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INSIDE COVER This summer is a celebration of beer and BBQ, a great American tradition.

Photo by Jared Kinley Talent: Caleb Montgomery and Shadia Weber

NEWS 5 7 8

Krysta Henry-Holland profile COMMENTARY Robin Meyers Chicken Fried News

EAT & DRINK 11

COVER Smoked Out BBQ

12 COVER Summer beer reviews 14 COVER Local spices

15 COVER Rescue Dog Hot Sauce 17 COVER Summer ciders

18 COVER Vegetarian barbecue 20

Gazedibles

ARTS & CULTURE 23

OKG Picks

NOW PLAYING

WATCHPLAYITLOUD.COM

MUSIC 27 29

Speakeasy jazz nights Live music

THE HIGH CULTURE 30

Strain reviews

FUN 30 31

Astrology Puzzles sudoku | crossword

Queensrÿche with great white

VOL. XLIV NO. 14 PUBLISHER Bryan Hallman | bhallman@okgazette.com

AUGUST 27

EDITOR Matt Dinger | mdinger@okgazette.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Berlin Green | bgreen@okgazette.com BUSINESS MANAGER Kelsey Lowe | kelsey.lowe@okgazette.com ADVERTISING advertising@okgazette.com 405-528-6000 CIRCULATION MANAGER Patrick Hanscom | phanscom@okgazette.com CONTRIBUTORS Jerry Bennett KM Bramlett Brett Fieldcamp Evan Jarvicks Robin Meyers

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COVER STORY

Deep seated KRYSTA HENRY-HOLLAND HAS MADE A LIFE OUT OF SOMETHING MOST OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED WHEN VISITING BARS AND RESTAURANTS — THE SEATING.

By Berlin Green

You may not think much about the booth you slide into when visiting your favorite restaurant, but you’re often sitting on a carefully handcrafted work of art. In Oklahoma City, it’s very likely you’re seated on the work of Krysta Henry-Holland.

Henry-Holland’s hands have transformed the aesthetics of hundreds of restaurants throughout the city, and like many arts performed by skilled tradesmen, the work blends seamlessly into the surroundings without calling attention to itself.

She began sewing and working with fabrics in her youth, picked up a job at Hancock Fabrics then moved into management at a drapery manufacturing company. She consumed as much information as she could, learning the fundamentals and igniting her passion in the field. Then she took a breath and a deep dive, founding All in One Piece Upholstery.

“I went into an upholstery shop and said ’I can do upholstery,’ which I couldn’t, but I faked it,” HenryHolland said. “I would watch these old guys do upholstery and pretend like I was going to chat with them, but I would be intently watching what they were doing. Then I would just mimic it and they didn’t ever know. I became really good friends with the owner of that company and about ten years later, he asked, ‘You know why I hired you as an upholsterer?’ I said, ‘I don’t know.’ He said, ‘Because the way you shook my hand, I knew you were an upholsterer. That’s an upholsterer’s handshake.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s funny because I didn’t know shit about upholstery.’ He laughed and said, ‘I think you’re maybe one of the only human beings I could ever even imagine succeeding in that.’ Because it’s just not something you can just pick up, it is hard. That’s why you have a lot of apprenticeships and training in upholstery. I think it was very natural to me. I feel like I was born to do it. I was definitely born to work with fabric.”

Henry studied in London before finishing out her bachelor’s degree in fashion design in Los Angeles. From there, her career skyrocketed, winning awards and landing covers, but it wasn’t the life she wanted.

“When my partner and I won an award for fashion design, that was really radical stuff. It was like the upholstery on bodies, essentially, because that’s what I’ve always gravitated towards. It was art on the runway and it was a big deal. We were on the front page of the L.A. Times and the front page of the Chicago Tribune. I’ve been in every magazine that I’ve ever wanted to be in and I just didn’t like it. I didn’t like the ‘who you know, who you’re dressing’ aspect of it. If who you knew and who you dressed paid you Krysta Henry-Holland seated in one of the booths she completed this year for The Blue Note. Photo by Berlin Green what you were worth, then it would have been worth it. I was a to achieve,” Henry-Holland said. teach it. I want younger people to well-known fashion designer and The passion she has for her work is learn it, but you have to get ready to poor. That doesn’t make any sense. evident and hopes that others will be poor to learn because nobody’s You’d have to really love it to go carry on the tradition. going to pay you very much to learn through those however many years “I’m truly honored. Blue-collar because they have to stop what they’re it would take to start generating work is underrated so badly, everydoing to teach. Plus, you have to be money in a place like Los Angeles, so where in the world, to be highlighted good at business and be good at upthe juice wasn’t worth the squeeze to at all for it, because this is what I love. holstery. You cannot just be good at me. And I don’t like that type of limeI don’t really feel like I have a choice one. It took me a long time to be good light, it kind of freaks me out, so I got in the matter. I’m not happy doing at business. I was good enough at upaway from all that. I moved back here anything else. It’s something I work holstery that I could do one piece a and did upholstery immediately,” really, really hard to make look good week, but I was bad at business, so I Henry-Holland said. and to give people a good product and failed over and over again until I In her 22-year upholstery career, make them happy as well. That’s half learned it. And we have to teach these she has produced hundreds of booths of the fun to me. The second I start trades, and more trades, because it’s for restaurants and businesses forgetting that and just thinking getting to where nobody is doing throughout the state, including about money, I’m miserable,” Henrythem. We were all steered away from Empire Slice House, Ponyboy, Holland said. trades and told to go to college. Now Summer Moon Coffee, Rock’ N Brew, A lot of time, effort and meticulous we have all of these negative spaces Eddie’s and The R&J Lounge and craftsmanship go into the trade. The where trades need tradesmen. We Supper Club. work that goes into skiving, binding need electricians, we need mechanics, “I’ve done so many that it’s hard to and tufting different fabrics and we need a pulse on upholstery because pick a favorite. When I was asked to forming cushions can be strenuous, it’s really dying because of how do the HiLo [Club], I was shocked but so it takes a lot of training and physicomplex it is. I know of ten upholstervery honored. When Chris became cal strength to stretch the fabric and ers all over the world that are online, the owner of Blue Note and called me carry heavy pieces when building or that I would give my furniture to, and for that project, I was even more restoring furniture. Factory-made that’s scary to me. Some of them are excited about that because he wanted upholstery, often seen in larger chain older and they’re great, but they’re to really put a lot of love into it. I love restaurants, is usually made by not online to market themselves. when a customer wants to do that heavily underpaid workers or specialTherefore, they’re not young enough because then I get to really do my art ized machines, and the dwindling to keep that business going. So it’s a and have a lot of fun. I love patent private industry is heavily dominated very dying industry,” she said. anything, so Burger Punk will always by men. Henry-Holland hopes to see Visit facebook.com/allinonepiebe one of my favorites. I love the black more diversity and better wages in ceupholstery texture and the tufted bar top. I’ve the field and stresses the importance always been really proud of Ludivine of teaching trades and business. because it still looks exactly the same “I’m not going to be able to physias when I installed it, which is hard cally do it forever, so I am trying to COVER STORY OKGA Z ET TE .COM | J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2

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COMMENTARY

Welcome to the wild west

By Robin Meyers

This is how we were warned it would be — the Second Amendment as a blanket right to carry guns anywhere with few exceptions.

Clarence Thomas, writing for the super-conservative majority that is the enduring gift of former President Trump, finally found his voice in defense of the indefensible: The Second Amendment, he wrote, guarantees “an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.”

No, it doesn’t.

It is part of what in logic is called a conditional statement, also known as an if/then statement. It is based on a world we no longer inhabit, in which to maintain a “well-regulated militia,” citizens needed weapons. The framers feared the British would invade again, and farmers needed to be able to grab their single-shot, barrel-loaded muskets and meet in the town square.

Because we needed a militia, therefore people needed guns. There was no domestic police force, no branches of the military and no National Guard.

The Second Amendment has nothing to do with citizens carrying military assault weapons around to protect themselves from other citizens, and that’s why every court challenge has ruled that, as Samuel Alito has written, the Second Amendment is not absolute. So at just the moment when we actually got some gun control measures passed after 30 years of expansion, the Supreme Court more than nullifies it by giving the National Rifle Association the right to challenge every gun-carrying restriction (imagine guns at crowded sporting events and on airplanes) on constitutional grounds.

Think about it. This court has ruled that women do not have the final say over their own reproduction rights but that everyone can carry a lethal weapon in public on constitutional grounds. Our horrific gun violence problem will only get worse — this from the so-called pro-life crowd.

I don’t know about you, but when I see someone with a gun on hip (which is a more frequent occurrence and will become commonplace now), I don’t want to even have a conversation with them.

We will fear the “other” even more

The Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, photo provided.

than we already do, and every stranger will represent a potential judge, jury and executioner. Fear, which is the enemy of the moral life, will only increase, and we will move silently around people in public. We will be shut down by the thought that any exchange could escalate into a “stand your ground” moment of murder.

Remember, all you have to prove is that you “felt” threatened and you are safe to open fire. Have we gone mad?

Yes. Will we stand our ground for peace, justice, and nonviolence?

Yes. Will that be even harder now?

Absolutely.

If you feel like you are about to wake up in a country you no longer recognize, then make no mistake about who is destroying it, and get to the ballot box come hell or high water.

Lord have mercy.

The Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers is pastor of First Congregational Church UCC in Norman and retired senior minister of Mayflower Congregational UCC in Oklahoma City. He is currently Professor of Public Speaking, and Distinguished Professor of Social Justice Emeritus in the Philosophy Department at Oklahoma City University, and the author of eight books on religion and American culture, the most recent of which is, Saving God from Religion: A Minister’s Search for Faith in a Skeptical Age. Visit robinmeyers.com

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Illustrations by Jerry Bennett

How much weed is too much weed? Oklahoma seems determined to find out.

The legislature this session enacted a moratorium on new medical cannabis business licenses after August. However, a group of activists told them to hold their bong, delivering a ballot initiative petition with enough signatures to put the questions to voters in November that aims to create an adult-use, or recreational, cannabis program to operate concurrently.

“The Oklahomans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (OSML) campaign announced on Tuesday that it had turned in over 164,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office. They need 94,911 of the submissions to be valid in order

to qualify the proposed statutory amendment,” according to Marijuana Moment.

This is the second attempt at legalizing recreational cannabis here — the first was derailed by COVID-19 in 2020 after its signature gathering period was delayed

by Tulsa gadf ly Paul Tay. Meanwhile, there are two other recreational petitions making the rounds because, contrary to popular belief, cannabis doesn’t bring peace and unity, at least not within the industry itself which has more internal feuds and drama than the Ultimate Fighting Ch a mpion sh ip a nd World

Wrest l i ng Entertainment combined.

With any luck, the voters will decide definitively whether we want to make access to cannabis as easy for adults as alcohol, but if

history is any indicator, we’re not holding our hit.

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Nearly 70 percent of Republicans gave Kevin a thumbs-up for a second term as governor even though the only ways he’s made this a top-ten state is if you’re counting from the bottom.

Just shy of a quarter-million Republicans cast a ballot in his favor while just over 110,000 ballots were cast among three other candidates, according to the state election board.

But at least they showed up, or at least nearly a third of registered ones did.

Even hot on the heels of a polarizing event like the overturning of Roe v.

Wade, fewer than a quarter of registered Democrats did. That’s being generous and not lumping a single one of the 380,000 independent voters into those tallies, even though the Democratic primaries were open to them once again.

Hell, they couldn’t even get an

actual Democrat in the gubernatorial race, with nearly 61 percent of voters picking former Republican Joy Hofmeister over the progressive former state senator Connie Johnson.

