BOk Center Press Conference 4/3?

[Kenosha]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

I don't think anyone has said this is a bad act to bring in.  Merely that as of yet most people are not represented.  

Opening act will likely be Garth Brooks - Counrty
Then we have Dion - generally wealthy white women
Chesney - Country
Rascal Flats - Country

You don't see a trend?

Not much that would apply to your typical young professional that I see on there.  In fact, I do not know anyone in town of any age planning on going to any of those shows.  There are probably plenty of people who will (AGAIN OVER AND OVER, these are big time acts), just not that run in the same circle as I do (generally young, mostly white, usually married, educated professionals who grew up with popular music from the 80-90's).

We are in Oklahoma, but we are in an urban setting in Oklahoma.  Not everyone prefers country.

To pull out a stereo type that is largely true, it's seems likely that few of the 140,000 black people in Tulsa will have any interest in the acts thus far announced.  Not too mention the other people who would enjoy hip-hop/rap or other forms of "urban"  (code for black) music.  I have to imagine a feeling will start to grow that "they" are subsidizing "us"  (que Roscoe Turner to turn concerts into a race issue!).  But honestly, there is nothing to appeal to the entire black population for the most part.

So I hope they book a wide variety of acts, but so far we are 0-4.  1 hitting a very selective demographic (sorry, I don't know any Dion fans) and the other 3 hitting Country Music fans.  I'd be wary if it was all rap, all current pop acts, or all 1990's acts.  Anyway, at a least a hint that we can expect variety would be welcome.

I want to join in the anticipation too.

For what it is worth, I'd place money on the fact that any black artist that is currently touring on the arena circuit has sold as many "albums" (read: mp3's) to white kids as black kids.  The urban genre has true crossover appeal these days.  In conclusion, I agree with you that we hope that the programming for the arena is broad in terms of genre and type.

[cannon_fodder]

Kenosha, I agree wholeheartedly about the album sales of black music.  Such has been the case since Elvis.  I'm just avoiding classifying R&B, rap, hip hop or whatever.   If I say "black" or "urban" music people know what I mean.

[we vs us]

quote:Originally posted by grahambino

Buckethead should be a great concert.  Guy can absolutely shred.  Pretty excited about that one.

I WAS going to see Ministry but then, All of a sudden, I found myself in love with the world
So there was only one thing that I could do
Was ding a ding dang my dang a long ling long.

That's why I love Jesus.  He built my hotrod!

[shadows]

In considering the great circus maximum, with its chariot races and the coliseum remains of Rome's heydays, is it possible to book such races?   With the increasing of the changing of the religion factors world wide will future bookings  possible book episodes of feeding the Christians to the lions?    

After all the millions of revenue bonds to build it will take a generation to pay off  this million-air palace where the working poor would require three day's pay for he and his wife to attend an event.  

[cannon_fodder]

Shadows, tickets are generally around $75.   If you make $6 an hour you probably should be spending that money on some kind of vocational training or education instead of a concert.  Maybe they should take the time a concert would take and earn extra money.  Actually, you know what... I'll just say it:

[nm, no I won't]

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by shadows


After all the millions of revenue bonds to build it will take a generation to pay off  this million-air palace where the working poor would require three day's pay for he and his wife to attend an event.

If you make less than $20 (two tickets @ $10 each for a Talons game) in 3 day, you've got bigger issues than going to the arena.

Even going to the Chesney concert is $70 per ticket. If the man is making minimum wage, then I can see this being a problem. But again, if he is only making minimum wage, perhaps he should be getting some better education than spending his time at the arena.

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by Floyd

She's pretty.

I agree with Kenosha.  Don't get all fussy just because the current top concert events don't meet your taste.  Arena acts must, by nature, cater to the lowest common denominator to sell tickets.  Rascall Flatts is the nastiest country boy band crap on the radio, but I'm fired up that they're coming here.  Why?  Because they wouldn't have before.  And people will fill the arena to see them.

And as for Garth--if you're not a fan, you might not understand the fanaticism that accompanies his shows.  A Garth opener would be a nuclear event in downtown Tulsa.  Huge.  You think the fact that 80,000 people saw him 11 years ago diminishes his potential draw here?  Demand would be stratospheric.

And I just found out my mother has tickets to the Kenny Chesney show.  My mom.  Going downtown to an arena show.  With all her mom-type coworkers.  Seriously.  That's what we're going to see with this arena--folks going downtown for the excitement and nightlife who've never been there before.  It's going to be good.

I agree and wll stated!

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by shadows

In considering the great circus maximum, with its chariot races and the coliseum remains of Rome's heydays, is it possible to book such races?   With the increasing of the changing of the religion factors world wide will future bookings  possible book episodes of feeding the Christians to the lions?    

After all the millions of revenue bonds to build it will take a generation to pay off  this million-air palace where the working poor would require three day's pay for he and his wife to attend an event.  

You are right Shadows, admission to all events in the new arena should be free! While we are at it, everything should be free to the working poor. Oh, and screw those who pay butt loads in federal and state tax every year and who spend butt loads of money which are subject to the sales tax that funded the arena--they should pay double.

[jne]

quote:Originally posted by shadows

In considering the great circus maximum, with its chariot races and the coliseum remains of Rome's heydays, is it possible to book such races?   With the increasing of the changing of the religion factors world wide will future bookings  possible book episodes of feeding the Christians to the lions?    

After all the millions of revenue bonds to build it will take a generation to pay off  this million-air palace where the working poor would require three day's pay for he and his wife to attend an event.  

What is your obsession with Rome?  You sound like the creepy rainbow people who equate every workplace (they spent 2 weeks in) to Babylon.

[YoungTulsan]

I can just picture it now... 10,000 pickup trucks with varying levels of rust, all descending upon Downtown Tulsa, all to discover there is no dedicated parking at the BOK center.

[FOTD]

"Oh, the hours we spent, inside the Coliseum.

Dodging lions, and a-wasting time,

oh those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see'em

Yes it sure has been a long, hard drive.

Train wheels a-running thru the back of my memory,

When I ran on a hilltop following a pack of wild geese,

Someday everything is gonna sound like a rhapsody...."

Bob Dylan


BTW, I'm sticking with my Eagles prediction.

[Kenosha]

Tom Petty...his last scheduled shows are:

08.26.08 Selma TX US Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
08.27.08 Dallas TX US American Airlines Centre
08.29.08 Woodlands TX US Cynthia Woods Mitchell

Next stop...Tulsa.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by Kenosha

Tom Petty...his last scheduled shows are:

08.26.08 Selma TX US Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
08.27.08 Dallas TX US American Airlines Centre
08.29.08 Woodlands TX US Cynthia Woods Mitchell

Next stop...Tulsa.

The conventional wisdom....I'd love to see it.

[hoodlum]

I was told point blank by an idividual in the marketing and pr group from the BOK arena that Garth Brooks will not be opening the arena. That he was invited and declined the invitataion, so they were moving more in the direction of some classic rock star.

This is legitimate information from the arean group itself. Now if they are pulling a deny - deny - deny and then a big surprising reveal then who knows.

[jne]

Maybe they're waiting to see if David Cook wins American Idol.  I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Carrie Underwood.   I wonder if I'll ever see the inside of the arena...