http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=269&articleid=20100520_4_D1_Fansch411424
I have been wondering why no information for this year's festivities had been released yet. I'm glad the TW looked into it. It would be a real shame if it didn't happen. Dfest is such a great event for Tulsa.
I have heard mumblings but I'm actually kinda upset with TW over the story. The rumors have been going for weeks but the reason TW ran the story today is that DFEST plans to make an announcement tomorrow and they wanted to either:
A. Make a big deal out of nothing
B. Act like they "got the scoop"
Well.. they kinda did get the scoop. They were all like, hey whats up. Then they were all like, "no comment". Bam.. Scooped
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 20, 2010, 08:16:26 AM
I have heard mumblings but I'm actually kinda upset with TW over the story. The rumors have been going for weeks but the reason TW ran the story today is that DFEST plans to make an announcement tomorrow and they wanted to either:
A. Make a big deal out of nothing
B. Act like they "got the scoop"
Tomorrow, May 21st?
Quote from: SXSW on May 20, 2010, 08:30:17 AM
Tomorrow, May 21st?
From the story:
Angie DeVore Green, said via e-mail, "We must decline to make any announcements until Friday."
If they delay it, they should move it to either the weekend before or the weekend after Austin City Limits, so as to try to grab as many of those bands as possible while they're touring through the region. http://2010.aclfestival.com/
Quote from: Floyd on May 20, 2010, 09:15:29 AM
If they delay it, they should move it to either the weekend before or the weekend after Austin City Limits, so as to try to grab as many of those bands as possible while they're touring through the region. http://2010.aclfestival.com/
I like that idea. The ACL lineup is stellar this year.
It's still 10 weeks out. What's everyone getting so excited for? It's been a success in past years so I can't imagine why it would not go off as planned.
Quote from: Floyd on May 20, 2010, 09:15:29 AM
If they delay it, they should move it to either the weekend before or the weekend after Austin City Limits, so as to try to grab as many of those bands as possible while they're touring through the region. http://2010.aclfestival.com/
Then you run into football season, with OU/Texas the weekend before ACL. The weather is probably better though.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 20, 2010, 09:33:10 AM
It's still 10 weeks out. What's everyone getting so excited for? It's been a success in past years so I can't imagine why it would not go off as planned.
It still requires a sponsor and if they can't land a major sponsor for the event, it makes it much harder to finance, especially since ticket sales are usually too close to the event.
10 weeks out is not a lot. A large amount of Mayfest is put together in January.
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 20, 2010, 02:08:48 PM
It still requires a sponsor and if they can't land a major sponsor for the event, it makes it much harder to finance, especially since ticket sales are usually too close to the event.
I'm a little concerned they may accept an offer from OKC.
Quote from: Townsend on May 20, 2010, 03:02:42 PM
I'm a little concerned they may accept an offer from OKC.
A few years ago it could have as Angie was working for an OKC organization and the ties with Tulsa were kinda weak but the Greens are now raising a family and 3 businesses in Tulsa. I'm sure they are counting on DFest to be a big boon to their own businesses. I'm guessing they lost their previous sponsor and may be announcing a new last minute sponsor on friday.
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 20, 2010, 03:16:57 PM
A few years ago it could have as Angie was working for an OKC organization and the ties with Tulsa were kinda weak but the Greens are now raising a family and 3 businesses in Tulsa. I'm sure they are counting on DFest to be a big boon to their own businesses. I'm guessing they lost their previous sponsor and may be announcing a new last minute sponsor on friday.
I'm glad you're a smart man. Not much of a politician, but a smart man.
Quote from: Townsend on May 20, 2010, 03:19:36 PM
I'm glad you're a smart man. Not much of a politician, but a smart man.
:P
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 20, 2010, 02:08:48 PM
It still requires a sponsor and if they can't land a major sponsor for the event, it makes it much harder to finance, especially since ticket sales are usually too close to the event.
10 weeks out is not a lot. A large amount of Mayfest is put together in January.
Oh damn, there is that sponsor thingy.
Quote from: SXSW on May 20, 2010, 01:32:26 PM
Then you run into football season, with OU/Texas the weekend before ACL. The weather is probably better though.