And it’s not like the opposition has heads to spare, with more than 40,000 Democrats here jumping ship from the party between 2020 and 2022, while the Republicans picked up more than 110,000 new registrations.

If that sounds defeatist, maybe it is.

But if you combine the number of Democrats with independent voters, they would total 48.6 percent of the state’s voters compared to the 50.6 percent the Republicans have if every single voter turned out.

It will only take a few more election cycles before Oklahoma decisively ceases to be the “our land” of Woody Guthrie fame and hoists its flag as the Trump Party headquarters.

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Smoked lounge SMOKED OUT BBQ HAS EXPANDED, SERVING ALTERNATE VERSIONS OF ITS BARBECUE AND CRAFT COCKTAILS AT ITS NYC -THEMED ADJACENT LOUNGE.

By Matt Dinger Photos by Berlin Green

While Smoked Out BBQ seems like an obvious cannabis reference, its origin is completely barbecue-derived.

“I was living in Yukon at the time.

And I bought this 3,500-pound smoker. We put it on a trailer and it’s massive. The neighbors and everything would bring me food to smoke on it. I’d fire it up and you’d see this big flue and all that smoke coming out like a choo choo train,” co-founder Leroy Richardson said.

“Well, one day the neighbor came.

I was out there smoking. He was like, ‘Leroy, I love your smoked food and it’s great and wonderful but come to my house with me for a second.’ I walked into his house. Oh my gosh. All you could see was smoke. It almost made you feel like his house was on fire. He said, ‘That’s from your big smoker. Do you mind moving it kind of down to the street a little bit? Because you’re literally smoking me out.’”

Richardson immediately registered the name with the Oklahoma Secretary of State and soon after purchased a food truck with his partner Jacque Lucas.

“I told her I never wanted to own another restaurant. My parents had a restaurant and it was so much work.

You pretty much marry it,” Richardson said.

So even though Smoked Out BBQ was never intended to become a brickand-mortar restaurant, that plan was almost immediately cast aside.

“It blew up very, very quickly.

People wanted us open more than we were open. We actually stopped by this location where we’re at today to buy a refrigerator for the food truck from the guy that had Green and Grilled and he told us he was selling the place. We saw the colors and the layout. We were like, ‘ We’re sold.’

And that’s how it went down.

That fast.”

After a few The Blue Note at Metro 623.

modifications to the existing space, Smoked Out, 6220 Northwest Expressway Suite B, opened in August 2018 with an expanded menu.

A few months later, dispensaries began opening in the state, creating a synergy between the green-andbl a c k c olor palette of the restaurant and the burgeoning cannabis market.

“We just ran with it from there and now we have a good play on words with the dispensaries and stuff like that.

Everyone thinks with a dispensary right next door that it’s infused. They’re not sure, so that adds another element of business, actually. They’ll come in and check us out,” he said.

The recipes were handed down from Richardson’s grandmother to his father and were then tweaked by he and Lucas, who died in a car crash last year.

“The mac and cheese is now called the Jacq and Cheese in honor of Jacque Lucas. The banana pudding that she came up with was pretty awesome. Still is. So we named it Jacque’s Pudding,” Richardson said.

The adjacent dispensary, Nature’s Cure, also decided to honor Lucas.

“They bred Jacque’s two favorite strains, which was White Widow Extreme and RC-99, and they named it Smoked Out. Right now, it’s curing. It’s drying out right now and then they ’re gonna sell it and they’re probably gonna keep going

The Smoked Out BBQ menu includes selections likes the Pineapple Express sandwich and curly fries (left) and combo plates like ribs and pulled pork with sides of coleslaw and baked beans. (above.)

in honor of her,” Richardson said.

“We wouldn’t be here without her. She was kind of the glue. Her and I created this. I’ve known Jacque pretty much my entire life. She’s from Watonga. We dated in high school, dated some in college and then we kind of went our separate ways for many, many years and we rekindled our relationship about a year before we got the food truck. And once we got the food truck, we kind of dove right in and moved in together and the rest is history until last year on I-240, she had that car accident and that kind of changed my whole world.

But we’re still keeping it going and trying to keep it strong in her memory and in her name,” Richardson said.

Since Lucas passed, Richardson’s cousin, Durant Jones, stepped in and together they founded the Metro 623, the lounge and bar directly to the west of Smoked Out. It opened in January.

“We use all the smoked meats from Smoked Out BBQ and put them on quesadilla sliders. We have brisket burgers over there. The food quality at Metro is not your typical bar food by far. You can basically get anything from Smoked Out BBQ over there at Metro. You may just get a smaller portion because it is a bar versus a big restaurant, but you can still get the same quality,” Richardson said.

“Me and my cousin, we were as close as you can get growing up. He lived right down the dirt road from me. We were roommates in college.

We were roommates when we came

to Oklahoma City. Currently today we are neighbors. Our houses are next door to each other. Literally. So we’re probably closer than you can get to brothers than anything else. And during the whole time of being roommates we always loved big city themes.

Our whole apartment or wherever we live always had pictures of like New York City, Chicago, just different places like that. So we decided to do a New York City themed bar.”

In contrast to the dark colors next door, Metro 623 is decked out in bright neon signs with televisions showing video footage of New York City’s boroughs.

The “Metro” portion is a reference to the subway system and Richardson, Jones and Lucas are all from Watonga where the local phone prefixes all begin with “623.”

Many of the signature cocktails’ names are music-derived.

“Almost everyone in my family plays an instrument or sings, something like that. So we have the Drunken Symphony. The Blue Note.

We’re playing lounge music over there. Real chill vibe. We’re going to have some live music come in. My brother and my nephew and then my other cousin, they’re going to come in and do some jam sessions in there,” Richardson said.

Still a work in progress, they now have a pizza oven and are working on recipes.

“We’re looking at doing some craft pizzas with some barbecue toppings.

We’re even thinking about allowing burnt ends to be one of the toppings.

I don’t think anyone’s ever done a burnt end pizza, so that would be fun,” Richardson said.

Visit smokedoutbbq.green

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COVER STORY

Summer sessions HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY OKLAHOMA BEERS THAT YOU’LL FIND THIS SEASON TO ACCOMPANY YOU AROUND CAMPFIRES, IN THE WATER OR IN THE BACKYARD WITH FRIENDS THIS BLISTERING SUMMER.

By Matt Dinger

SOLERICAN

PINTS OF PERSIA

American Solera

Angry Scotsman

To be completely honest, it’s damn difficult to put an American Solera beer on a list like this because there’s absolutely a chance that it’ll already be impossible to find and you likely won’t ever see it appear again. Chase Healey is a legendary Oklahoma brewer, so you can really just pick any of their beers and put it at the top. There are no core beers and basically everything is a one-off, so if you try something you love, rush back and stock up before your chance is gone forever.

The summer seasonal from Angry Scotsman is making a late appearance this year, with the latest batch expected to be available in early August, but it’ll be worth the wait. The saffron in this witbier is its most distinguishing characteristic, with the orange and hibiscus providing a level of sweetness without being too sweet and a floral finish without being overly flowery.

The Factor 50 and Gateway to Helles are good alternatives if you prefer your brews less earthy.

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BLACK BERRY LAGER

PEACH PAGEANT

CUCUMBER SAISON

Anthem Brewing

COOP Ale Works

Elk Valley Brewing Co.

Fruited sours are the norm, so to see a fruit lager is definitely attention-getting. This one is new to the packaged scene and is exactly what it promises. Definitely lager-forward with a subtle hint of berry, this is the perfect complement to Anthem’s Phone Home (their blackberry sour, which is currently available on draft at their taproom).

This one is making a repeat appearance on an Oklahoma Gazette list because it’s earned its place.

A Berliner weisse with subtle peach flavor and the lowest alcohol content on this slate at 4.1 percent ABV, celebrate National Peach Month (August) early with this session beer or keep your eyes open for the lager “discovery pack” that’s just arriving in stores with its selection of blue corn, bock, cerveza and Italian varieties.

Elk Valley has been going gangbusters with its limited releases lately — including an excellent pair of meads if you’re curious about dipping your toes into the world of fermented honey — but their cucumber saison might be the lightest, most crushable summer beer on the market.

Pretty of saisons come in strong, but this one registers at just 4.3 percent ABV and the cucumber is noticeable without being overbearing (if it’s even possible for cucumber to be so). This one is perfectly suited for the hottest of days.

FARM HOUSE FRIENDS

TINY ESSES

NADA NADA

REZ DOG

NEON PASSION

Stonecloud Brewing Co. + Fair-Weather Friend

Prairie Artisan Ales

Roughtail Brewing

Skydance Brewing

Stonecloud Brewing Co.

Adrienne and Reed Jaskula, the founders of FairWeather Friend, relocated from Ohio to continue their careers in Oklahoma beer.

While Reed went to work crafting some notable selections that are still available from Prairie, Adrienne op ene d St one c loud ’s taproom, so it’s only fitting that the two breweries (which aren’t more than a stone’s throw or so apart from each other) collaborated on this hoppy farmhouse ale that showcases the strengths of both.

I’m not saying there’s Skittles in this, but it totally tastes like Prairie Artisan Ales just dumped a palmful of them straight from the bag onto your tongue. A taproom favorite, Prairie finally decided to make this one available in its line of packaged sours and its definitely going to pick up plenty of new fans, even if only for its novelty value (though if you’re a fan of dessert beers, you’re going to love this one).

Roughtail put themselves on the map with Everything Rhymes with Orange IPA (did you notice it on the cover?), but the taproom menu sours always shine, so it’s nice to get a taste of that at home. The Nada Nada Pink Limonada is a well-balanced ale brewed with lemon and strawberry. Neither too sweet nor too sour, it’s a welcome excursion but nothing beats getting a draft of it from the “sour power” offerings on the packed taproom board.

Another easy day drinker, the Rez Dog (“easily identifiable by the limp in his step or the battle wounds from a tough life on the rez”) is an American blonde ale made with pilsner malt, so it’s the most “beer-flavored” beer on the list. Skydance is among the newer Oklahoma City breweries though it’s definitely already earned its credentials. While the Rez Dog is definitely a sessionable summer beer, don’t sleep on their more challenging creations.

Stonecloud bills this one as “liquid summer love” and it’s hard to disagree. A Belgian witbier brewed with passionfruit, it doesn’t get much more summery than this but has a 5.5 percent ABV, which means it can take its toll if you pound one after another (and you’ll want to) in the sun’s strongest rays. If that’s the route you want to go, you’d probably better favor the Lite or the Havana Affair, but for the flavor, a well-paced number of these will take you calmly into the sunset.

COVER STORY OKGA Z ET TE .COM | J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2

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COVER STORY

Auspicious spices THREE UP-AND-COMING ENTREPRENEURIAL BRANDS ARE WOOING CUSTOMER TASTE BUDS THROUGH DISTINCT, SIMPLIFIED APPROACHES TO THE SEASONING BUSINESS.

By Evan Jarvicks

Even with a recipe, measuring spoons and a well-stocked spice cabinet, those untrained in the culinary arts can find seasoning a selfcooked meal from scratch a daunting notion. Too much of one spice or not enough of another can ruin a dish, and the thought of all of those extra steps alone can be enough to reach for convenience foods instead.

Fortunately, a new wave of local seasoning brands is taking the effort and guesswork out of the ordeal for kitchen novices looking to spice up their quality of dining.

The house always wins For folks in search of a reliable, all-in-one universal blend, Orton’s House Seasonings offers a single signature product that promises flavor for just about any protein or vegetable dish. Some customers have tried it on eggs, popcorn, and even prime rib with ecstatic feedback, and others have reported that the picky eaters under their roof love it as well.

