PURSUITS | See & Do
OCU Kirkpatrick Auditorium, 2501 N Blackwelder Ave, OKC, okcu.edu/music Blue Door Shows May 1-25 Selfbilled as “the best listening room in Oklahoma,” it certainly has some of the best music: the Carper Family May 1, James McCartney May 2, “Rock Star” rock star Patrice Pike May 3, John Fullbright May 10-12, the inimitable Jimmy Webb May 17-18, Kevin Welch May 24 and Miss Brown to You with Michael Fracasso May 25. The Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley Ave, OKC, 524.0738, bluedoorokc.com
in OU’s music program, but sometimes (like this evening), it’s good to sit down with friends and pump out some jazz. Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Ave, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.com Mozart for Mother’s Day May 12 Veteran piano master Wayne McEvilly dazzles with a rendition of Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, and
into his nascent career. Lions Park, 450 S Flood Ave, Norman, 307.9320, pasnorman.com
health programs. Myriad Gardens, 300 W Reno Ave, OKC, 943.1025, marchofdimes.com/oklahoma
CJ Boyd May 21 The visual arts gallery becomes the place for bass as Boyd wows listeners with his emotional breadth and improvisational joy. IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan Ave, OKC, 232.6060, iaogallery.org
Piece Walk May 4 Autism Oklahoma sponsors this day of togetherness assembled around a consciousnessraising group walk and 5k race with thousands of participants. Every year the funds raised help us all learn more about autism, and come that much closer to piecing it all together. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S Mickey Mantle Dr, OKC, 315.6337, piecewalk.org Vibrant Tennis/Table Tennis Tournament May 4 Whether on the full court or the emerald table, demonstrate your tennis mastery in an event helping Dr. R. Murali Krishna and the Integris Foundation eliminate the stigma of mental illness. The Greens Country Club, 13100 Green Valley Dr, OKC, 751.1094
Noon Tunes May 2-23 Free lunchtime serenades in the Downtown Library: Edgar Cruz May 2, the Raul Reyes Trio May 9, a Salute to America May 16, the ATM Piano Triet May 23 and singersongwriter Denver Duncan May 30. Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave, OKC, 231.8650, mls.lib.ok.us
Walk MS OKC May 4 Stepping out together can be the key to funding lifesaving research and ongoing awareness of Multiple Sclerosis; keep the effort moving forward. OKC Zoo, 2101 NE 50th St, OKC, 918.488.0882, nationalmssociety.org
Opolis Performances May 2-28 Metro, meet Opolis. You’ll make beautiful music together, like The Devil Makes Three May 2, Son del Barrio May 3, an Ottrepop reunion May 7, Bill Callahan May 9, Empty Bottles May 11, Beau Jennings & the Tigers May 17, ADDverse Effects May 24, Black Plus May 25 and Lord Huron May 28. The Opolis, 113 N Crawford Ave, Norman, opolis.org
Roller Derby May 11 Part graceful race, part all-out brawl, the month’s slate of spectacle includes the Lightning Broads lacing up to battle the OKC Outlaws as the Valkyrie Vixens face off against Cell Block 9. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, OKC, 496.1348, okcrd.com
Delbert McClinton May 3 The longlasting McClinton is a bluesman down to his shoes - he’s been a musician for over 50 years, teaching John Lennon how to blow the harp, backing for Howlin’ Wolf and sharing his own songs ever since. Sooner Theatre, 101 E Main St, Norman, 321.9600, soonertheatre.org Cirque de la Symphonie May 3-4 It’s a, um, soaring performance as the OKC Philharmonic puts an exclamation point on its Pops season with a little help from their high-flying friends in Cirque du Soleil. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org Purple Bar Performances May 3-31 A cozy setting, ample menu and outstanding music from local artists. Nonna’s Purple Bar, 1 S Mickey Mantle Dr, OKC, 235.4410, purplebarokc.com Jewel May 4 Her greatest hits compiled on a recently released album - are pretty great; the sometime poet, actress and pop-country hitmaker should make waves on the Riverwind stage. Riverwind Casino, 1544 W Hwy 9, Norman, 322.6464, riverwind.com SoundBites in the Park May 10 The city’s center gets more pedestrian-friendly all the time … though rarely more so than when Downtown OKC, Inc. sponsors a live concert and a collection of food trucks for midday festivities. Bank of OK Plaza, 201 Robert S. Kerr Ave, OKC, 235.3500, downtownokc.com Season Finale May 11 Before drawing the curtain on a magnificent season, the OKC Philharmonic is making time to close out its Classics series with a trip around the world, starring the orchestra’s masterful musicians and the great works of Wagner, Barber, Tchaikovsky and Strauss. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 842.5387, okcphilharmonic.org Larry Hammett Group May 12 Hammett’s an accomplished classical soloist, and director of guitar studies
