A Hat Trick of Bands for Friday at Rocklahoma 2015

By Dan Adler

Now that the daily lineup has been put up, there are a whole bunch of bands that were not listed on the original lineup that I am completely stoked to see.  Yes, Rocklahoma has an incredible lineup of big, popular bands, but it is the plethora of amazing talent off center stage that makes Rocklahoma an epic experience.

ViliFi

First and foremost there is ViliFi, whom I have seen at Rocklahoma the last two years, and thought I would not see again after a scheduling/lightning-induced mess-up that left Shain Honkonen and his band playing to a dozen people on the Axis Stage.  The 50,000 people inside at the time truly missed out.  ViliFi is a band composed of three of the most talented musicians you will ever find.  Honkonen is one of the best guitar players I have seen in modern rock music, and his writing and heart-felt lyrics need to be experienced to be believed.  This band is one that should be on the main stage and you are absolutely blowing it if you miss this act.  Wherever they play, they should play to a packed audience.  ViliFi’s first CD, Common Eyes, has been a highlight for me in the past few years.  Honkonen and company have been working on their sophomore effort and the sneak peaks on Facebook have been incredibly promising.

For a taste of this amazing band, hit their YouTube channel and listen to “Travail,”  “Anguish,” “Price I Have to Pay,” and “Better Days.”  There is a story behind every song to go with the absolutely stellar guitar work.

Vilifi's Shain Honkonen, Jake Hogeland and Dylan Thomas from Merritt Island, Florida

KingShifter

Another band I have seen twice at Rocklahoma is KingShifter from Wichita, Kansas.  They played on the Axis Stage at mid-day, but also at 0-dark-30 at the Jagermesiter Stage.  Regardless of my exhaustion at 3 am, there was no dragging me away from this grungy, down-home growl.  I bought their CD and played it incessantly for weeks when I got home.  I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to experience some more live KingShifter.  Again, get your butts to their show.  Awesome, amazing, fun, unique, full of deep grooving riffs that will make you dance at 3 am like it is 10 pm.  They released a new CD, 26 Tons with the single “Peace of Mind.”  Check out the video:

Wichita, Kansas-based KingShifter is coming back to Rocklahoma this year.

NICNOS

Oklahoma’s very own NICNOS is another top draw for me at this year’s event.  Nicnos brings their own fantastic “fusion folk rock” band that blends so many different styles into an auditory joy. Of course they played LA recently, and I missed it.  DAMN!!  How does that happen?  But they are back at Rocklahoma and this is one of those small bands I would be late to the main event to see.  Fun and happy music, great beats, fantastic guitar work, invigorating violin accents and super spirit, NICNOS is simply awesome.  Oklahoma is not just home to the biggest rock festival in America, but it is clearly a mecca of great music of its own.  Can you say "Kicktree?"

Here is a live video shot at the Chevy Music Showcase in OKC.

There you have it.  Three bands I am completely stoked to see on the first day.  You know what is crazy about that?  I am still on the bottom row of the lineup!  I probably will not even have stepped into the main arena, and I am already flying high with fantastic music. Friday is going to be a hell of a way to get this festival rocking.  Tune in tomorrow for my, "Three for Saturday" post.

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Dan Adler was raised in Southern California to a mom and dad, one of whom appreciated Creedence and left wing anti-war politics.  By the teenage years, Dan became obsessed with Black Sabbath, listening to the same seven albums repeatedly for 5 years.  During this time, his favorite concert experience was seeing Metallica open for a bunch of bands that no longer exist and winning the 1st ever Santa Cruz Air Guitar contest.  After several years in Africa listening and dancing to Chimurenga music, Dan returned to have the two best children in the world, one of whom spends a lot of time at concerts with him.   What a lucky dad!