The product label indicates that the Orton’s House blend dates to 2011, but it has only been the past couple of years that the brand has been available to the public. Owned and operated by Oklahoma City couple Larry and Karen Orton, the business only took root after one momentous family graduation. “[Our nephew] asked if we would give him a graduation dinner,” Karen Orton said. “We said, ‘Absolutely, what would you like on the menu?’ He said, ‘Most definitely Uncle Larry’s fried chicken with Orton’s Seasoning.’”

To prep the meal, Karen Orton enlisted the help of her caterer cousin, who was so taken with the seasoning that she asked to have the unused leftovers.

“About a week later, she called me and said, ‘We put this seasoning on everything! We call it the House Seasoning. Y’all need to put this in a bottle and sell it,’” Karen Orton said. “So that is exactly what we did.”

While the House Seasoning has been the Ortons’ singular product since launch, they are open to sug-

gestions. Recently, they released a low sodium option due to customer requests, and going forward, they intend to work up a spicy version.

O r t o n ’s House Seasonings can be purchased online at ortonshouseseasonings.com, but Nourished Roots Spice Co. set up at the Scissortail Farmers Market. Photo provided. its seasonings can also be found at multiple shops and food “I found a gap in the market “There is a giant misconception trucks in the state (plus a store in where people want well-balanced that if you are camping, you have to Ohio). This portfolio includes one spice blends to easily add flavor and rough it,” Davis said. “We completeemotionally resonant storefront in variety to their weekly menus ly disagree with that. Our goal is to downtown Guthrie, Willoby’s Feed without all the unnecessary addigive people the confidence to keep & Outfitters, where Karen Orton’s tives,” Farnet said. “My goal with the adventure going once they get grandparents used to purchase feed my spices is to teach people that to camp.” for their farming work. healthy doesn’t have to mean bland.”

Launched earlier this year with “Every time I walk in Willoby’s, For consumers still looking to get his wife, Brittni, the Bartlesvilleit brings fond memories of my sodium in their diet, Nourished based brand zeroes in on three wellgrandparents and tears of joy Roots’ products allow folks to separounded products that provide verknowing they would be ecstatic to rately salt to taste and season to taste satility without sacrificing precious see their grandchild’s product in the to find the ideal custom balance. camping space. The Triple Locked same store,” Karen Orton said.

“Whether you have hypertension, blend is an all-purpose offering, the diabetes, kidney disease, or generIntents blend has an approachable Globetrotting for wellness ally just trying to be more aware of sweet heat angle, and the Snorkel your ingredients, my spices are the blend was made with fish in mind.

The average Oklahoma kitchen perfect fit,” Farnet said.

“It is absolutely delicious on may not seem like a window into Nourished Roots Spice Co. prodseafood, but honestly, we use this adventure, but Nourished Roots ucts can be found in an assortment one the most,” Davis said. “It is a Spice Co. invites a world of possiof shops around the state, includstrong punch of flavor that pairs bilities to those willing to sample ing Uptown Grocery in OKC, perfectly with Triple Locked, espeits product line of geographicallywhere the entire spice line is cially on veggies.” minded spice blends. shelved at eye level. The seasonWhile still very new to the seaHealth-conscious eaters have ings can also be purchased online soning world, Overland Spices is gobbled up the brand’s strict no-salt, at nourishedrootsco.com. hooking a niche following with lifeno-sugar, no-calorie approach, al“I hope these spices make cooking style shops such as Tulsa’s Okie lowing them to try out any of the apfeel more like an experience and less Overland now carrying the brand. proximate dozen seasonings curlike a chore,” Farnet said. “I want to Products can also be ordered dirently offered by Nourished Roots. inspire people to play with new culrectly through overlandspices.com.

These include Greek, Thai, Egyptian, tural cuisines and eat homemade.”

“I have dreamed of owning my and Jamaican, but there are also own line of spices and sauces for a options closer to home. The Okie Rub Savoring the outdoors long time,” Davis said. “I grew up is a strong seller, and another has with a father who bled BBQ … Good roots just a couple of states away.

“What is overlanding? There are flavors paired with competing in “I am originally from New many terms and different jargon, BBQ competitions [meant] I was Orleans, so my Cajun seasoning is but the simplest form is this: glorialways around deliciousness.” my baby,” owner Kelsey Farnet said. fied car camping,” Tate Davis, owner Now, with a spice line focused on Now a five-year OKC resident, the of Overland Spices, said. the overland community, happy entrepreneur has been to at least half Where most spice companies campers can always be around deof the places in her spice line with have domestic meals in mind, liciousness too. more on her bucket list. It was not Overland Spices caters to outdoors travel alone that sparked the idea to enthusiasts. Cooking in the wild is launch the new business, however. synonymous with scrappy resourceIn addition to studying food in fulness and bare necessities, but as Greece during college which sharpthis brand proves, a lean ingredient ened her skills to become a private count doesn’t have to translate to a chef, she is also a registered dietician. lean appetite.

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COVER STORY

Sauce to the rescue TIM HEITZMAN FOLLOWED HIS PASSION FOR COOKING TO CRAFT A LINE OF HOT SAUCE THAT’S PICKING UP STEAM EVERYWHERE IT GOES. Story and photos by Berlin Green

Tim Heitzman started making hot sauces as gifts for family but now the brand is setting hearts — and tongues — ablaze.

“For the holidays, I would always make teriyaki sauce and spice rubs as gifts,” Heitzman said.

“Things I knew my dad and brother would use, but also that I could afford to make and would last them for a while. So for his birthday, I made a copycat of a Valentina’s and a version of a mango habanero that I really liked. I had about five or six bottles left over, so I went to The Pump

Market District. People soon started paying attention.

“I made a hundred bucks my first day. I was super excited because it was my thing, my idea, my design.

It was mine, whereas when I worked for other people, I was making someone else’s stuff. It’s really exciting for me that people are willing to spend money on something I’ve created,” he said.

Signature flavors like roasted red pepper with espresso and pineapple manzano were big hits, allowing Heitzman to expand his vision. A partnership with

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Tim Heitzman, owner of Rescue Dog Hot Sauce and Maya.

Bar and then to Roughtail [Brewing Co.], gave away a couple of bottles and before long, people would ask when I was making more. So I would do this once every couple of weeks. By the time summer rolled around, I was consistently getting people asking to make more. By then I’d come up with a name, but I didn’t take it that seriously.”

Heitzman reached out to a friend, Oklahoma City artist Anthony Pego, to help complete the branding. The logo, featuring Tim’s rescued pit bull Maya, brought Rescue Dog Hot Sauce to life. Last August, Rescue Dog Hot Sauce made its first appearance at the Delmar Gardens in the Farmers

Roughtail Brewing Co. inspired Everything Rhymes With Hot Sauce, a collaboration infused with the brewery’s signature Everything Rhymes With Orange IPA, followed

by Mango Unchained, made with their Sancho Mexican-style gose.

“I use a lot of manzano peppers and habaneros because those two pair really well,” Heitzman said.

“Manzanos are not really common, but they’re like a habanero, but with a little less heat, so they help strengthen the sauces, plus they pair really well with fruit, so anything I do with fruit is going to have those peppers.”

As Rescue Dog Hot Sauce continues to grow, Tim pays it forward COVER STORY OKGA Z ET TE .COM | J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2

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to local animal advocacy groups by offering customers a discount in exchange for a donation of pet supplies. He plans to expand the brand’s offerings to more sauces and other products to give customers more options. The Pump Bar recently debuted a Peach Bourbon BBQ sauce for its Wing Wednesday, and a partnership with Equity Brewing produced a new sauce for their first anniversary.

For someone like me, that was kind of the life — working on my favorite food trucks in front of my favorite bar. My dog, Tiago, would be outside the truck half the time and people loved to see him. I wasn’t swimming in money, but I was about the happiest I’d ever been.

That place made me realize that I have more fun if I’m around a product I enjoy, around people that enjoy it. So hanging out at a

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Rescue Dog Hot Sauce is available in a variety of vibrant colors and flavors.

Not one to let the flavor shine alone, Heitzman creates quirky names to go with his spicy sauces.

“I’m a big fan of Wu-Tang [Clan].

So the dill pickle one is The ODB — Old Dilly Bastard — and the mango is Mango Unchained. Then of course, there are the really funny ones like This Sauce Sucks, which is a collaboration with Mercury Lounge in Tulsa.”

Heitzman’s love for food started young, soaking up the recipes his family crafted in the kitchen.

“I figured if my parents were at work and I wanted something, I wanted to be able to make it myself — say chicken fried steak — then I could because I’ve watched her do it. So I would just hang out in the kitchen and watch. I love chocolate cream pie, so I’d watch my grandma and learn,” he said.

Heitzman studied public relations, but the kitchen always called his name. He moved from Oklahoma City to Tulsa to start a food truck, but when the venture didn’t work out, Heitzman pivoted to a position at Lone Wolf Banh Mi. Eager to get into the kitchen and learn new techniques from more experienced chefs, he learned more about making recipes from scratch and discovered his true passion.

“This style of stuff is more my ballpark. I would have so much fun working the truck in front of our favorite bar in downtown Tulsa.

taproom, hanging out at a bar, hanging out with my dog and having a beer while I’m trying to sell my own product, it’s almost the kind of life I wish I would have been able to lead prior. I’m gonna sink or swim depending on how well I do. That’s why I’ve got to work hard. I have that PR degree and I haven’t done a lot with it, but I finally am because I have to market myself,” Heitzman said.

The dive into entrepreneurship hasn’t come rife with riches, but creating a product that people enjoy brings Heitzman all he needs.

“It’s almost like I’m kind of living paycheck to paycheck still, but I’m happy doing it,” Heitzman said.

“Whereas, you know, if I was in an office or waiting tables or whatever, if I wasn’t happy doing what I was doing, I would do what I’ve always done, leave and go do something else. I’ve been self-employed for like nine-plus months now. That’s nine more months than I ever thought I’d be self-employed and I’m happy.”

Visit rescuedoghotsauce.com

EAT & DRINK

MY, THE CIDER GAME HAS DEFINITELY UPPED ITSELF IN RESPONSE TO THE CRAFT BEER REVOLUTION. HERE ARE SURVEYS OF THREE BRANDS THAT HAVE REALLY STEPPED IT UP IN RECENT YEARS.

Stem

The most notable thing about this 4-pack sampler is how far apart the ciders represented are on a spectrum. On the traditional end, you have the real dry cider and the pear apple cider (which is made from the juice of freshly-pressed pears) and both carry themselves well. Then, on opposite ends, you have the gentle flavor of the “hibiscus session,” which is light and airy and boats only a 4.3 percent ABV, and then the stouter chile guava offering, which definitely comes on strong with both flavors but the kick from the chiles in the mix are lasting and not for those who don’t enjoy an amply spicy aftertaste.

Woodchuck Woodchuck has long been a staple of Oklahoma liquor stores with their traditional ciders, but they have since gone absolutely wild with the variations. The gentlest is the paloma-inspired cider, which eases you into the “Pearsecco,” the hardest of the bunch with a definite dry wine finish. The mimosa version amps up the orange juice flavor over the sparkling wine but both are intact and the peach bellini version is vibrant upon the taste buds with the fruit bursting through the semisweetness of the cider itself.

Ace If you like your ciders strong in both profile and in alcohol content, Ace is the way to go. Two of their ciders, the Joker and the Ace High imperial, clock in with higher than average ABVs, at 6.9 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively. Both have a comparably dry flavor, but the craftsmanship is such that it’s hard to distinguish between these and the 5 percent alcohol content of their other ciders (guava, mango, pear and pineapple).

