THURSDAY APRIL 22, 2010
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE
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A GUIDE TO NORMAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
THE SWORD Norman Music Festival had not yet been blessed by the thunder of a true metal band, so to dive in headfirst with The Sword is a bold and epic choice. While the metal act formed in Austin, Texas, in 2003, lead singer and guitarist J.D. Cronise had been writing and recording music for years. But with the addition of guitarist Kyle Shutt and drummer Trivett Wingo (bassist Bryan Richie would join a year later), The Sword was born and ready to conquer the world. The band found success relatively quickly. An appearance in 2005 at SXSW attracted the attention of hard-rock label Kemado Records who subsequently signed the band. The Sword released its debut album “Age of Winters” in 2006 and hit the road, supporting acts ranging from Clutch to Lamb of God. The band’s true break came when its single “Freya” landed on the “Guitar Hero II” tracklist. The Sword continued its success with its sophomore album “Gods of the Earth” and another appearance in the Guitar Hero series, this time on “Guitar Hero: Metallica” with its single “The Black River.” The band had the opportunity to open for Motorhead at 2010’s SXSW and just finished its third record that will be released later this year. Metalheads may not have had much of a reason to show their faces at Norman Music Festival in the past, but there is little excuse for no shows at this year’s festival. Granted, we may well be hearing The Sword clear across town with a little of the noise spilling down I-35. Bring your earplugs; you are going to need them. -JB
WILL BYRNE/THE DAILY
LEON RUSSELL The crusty old cornerstone in the frame of Oklahoma rock ‘n’ roll and blues, Leon Russell was born in Lawton, went to high school at Will Rogers in Tulsa and has rubbed elbows with more great musicians than most people get to see in concert in their lifetime. Now he’s returning to central Oklahoma for a well-deserved and highly-anticipated Saturday night headlining slot at the Jägermeister Stage. Russell oozed through the ’60s as a session musician, touring and recording with just about every great rock and blues name of the era. His resume is composed of every great rock ‘n’ roll band that ever blended the genre with folk, country, blues or traditional R&B at the time, including The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, George Harrison, The Band and Willie Nelson. Name your dad’s favorite band and Russell could probably tell you drinking stories from nights on the town with names like Jagger, Starr, Gaye and Winwood. Now releasing on his own record label, Leon Russell Records, the patron saint of boozy rhythmic beauty tours nonstop as part of a five-piece set playing shows nightly for lifelong fans. His signature twangy voice has aged well, like a fine whiskey. Expect the unexpected from Russell’s Saturday set. His catalogue is deep and wide and full of plenty of classic covers of songs he helped to record or write. I’m praying for a rare Bob Dylan cover, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” -MC