88 SLICE // MAY 2013
Chip in for the Arts May 13 There are all kinds of ways to help the metro become better - even taking a long drive off the first tee. Allied Arts’ annual fundraiser is a 4-person scramble with rewards for winners and the community’s cultural force. OKC Golf & Country Club, 7000 NW Grand Blvd, OKC, 278.8944, chipinforthearts.com
Summer Breeze: John Fullbright May 19, Lions Park, Norman
explains the music’s emotional connection to the composer’s mother, in a free presentation. Downtown Library, 300 Park Ave, OKC, 231.8650 Celtic Woman May 16 A dab of traditional Irish tunes like “The Parting Glass,” a bit of more modern pop like “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” even some showcases like “Ave Maria” … sure one of the finest ways to hear music is when it’s sung by lovely Celtic chanteuses with world-class pipes. Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker Ave, OKC, 297.2264, okcciviccenter.com Schubert and Friends Festival May 1823 Mozart, Weber, a world premiere by Christopher Theofanidis and plenty of the Romantic master fill Brightmusic’s multi-concert series featuring worldrenowned clarinetist David Shifrin. St. Paul’s Cathedral & All Souls’ Church, 127 NW 7th St & 6400 N Penn Ave, OKC, brightmusic.com Summer Breeze: John Fullbright May 19 Norman’s Performing Arts Studio encourages potential listeners to discard the concept of labels in their consideration of this initial star in the open-air concert series - Fullbright’s sound isn’t truly pop, nor Americana, nor folk, but a rousing fusion that’s already distinctive just a few years
Edmond Jazz & Blues Festival May 25-26 Free for the whole family thanks to the generosity of local sponsors, the annual jam packs Memorial Day weekend with live performances from sweet, smooth soundsmiths. Stephenson Park, 100 E 5th St, Edmond, 341.3321, edmondjazzandblues.org Grupo Pesado May 26 The Sonic summer concert series kicks into a higher gear with the blazing-hot masters of the Norteno sound. Frontier City, 11501 N I-35 Service Rd, OKC, 478.2140, frontiercity.com
SPORTS RedHawks Baseball May 1-31 Take yourself out to the ball game - OKC’s Triple-A titans take on Nashville May 1-2, Tacoma May 7-10, Salt Lake City May 11-14 and Omaha May 28-31. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S Mickey Mantle Dr, OKC, 218.1000, oklahomacity. redhawks.milb.com March for Babies May 4 Every child should get to start life on the right foot, so participants use their feet to raise funds that will help the March of Dimes support prenatal and early infancy
Wayman Tisdale Memorial Golf Tournament May 13 Losing part of yourself can be devastating, even without the accompanying medical costs - so the late basketball great’s eponymous foundation devotes funds from this event to helping amputees who have no insurance afford prostheses. Rose Creek Golf Club, 17031 N May, OKC, 947.0911, waymantisdale.net NAMI Walk May 18 Nearly 60 million Americans experience a mental health condition every year; mental illness affects the lives of one in four adults, and those people need help, hope and community support. You shouldn’t need any further reason to join the throng walking to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Stars and Stripes Park, 7398 N Portland Ave, OKC, 230.1900, namiwalks.org/oklahoma Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship May 22-26 Fewer teams in the conference mean the pressure is on OU, OSU and their opponents to shine on the diamond and keep their seasons alive. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S Mickey Mantle Dr, OKC, okcallsports.org
THEATER Dirty Work on the Trail Through May 5 The Jewel Box Theatre is closing its season with a throwback to ripe old melodramas - audience participation is encouraged in the form of hissing the villainous plot to disgrace the Pony Express, cheering the hero’s attempts