The added juices of the flavored varieties definitely add to the sweetness, with the guava, mango and pear represented strongly while the pineapple is more toned down than you might expect.

The berry ginger flavor sounds like it would clash but actually works well too.

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COVER STORY

BBQ, hold the meat IF YOU THINK YOU CAN’T MAKE A MEAN BBQ MENU WITHOUT MEAT, YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVEN’T TRIED ANY OF THE VEGAN OPTIONS OKLAHOMA HAS TO OFFER.

By KM Bramlett Photos provided

Nabati

7101 Northwest Expressway #300

Nabati is the spot for vegan BBQinspired pizza.

This casual Mediterranean restaurant has an impressive variety of pizzas, platters, sandwiches, and desserts. Nabati means “plant-based” in Arabic, and vegans will appreciate being able to order anything from the 100 percent vegan menu.

Try the BBQ pizza with crispy bits of chick’n and very convincing vegan cheese. For a tangier and spicier option, order it buffalo-style.

You can also build your own pie from their selection of plant-based pepperoni, chick’n, or Beyond sausage with vegetables and/or the ever-controversial pineapple.

The hand-tossed crust at Nabati is perfectly chewy and crispy around the edges but extra-thin and glutenfree crust options are available.

It’s salad season, so pair it with a refreshing Greek salad or tabbouleh. Being true vegan, Nabati’s desserts, including the baklava, are all honey-free.

Both indoor and outdoor seating is available. They’re open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Visit nabatiokc.com

The Loaded Bowl 1211 SW 2nd St.

Nobody does vegan comfort foods and BBQ-inspired take-out better than The Loaded Bowl.

Located in the Farmers Market District, The Loaded Bowl opened in 2013 as the first vegan food truck in the metro and helped establish the plant-based food scene. After opening a brick-and-mortar location in 2016, they shifted to a carry-out only format to roll with the challenges of the pandemic.

Satisfy your comfort food cravings with their BBQ mac and cheese bowl, which is creamy cashew mac and cheese topped with their plant-based TLB BBQ chicken and green onions, or try the spicy buffalo mac bowl with 18 J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 | OKGA Z ET TE .COM COVER STORY

Nabati BBQ Pizza.

TLB chicken, ranch, and parsley.

Pile on the sides with their mashed potato bowl, which contains rosemary mashed potatoes topped with sage gravy, cashew cheese, grilled corn, and fried TLB chicken.

Don’t forget dessert. Be sure to add a cupcake, cookie or other bakery treat to your order. Every month, The Loaded Bowl donates a portion of these proceeds to a charity through their Cookies for a Cause program.

In addition to their cruelty-free offerings, most of their menu items can be made gluten-free.

For eco-conscious consumers, The Loaded Bowl’s ingredients are ethically-sourced and all the packing products they use are reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable.

On top of all that, they’re also avid composters.

The Loaded Bowl is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit theloadedbowlokc.com

MushWings

409 N Walker Ave.

Vegans and vegetarians now have an excellent option for plant-based BBQ wings in OKC thanks to MushWings.

MushWings are battered, seasoned and deep-fried oyster mushrooms, so anyone avoiding lots of processed soy or wheat-glutenbased meat substitutes are covered.

With wings, it’s all about the

are currently open only for drive-thru orders T hu r sd ay t h r oug h Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit beetboxtruck.net

Chimera

212 N. Main St., Tulsa

MushWings BBQ Mushwings and sides.

sauce and they have so many. Too many to list here, but the BBQ, buffalo, honey BBQ, and buffalo lemon pepper sauces are at the top.

Whether you’re eating alone or feeding family and friends, their wings can be ordered in varying quantities, from 6-piece to 75-piece orders, but FYI, orders of 20 pieces or larger require a two-day advance notice.

If you’re not in the mood for wings but still want a hearty meal, try their Kickin Chic’N Sandwich with your choice of sauce, regular or spicy fries and a crunchy pickle on the side.

If you like a lot of heat, don’t forget to try their Ja h L o Cr u nc h ie s , crunchy-fried jalapeño slices that make the perfect garnish on any MushWings menu item.

Gluten-free options are available. Their hours may vary based on supply or other factors.

Visit mushwingsokc. wixsite.com/mushwings

If you’re in Tulsa and catch a craving for vegan BBQ-based grub, stop by Chimera Cafe.

Just a block west from Guthrie Green, their location makes a great spot to park the car, grab some food and head to the park for a picnic, but they also have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Chimera has at least three plantbased BBQ dishes to choose from.

Their cauliflower wings — a menu mainstay — are made of baked cauliflower in house-made wing spicy

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The BeetBox 824 SW 89th St.

These sandwiches will satisfy that Del Rancho Chimera BBQ sandwich or Chick-fil-A craving while earning buffalo and espresso BBQ sauces. you some cruelty-free karma.

A great handheld option is the The vegan Chick’Less sandwich buffalo cauliflower wrap, a flour at The BeetBox was voted one of the tortilla with baked cauliflower in best vegan sandwiches in America the buffalo wing sauce with kale, in VegNews this May. Each starts roasted tomatoes, avocado, and with their proprietary Chick’Less vegan ranch. It comes with your patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and choice of carrots and hummus or onion. The fun part is choosing from chips and salsa on the side. their wide selection of sauces.

Both are excellent, but you might Start with the BBQ, buffalo, or want to start with their newest spicy BBQ sauce and branch out menu item, the Bourbon St. Jack later to try one of their fast-foodDaniel’s bourbon and pineapple inspired sauces, modeled after BBQ sandwich. It’s stacked with sauces from In-N-Out, Raising pulled BBQ jackfruit and a tangy Cane’s, and McDonald’s. slaw made with green cabbage and Be sure to get garlic-herb fries on sweet onion. the side or go crazy with their loaded Their coffee drinks, cocktails, fries, nacho Fries, or Nashville hot and bakery items are also excellent. honey fries, then grab a cookie and Chimera is open Monday through a strawberry lemonade to top it off.

Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday The owners started as a food and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. truck but are temporarily operating and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. a ghost kitchen out of the southside Visit chimeratulsa.com Sunnyside Diner. Currently searching for a permanent brick-and-mortar location, they want to resume food truck service in the future but

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GAZEDIBLES

Deep cuts Ranking favorites among Oklahoma barbecue spots is like choosing a favorite child. If there’s one thing this state can do right, it’s cook slabs of meat.

Here are the seven that come immediately to mind (but please email recommendations to editor@okgazette.com).

By Matt Dinger

Photos provided.

Clark Crew BBQ

The Pig and the Butcher

Edge Craft Barbecue

405-724-8888 • 3510 Northwest Expressway clarkcrewbbq.com

405-849-6199 • 2925 W Britton Road thepigandthebutcher.com

405-768-2970 • 1920 Linwood Blvd. edgecraftbbq.com

Travis Clark has won a ton of awards for his barbecue, so many that listing them all would take a full page, so let’s just say that accolades are moving briskly towards 1,000 (including winning multiple impressive state, regional and world competitions). Dining in can be a lot, so the to-go menu is definitely your friend. There’s no wrong answer with your meat choice but the champion baked beans and signature mac and cheese are definitely the sides where you should start.

While The Pig and the Butcher is known for the central Texas-style barbecue (don’t forget to try the burnt ends on Fridays), what really sets them aside is the brunch menu. Served only on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there are unique offerings like the brisket burrito, which is smothered in queso and barbecue sauce and filled with meat, eggs, cheese, ranch beans and home fries or the biscuits and hot link gravy. Another must-try is the candied bacon, which comes on their biscuit sandwich.

Expect a line even if you’re there when Edge Craft’s doors open at 11 a.m. in the elbow of the Linwood curve, but for central Texas-style barbecue, there’s no comparison. In contrast to many joints, the rib plate is actually the cheaper option but the prime brisket and pulled pork are also worthwhile. It’ll take multiple visits to work your way through the selection of sides, but start with the charro beans and smoked elote and don’t forget the banana pudding.

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King’s Custom Smoked Meats

Back Door BBQ

The Butcher BBQ Stand

Leon’s Smoke Shack

405-294-2160 • 2410 N Portland Ave. kingsbbqokc.com

405-525-7427 • 315 NW 23rd St backdoorbarbecue.com

405-240-3437 • 3402 Oklahoma Highway 66, Wellston • butcherbbqstand.com

918-798-7907 • leonssmokeshackbarbeque.godaddysites.com/

This one’s always been kind of a sleeper in the local barbecue scene, but if you know, you know. One of their most popular promotions is the $2 brisket tacos on Tuesday, but if you’re really in the mood for something special, check out their meat-topped, loaded “potbelly potato,” which are $3 off on Saturday.

The menu has fluctuated a bit over the years. While the BBQ nachos may be gone, King’s has definitely stepped up its rib game lately but the bird wings are as good as ever.

This recommendation comes with a timer. Back Door BBQ has announced that they’ll reportedly cease operations at the end of July due to inflation, so when this issue is off the stands, this barbecue is off the table. Back Door opened in 2014 in Uptown 23rd and outlasted many of its neighbors, offering standard barbecue fare as well as rarer selections like smoked duck and smoked lamb. Make sure to drop in for one last visit for some of the best deviled eggs and slaw in town.

Located just off the first eastern exit along the Turner Turnpike out of OKC, there are four things you need to know: they’re only open Friday through Sunday, get there early, expect to stand in line and don’t expect a gourmet dessert. For those with a sweet tooth, go with the apple pie beans as a side because the Twinkie for a buck might not fully cut it. If you haven’t been in quite some time, know that they now have a fully-enclosed dining area.

Leon’s just opened its second location (though both are located in Tulsa). If you’re a meat glutton, the “little bit of everything” includes tastes of each of Leon’s available meats: beef, bologna, chicken, hot links, pulled pork and smoked sausage for $32 as of June. Don’t expect a lot of side options, with only potato salad, coleslaw and “them beans” offered. This recommendation comes from Apollo Woods (founder of OKC Black Eats and Tulsa Black Eats), who proclaims that the barbecue is so good that you don’t even need sauce with it.

