Oklahoma has become a hotbed for talented musicians, and this month’s Norman Music Festival will be a homecoming for several artists with ties to the Sooner state.
Sierra Spirit, JW Francis and Jabee are among the singer-songwriters scheduled to perform at the free 3-day festival downtown, which begins Thursday, April 24, and is expected to draw as many as 70,000 visitors.
“We brought back several artists with strong Oklahoma ties this year and I think that’s really fun,” said Shari Jackson, who oversees the festival.
With more than 250 performances scheduled on four outdoor stages and 12 indoor venues, there’s something for everybody.
“It’s all genres,” Jackson said. “You’re going to find something you love, no matter what kind of music you love.”
Jackson has overseen the festival from the beginning in 2008.
“Right now, we’re getting better at what we do,” she said. “NMF has always been a place that really spotlights Oklahoma music. And right now, Oklahoma music is all over the country and around the world.
“There are Oklahoma musicians everywhere and I don’t know that people really know just how spectacular Oklahoma music is.”
Sierra Spirit, a Connecticut-based Indie pop singer who hails from Claremore, will take the Friday night main stage.
JW Francis, a Sapulpa native, is a highly successful singer and songwriter who travels the world performing his brand of Indie music. He will take the West Stage at 11:10 p.m. Friday.
“I love it that we can bring some of those folks home,” Jackson said. “And not only that, we’re putting them on stage alongside amazing super powerhouses from here in Oklahoma like stepmom and Cliff Diver and Rainbows are Free and hip-hop artist Jabee.”
Jabee is an Oklahoma City rapper signed to Mello Music Group, an internationally renowned record label based in Tucson, Arizona. He is bringing hip-hop “super producer” Apollo Brown to perform with him, Jackson said.
The festival runs on the work of volunteers. Every dollar of the $280,000 budget is raised through donations and sponsorships. Jackson is the only paid employee. She views the festival as a gift to the music community “and to our community.”
Venues abound
The festival spans four city blocks, from Webster Avenue to the west and Porter Street to the east, Main Street to the south and Gray Street to the north.
Jackson said music will fill the air on each of the four stages from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thursday and Friday, while partner venues will stay until 2 a.m.
The main stage is located on Main at Porter. The west stage is on Main near Webster. The Gray Street stage is near Peters. The alley stage is just south of Gray between Crawford and Porter.
Kids Fest, which offers a variety of music-related activities and entertainment for children, takes place on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Gray Street stage. Main stage performances begin at 2 p.m. and will continue late into the night.
“We love a free festival here in Norman,” Jackson said. “We love to get together as a community, and we’re good at it.”
Carnival news
The Lions Club carnival predates the music festival, but it is a tradition, nonetheless.
“When NMF started, that became a really great partnership,” Jackson said. “It’s a very fun addition to the festival, and it makes the carnival, which is their main fundraiser, very successful. We absolutely love having a Ferris Wheel in the middle of a music festival. How cool is that?”
Prep work
The Norman Music Festival has long been a starting point for headliners that went on to become the big names playing at Lollapalooza and Coachella.
“This year’s no different,” Jackson said. “You’re going to get to know your next favorite band.”
One way to do that is to download the MNF app and then click through and learn about every band at the festival.
“You can star your favorite performances; it will populate your schedule. When you’re ready to go, tap on it and it will give you walking directions straight to the stage you want to be at,” she said.
The festival’s new website also has listings for every band.
Close encounters
There are three options for VIP passes for festival attendees who “really want to get up close and personal.”
A $100 donation gets you a front-row pass for the main stage, while $200 gets you inside Uncanny Art House on Main, the festival’s VIP room. Food and beverages are served along with VIP-only events.
For $300, you’ll get a reserved parking space for the festival along with a VIP pass and VIP room privileges.
“Those donations help keep NMF free,” Jackson said. – BSM
