2012 Festival of the Arts concludes today in downtown Oklahoma City
Albert Gray Eagle (Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman Archives)
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts concludes today, with hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event includes 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, many Oklahoma performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here. Or to read my feature on the festival’s official street performer, “The Human Knot,” click here.
To see photos of the event, check out my festival board on Pinterest by going to http://pinterest.com/bamok.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule:
Sunday, April 29
Café Stage
11 a.m. A Mirage Dancing Company – Dance
Noon Mariachi Lopez – Mariachi
1 p.m. Edgar Cruz – Classical Guitar
2 The Talk of the Town Orchestra – Instrumental
3 Highland East JH – Choral
4 Charlie Hill – Acoustic
5 Shortt Dogg – Variety
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Range of Motion – Dance
Noon Gravity Dance – Dance
1 p.m. Sugar Free AllStars – Variety
2 Metropolitan School of Dance – Dance
3 Oklahoma Children’s Acting Guild – Variety
4 Velocity Dance Center – Dance
5 OKC Symphonic Band – Instrumental
Water Stage
11 a.m. Random Order – Rock
Noon ONG – Rock
1 p.m. Gotcha Covered – Variety
2 At Long Last – Rock/Pop
3 Eden – Indie/Folk
4 The Refreshing – Pop
5 Howard Brady Band – Rock
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Multiple Artists – Jewelry-Making Demonstration
Noon Hartel Dance Group – Modern Dance
1 p.m. Albert Gray Eagle – Ceramic Flute-Making Demonstration
4 Mariachi Orgullo de America – Mariachi
5 Son del Barrio – Salsa/Merengue
-BAM
OKC Thunder begin play-off run against Dallas Mavericks with home game tonight
James Harden (AP file)
The Oklahoma City Thunder will open the 2012 NBA Playoffs at 8:30 tonight at home at Chesapeake Energy Arena with a rematch against the defending champion Dallas Mavericks.
The game will mark the return of OKC’s superstar sixth man James Harden, who has been out with a concussion following L.A. Laker Ron Artest’s (note my refusal to call him Metta World Peace) vicious elbow jab to the head during a game last week. To The Oklahoman‘s Berry Tramel interview with Harden, click here.
If you’re planning to attend the Thunder game, make sure to get downtown early since the Festival of the Arts is happening and the Oklahoma RedHawks also are playing tonight.
The Thunder game also can be seen on ESPN and FSN Oklahoma.
-BAM
Norman Music Festival 5 offering free music throughout today
Other Lives
NORMAN — Top local and national indie bands will rock Main Street when the fifth annual Norman Music Festival enters its grand finale today, with free music throughout the day and into the wee hours.
Covering the festival Friday night, The Oklahoman Assistant Entertainment Editor George Lang reports that the event is seeing bigger crowds this year. To read his story, click here.
The event will have music playing on more than a dozen local stages and include headliners Portugal. The Man on the festival’s Main Stage and Hayes Carll on its Jack Daniels stage. The Oklahoman Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett talked to both headliners as well as breakout Oklahoma band Other Lives and Ohio alternative pop-rockers Red Wanting Blue. To read his story, click here.
The festival is in downtown Norman, on Main Street in the Arts District, extending from the 300 block of E Main Street and the 100 block of W Main Street.
Along with Portugal. The Man, Other Lives (fresh off a support tour with Radiohead) and Red Wanting Blue, the Main Stage lineup includes Weekend Hustler, the Tulsa-based Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Oklahoma City’s Modern Rock Diaries and Norman’s Rainbows Are Free and Crown Imperial.
The Norman Music Festival’s Jack Daniels Stage includes nationally known artists Carll, Alejandro Escovedo, the Giving Tree and the Possum Posse, as well as locally based artists Parker Millsap, The Damn Quails, Krystal Keith (daughter of Toby Keith), Camille Harp and John Calvin.
In addition, NMF5 boasts classical and garage stages, the Wild Prairie Family Park and the Spectacle Stage.