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OKG PICKS are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

BOOKS D.D. Shaputis and Vicky Wedel book signing authors will be signing copies of their books, Burned

by D.D. and The Messy Narrow Road: A Fellow Traveler’s Tips and Encouragement by Vicky, noon-2 p.m. July 16. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok.com. SAT, JULY 16 New Ink meet up-and-coming local independent authors as they network with their new books and writing projects, Sat., July 16, 3-5 p.m. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT, JULY 16 Read the West Book Club a monthly book club that discusses the selected reading for the month over refreshments, 1-2:15 p.m. July 17. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-4782250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. SUN, JULY 17 Scarlett St. Clair book signing the International and USA Today Best Selling author will autograph copies of When Stars Come Out, her new book about a young woman who has the ability to see the dead and transform spirits into coins of gold, 6:30-7:30 p.m. July 26. Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 Northwest Expressway, 405-842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. TUE, JULY 26

FILM Apples (2020, Greece, Poland, Australia & Slovenia, Christos Nikou) during a worldwide pandemic that causes the affected to have sudden amnesia, Aris, a middle-aged man, is enrolled in a recovery program that helps patients that no one has claimed they know create new identities, July 22-23, 8p.m.; July 24, p.m. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-2363100, okcmoa.com. FRI-SUN, JULY 22-24 Big Jake (1971, USA, George Sherman & John Wayne) Big Jake, played by John Wayne, sets out on a journey to rescue a young boy who has been kidnapped by a gang run by John Fain, 5:30- 8:30 p.m. July 15. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. FRI, JULY 15 Free Movie Night at Elk Valley Brewing Co. enjoy a free movie and cold beer with the evenings feature of 80’s remakes of classic 50’s horror films, Wed., July 13, 8:30-10:30 p.m. Elk Valley Brewing Company, 1210 N Hudson Ave., 405-209-0016, elkvalleybrew.com. WED, JULY 13 Gagarine (2020, France, Fanny Liatard & Jeremy Trouilh) Yuri, a 16-year-old boy with hopes of being

an astronaut, teams up with his friends to save the housing project that he calls home from demolition, 2 p.m. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. SAT, JULY 16 Poser (2021, USA, Noah Dixon & Ori Segev) following her desire for an entree into a podcast featuring live music and conversations with artists that she admires, Lennon finds inspiration for her music as well as a sense of misdirected identity, 9:30 p.m. July 14. Film Row Cinema, 701 W. Sheridan Ave., 405-812-3275. THU, JULY 14

Raw (2016, France, Belgium & United States, Julia Ducournau) as Justine beings her freshman year at veterinary school she is thrown into a strange and vicious world of traditions and initiation tests that makes this once rigorous vegetarian slowly start to crave human flesh, 7:30-9:30 p.m. July 22. 21c Museum Hotel, 900 W. Main St., 405-982-6900, 21cmuseumhotels.com. FRI, JULY 22 Sonic Summer Movies: Jurassic Park (1993, USA, Steven Spielberg) when a private tour of a theme park goes wrong, paleontologist, Dr. Allan Grant must now protect two kids from the cloned dinosaurs that are now roaming freely due to critical security system and power failure., Wed., July 13, 7 p.m. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. WED, JULY 13 Sonic Summer Movies: Sing 2 (2020, USA & Japan, Garth Jennings & Christophe Lourdelet) Buster Moon dreams of going to the big time but, when a talent scout dismisses his theatre company Moon devises a plan with his performers to sneak into the talent audition to prove that they have what it takes to make is big, Wed., July 20, 7 p.m.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405445-7080, myriadgardens.com. WED, JULY 20

HAPPENINGS An Affair of the Heart a craft show with exhibitors from across the country displaying antiques, collectibles and handmade items such as quilts, baskets, dried flower arrangements and more, July 15-17. Tulsa Expo Square, 4145 East 21st Street, Tulsa. FRI-SUN, JULY 15-17 Beaded Earrings learn the basics of creating beaded earrings with Suzie Loveless, Sat., July 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE Third St., 405-815-9995, 1ne3.org. SAT, JULY 16 Bees and Beekeeping learn about the importance of bees and other pollinators, the basics of beekeeping and how to begin creating a home garden that helps attract pollinators, Sat., July 16, 9-11 a.m. Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St., 405-4457080, scissortailpark.org. SAT, JULY 16 DIY Skullarium Event learn to make a skull terrarium step-by-step with museum staff with a variety of moss, gravel, woodsy and crystal pieces, a real skull and a succulent, Sat., July 23, 10-11 a.m. & 4-5 p.m. SKELETONS: Museum

fresh stART Art Show

the one day exhibit features artwork by artists who are or have experienced homelessness, Fri., July 15, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Homeless Alliance, 1724 N.W. Fourth St., 405-415-8410, homelessalliance.org. FRIDAY JULY 15 Photo provided of Osteology, 10301 S. Sunnylane Road, 405-8140006, skeletonmuseum.com. SAT, JULY 23

Fair Park, 3220 Great Plains Walk, 405-948-6700, okstatefair.com. FRI-SUN, JULY 15-17

Emo Nite an touring dance party featuring favorites from Emo, Pop-Punk, and Post-Hardcore artists, Tues. July 22. Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd St., 405708-6937, towertheatreokc.com. FRI, JULY 22

Sunday Twilight Concert Series features a different music genre from local and regional acts every Sunday during the summer concert series presented

by Arts Council OKC and The Chickasaw Nation, Sundays. through Aug. 28. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, artscouncilokc. com/twilight. SUN, THROUGH AUG 28

Farmers Market at Scissortail Park a morning market featuring local sourced options such as, pasture-raised meats, fresh produce and cultivated mushrooms, plants, eggs, raw honey, breads and baked goods, assortments of specialty prepared food and beverage producers, as well as highquality artisan from almost 60 vendors., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Oct. 29. Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org. SAT, THROUGH OCT 29

Heard on Hurd a family friendly evening featuring food trucks, children’s activities and live music from a variety of local artists with proceeds benefiting nonprofit organizations, every third Saturday through October, third Saturday of every month. through Oct. 22. Citizens Bank of Edmond, 32 N. Broadway, 405-341-6650, citizensedmond.com.

SAT, THROUGH OCT 22

The Lost Ogle Trivia for ages 21 and up, test your knowledge with four rounds of free trivia play, Mondays, 7-9 p.m. through Sept. 12. Bar Cicchetti, 121 NW 2nd St., 405-795-5295, barcicchettiok.com.

MONS THROUGH SEPT. 21

Make Ready Market an outdoor monthly featuring locally-made clothing, jewelry, art, and pottery with live music and food trucks, fourth Saturday of every month, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. through Aug. 27. Midtown OKC, NW 8th St., 405-235-3500, midtownokc.com. FOURTH SAT, THROUGH AUG 27

Propagating Plants hands on learning of the techniques, methods, and timing of growing plants from roots, steams, leaves and more., 10-11 a.m.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405445-7080, myriadgardens.com. SAT, JULY 23 R.K. Gun Show this expo features all types of firearms from antique to modern, hunting supplies, military surplus and outdoor gear along with demonstrations and lessons, July 16-17. Oklahoma State Fair Park, 3220 Great Plains Walk, 405-948-6700, okstatefair.com. SAT-SUN, JULY 16-17

Nitro Circus

a touring performance of highly skilled athletes, including Jarryd McNeil, Adam Jones and Javier Villegas, that showcase extreme stunts in freestyle motocross, BMX, base jumping, all motor sports and more with large heights, crashes and fails, and a bit of comedy, Sat., July 16. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 405-218-1000, nitrocircus.com. SATURDAY JULY 16 Photo provided

Sip and Stroll guests 21 and over can explore the Zoo, pet stingrays, feed giraffes, partake in six different themed cocktails and more, 6-10 p.m. July 21. The Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Place, 405-424-3344, okczoo.com. THU, JULY 21 Summer Bead & Jewelry Show hosts a variety of vendors selling assortments of rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry, beads, gemstones and more at this three day event, July 15-17. Oklahoma State

Tulsa Rock & Mineral Society Show a two-day expo showcasing gems, sand, minerals, fossils, crystals and more, with hands-on education, vendors and a fluorescent room, July 16-17. Tulsa Expo Square, 4145 East 21st Street, Tulsa. SAT-SUN, JULY 16-17

FOOD (405) Summer Sour & Funk Festival enjoy an evening of summer fun with beer samples from over ten different local breweries, music, food trucks and vendors hosted by 405 Brewing Co, Sat., July 16. Tom Love Innovation Hub at The University of Oklahoma, 201 David L. Boren Blvd., stonecloudbrewing.com/event. SAT, JULY 16 Veggie Dinner at Picasso Cafe join Picasso Cafe for a four to five-course menu; featuring a fresh and creative take on vegetarian-inspired fare with the option to have a wine pairing, third Tuesday of every month. Picasso Cafe, 3009 Paseo St., 405-605-2022, picassosonpaseo.com. THIRD TUE, JULY 13 Cocktail Masterclass learn how to make a classic cocktail using the evenings featured liquor, gin, along with the Bradford’s twist of the drink, 6 p.m. July 19.

Bradford House, 1235 NW 38th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73118, 405-451-3693. TUE, JULY 19 Eastside Fresh Market a weekly farmer’s market with vendors selling fresh produce, homemade desserts, plants and other unique products, Tuesdays. through Nov. 1. Oklahoma County OSU Extension Center, 2500 NE 63rd St., 405-713-1125, okiemgs. okstate.edu. TUE, THROUGH NOV 1 National Ice Cream Party celebrate National Ice Cream Day with custom created beer shakes with Prairie Artisan Ales and live music performed

by Kendra Scott, Sun., July 17. Capitals Ice Cream, 1006 N. Hudson Ave., Suite 100, 405-600-9966, capitalsicecream.com. SUN Taste of Summer Ice Cream Festival features all-you-can-eat Blue Bell ice cream with inflatables, face painting, a car show, food trucks, live entertainment, art vendors and a steak cook-off, Sat., July 16. Central Park, 1500 S Main St, Broken Arrow, 918-251-1518. SAT, JULY 16

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OKG PICKS

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1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. TUE-FRI, JULY 19-23

Walk Over Wednesday a monthly food truck event at Stiles Park Circle for district constituents and organizations can network with one another, Wed., July 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oklahoma City Innovation District, 300 NE 9th St, 405-816-5114, okcinnovation.com. WED, JULY 20

Young Company Theatre Camp lead by Nicholas Bartell, teens will learn the basics of classical acting from auditions to the full rehearsal process during this week long camp ending with a performance, through July 15, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oklahoma Shakespeare’s Black Box Theater, 2920 Paseo St., 405-235-3700, oklahomashakespeare.org. MON-FRI, THROUGH JULY 15

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Health Protectors learn the science, art and culture of medicine while exploring cultural healing practices with Instructor Apollonia Pina of the Muscogee Nation, through July 15. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405-594-2100.

MON-FRI, THROUGH JULY 15

National Day of the Cowboy celebrate the commemoration of the cowboy with activities from live traditional Western music performances to outdoor games and indoor crafts, 10 a.m. -4 p.m. July 23.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum. org. SAT, JULY 23 Perked Up Playdate children can explore the play ground and participate in a craft activity while making new friends, refreshments will be provided for both adults and kids, 10 a.m.-noon July 19. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

TUE, JULY 19

Storytime with Jennifer Cocoma Hustis local author signs and reads her new children’s book, Patriot, Sat., July 16, 11 a.m. Best of Books, 1313 E. Danforth Road, 405-340-9202, bestofbooksok.com. SAT, JULY 16 Thunder Youth Basketball Camp a one-day camp focusing on defense, ball-handling, shooting, layups and more with a morning session for children ages 6-9 and an afternoon session for children 10-14, Thu., July 14, 8-11 a.m. & 12-3 p.m. Carl Albert High School, 2009 S Post Road. THU, JULY 14 Weekly Walkups each day has a different theme from crafts, reading, scavenger hunts and more, 10 a.m.-noon July 4-August 12. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. MON-FRI, JULY 4- AUG 12 Western Explorers Summer Camp campers ages 6-10 can explore trails, view museum exhibitions and participate in crafts, games and art projects in week-long sessions, 9 a.m.-noon July 1923. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum,

PERFORMING ARTS Anastasia a young women sets out on a journey with a handsome conman and a loveable exaristocrat to help find her home, family, and love, July 19-24. Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 101 E. Third St., celebrityattractions.com. TUE-SUN, JULY 19-24 David Spade a live performance by the actor and stand-up comedian, Fri., July 15. River Spirit Casino Resort, 8330 Riverside Parkway, 918-299-8518, riverspirittulsa.com. FRI, JULY 15 DJ Sandhu/Jamal Doman/Lawrence Killebrew a triple feature of live stand-up comedy, 7:15p.m., July 13-15;6:15p.m. & 8:45p.m., July 16. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-2394242, loonybincomedy.com. WED-SAT, JULY 13-16 Drunk Classics: Fr@cked Up Fairy Tales a performance of classic theatre where the audience creates “rules” that change how the story plays out or how the actor is presenting it, Sat., July 23. Put A Cork In It Winery, 115 E. California Ave., 405-6056656, putacorkinitwinery.com. SAT, JULY 23 The Golden Girls Gone Wild! enjoy an evening of laughs with dinner and a show spoofing the 1980s TV show with an all male cast, Fridays, Saturdays, 5:30 p.m. through Aug. 13.

