sound in hopes of drawing amore family friendly crowd.

Parking is $5 with free admission to the festival grounds and vendors providing food options on both days. Of course, $5 "taster kits" will be available on Saturday from 11am until 1:30pm, allowing you to taste and vote on your favorites in the "people's choice" category of the barbecue competition.

Friday night's entertainment includes Out Cold, West 51, David Dover and Candy Coburn, with music starting at 5pm and ending at 11pm. Saturday's lineup opens at 11am and includes David Whitney, Rowland Bowling Band, Blazer Band, Travis Kidd, Mike Hosty Duo, Brandon Clark and Stars Go Dim. Overall it's a great lineup for a family friendly event that marks the true kickoff of Tulsa's festival season.

Weekly Roundup

May has finally arrived and as the weather continues to warm up, so does the concert calendar. As always, we've got the highlights to get pointed out the door and headed in the right direction, so read on for suggestions on where to get started on your search for the best in live music.

• Thursday, May 5 -- There are plenty of Cinco de Mayo parties going on around town, but you won't need a map or directions to find them. If you're looking for something a little different, catch RadioRadio at Blue Rose Café or Bravo Delta (Brandon Davis) at The Warehouse. The Soundpony also celebrates its 5th anniversary with DJ Sweet Baby Jayzus spinning the "Dance Extravaganza" and Ivoryline headlines a show at The Marquee.

• Friday, May 6 -- Rising country star Easton Corbin returns to Cain's Ballroom with opener Randy Montana while old school country boy John Michael Montgomery headlines River Spirit Events Center. Meanwhile, Bob Wayne & the Outlaw Carnies play Mercury Lounge, Mercy Street headlines a gig at The Doghouse and newcomers Two Worlds Collide plays at Joe Momma's Pizza.

• Saturday, May 7 -- The night's biggest show is the Take Action Tour with Silverstein and Bayside, but there are plenty of other great shows like Eisley with The Narrative and Christie Dupree at The Marquee or Cody Canada and the Departed at Million Dollar Elm Casino in Bartlesville. Smaller shows include Big Smith at Blue Dome Diner and Dead Sexy (fronted by four Zombie burlesque girls) with Don't Care Bears and Ill Fated at Eclipse.

• Sunday, May 8 -- If you don't have tickets to the sold out Wilco show with Smith Westerns at Cain's Ballroom, head southeast to relax at Los Cabos in Broken Arrow with South 40 for dinner and margaritas.

• Monday, May 9 -- William Elliot Whitmore brings his gritty country-blues to Mercury Lounge for one night only.

• Tuesday, May 10 -- Cain's Ballroom welcome the return of Lucinda Williams while The Marquee hosts a night of metal with Between the Buried and Me, Job for a Cowboy and The Ocean.