Unfortunately, festivalgoers often fall at the first hurdle. Getting your hands on legitimate tickets can be a difficult process as official vendors often sell out quickly and force you to look for scalped tickets. What's more, websites used to sell fake tickets may also be collecting your credit card details and draining your bank account, to double the blow.
 To avoid having your festival dreams crushed before you even get there make sure you buy tickets from trustworthy sources. To avoid fans having to use dodgy sites, some online vendors, such as Ticketmaster, now have their resale section, so this is a great option. However if this isn't fruitful, and you’re forced to look elsewhere, it’s worth using a well-reviewed VPN when browsing unknown sites, to encrypt your information and protect yourself from these potentially malicious domains. 

One you’ve successfully made it to the festival, it’s time to avoid the next rookie error. Far too often, punters will arrive on the grounds and drop their camping gear in the first place they find, only to spend the rest of the weekend complaining about how it’s too loud, it smells, and people keep urinating just a few feet away.

To avoid this situation, follow these few simple rules:

• Aim to be far enough away from the main arena that you won’t be deafened, but close enough so the walk to nip back to your tent mid-set won’t be impossible.
• Avoid walls! These inevitably become toilets at some point during the weekend.
• Being right next to thoroughfares increases your likelihood of getting robbed. While these spots are ideal to find your tent, it's worth aiming to be a row or two back.
• Stay far, far away from the toilet blocks – they will smell and it won’t be pretty.
• Finally, chose somewhere you’ll be able to find in pitch black during the night. Landmarks such as flags or tall billboards are useful markers. 

Once you’ve found your perfect pitch, it’s time to get sociable. Sure, you might have come with a group of your best friends, but getting to know the people around you is sure to make it a festival to remember.

Not only does it mean you’ll get to know some potentially awesome, like-minded people, it also forms a minor community in your little camping ground. Many a festival morning have I spent trading bacon for other essentials, such as torch batteries, with nearby campers – and it unquestionably transforms your experience. 

Especially if it's your first festival, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Late nights, beautiful lights, beer tents, and parties till sunset; in fact, it's almost a rite of passage to overdo it massively on your first time and spend most of the weekend dying in your tent.
 
However, if you don’t want to spend all Sunday hidden under shade, with noise cancellers in ears, waiting for the horror to be over, then all you have to do is simply take it easy. Just because the line-up doesn’t finish till 6 in the morning, doesn’t mean you have to stay up that late, and there’s no shame in the occasional midday nap. Look after yourself and you’re sure to make the most out of the weekend. 

For those who festival with large groups of friends, organization can be a nightmare: you spend more time trying to find each other, or attempting to stick to a carefully planned schedule of all the bands you want to see, that you miss a massive part of the experience.

If you’re not up for trying the whole weekend alone, see what happens if you let yourself get separated for a while. It's likely you'll stumble over some exciting new music and make some new friends along the way. Just make sure you all know to meet back at the tent eventually, or sync up each other’s phones with the ‘Find My Friends’ app so you can be located in case of emergency.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, to make the most out of your festival time, you have to throw caution to the wind and try things you wouldn't usually. Often, punters will come with a pre-conceived plan of all the bands they want to see, and won’t stray from that list.
However, if you're willing to put down the lineup, and have a wander, you never know what you might uncover. There’s often exclusive late night DJ sets that you might stumble upon, or you could come across an early morning African drumming workshop that ends up being the highlight of your weekend. If you attack a festival with unfettered curiosity, then you're bound to have the time of your life!
 
So this summer, don't be afraid of the festivals. Use this guide and you'll learn to appreciate these summertime celebrations like never before. Do you have any more tips to help festivalgoers transform their experience? Be sure to leave a comment below and share your ideas with fellow music-lovers!

I’m here today to shine the spotlight on a few bands with amazing singers performing at Rocklahoma. Although there are a whole slew of incredible bands, I will be taking a look a two in particular: Five Hundredth Year and Citizen Zero. 

A great combination between Five Finger Death Punch and Breaking Benjamin, Five Hundredth Year is one of the Friday Axis Stage bands that makes getting to the venue early well worth your time.   The band will be coming to Rocklahoma with an updated lineup, and I am looking forward to seeing what they have put together. 
 