The Boom, 2218 NW 39th St., 405-601-7200, theboomokc.com. FRI-SAT, THROUGH AUG 13 Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma presents Kinky Boots based on a true story about a family owned shoe factory on the verge of bankruptcy inherited by Charlie Price who teams up with a drag entertainer to help turn this business around, 7:30p.m., July 19-21; 8p.m., July 22 ; 2p.m. & 8p.m., July 23; 2p.m., July 24.

Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave., 405-2972264, okcciviccenter.com. TUE-SUN,JULY 19-23 Perpetual Motion Dance presents Y20 a concert featuring current and former company members performing gravity-defying dance moves that use aerial silks, trapeze and a metal apparatus, 7 p.m. July 14-16; 2 p.m. July 17. Mustang Performing

Midtown Cool Down participating restaurants and bars in the Midtown

District will create specialty drinks for this Cool Down event that are over-the-top, tropical, or fruit-forward. Midtown OKC, NW 8th St., 405-235-3500, midtownokc. com. EVERY THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH THROUGH AUGUST 17 Photo from Shutterstock

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OKG PICKS Arts Center, 200 W. Juniper Drive, 405-376-2461.

THU-SUN, JULY 14-17

Shaun Jones live performance of stand up comedy, 7:15p.m., July 20-22; 6:15p.m. & 8:45p.m., July 23. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-2394242, loonybincomedy.com. WED-SAT, JULY 20-23 Summer of Soul Night features live music by Jeremy Jackson, Shorrt Dogg and other regional soul groups on the Love’s Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn, July 16, 7 p.m. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org. SAT, JULY 16 Ukulele Open Jam a monthly jam session open to all to either participate or listen, hosted by Jeff Howard & the OKC Ukulele Group, third Saturday of every month, 1-4 p.m. through Dec. 17. American Banjo Museum, 9 E. Sheridan Ave., 405-604-2793, americanbanjomuseum. com. THIRD SAT THROUGH DEC 17

Destination Oklahoma features works from five different Oklahoma artists throughout the state, depicting the distinct cultural backgrounds in various media types, such as ceramics, photographs, video, painting and more, MON, WED-SUN through Oct. 17. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 11 NW 11th St., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org.

THROUGH OCT 17

Nature’s Course features artwork over the last 20 years from John Newsom with large-scale, richly textured, oil on canvas paintings of flora and fauna..

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 11 NW 11th St., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org. MON, WED-SUN THROUGH AUG 15

ACTIVE Discover Surf Class learn to surf in less than two hours from bodyboarding to full standing, once the basics are down then it is onto techniques, turning, balancing and wiping out, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Weds. and Sun.; 10-11 a.m. Sat. RIVERSPORT OKC, 800 Riversport Drive, 4055524040, riversportokc.org. WED-SUN FC Tulsa vs New Mexico United professional soccer game, Wed., July 13. ONEOK Field, 201 N Elgin Ave., Tulsa, 918-744-5998. WED, JULY 13 Free Yoga in the Park an all-levels class on the Devon Lawn; bring your own water and yoga mat., Tuesdays, 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. TUE & SAT Full Moon Bike Rides bring your bike or rent one from OKC Ride for a leisurely ride as the sun sets, lights and helmets are required to participate, Wed., July 13, 8:30 p.m. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. WED, JULY 13 OKC Touch Rugby Practice an evening of playing touch rugby for beginning to advanced players on the Love’s Travel Stops Great Lawn, Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. through Oct. 26. Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7th St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark.org. WED, THROUGH OCT 26

Oklahoma City Dodgers vs Sacramento River Cats baseball game, July 22-24. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, 2 S. Mickey Mantle Drive, 405-218-1000, okcballparkevents.com. FRI-SUN, JULY 22-24 Sunset Kayak Experience a sunset paddling excursion with a guided tour through the Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge, Every other Wednesday, 8-9 p.m.

Lake Overholser Boathouse, 3115 E. Overholser Drive, 405-552-4040, riversportokc.org/lake-overholser.

EVERY OTHER WED

Victory Dolls Roller Derby Victory Dolls vs.

North Texas Roller Derby followed by an opengender intermediate/advanced level mashup and Bantam Battallion’s first scrimmage, Sat., July 23, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Arctic Edge Ice Arena, 14613 N. Kelly, 405-748-5454. SAT, JULY 23 Wheeler Crit cheer on Oklahoma’s top cyclists at this weekly race around the Wheeler District, Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. through Nov. 4. The Big Friendly Brewery & Taproom, 1737 Spoke St., 405-492-3785, thebigfriendly.com. TUE, THROUGH NOV 4 Zumba at Scissortail Park participate in a weekly free class at the Sky Rink Event Pavilion, Saturdays, 9-10 a.m. through Oct. 29. Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St., 405-445-7080, scissortailpark. org. SAT, THROUGH OCT 29

VISUAL ARTS Adult Night at Mix-Tape an after hours event that allows those 18 and over a night to explore this immersive experiences, third Thursday of every month, 7-10 p.m. through Dec. 15. Factory Obscura, 25 NW 9th St., factoryobscura.fun. THROUGH DEC 15 Blue: Nature’s Rarest Color features works from 16 different artists exploring the color blue and its instances in nature, through Aug. 21. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, myriadgardens.com. THROUGH AUG 21 Bricklive Animal Paradise features statues of endangered animals with the entire installation being made of almost two million toy building blocks, through Oct. 30. The Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Place, 405-424-3344, okczoo.com.

THROUGH OCT 30

Coffee with a Curator meet with the curators and hear about upcoming events as well as discussing questions and topics of the museum’s guests, 10-11 a.m. July 16. First Americans Museum, 659 First Americans Blvd., 405-594-2100. SAT, JULY 16

Pop Art an exhibit displaying Pop artists’ works highlighting art by Andy Warhol, Robert Indiana, and Ed Ruscha and how this genre of art has held up throughout the years, through July 24. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. THROUGH JULY 24 Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale an annual exhibition and art sale featuring Western paintings and sculptures by contemporary Western artists of landscapes, wildlife and illustrative scenes, through Aug. 7. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. THROUGH AUG 7 Selections from In Citizen’s Garb: Native Americans on the Southern Plains an exhibit displaying modern gelatin silver prints made from glass plate negatives of Indigenous people in the Lawton and Fort Sill area from 1889 to 1891, ongoing.

Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, 405-521-2491, okhistory.org. TUE-MON, ONGOING Shaved Portions configured specifically for the Campbell Art Park by Chakaia Booker, this sculpture is created from reassembled tires that are looped, stacked and linked together to allow guests the ability to enter the artwork. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 11 NW 11th St., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org. THROUGH AUG 31 Signature Tours feature works from Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington and Charles Russell along with ethnographic materials from mountain men and Native Americans and the evolution of the working cowboy. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. SAT-SUN, THROUGH AUG 31 The SuperNatural an exhibit features works from several artists focusing on a new world whose shape and matter will be determined by human activity. 21c Museum Hotel, 900 W. Main St., 405-982-6900, 21cmuseumhotels. com. THROUGH FEB 28, 2023 Synesthesia Factory Obscura’s newest immersive art experience focusing on color and textural elements while guests open their senses to discover what colors sound and smell like. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., 405-325-3272, ou.edu/ fjjma. THROUGH JUNE 4, 2023 Thursday Night Workshop a weekly class featuring a different artist instructor that teaches how to create the art piece for the evening, Thursdays. through Aug. 25. Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, 11 NW 11th St., 405-951-0000, oklahomacontemporary.org. THU, THROUGH AUG 25 Traces in Time features work from Norman Kary and Marilyn Jolly using scavenged materials that they incorporate into their work to represent humor or pathos in the human condition, through Sept. 3.

Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE Third St., 405-815-9995, 1ne3.org. THROUGH SEPT 3

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Stompin’ at the Speak THE WEEKLY JAZZ NIGHTS AND JAM SESSIONS AT THE 51ST STREET SPEAKEASY ARE BRINGING JAZZ GENERATIONS TOGETHER.

By Brett Fieldcamp Photos by Gary Guercio

The mid-week jazz night has swiftly become a staple of bars and bistros across the country, a seemingly perfect, chill way to wind down and de-stress with some calming music and cocktails or wine.

But jazz isn’t always about “calm.”

W hen OKC’s 51st Street Speakeasy was getting its feet back on the ground after the pandemic closures, the team behind the scenes knew that they wanted to jump headlong into the jazz night game, but in classic “Speak” fashion, they weren’t going to do it lightly – or quietly.

With one of the best mid-level stages and sound systems in the city, Speakeasy is built to handle a full band at full volume and full intensity, far removed from the usual soft, classy soundtracks for upper-class after-work drinks that most jazz nights are looking to provide.

That ability to let loose and explore the wilder, freer side of jazz is exactly what appealed to bandleader and pianist Kendrik McKinney.

“Jazz music, and even the word ‘jazz,’ sometimes has a fancy or stuck-up ideology that comes with it,” McKinney said. “We are trying to change that week-by-week here at Speakeasy. There are 30 to 40 people at the front of the room that are really intensely listening to every note, and there are 30 to 40 people having fun, listening, but still having conversations in the back of the room. We want anyone and everyone to come and listen and experience America’s music.”

McKinney represents a younger generation that is, some would say unexpectedly, helping to fuel a resurgence of hard-hitting jazz around the world, with teens and twenty-somethings picking up instruments and drawing inspiration from the great jazz giants at a higher rate than ever before. That youthful, non-traditionalist, nonexclusive attitude reigns supreme on Wednesday nights at Speakeasy.

“We will not be in suits on stage, and we will not be turning away anyone at the door for any reason,”

he promised.

“This is an inclusive event, for people from all walks of life, which is what makes this night so special.”

That policy of inclusivity

extends to the musicians on stage as well.

McKinney acts as bandleader from behind the keys, but the weight of the weekly showcases rests equally on each of his trusty house band players: drummer Dave Bowen, bassist Rei Wang, and semi-regular guitarist Mitch Bell.

“My relationships with the members of the house band go very deep, and they are truly an ex ten sion of my fa m i ly,” McKinney said. “David Bowen is my parents’ age and grew up playing music with both of my folks at Yukon High School and UCO. He was there the day I was born. I met Rei in school at The University of Central Oklahoma, and we played together in many, many ensembles and situations.”

The band functions as an inseparably tight trio, but whenever they’re able, they add one extra element into the mix that kicks things to an even higher level.

“Shortly after we started at Speakeasy, I invited my good friend

Mitch Bell to sit in on guitar for a week,” he said. “Mitch is a professor and administrator at UCO@ACM, and I work for him as an adjunct professor.

He is a world class touring musician that is excellent in all styles of music. Later that night, after he sat in as a guest, we all agreed we wanted Mitch in on this night.

He is in and out of town, but is with us every single Wednesday he is in Oklahoma City.”

The spotlight isn’t always on that core group, though. While they’re holding it down, they frequently invite friends and collaborators to join them, sometimes presenting entire nights built around a featured guest performer.

But every week, after the first set ends, it’s time for the open jam.

“Traditionally, a jazz jam session is a place where anyone that is playing or learning or practicing jazz can come and sit in on a few tunes, and we have kept this tradition alive,” McKinney explained. “Many students and professional players from all around the state come each and every week. There are at least 10 to 15 players to come and sit in every week. Sometimes more than that.”