You think Austin might have that problem too?
Got more TU kids in town, OSU kids too an hour away in Stillwater who detest OU/xt and could use an alternative.
Just sayin'
It's official. Not happening.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=269&articleid=20100521_371_0_Afterw257322
That's too bad.
Yes that is too bad, I was looking forward to this. Speaking of festivals, what happened to the Overground Film Festival? That used to be a cool event downtown.
That's really unfortunate. Did it get too big too fast? I don't know much about the economics of putting on a music festival. But I would think with a gate like they've got, and all the momentum and buzz, it's just a matter of good management.
Why couldn't they simply scale back the festival this year and take it back closer to it's roots rather than cancel it entirely? I've done event organizing and booked bands before (though not on the same scale as D-fest became) so I'm not entirely in the dark on how these things work. Do they really need Black Crowes or Flaming Lips to make it a success? A lot of people will still turn out to hear local and regional bands and the talent costs are far less. There's some really good talent who will play for nothing simply for the opportunity to play in front of a few thousand people.
"tough economy, rising production costs, and a decline in lower level corporate sponsorships and support,"
Tulsa isn't having that tough an economy over this time last year. That's typically code-speak for "we aren't doing so well". I'm curious if they have over-extended themselves with their other business ventures. I wish they would re-consider as many people would still go even without a national level headliner(s).
This raises more questions than answers in my mind. The original intent was to give local bands a venue and an opportunity to get discovered. It became too ambitious and unsustainable is what it looks like to me. The same thing happened in the early 1990's when Mayfest tried to get too big. That was the year they spread north of the tracks and had booked acts like Chuck Berry & Ray Charles.
I wonder if the BD merchants want to get together and start a Blue Dome Music Fest and highlight local and regional bands?
I had a short conversation with the guy once about the festival. My impression was that it had become a major pain to produce and he appeared just fatigued with the thought of it. Some people are great at bringing visions to life. Others are better at sustaining them.
I thought this years Mayfest was closer in character to the original Mayfests (Jubilee '73!) I was working downtown during those times and it was really a cool new thing back then. Much more variety in personality back then though. Strange, really strange, vendors and performance art.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 21, 2010, 10:01:43 AM
Why couldn't they simply scale back the festival this year and take it back closer to it's roots rather than cancel it entirely? I've done event organizing and booked bands before (though not on the same scale as D-fest became) so I'm not entirely in the dark on how these things work. Do they really need Black Crowes or Flaming Lips to make it a success? A lot of people will still turn out to hear local and regional bands and the talent costs are far less. There's some really good talent who will play for nothing simply for the opportunity to play in front of a few thousand people.
"tough economy, rising production costs, and a decline in lower level corporate sponsorships and support,"
Tulsa isn't having that tough an economy over this time last year. That's typically code-speak for "we aren't doing so well". I'm curious if they have over-extended themselves with their other business ventures. I wish they would re-consider as many people would still go even without a national level headliner(s).
This raises more questions than answers in my mind. The original intent was to give local bands a venue and an opportunity to get discovered. It became too ambitious and unsustainable is what it looks like to me. The same thing happened in the early 1990's when Mayfest tried to get too big. That was the year they spread north of the tracks and had booked acts like Chuck Berry & Ray Charles.
I wonder if the BD merchants want to get together and start a Blue Dome Music Fest and highlight local and regional bands?
It's a sad deal that they just took the pass. It does look like multiple factors may have killed the Dfest. IMO, last years line up was much weaker than the year before and probably cost the same to produce. They are probably over-extended in the Enso bar (I just don't see that holding up). I remember when everyone was in an uproar about what public works spent on supporting events. I have to wonder if there wasn't a cut in that support that was a contributing factor. All that and State Farm backing off on some cash sounds like code blue.
I thought I saw that there was going to be a second Blue Dome event in fall maybe. That might be an opportunity for a more reasonably scaled startup. Just a couple of good headliners over a weekend and all other local/regional would be good. If I didn't have a straight job, I'd call some folks over at Pipeline and see if I could light a fire. There is obviously all the potential for a successful event. The finances just need some reworking. I don't see why they can't still get the conference together. Let local venues promote some shows to go along with it.