Watch the video for “Blame” and listen not only for his strong, powerful vocals but also for the musical talent of the band. 

Another ear-catching song to listen to is “Stand Up,” which features a catchy guitar and drum opening. Pay attention to the skill of drummer Zach Hannus and the impeccable groove built by guitarists Ben Moss and Jonathan Immers and bassist Brenda Bennett. 

Josh LeMay is a fantastic singer. Mellifluous and gentle, his voice caresses your ears and soothes your mind.
 
Enjoy their newly released lyric video for “Go (Let Me Save You),” a beautiful rock song that mixes ballad style with driving rock, along with an awesome guitar solo. 

Citizen Zero will be opening the Hard Rock Stage on Sunday, following in the footsteps of some amazing acts who have played that time before, including Young Guns, Sons of Texas and The Sword.

Deep. Dark. Haunting. These are the first words that come to mind when you listen to Octave Jaw’s self-titled album. Octave Jaw is another great example of the fantastic music that Oklahoma has to offer.  Sure, there are top bands from around the world visiting Pryor, Oklahoma, next week, but there is some serious talent right there in state.  This is clearly evident in the following video for their single “Light.”

Hailing from Southern Oklahoma, Octave Jaw is made up of vocalist Larry Carter, guitarist Jeremy Carter, bassist Greg Morgan and drummer KC Carlile. They are what I would call a combination of grunge and progressive rock, with the added twist of Carter’s expansive vocal abilities, which allow him to manipulate the mood and style effortlessly. The band makes the best of these talented vocals, having everything humming together like a finely-tuned jet engine. This band cranks it out in the song “Precursor” and can turn it completely on its head with “Novacaine.”  This power ballad is stirring, powerful, and just plain beautiful. It is something you will not want to miss.  

Octave Jaw's website describes them as being “dark, melodic and heavy, while often leaning towards progressive and borderline psychedelic.” I can hear it all. There are influences all over in their music. I hear Johnny Cash, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and so much more. 
 
I listened to all nine songs on their album, and every one of them is excellent.  There is not a one I would skip.  And their small collection of videos is also entertaining.  The video for “Never Free” is a disturbing, but powerful look at the human experience.  

Octave Jaw is a band you need to see. The schedule is out, so circle their time and get out there. You will not be sorry.

Rocklahoma stands apart from the other festivals because of its organization, food set up, and stage layout. But in addition to all the logistics they have nailed to a tee, they also take the prize with the fantastic show they host before the festival even begins. The Axis Stage is the site of an incredible collection of bands on Thursday night, many hailing from nearby towns in Oklahoma. One of these bands had me addicted after the first song. Rocklahoma fans, may I introduce you to one hell-of-a-good reason to set out for Pryor a day early: Emperors and Elephants from Chicago, Illinois. Waste no time--bang your head!

Emperors and Elephants is the perfect example of why the promoters of Rocklahoma deserve the Nobel Prize for Finding Bands. I just don’t think that award exists (a shame, really). Although, you have to admit it would be a great scene up there in Norway: between the physicists and mathematicians stands a long-haired, tattooed rocker. Anyway, back to this fantastic band.
 
Emperors and Elephants released an AMAZING album back in 2014 called Devil in the Lake. Every song kicks ass. With a sound born in the grunge of the 1990’s and updated with some modern day metalcore, this band is one to be reckoned with. Add in vocalist Jesse Andrews' gripping voice and beautiful guitar licks, and I would say Devil in the Lake is a must-have album.

Although this first album should have made E & E a household name, they are hard at work on a second album that should be released by this summer. Guitarist Jeph Stiph says that from a song-writing perspective, they have "tried to mature and focus more on composition and melody." Of course, he explains, there are "still plenty of the elements of the first album." 
Despite a way variety of influences, Stiph pinpoints "industrial metal" as a serious contributor to their sound. From Rammstein to NIN, you can hear his love for melody a la Alice in Chains, as well as hard core shredding coming through on every tune.
 