The Dustbowl Arts Market will be an added attraction on Saturday in the 100 block of Main Street, featuring the work of local and regional artists and handmade vendors. Photography, jewelry, prints, screen-printing, clothing, accessories and textiles will be among items for sale.
See the full NMF5 musical lineup for today after the break. For more information, go online to normanmusicfestival.com.
Festival of the Arts continues today in downtown Oklahoma City
Artist David Canavesio of Oklahoma City, seated, talks with visitors at his booth during the 2012 Festival of the Arts on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. This is Canavesio's sixth year to exhibit his oil paintings at the annual festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts continues from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event includes 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, many Oklahoma performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
To read my preview of the event, click here. Or to read my feature on the festival’s official street performer, “The Human Knot,” click here.
To see photos of the event, check out my festival board on Pinterest by going to http://pinterest.com/bamok.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Saturday, April 28
Café Stage
11 a.m. Jane Mays – Pop
Noon Aalim Bellydancing Academy – Dance
1 p.m. Society of Strings – Variety
2 Oklahoma Seniors Caberet – Variety/Dance
3 Portico Dans Theatre – Dance
4 Good Company – Variety
5 Dale Dawson – Classic Pop Variety
6 Moetowne Alex & the Nightview Band – Motown Classics
7:30 Mountain Smoke – Rock/Variety
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Prairie Dance Theatre – Dance
Noon Spaghetti Eddie – Variety
1 p.m. OK Children’s Theatre – Theatre
2 Everything Goes Dance – Dance
3 Russel Bab Honor Choir – Choral
3:30 Clear As Day – Dance
4 OKC Youth Ballet – Dance
5 Sooner Theatre – Variety/Choral
6 Festival Idol Competition
7:30 Justin Joslin – Folk/Indie
Water Stage
11 a.m. Palo Alto- Rock/Pop
Noon Vintage Wildflowers – Folk
1 p.m. Billee Jean – Variety
2 Art in Motion – Dance
3 Soul Skool – Variety
4 The Broke Brothers – Reggae
5 Oxford Town – Rock
6 Lemma – Pop/Rock
7:30 Allie Lauren – Pop/Jazz
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Pierce-Hart – Traditional Irish Music
Noon Patrick Riley – Mask-Making Demonstration
1 p.m. OK Chorale – Barbershop Choral Group
5 Justin Witte and the Horn Wreckers – Jazz/Blues/Americana
6 The Porch Mice – Indie/Western
-BAM
Video: The Human Knot performs at Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts
Native Australian, Al Millar, also known as ALAKAZAM: The Human Knot, is the official street performer for the 2012 Festival of the Arts, continuing through Sunday in downtown Oklahoma City.
Check out this NewsOK video of him performing at the festival, and click here to read my interview.
As The Human Knot, he juggles a small chainsaw, performs “contortionist pushups” and even squeezes his 6-foot, 155-pound physique through the frame of an unstrung squash racquet.
For his grand finale, he scales a 12-foot pole with the help of audience volunteers and then juggles three long knives atop it while his specially made “Triple-Trouble, Double-Ended Ice Axe Blender Blade” twirls over his head like a perilous propeller.
“I tried it one time in my friend’s backyard before I went and did it in my show,” he told me Thursday about his dangerous finale. “because the best place to make a routine around a trick is on the street doing a street performance. ‘Cause the street audiences, they give you the best indicator of if it’s good or not. I mean, I’ve practiced the circus element of it for years and years and years, but yeah, the pole’s just a big, dangerous trick, really.”
His act got an added element of danger Thursday afternoon as the Oklahoma wind began gusting.
“It’s dangerous when I’m up high, ‘cause if there’s a gust of wind, one of the knives, if I’m thinking it’s gonna go and I’m gonna catch here, it might be there. And then it goes on the ground,” he said with a laugh. “Also, from the crowd psychology point of view, the wind makes people less attentive, you lack focus. I know all about crowd psychology.”
The attentiveness of the crowd is a particular concern since Millar depends on several audience volunteers in his 30-minute act. Two strong men give him a boost so he can scale the pole, four more man ropes that help hold the 12-foot metal rod in place, and a woman is tasked with passing up his knives.