State Farm isn't the issue. They were very, very committed to the festival. It was the lower level sponsors that were causing issues.
The struggle with DFest is the number of people that come to Blue Dome and don't buy a ticket. They hang out in the streets or sneak into the main stage. The bar owners love it because they rake in the cash while the Greens haven't made a dime.
Lots of issues are at play. Enso, Electric Circus & IDL Ballroom aren't the problem in the sense that they are sucking capital. What they may do is allow the Greens to book local bands at a venue other than DFest.
Lol...Electric Circus....What a drunken night that was....lol....Thanks for reminding me....
This is really bad. I'm underwhelmed with the attention. This was one of the best things, if not the best thing, to happen in Tulsa in awhile.
Having only met the Greens a couple of times, I don't know much about the management. But, maybe it was ready for people with more experience with corporate issues, business issues, etc.
All that said, it was an awful time of year for an event like this. It was too hot. Move it to the spring or fall.
Is it ironic that an indy music festival can't survive without corporate sponsors...lol
I'm sorry I am not down with an increase of vanity. I really do care for and support the variety in music, and musicians should always work toward perfection, but, the majority of rock music in particular can be summed up in the classics, and what is new nowadays, they can have all their venues to their heart's fill - as for me, I am much more focused on the communications, so the inspiration is making the most brilliant lights of all. Having the downtown venue should include an abundance of hip-hop, reggae, and techno, and everyone setting their faith in the right things instead of the profit-motive, in order to be a strong magnet, inclusive to many setting up camp and their booths promoting good among all the people. Let the tribes set up in their corner bearing the offerings of every sort, and interact for a season: people can meet and formulate and practise together, and stick together for many days. But I don't see it happening as long as we got mad brothers getting drunk, walking about with cursing and vanity, and the whole process choked by financial grips. It reflects in what sorry types of music this people produce, and flock to ignorantly, and likewise is the reason why the flocks of people are scattered away from the positive and green time of healing in this nation.
Quote from: rhymnrzn on May 22, 2010, 10:34:46 PM
I'm sorry I am not down with an increase of vanity. I really do care for and support the variety in music, and musicians should always work toward perfection, but, the majority of rock music in particular can be summed up in the classics, and what is new nowadays, they can have all their venues to their heart's fill - as for me, I am much more focused on the communications, so the inspiration is making the most brilliant lights of all. Having the downtown venue should include an abundance of hip-hop, reggae, and techno, and everyone setting their faith in the right things instead of the profit-motive, in order to be a strong magnet, inclusive to many setting up camp and their booths promoting good among all the people. Let the tribes set up in their corner bearing the offerings of every sort, and interact for a season: people can meet and formulate and practise together, and stick together for many days. But I don't see it happening as long as we got mad brothers getting drunk, walking about with cursing and vanity, and the whole process choked by financial grips. It reflects in what sorry types of music this people produce, and flock to ignorantly, and likewise is the reason why the flocks of people are scattered away from the positive and green time of healing in this nation.
Shadows? Is that you?
Quote from: Gold on May 22, 2010, 11:45:42 AM
All that said, it was an awful time of year for an event like this. It was too hot. Move it to the spring or fall.
The problem with spring in Oklahoma is you have the likelihood of what Mayfest just experienced, bad weather. The threat of weather in Oklahoma can completely ruin your gate. Outdoor events can buy weather insurance. But, it is very precise and very expensive.
The fall is hard because of football, both college & high school. ACL fest is a different animal in that it is a national festival. People come from all over the country (& world) to attend.
DFest was originally in June. When Rocklahoma started they took the weekend DFest had historically taken. The Greens tried to work it out with the corporate entity that does Rocklahoma and it was no dice.
Quote from: rdj on May 23, 2010, 09:00:24 AM
The problem with spring in Oklahoma is you have the likelihood of what Mayfest just experienced, bad weather. The threat of weather in Oklahoma can completely ruin your gate. Outdoor events can buy weather insurance. But, it is very precise and very expensive.
The fall is hard because of football, both college & high school. ACL fest is a different animal in that it is a national festival. People come from all over the country (& world) to attend.
