UMAmi 101
Why is this named UMAmi?
You might know of the term “umami” to describe a particular kind of salty, earthy flavor. When we were first brainstorming what to call this zine, Jackalope jokingly suggested the pun “UMAmi” to reference the Oklahoma Underground Music Archive, or OK UMA; to their surprise everyone else liked the idea, and it’s stuck ever since.
What is the OK UMA?
The Oklahoma Underground Music Archive is a project by the Special Collections and Research Department of the Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma County. Like many projects by the SCR, the idea came from the mind of department head Buddy Johnson (who may ask us to cut the credit when he reads this). Our local music scene has flourished with many local and visiting musicians in a variety of genres like punk, metal, and more. However, a lot of that local history and culture is at risk of getting lost in time instead of being preserved and made accessible to folks now and in the future. That’s where the OK UMA comes in.
What is in the OK UMA now?
A few hundred physical or analog items, including customized sweaters with alternative hardware, zines (noncommercial magazines made by anyone about anything with practically any materials), show posters, flyers, used hair dye bottles, button pins and more. A few thousand digital images and other files, including more zines, show photographs, Penn Ditch graffiti or street art, alternative fashion styles, flyers, moments from yesteryear, setlists, live and in-studio audio recordings, scribbles, fanart, news about current events and more. A Facebook group of enthusiastic community members. This monthly zine contains contributions from community members and library staff (aka the OK UMA Roadies). It is distributed across the library system and at over 50 local community spots – tattoo parlors, bookstores, coffee shops, cultural heritage hubs and more. A monthly collaborative playlist anyone can add to. A quarterly (free) concert series called Library Out Loud.
Interested in More?
Take a look at the OK UMA, over 2500 items cataloged and growing: tinyurl.com/ok-uma Drop us a line at Oklahoma.UMA@gmail.com if you want to add to the zine, the archive, the playlists or anything else.
Learn more about the SCR nerds via IG, FB, or their homepage at metrolibrary.org/scr and stay salty!
From Our Inbox
UMAmi word search
alternative playlist concerts flyers zine underground articles library music local interviews archives reviews punk
From Our Inbox
From Our Inbox
Art by RSLAe
89thStreet
8911NWesternAve(OKC) 89thstreetokc.com
BeerCityMusicHall 1141NW2nd(OKC) beercitymusichall.com
BlueDoor
2805NMcKinleyAve(OKC) bluedoorokc.com
BlueNote
2408NRobinsonAve(OKC) okcbluenote.com
Bookish
1005NW36thSt(OKC) shop-bookish.com
Criterion
500EastSheridanAve(OKC) criterionokc.com
Core4Brewing 7NLeeAve(OKC) core4brewing.com
DiamondBallroom
8001SEasternAve(OKC) diamondballroom.com
FactoryObscura 25NW9thSt(OKC) factoryobscura.com
GrandRoyale 1749NW16thSt (OKC) instagram.com/grandroyaleokc
JonesAssembly 901WSheridanAve(OKC) thejonesassembly.com
VENU
OKCider
705W.SheridanAve(OKC) okciderco.com
Opolis 113NCrawfordAve(Norman) opolis.org
ThePetShop 1529LinwoodBlvd(OKC) thepetshopokc.com
Ponyboy 423NW23rdSt(OKC) ponyboyokc.com
ResonantHead 400SW25thSt,SuiteA(OKC) resonanthead.com
Resonator 325EMainSt(Norman) resonator.space
TheSanctuary 1012NIndianaAve(OKC) facebook.com/thesanctuaryok 51stStreetSpeakeasy 1114NW51stStreet(OKC) 51stspeakeasy.com
TowerTheatre 425NW23rdSt(OKC) towertheatreokc.com
ZooAmp 2101NE50thSt(OKC) okczooamp.com
Recurring Events
Celtic Jam at the Patriarch
Funk at the Blue Note
Open Mic at Fair Weather Friend
Blues at the Speakeasy
Bluegrass at the Patriarch
Jazz at the Speakeasy
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Experimental Night at Opolis - every 4th Wednesday
Wasted Hours: A Singer-Songwriter Showcase at Grand Royale
Open Mic night at Factory Obscura - 1st
Bluegrass at the Speakeasy
THURSDAY
Song Swap at the Blue Note (usually 1st Thursdays)
Live Music at Johnnies on Britton
Open Mic Night at Core4 Brewing
Open Mic Night at Bookish
DJ nights at Ponyboy
Live Music at Johnnie’s on Britton
Celtic Jam at the Banjo Museum - 4th
DJ nights at Ponyboy
Live Music at Johnnie’s on Britton
Celtic music at Full Circle Bookstore
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Songwriter Sessions - 3rd Sundays at Core4 Brewing
Tea & Zines at Floating Bookshop
SUNDAY
New (Free) Zines
The full piece from last month on Alcohol Awareness and Straight Edge fandom by Granny Anarchy F3ral (Angrrr No. 3.3) by Granny Anarchy Summer CAMP (revised, iconic version) by Meg Nance-Coker A Treat for Your Guests scrap collage zine by Meg Nance-Coker
This month’s prompt: May Be
Next month’s prompt: Celebrate
Ask for a collaborator link, send us your picks for either playlist, or drop us a line via IG (@MetroSpecialCollections), FB (the OK UMA group & Metro SCR page), or email at Oklahoma.UMA@gmail.com
Realistic Fiction for me; I’ve been especially into author Emily Austen lately. -Zoe
I want to read (and write, and watch) ALL THE THINGS.
(Referencing “Hyperbole and a Half”)
Recently I’ve been enjoying some genre hybrids, like Barbara Truelove’s “Of Monsters and Mainframes,” Greer Strother’s “Apparently Sir Cameron Needs to Die,” and Nancy Cummings’ “Monsters of the Nexus” series. -Jackalope
Urban Fantasy like Seanan McGuire's “Toby Daye” series/Terri Windling's “Bordertown” (then Sci-Fi pandemic a la Mira Grant's Feed.) -Granny Anarchy
I like it all, but I need it in different forms. Sci-fi is watching only. Realistic fiction is read or watch. And fantasy is every form besides wordy books lol (graphic novel format is great.) -Primal Opossum
Speaking of books.....it’s almost Summer Reading season at the Metropolitan Library System. :) Learn more about (or sign up for) this all-ages reading challenge at MetroLibrary.org/SummerReading!