“I have to stay on top of it. If I think I’m going this way, I’ve gotta be like ‘Dude, pull that rope, you know, pay attention,’” he said. “People think it’s more dangerous because it’s just random people holding it up. If it was locked into the ground and I just got up there and did it, it would be different. But people are unpredictable, so that’s what makes the trick unpredictable. I rely on the fact that no one wants to look like an idiot in public.”
Even with all the potentially harmful stunts, Millar believes his cheeky, often bawdy quips are just as vital to a successful routine. Like many performing artists, he wants to keep his show cutting edge.
“If it’s not funny, it gets boring, you know. So I try to make anything I say either a setup or a punchline and cut out all the rest of it,” said Millar, who sometimes encourages parents during his act, “You can laugh. The kids don’t get it.”
Along with performing on the international festival circuit since about 1999 — he typically tours from March through October — Millar, 34, was a runner-up on the TV show “Australia’s Got Talent” in 2007 and made an appearance last year on “America’s Got Talent.” He has performed for the likes of Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Harrelson.
After the Festival of the Arts, he has gigs coming up in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland and Canada.
The festival marks his first gig in Oklahoma City. Performance times are noon to 12:30 p.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m. and 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
-BAM
Interview: Australian street performer The Human Knot tangles with Oklahoma City’s Festival of the Arts
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, brings his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, juggles three long knives while holding a specially made blade in his mouth during his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
From Friday’s The Oklahoman. To view a video of The Human Knot performing, click here.
The Human Knot tangles with the Festival of the Arts
Australian contortionist/comedian Al Millar is bringing is jaw-dropping feats of flexibility and daring to downtown Oklahoma City as the event’s official street performer.
After practically twisting himself into the proverbial pretzel to perform “contortionist pushups,” juggling a small running chainsaw and cracking up the crowd with his cheeky jokes, Al Millar’s grand finale involves perching on a 12-foot pole and keeping three long knives and himself in the air while his specially made “Triple-Trouble, Double-Ended Ice Axe Blender Blade” twirls over his head like a perilous propeller.
“If you like the show, tell your friends. If you did not like the show, keep it to yourself. No one likes a whiner,” he joked Thursday afternoon before he put the handle of the homemade blade in his mouth and sent it spinning.
Apparently, this is what going to work looks like when you’re an internationally known contortionist/comedian with the stage name ALAKAZAM and the job description “The Human Knot.” And, really, it must be seen to be believed.
Comedian, contortionist and daredevil Al Millar, 34, juggles a small chainsaw during his high-energy performs his high-energy show Thursday during the Festival of the Arts. As the event's official street performer, the native Australian known as "The Human Knot" is doing his act three times a day at the festival. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
The native Australian is this year’s official street performer for the Festival of the Arts, which means three times a day during downtown Oklahoma City’s annual “rite of spring,” he does his feats of flexibility and daring in the clearing between Stage Center and the food and artists tents. The festival’s tradition of hosting street performers goes back to at least the 1970s, said Emily Trotter, communications manager for festival organizers the Arts Council of Oklahoma City.
“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen for a street performer here. It’s very entertaining,” Trotter said Thursday as people gathered on bleachers, curbs and grassy spots to watch “The Human Knot” tangle and untangle himself. “He’s not just juggling bowling pins here, folks.”
Along with juggling knives, balls and a little chainsaw and scaling the Chinese circus pole with the help of a couple of volunteers, Millar’s act involves wriggling his entire 6-foot, 155-pound physique through the frame of an unstrung squash racquet. “No way!” squealed several students from Mustang Creek Elementary Thursday afternoon as they watched Millar squish and squirm his torso and limbs to maneuver the small round of plastic from his head to his feet, all while spouting self-deprecating, occasionally bawdy one-liners.
“I just like to try all kinds of stupid stuff. … This is not for everyone,” Millar said, laughing as he explained how he started with his racquet trick after the show. “There’s lots of things I’ve tried that didn’t work.”