You’d think that wrangling all of those players every week would be like herding cats (pardon the jazz pun), but according to McKinney, it’s all rather natural and supportive.

“Surprisingly enough, there is hardly any preparation for the jam session,” he said. “The players wait backstage, and figure out amongst themselves who all wants to play on what tune. Once you’re on stage, you typically play two tunes before switching out with another player.

I try to even things out, change up tunes to fit the vibe of the evening, and introduce all of the players.

But when it comes down to it, that ship runs itself.”

After more than a full year of organizing, hosting, and leading these weekly jazz nights, during which time he saw the birth of his first child, McKinney has quickly grown into a leading figure of the local jazz scene. Together with the Speakeasy, he’s helped spawn a whole new generation of players and collaborators in the city, with even recent wavemakers Bee and the Hive first meeting and playing together because of the weekly event.

For McKinney himself, however, it’s not about the prestige or praise.

It’s always just about playing the music he loves with the people that challenge and elevate him, and bringing that love to a new, younger, energetic audience.

“I am very lucky to get to play with these guys every single week,” he said. “They make me a better musician, and a better person.”

And that’s what jazz is all about.

MUSIC OKGA Z ET TE .COM | J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 27

book by

Harvey Fierstein • music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper based on the miramax motion picture kinky boots

written by

Geoff Deane and Tim Firth • directed by Ashley Wells

ONE WEEK ONLY! • JULY 19-24 Live, On Stage, at the Civic Center Music Hall STARRING

STEP INTO A DREAM WHERE GLAMOUR IS EXTREME! This exhilarating Tony Award-winner tells the true story about a struggling shoe factory that will lift your spirits to high-heeled heights! Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. While trying to save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration from Lola, a fabulous drag entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. This unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible, and discover that when you change your mind, you can change your world.

"A

JAMARD RICHARDSON

of Lyric's THE LITTLE MERMAID, TARZAN and XANADU

JORDAN JACOBS

of Lyric's JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

GLORIOUS HIGH-KICKING ROMP!” – Evening Standard

OKLAHOMA’S PREMIERE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

Charge Tickets at (405) 524-9312 or LyricTheatreOKC.org Discounts Available for Groups of 8 or More! Email for Information: Groups@LyricTheatreOKC.org SEASON SPONSORS

28 J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 | OKGA Z ET TE .COM MUSIC

SATURDAY, JUL. 16 Bizkitheads, Hollywood Corners. ROCK Giovannie & The Hired Guns/Tanner Usrey/ Holly Beth, Cain’s Ballroom. ROCK Hotline TNT/Lust Online/Money/Las Vegas Airport, 89th Street-OKC. INDIE

These are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

WEDNESDAY, JUL. 13

FRIDAY, JUL. 15 The Browning/Young Medicine, 89th StreetOKC. ELECTRONIC Chad Todd, Hollywood Corners. ROCK Clayton Fike, The Jones Assembly. INDIE Combsy/K.O, Ponyboy. INDIE

Chase Matthew, Beer City Music Hall. COUNTRY Isaac McClung, The Jones Assembly. FOLK Kendrick McKinney Trio, 51st Street Speakeasy. JAZZ Sky Hemenway, The Deli. SINGER/SONG-

Corey Kent, Beer City Music Hall. COUNTRY Duncan Riley, Core4 Brewing. SINGER/SONGWRITER

The Flannels, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. COVER

WRITER

Jabee/Finite Galaxy/ZuneAFish/ TruAmbition/S. Reidy, Blue Note. HIP-HOP

The Wednesday Band, The Deli. COUNTRY

Jessica Tate, The Deli. INSTRUMENTAL

THURSDAY, JUL. 14 Aaron Squirrel, Oklahoma Tower. JAZZ Adam Aguilar Band, VZD’s Restaurant & Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Country Music Group Therapy/Biscuits & Groovy, The Deli. COUNTRY Dave Mason, Tower Theatre. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Shelly Phelps and The Storm, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

Kitchen Slug/Pets/Ellie Grace Herrold/Peyton Flocks, The Vanguard. INDIE

Paralytic, 89th Street-OKC. SINGER/SONGWRITER

Greg Koch Trio, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewing Company. BLUES Husbands/Manta Rays/Lex, The Vanguard. POP

Howard Brady, Full Circle Bookstore. BLUES

Jack Waters & The Unemployed, Hollywood Corners. COUNTRY

Johnny Five, Thunderbird Casino. COVER

Peter Markes, BOK Park Plaza. SINGER/SONG-

Jon Pardi, The Zoo Amphitheatre. COUNTRY

WRITER

Kenny Pitts, The Black Hawk Casino. ACOUSTIC

Poolside, Beer City Music Hall. ELECTRONIC

Low Hum, Ponyboy. ALTERNATIVE

Rei & Dave, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ

Nelson Gonzalez, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ

Slaid Cleaves, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONG-

Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol/ Koningsor and Klamz, Blue Note.

ALTERNATIVE

Sophia Massad, 51st Street Speakeasy. SINGER/

WRITER

Twin Tribes/Black Magent, Ponyboy. ALTERNATIVE

Will Gaines, The Jones Assembly. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

SONGWRITER

Tracy Thomas/Dylan Murch/Makenna Fields/ The Cimarron Kings/Jeremy Rowe & Jordan Taylor, Stockyard City Cafe. COUNTRY

SATURDAY, JUL. 23

Whiskey & Wine, Angry Scotsman Brewing. FOLK

Andy Adams, The Blue Door. SINGER/SONG-

SUNDAY, JUL. 17

Almost Yesterday, Remington Park. COVER WRITER

Alexis Taylor/Alana White, Hollywood Corners.

COUNTRY

As I Lay Dying, Diamond Ballroom. METAL Jarhead Fertilizer/Body Void/Elizabeth Colour Wheel/The Tooth, The Sanctuary.

Brick + Mortar/Andres/America Part Two, 89th Street-OKC. ROCK Cruz Brothers and Michael Kelsey, Belle Isle Restaurant & Brewing Company. ACOUSTIC

METAL

Darla Morgan/Courtney hooker/Larry Darnell/Bella Brown/ Andrew Walker, Stockyards Central. COUNTRY

Purity Ring/Ekkstacy, Cain’s Ballroom. ELEC-

Insider: a Tribute to Tom Petty, UCO Jazz Lab.

Laine and the Laters/The Wednesday Band, The Deli. COUNTRY

TRONIC

McKee Brother Jazz Band, Bourbon Street Bar.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

King Cabbage Brass Band/Mike Dee & Stone Trio, Cain’s Ballroom. JAZZ

JAZZ

Spose/Cam Groves, 89th Street-OKC. RAP

Mac Leaphart/Zac Copeland, The Deli.

Randy Cassimus, Full Circle Bookstore. ROCK

Tin Can Gramophone/Hosty, The Deli. FOLK

Ray Wylie Hubbard/Kelley Mickwee, Cain’s Ballroom. SINGER/SONGWRITER

MONDAY, JUL. 18

The Wise Guys: Beatles Tribute, UCO Jazz Lab.

The Aints/Bailey Gilbert & Friends, The Deli.

TRIBUTE

TRIBUTE

Samantha Crain and Chris Acker, The Deli.

AMERICANA

Low Down Weasel/Anarchy 4 Assholes/A Weight World/ Normal-C, Snug Bar. METAL Rachel Lynch, Plaza District. SINGER/SONGWRITER

TUESDAY, JUL. 19 Bruce Benson & Studio B, 51st Street Speakeasy.

BLUES

My So Called Band, Tower Theatre. COVER The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus/Attack Attack!/Kingdom Collapse/Astoria State/ When the Clock Strikes, The Vanguard. ROCK Swap Meet!/Karina/Raymond Owen/Amelia x Hailey x Isabella/Jack McKenzie, The Sanctuary. ELECTRONIC BLUES

SUNDAY, JUL. 24 Count Tutu, Lions Park. FUNK

Charlie Memphis, The Jones Assembly. COUNTRY

Kendrick Lamar, Paycom Center. RAP

WEDNESDAY, JUL. 20 Kennedy Fine, The Jones Assembly. SINGER/ SONGWRITER

Crowbar/Mothership/Medicine Horse, The Vanguard. METAL Inner Wave/Ariel & the Culture, Beer City Music Hall. ALTERNATIVE Jerk!/The Normandys/Costanzas, Blue Note.

PUNK

Kaleo, Cain’s Ballroom. BLUES

King Lil G, Beer City Music Hall. RAP Psych the Wordsmith, The Deli. RAP Street Kings, Hollywood Corners. COVER Weatherday/Michael Cera Palin/Oolong/ Sunfo/Den Quad, 89th Street-OKC. POP The Wednesday Band, The Deli. COUNTRY

THURSDAY, JUL. 21 Amanda Cunningham, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. SINGER/SONGWRITER America, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. ROCK City of the Weak/The Almas/Second Glance/Groucho, The Vanguard. ROCK James Taylor and His All-Star Band, Paycom Center. FOLK Killer Queen, The Tulsa Theater. TRIBUTE Shelly Phelps and The Storm, Bourbon Street Bar. BLUES

and legacy of Woody Guthrie with a five-day music festival featuring live music from James McMurtry, Guthrie Girls and Tom Paxton, to name a few, discussion panels and programs, food trucks, vendors and camping. July 13-17. Festival passes range from $0-$250.

Various locations in downtown Okemah, 405-831-9124, woodyfest.com. JULY 13-17 Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Matthew and The Arrogant Sea/Keathley/ Cody Anderson, Blue Note. INDIE

Sweet Brenda & Sour Mash, Hollywood Corners.

Bad Bad Hats/Gully Boys, Ponyboy. POP

The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary of the life

COUNTRY

FRIDAY, JUL. 22 Broke Ass Radio/Spacecowboy/Every One’s Birthday, Blue Note. ALTERNATIVE Burl/ Matthew and the Arrogant Sea/Cody Anderson, The Deli. INDIE FNTM/Like Before/Pyres/Weirdos on 29th/

Post Sex Nachos, Ponyboy. ALTERNATIVE Tin Can Gramophone/Hosty, The Deli. FOLK

MONDAY, JUL. 25 The Aints/Bailey Gilbert & Friends, The Deli.

AMERICANA

Kaleo, The Jones Assembly. BLUES Soul Glo, 89th Street-OKC. ALTERNATIVE

TUESDAY, JUL. 26 Bruce Benson & Studio B, 51st Street Speakeasy.

BLUES

Caleb McGee, The Deli. BLUES The Cold Stares, 89th Street-OKC. ROCK

Live music submissions must be received

by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date. Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible.

Visit okgazette.com to submit your lisitngs or email listings@okgazette.com.

Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

GO TO OKGAZETTE.COM FOR FULL LISTINGS! MUSIC OKGA Z ET TE .COM | J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 29

THE HIGH CULTURE STRAIN REVIEWS

Strain name: Lilac Cookies Grown by: Cultivation Clvb Acquired from: Cultivation Clvb Date acquired: June 6

fluffy bowl that hits as smoothly and flavorful as it smells. The effects of this hybrid are pleasant, offering a relaxing body high without being too heady, making it a perfect sidekick to help push through tedious tasks.

Strain name: Daily Grape Grown by: Four Pillars Cultivation Acquired from: The Green Room Date acquired: July 8 Physical traits: frosted light green, purple and orange

Physical traits: deep green, indigo and orange

indica hybrids like its parent Grape Pie, but was pleasantly surprised by the lighter, more calming effects. This feel-good strain made the perfect herbal companion for a chill Friday night and helped ease my anxiety through a couple blood-curdling true crime documentaries.