DFest was originally in June. When Rocklahoma started they took the weekend DFest had historically taken. The Greens tried to work it out with the corporate entity that does Rocklahoma and it was no dice.
Hmm, is Rocklahoma to blame then? Did they sap the "low-level" corporate sponsorship that Dfest needed?
I'm still curious what happened to the Overground Film Festival. I remember it seemingly on its way to being a premier festival but I was away from Tulsa for several years so I don't know what happened to it. It would be cool to see it return especially with downtown much more active than it was back then.
Quote from: SXSW on May 24, 2010, 08:30:55 AM
Hmm, is Rocklahoma to blame then? Did they sap the "low-level" corporate sponsorship that Dfest needed?
I'm still curious what happened to the Overground Film Festival. I remember it seemingly on its way to being a premier festival but I was away from Tulsa for several years so I don't know what happened to it. It would be cool to see it return especially with downtown much more active than it was back then.
I believe I heard it went bankrupt. Tom Green wanted them to run it parallel with dfest (a la SXSW) but it never happened.
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 24, 2010, 09:30:54 AM
I believe I heard it went bankrupt. Tom Green wanted them to run it parallel with dfest (a la SXSW) but it never happened.
Hmm, I wonder if anyone would want to bring it back? If the Green's decide to bring back Dfest next year maybe it could involve the Overground Film Festival as well creating an entire weekend of music, conference, and the film fest all in downtown. I would get behind that and there are many others in this city that would as well. July sucks because it's usually hot but it's also usually dry..
Just saw this, a new local music festival in the Brady District:
http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12532174 (http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12532174)
Quote from: rhymnrzn on May 22, 2010, 10:34:46 PM
I'm sorry I am not down with an increase of vanity. I really do care for and support the variety in music, and musicians should always work toward perfection, but, the majority of rock music in particular can be summed up in the classics, and what is new nowadays, they can have all their venues to their heart's fill - as for me, I am much more focused on the communications, so the inspiration is making the most brilliant lights of all. Having the downtown venue should include an abundance of hip-hop, reggae, and techno, and everyone setting their faith in the right things instead of the profit-motive, in order to be a strong magnet, inclusive to many setting up camp and their booths promoting good among all the people. Let the tribes set up in their corner bearing the offerings of every sort, and interact for a season: people can meet and formulate and practise together, and stick together for many days. But I don't see it happening as long as we got mad brothers getting drunk, walking about with cursing and vanity, and the whole process choked by financial grips. It reflects in what sorry types of music this people produce, and flock to ignorantly, and likewise is the reason why the flocks of people are scattered away from the positive and green time of healing in this nation.
I read that twice and still have no idea what point you are trying to make, or even find a coherent idea at all.
Quote from: SXSW on May 24, 2010, 11:32:15 AM
Just saw this, a new local music festival in the Brady District:
http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12532174 (http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=12532174)
Really? This couldn't have just been put together over this past weekend. There's got to be something bigger behind this. I'd be curious if some of those smaller sponsors didn't take their money north of the tracks.
I know of at least one bar owner who didn't find the Greens very nice to work with when DFest moved to Blue Dome and that there was a squabble about beer sales, beer advertising issues, and the bar owner's business being intentionally blocked. I totally get it that if you are putting on a festival, you are there to make money, but you cannot afford to piss off the local business owners and try to divert business away from them.
Quote from: Conan71 on May 24, 2010, 01:23:04 PM
Really? This couldn't have just been put together over this past weekend. There's got to be something bigger behind this. I'd be curious if some of those smaller sponsors didn't take their money north of the tracks.
I know of at least one bar owner who didn't find the Greens very nice to work with when DFest moved to Blue Dome and that there was a squabble about beer sales, beer advertising issues, and the bar owner's business being intentionally blocked. I totally get it that if you are putting on a festival, you are there to make money, but you cannot afford to piss off the local business owners and try to divert business away from them.
I think FreeTulsa had been in the planning stages, but was going to be a much smaller event (it was going to be called Hard Work Summer). I believe that DFest cancellation pretty much helped Jeff Richardson, of Hard Work Records, to increase the size and scope of the event to what we are seeing now with FreeTulsa. He's certainly not doing it alone, but definately deserves quite a bit of credit for stepping up his existing event into this new one.