Members of the audience, including Darrell Beavers of Oklahoma City, help Al Millar down from the 12-foot-tall Chinese pole after his act. A comedian, contortionist and daredevil known as "The Human Knot," Millar, 34, is the official street performer at the 2012 Festival of the Arts. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
Millar, 34, began his street performing career in 1996, but adds, “I was born this way.” From a young age, he realized he was double jointed and particularly flexible, and in elementary school, he proved a natural entertainer. He has honed his skills through years of street performing and vigorous training.
“The audience interaction, that takes time. That takes a lot of learning,” he said. “I can teach you to juggle in about an hour, but to learn to attract an audience and hold an audience, that takes years.”
Along with performing on the international festival circuit since about 1999 — he typically tours from March through October — Millar was a runner-up on the TV show “Australia’s Got Talent” in 2007 and made an appearance last year on “America’s Got Talent.” He has performed for the likes of Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Woody Harrelson.
After the Festival of the Arts, he has gigs coming up in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland and Canada. Making his first visit to Oklahoma City, Miller said he has enjoyed the friendly people. One festival-goer even gave him a ticket to Tuesday’s Thunder game after catching a performance.
“I find it excellent. Like the crowds here are amazing … they’re really loud and responsive just great audiences, laughing at everything,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s Southern hospitality, but everyone’s really nice. You know, the food here is great, the art here is great, the bands are all great, and the hotel I’m staying at is great. I’ve got no complaints.”
He even found an unexpected taste of home on International Food Row, which this year added Australian toasted sandwiches called jaffles to the menu.
“I’m standing in front of the place answering the question ‘what’s a jaffle?’ like every five seconds,” he said with a laugh. “But that’s cool.”
The Human Knot at the Festival of the Arts
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts continues from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City.
Al Millar, aka ALAKAZAM: The Human Knot, will perform his contortionist/comedian act three times a day. Performance times are noon to 12:30 p.m., 2:30 to 3 p.m. and 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com. See the rest of Friday’s performing arts schedule after the break, or click here to view the whole lineup.
Best Bets for April 27-29, 2012: Festival of the Arts, Joe Bonamassa, Red Dirt Rangers, Greg Jacobs and The Black Keys
The Red Dirt Rangers
Here are my picks for the Best Bets in entertainment happening around Oklahoma this weekend. For more options, go to www.wimgo.com.
1. Celebrate the visual, performing and culinary arts at the annual Festival of the Arts from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday in downtown Oklahoma City. Information: 270-4848 or www.artscouncilokc.com.
2. Listen to blues-rock guitarist/singer/songwriter Joe Bonamassa at 8 p.m. Sunday at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker. Information: 297-2264 or www.myticketoffice.com.
3. Hear Oklahoma red dirt musicians Greg Jacobs at 8 p.m. Friday and Red Dirt Rangers at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. Information: 524-0738 or www.bluedoorokc.com.
4. TULSA — Catch The Black Keys with special guest Arctic Monkeys in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver. Doors open at 7 p.m. Information: (866) 726-5287 or www.bokcenter.com.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on April 27, 2012: Hear The Non, Dead Sea Choir, Peelander Z and many more at Norman Music Festival 5
Dead Sea Choir
Today’s featured event:
NORMAN – Hear The Non, Dead Sea Choir, Student Film, Peelander Z, New Fumes and a wide variety of many, many other musical acts playing on many, many stages during Day 2 of the fifth annual Norman Music Festival.
The FREE festival continues today and Saturday in downtown Norman, on Main Street in the Arts District, extending from the 300 block of E Main Street and the 100 block of W Main Street. Today, the music begins about 4:30 p.m. today and goes into the wee hours of the morning. The festival shifts to an all-day event Saturday.
Check out BAM’s Blog contributor Nathan Poppe’s coverage of Thursday’s launch of NMF5 by clicking here.
For more information, go to www.normanmusicfestival.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Norman Music Festival starts today
Portugal. The Man
NORMAN — Some of the top local and national indie bands will rock Main Street when the Norman Music Festival celebrates its fifth year today, Friday and Saturday.
The three-day event will take place on more than a dozen local stages and include headliners Portugal. The Man on the festival’s Main Stage and Hayes Carll on its Jack Daniels stage.