Bouquet: fruity and earthy

Bouquet: floral and citrus

Review: I accidently stumbled into The Green Room, but the mistake was worth making. This veteran-owned dispensary offers knowledgeable budtenders happy to guide you through their quality flower selections. Four Pillars Cultivation currently has multiple options on the shelf, each impressive in their own right. It was hard to choose, but as a fan of fruity strains, I settled on the Daily Grape. While it’s more earthy to the nose in the jar, this frosty flower produces a rich grape scent once ground. I expected the glued-to-the-couch feeling I tend to get with heavier

Review: Cultivation Clvb was one of the first dispensaries I visited once cannabis became “legal.” When too many options seem daunting, this boutique offers a curated selection of products including their own flower grown in-house.

Though it came highly recommended, I couldn’t wait to try the Lilac Cookies based on the aroma alone. Staying true to its name, the fragrant florals overpower the citrus undertones especially once it hits the grinder. The vibrant buds are covered in trichomes and break down beautifully into a bright,

FIND MORE STRAIN REVIEWS AT OKGAZETTE.COM/THEHIGHCULTURE

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY WEEK OF JULY 14 Homework: You can now make a change that has previously seemed impossible. What is it?

Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com ARIES (March 21-April 19)

With a fanciful flourish, Aries poet Seamus Heaney wrote, “I ate the day / Deliberately, that its tang / Might quicken me all into verb, pure verb.” I’d love for you to be a pure verb for a while, Aries. Doing so would put you in robust rapport with astrological rhythms. As a pure verb, you’ll never be static. Flowing and transformation will be your specialties. A steady stream of fresh inspiration and new meanings will come your way. You already have an abundance of raw potential for living like a verb—more than all the other signs of the zodiac.

And in the coming weeks, your aptitude for that fluidic state will be even stronger than usual.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

According to Arthurian myth, the Holy Grail is a cup that confers magical powers. Among them are eternal youth, miraculous healing, the restoration of hope, the resurrection of the dead, and an unending supply of healthy and delicious food and drink. Did the Grail ever exist as a material object? Some believe so. After 34 years of research, historian David Adkins thinks he’s close to finding it. He says it’s buried beneath an old house in Burton-on-Trent, a town in central England. I propose we make this tantalizing prospect your metaphor of power during the coming weeks. Why? I suspect there’s a chance you will discover a treasure or precious source of vitality.

It may be partially hidden in plain sight or barely disguised in a mundane setting.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

I’m pleased to authorize you to be extra vast and extensive in the coming weeks. Like Gemini poet Walt Whitman, you should never apologize and always be proud of the fact that you contain multitudes. Your multivalent, wide-ranging outlook will be an asset, not a liability. We should all thank you for being a grand compendium of different selves. Your versatility and

elasticity will enhance the well-being of all of us whose lives you touch.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Your memory is SUBSTANTIAL. Your sensitivity is MONUMENTAL. Your urge to nurture is DEEP. Your complexity is EPIC. Your feelings are BOTTOMLESS. Your imagination is PRODIGIOUS. Because of all these aptitudes and capacities, you are TOO MUCH for some people. Not everyone can handle your intricate and sometimes puzzling BEAUTY. But there are enough folks out there who do appreciate and thrive on your gifts. In the coming weeks and months, make it your quest to focus your urge to merge on them.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

I love these lines by Leo poet Conrad Aiken: “Remember (when time comes) how chaos died to shape the shining leaf.” I hope this lyrical thought will help you understand the transformation you’re going through.

The time has come for some of your chaos to expire—and in doing so, generate your personal equivalent of shining leaves. Can you imagine what the process would look and feel like? How might it unfold? Your homework is to ponder these wonders.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

A British woman named Andie Holman calls herself the Scar Queen. She says, “Tight scar tissue creates pain, impacts mobility, affects your posture, and usually looks bad.” Her specialty is to diminish the limiting effects of scars, restoring flexibility and decreasing aches. Of course, she works with actual physical wounds, not the psychological kind. I wish I could refer you to healers who would help you with the latter, Virgo. Do you know any?

If not, seek one out. The good news is that you now have more personal power than usual to recover from your old traumas and diminish your scars. I urge you to make such work a priority in the coming weeks.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Ancient Roman philosopher Seneca wrote, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” But a Spanish proverb suggests a different element may be

30 J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 2 2 | OKGA Z ET TE .COM HIGH CULTURE

necessary: “Good luck comes by elbowing.” (Elbowing refers to the gesture you use as you push your way through a crowd, nudging people away from the path you want to take.) A Danish proverb says that preparation and elbowing aren’t enough: “Luck will carry someone across the brook if they are not too lazy to leap.” Modern author Wendy Walker has the last word: “Fortune adores audacity.” I hope I’ve inspired you to be alert to the possibility that extra luck is now available to you. And I hope I’ve convinced you to be audacious, energetic, wellprepared, and willing to engage in elbowing. Take maximum advantage of this opportunity.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Many Scorpios imagine sex to be a magnificent devotion, a quintessential mode of worship, an unparalleled celebration of sacred earthiness. I endorse and admire this perspective.

If our culture had more of it, the art and entertainment industries would offer far less of the demeaning, superficial versions of sexuality that are so rampant. Here’s another thing I love about Scorpios: So many of you grasp the value of sublimating lust into other fun and constructive accomplishments. You’re skilled at channeling your highpowered libido into practical actions that may have no apparent erotic element. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to do a lot of that.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

A Sagittarius reader named Jenny-Sue asked, “What are actions I could take to make my life more magical?”

I’m glad she asked. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to raise your delight and enchantment levels, to bask in the blessed glories of alluring mysteries and uncanny synchronicities. Here are a few tips: 1. Learn the moon’s phases and keep track of them. 2. Acquire a new sacred treasure and keep it under your pillow or in your bed. 3. Before sleep, ask your deep mind to provide you with dreams that help generate creative answers to a specific question. 4. Go on walks at night or at dawn. 5.

Compose a wild or funny prayer and shout it aloud it as you run through a field. 6. Sing a soulful song to yourself as you gaze into a mirror.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Being able to receive love doesn’t come easy for some Capricorns. You may also not be adept at making yourself fully available for gifts and blessings. But you can learn these things. You can practice. With enough mindful attention, you might eventually become skilled at the art of getting a lot of what you need and knowing what to do with it. And I believe the coming weeks will be a marvelous time to increase your mastery.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

“If I don’t practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.” This quote is variously attributed to violinist Jascha Heifetz, trumpeter Louis Armstrong, and violinist Isaac Stern.

It’s a fundamental principle for everyone who wants to get skilled at any task, not just for musicians. To become a master of what you love to do, you must work on it with extreme regularity. This is always true, of course. But according to my astrological analysis, it will be even more intensely true and desirable for you during the coming months. Life is inviting you to raise your expertise to a higher level. I hope you’ll respond!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

In May 2021, Jessica and Ben Laws got married on their dairy farm. The ceremony unfolded smoothly, but an unforeseen event interrupted the reception party. A friend who had been monitoring their herd came to tell the happy couple that their pregnant cow had gone into labor and was experiencing difficulties. Jessica ran to the barn and plunged into active assistance, still clad in her lovely floor-length bridal gown and silver tiara. The dress got muddy and trashed, but the birth was successful. The new bride had no regrets. I propose making her your role model for now. Put practicality over idealism. Opt for raw and gritty necessities instead of neat formalities. Serve what’s soulful, even if it’s messy.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes / daily text message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

PUZZLES NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE | SOME LIGHT READING

By Jeremy Newton | Puzzles Edited by Will Shortz | 0703

ACROSS 1 7 12 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29

‘‘In a word .?.?. awful!’’

Range of light that’s invisible to the human eye — Brand in the frozen-foods aisle Called to Bo-Peep ‘‘You and me both’’ Strong breath fresheners — Like one of Michael Jackson’s hands when performing Exams for top H.S. students Alternative to J.F.K. Skedaddles

30 31 32 35

36 39 40 41 42 44 45 48 49

Reviews negatively Usual Stage set?

Nathan who said, ‘‘I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country’’ Locks that have been changed Inapplicable stat for electric cars Mark Twain, religiously Some art supplies Label on some jars Hon John Hancock, famously Reef predators Beast slain by Hercules in

66 67 68 69

his fourth labor 50 Three-pronged letter 53 Boatloads 54 Jessica of TV’s ‘‘Candy’’ 55 Treacherous places to land for eagles?

57 ‘‘Mazel ____!’’

58 Moolah 60 Cocktail with an energy boost 61 — 62 Seedy bar 63 Listed, obsolescently 64 — 65 Tennis pro Nastase, the first athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Nike

Washington, with ‘‘the’’ — Hunts, with ‘‘on’’ Hot ____ (speaker’s worry) 70 Brushes are dipped in them 72 Small knocks 73 See-through piece 74 It’s observed at LAX during part of the year 75 Cross one’s fingers 76 Nickname for Chloe 77 Portland native, e.g.

79 What a raised hand might mean 80 Avid war campaigner 81 [What a snoozefest!]

82 Car in the Beach Boys’ ‘‘Fun, Fun, Fun’’ 84 Sweater fuzz, e.g.

85 It can be detected using the ‘‘bite test’’ or ‘‘vinegar test’’ 89 Noted slacking speedster 90 Not stay undefeated 93 Certain spa treatment 95 Trim 96 1988 No. 1 country album named for its singer 97 Roman god often depicted with a radiant crown 98 Zenned out 101 Two-player board game with spies and bombs 103 Bust midcrime 105 — 106 Lover of psychedelics, informally 107 Words to a silly goose 108 Putting on the heat?

109 Mascot who made his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2017 110 — 111 Cinq x six

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Hawkeye Stand for a photograph Guard ‘‘Oh, shove it!’’

Fruity refreshments What nervous eyes might do Big name in cloud computing

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 27 29 33 34 35 37 38 40 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 58 59 60 62 71

Roofer’s power tool Gargoyles are often depicted with them Draw upon again Sponsored content, essentially Twisting on an axis Some ice cream purchases Heart charts, in brief Cartoon frame There’s a 4.75 percent chance of getting this in poker Tesla and Edison, famously Early online discussion forum Pharma supplies Lose its spark, as a relationship Temporary solutions Opening words?

Little troublemakers Thrilling ‘‘That’s a touchy subject’’ Move hurriedly Utterly, in slang Giggle ‘‘It’s my turn’’ [or] Comment after rambling on Equus africanus asinus, more familiarly Marijuana strains said to be more invigorating ‘‘How marvelous!’’

Wield authority Lucky numbers in Chinese culture Stars of the Wild West Film critic Kael Someone sequencing DNA, e.g.

Vacation getaway Lighter fluid Reach, as new heights Baseball slugger, informally Lack of harmony Ready to watch later Major political announcement before a convention, informally Actor in a much- publicized 2022 defamation case —

72 73 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84

— — Place for a lighthouse Pull off the road for gas or snacks, say Blow away Book some wedding entertainment Tries Starchy vegetable Kind of roof for a tiki bar Peter Pan’s creator Opposite of a superstar

Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute).

SUDOKU MEDIUM | N° 57204009 Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3-by-3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. www.printmysudoku.com

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS Puzzle No. 0619, which appeared in the June 29 issue.

VOL. XLIV NO. 14 Oklahoma Gazette is circulated at its designated distribution points free of charge to readers for their individual use and by mail to subscribers. The cash value of this copy is $1. Persons taking copies of the Oklahoma Gazette from its distribution points for any reason other than their or others’ individual use for reading purposes are subject to prosecution.

Please address all unsolicited news items (non-returnable) to the editor.

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