Saturday's Hat Trick of Must-See Bands

Saturday is a bit unfair to someone choosing three must-see bands.  What if I told you Linkin Park, Volbeat and Halestorm?  But then again, I guess that would be like having an article that said, “Three must-do things today; Breathe, Eat and Drink!!”  I really don’t think that advice is necessary, regardless if it is true or not.  So to avoid sounding irrelevant, I think I will skip those bands and talk about them on another post. If you miss the three Saturday headliners, well, just don’t.

How about three bands you might not know that you must see?  Three bands that will be playing early in the day outside, or in the middle of the night at the Retrospect Stage, or even in the wee hours of the morning at the Jagermeister stage? 

LOVEBETTIE

THIS is a band that should be on your list right next to the top three on Saturday as
“a band to know.”  Lovebettie, from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, is that eclectic mix of rock and roll, blues, and fun, that will have you dancing in the streets [look out for the golf cart (if you’ve been to Rocklahoma, you’ll know what I mean)], and happy as a clam.  Nominated by Rolling Stone magazine as a “Band to Watch,” and given rave reviews for their EPs The Red Door and Rise, Lovebettie is the perfect band to get you in the mood to party in Pryor.  Pioneers of what they call “Swagger Rock,” Lovebettie has catchy fun tunes and a dynamic, talented frontwoman: Alexandra Naples.  Wait until you hear her sing. After you hear their set, I can guarantee you’ll be begging for more.

A live version of “Red Roses” can be seen here:

There are some great tunes on their website, such as “Not Quite Right,” along with a few new songs, including “Follow.”

I will be there wherever Lovebettie is playing because there is no way I am missing this show.

SONS OF TEXAS

Okay, I am not big on cussing on this website, but HOLY SHIT!  This is a debut CD?  This band from a small town in South Texas is going to be big and you are going to have a chance to see them up close and personal before they become incredibly well known.  They are a mix of Pantera, Metallica, with a couple shots of ZZ-Top and a twist of Metalcore.  What a great sound they have developed for themselves!  Their debut CD, Baptized in the Rio Grande is 11 fantastic songs with enough energy to recharge your own batteries.  It is becoming my afternoon reinvigoration medicine when coffee just won’t do it anymore. 

Don’t miss the official video for the title track:

Sons of Texas from small town South Texas

Get a sense of their harsher side by listening to “Bury the Hatchet,” and you will see why I am convinced it will not be long before this band is on the main stage.  Catch them this year.  In a couple of years, as you can tell from the music, it is going to be awful rough in that pit to get near the stage.

CROBOT

I will get to see Crobot in LA next week; however, I am sure the Viper Room show will only further convince me that their Oklahoma show will be amazing.  A definite not-to-be-missed Saturday experience, you can get a real taste for their mission by watching the video for “Legend of the Spaceborne Killer.”  This is not my favorite Crobot song, but sit in a comfortable chair and watch the video.  Ahhhh, you get it.  I have not decided if “Mano de Lucifer” or “Nowhere to Hide” is my favorite song, but regardless this is going to be some serious fun.

Crobot is from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and has a short EP, but recently released their first full-length CD, Something Supernatural, which has a fantastic collection of music.  It is a sound which is as easily enjoyed in a moshpit as it is in a bean bag chair while half-conscious.  
Below is an official video for "Nowhere to Hide" from the new CD.  Next to that is, well, sit back, get comfortable, grab a beer, and enjoy.

In conclusion, Shaunt Sulahian was right; Crobot rocks!  Be there.

I managed today to write about three great bands on Saturday without even touching the truly unbelievable headliner offering in Pryor that night.  If Friday is a great way to start the weekend, Saturday is going to be epic.  After seeing so many great bands all day, we get to see Halestorm, Papa Roach and ......Linkin Park?  How does one get up on Sunday.....afternoon?  

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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!