The festival will be in downtown Norman, on Main Street in the Arts District, extending from the 300 block of E Main Street and the 100 block of W Main Street.
Last year’s attendance topped out about 35,000 on the event’s third night. To accommodate the growing audience, the Main Stage will be located at Main Street and Porter.
In addition to headliner Portugal. The Man, the Main Stage lineup includes Stillwater’s Other Lives (fresh off a support tour with Radiohead), self-proclaimed American rock band Red Wanting Blue, the Weekend Hustler, the Tulsa-based Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Oklahoma City’s Modern Rock Diaries and Norman’s Rainbows Are Free and Crown Imperial.
The Norman Music Festival’s Jack Daniels Stage includes nationally known artists Hayes Carll, Alejandro Escovedo, the Giving Tree and the Possum Posse, as well as locally based artists Parker Millsap, The Damn Quails, Krystal Keith, Camille Harp and John Calvin.
The Dustbowl Arts Market will be an added attraction on Saturday in the 100 block of Main Street, featuring the work of local and regional artists and handmade vendors. Photography, jewelry, prints, screen-printing, clothing, accessories and textiles will be among items for sale.
The festival is free but organizers say one of the easiest ways to support the festival is through a VIP pass. Fans can mingle with the bands in VIP lounges, gain access to the VIP stage pit, enjoy complimentary food and beverages and a special edition T-shirt. VIP passes are $60.
For more information, go online to normanmusicfestival.com.
-BAM
Festival of the Arts continues in downtown Oklahoma City
Brianna Gaither
The 46th annual Festival of the Arts celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts continues today in downtown Oklahoma City.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Festival Plaza, on Hudson Avenue and at the revamped Myriad Botanical Gardens.
The event will include 144 juried artists showcasing their wares, 31 fabulous food booths, about 300 performers providing live entertainment on four stages, plus a sculpture park, the South Hudson Gallery’s pro-am exhibition, children’s activities and exhibits and more. Oh, and admission is FREE.
I’ll be out at the festival today to interview the event’s designated street performer Al Millar, AKA The Human Knot. To read my preview of the event, click here.
For more information, call 270-4848 or go to www.artscouncilokc.com.
Here is today’s performing arts schedule. For the full schedule, click here.
Thursday
Café Stage
11 a.m. Emerald Flame – Traditional/Folk
Noon Gravity – Funk/Jazz
1 p.m. Jamie Bramble – Rock/Pop
2 Moore High School Wind Quintet – Instrumental
3 Colla Voce Harding Fine Arts – Choral
5 Dustin Prinz – Indie Folk/Accoustic
6 Brother Summit w/ Kerry Wayne – Old School Classics
7:30 Smilin’ Vic and the Soul Monkeys – Classic Oldies
Great Lawn Stage
11 a.m. Yukon Middle School – Choral
Noon Deer Creek Prairie Vale Honor Choir
1 p.m. Coronado Heights Choir – Choral
2 Harding Arts Dance – Dance
3 Moore West Tiger Choir – Choral
4 Science Museum Oklahoma Presents: The Science of WOW!
5 PM2: Perpetual Motion Teen Company- Dance
6 Festival Idol Competition
7 Kelvin “Mr. Guitar” Drake & Friends – Variety
Water Stage
11 a.m. Tuter, Brooks, and Williams- Rock/Jazz
Noon Brianna Gaither – Pop
1 p.m. Delivin Sirleaf – R&B
2 Carousal Revolt – Rock/Country
3 Okie Stompers – Clog Dance
4 Paul Barbre – Folk
5 Straight 2 Video -Rock
6 OKC Comedy – Comedy
7:30 Tele Mori – Rock/Pop
Art Moves Stage
11 a.m. Diane Coady – Silk-Dyeing Demonstration
Noon Erica Thomas and Terri Hlubek – Opera/Variety
1 p.m. Chad Slagle – Red-Dirt Country
5 Bread and Butter Band – Indie-Bluegrass
6 Local Honey – Traditional Folk/Country
-BAM