Quote from: TURobY on May 24, 2010, 01:50:38 PM
I think FreeTulsa had been in the planning stages, but was going to be a much smaller event (it was going to be called Hard Work Summer). I believe that DFest cancellation pretty much helped Jeff Richardson, of Hard Work Records, to increase the size and scope of the event to what we are seeing now with FreeTulsa. He's certainly not doing it alone, but definately deserves quite a bit of credit for stepping up his existing event into this new one.
You mean, kind of like Blue Dome Arts Festival going on simultaneously with Mayfest? One festival being more local and the other with a more regional and national talent presence?
Wasn't Country Fever cancelled this year? Rocklahoma seems to be running on fumes, especially with a much better (relatively speaking) collection of 80s/hair bands at the Rock-N-America festival at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre this summer. So it could be a bad year for large music festivals.
It would have been nice to see Dfest scaled back, but still go on. Maybe they thought that would have tarnished the event for future years, although one-year hiatuses tend to be permanent.
Quote from: DTowner on May 25, 2010, 03:48:02 PM
Wasn't Country Fever cancelled this year? Rocklahoma seems to be running on fumes, especially with a much better (relatively speaking) collection of 80s/hair bands at the Rock-N-America festival at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre this summer. So it could be a bad year for large music festivals.
It would have been nice to see Dfest scaled back, but still go on. Maybe they thought that would have tarnished the event for future years, although one-year hiatuses tend to be permanent.
Yes, Country Fever was cancelled. Rocklahoma has changed it's venue to a more modern rock (buckcherry, godsmack ect.) and is excpecting an edgefest type turnout. We'll see this weekend what happens on that front.
Quote from: SXSW on May 24, 2010, 08:30:55 AM
Hmm, is Rocklahoma to blame then? Did they sap the "low-level" corporate sponsorship that Dfest needed?
No Rocklahoma isn't to blame. Someone else had asked why DFest was in late July when it was so hot. I was just stating it used to be earlier in the year when it was hot but not HOTT!
Any word on DFest 2011? I'm assuming no. I haven't seen anything on the Twitter or Facebook. Didn't know if anyone had any "inside" knowledge.
I would imagine that they would have announced something by now if anything was on the books. Certainly wish it would come back.
I may be terribly wrong, but it's the kiss of death to an event like that to simply go dark like they did last year. That makes sponsors nervous mainly because it illustrates financial instability or possible organizational problems. I'm just wondering if it got too big too quick and may have been sustainable if they had pursued a less ambitious talent list. They nearly killed Mayfest in the early '90's by going to (IIRC) a 10 day festival when they brought in the likes of Ray Charles and Chuck Berry as well as expanding the area the event was held in.
Quote from: rdj on May 21, 2010, 04:46:15 PM
The struggle with DFest is the number of people that come to Blue Dome and don't buy a ticket. They hang out in the streets or sneak into the main stage. The bar owners love it because they rake in the cash while the Greens haven't made a dime.
It is my understanding that the problem is as described above, due to counterfiters and people sneaking into Dfest event organizers were losing money.
Quote from: moosedaddy on February 14, 2011, 02:43:14 PM
It is my understanding that the problem is as described above, due to counterfiters and people sneaking into Dfest event organizers were losing money.
Or the talent fees were too high to sustain. I heard it from the other side of one of the Blue Dome bar owners and he said the Greens were an absolute nightmare to try and work with. I also heard the frustration of local musicians who were upset at being overlooked for talent from out of town (support level, not headliners).
You simply can't move into a commercial area with your event and expect all the area businesses to jump on board or to be willing to take a hit on their own revenues if they don't want to buy in. It's a difficult thing to pull off.
I heard from some of the security (TPD) that it was a nightmare.
They will have to pay a fortune in security if they want to do it again.
Rocklahoma announced their lineup for this year.......
http://rocklahoma.com/
I heard they bought a bar and lost interest in dfest... their facebook/twitter turned to pimping the bar before I unfriended it.
If they wanted it to grow and live they needed to turn it non profit and set up a boar.
I miss dfest, it was a great event.