While I usually like to suggest one or two songs to get you into a band, with Emperors and Elephants you can start with any song and you will be blown away.
You owe it to yourself to spend some time listening to what this band has to offer. Follow this to their ReverbNation page. 
Stiph can't wait to perform at Rocklahoma, especially so he can "see guys from the road like Screaming for Silence and Shaman's Harvest," as well as Sixx A.M.

For this segment of ROK16 band previews, I will be reviewing bands with GIRL POWER (aka bands with female musicians). 

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Lovebettie's incredible musicians are the pioneers of "Swagger Rock," a soulful mixture of rock and pop topped off with (girl)powerful vocals from Alexandra Naples. 

Not only is Lovebettie's music unique and exciting, but their live shows are unbeatable, full of energy and mood swings--they don't shy away from tear-wrenching ballads and show no fear when a serious rocker comes along.

​Read TeenView Music's interview with Lovebettie here! 

Enjoy their music video for "Sleep," released only two months ago: 

According to their website, Southern California's all-girl, 80s-throwback-with-a-modern-twist quartet will "melt your face, but it will be a great and glorious death." Moxy and the Influence will be ready to gloriously melt your faces at Rocklahoma with their raw metal (girl)power, so you best be ready. 

Drummer Alexey Damian Poblete, at just thirteen years old, is the youngest member of MXI, followed by seventeen-year-old Shea Hamilton on the bass, eighteen-year-old Moxy Anne on vocals, and twenty-year-old Sydney Ellen on lead guitar. 

On May 15, the young and talented rockers will be releasing a four-song EP called The Best Revenge, which will be available on their website.

Also, you can check out Poblete's website here. 

Southern California's Mycah is fronted by metal diva Devon Mycah, who rules the stage with her voice, sass, and charisma. 

Mycah played Rocklahoma 2014 under their old name Siren; around 200 people were packed into the tiny area surrounding the side stage, vying for a glance at Devon Mycah and her talented bandmates. 

Read TeenView Music's interview with Mycah/Siren here! 

​Now I love Rocklahoma.  I love the headliners. I love the scene. I love seeing the old friends every year.  I love the focus on traditional heavy metal.  I love the respect the organizers show to old-school rock-and-roll by signing bands that are in--or surely will be in--the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  But I also love it when they go off beat and find something that does not fit with the heavy metal theme of the weekend.

​Whether it is Lovebettie or Nicnos, Rocklahoma organizers have a way of finding eclectic music that metalheads can really appreciate. Both of the aforementioned fantastic bands are back this year on the Axis stage, which will, as always in Pryor, cause tough decisions about whether to stay inside with the headliners or venture out to Axis with bands whose names are often unknown outside of their hometown.
 
Roots of Thought is another of those amazing Axis stage bands that should not be missed.  Being Tulsa, Oklahoma, natives, they have appeared at Rocklahoma before, but for some reason I missed them in their last appearance. But that is certainly not going to happen this year. I will be up front.
 
Headed by talented vocalist Tazmen West and backed by guitarist Logan Meldrum, bassist Tyler Burke and drummer Gavin Wendlen, Roots of Thought is what I would call “Psychadelic Indie Rock.”  I am not even sure that is a genre, but it definitely fits.  There are Indie overtures, but when the music gets going there is definitely a 60’s psychadelia going on.
 
Nowhere is this truer than in the song “Lotus,” where West’s vocals shine and the guitars are allowed to dance around in your head freely.  I am sitting, writing this in a tie-dye shirt, and feeling quite at home.

Another great song, “Diamond Mind” has a truly enjoyable video here:

​Roots of Thought serves up a much more traditional Indie sound in “I Think.”

​“Wake Up” offers Roots of Thought’s punk side. If you listen to the EP Parallel Mind you will get a sense of the diverse abilities of this group of talented musicians.  I am really looking forward to enjoying their show at Rocklahoma.  Along with The Grizzly Band, this is another local band you should put on your “must-see” list. 

Instead of starting from the last band on the list and working my way up as I did last year, this year I am picking bands at random, and of course, band names that stand out get all of the attention.  Speaking of which, if you are bored today, check out this link.

Perhaps The Brady Bunch Lawnmower Massacre or People with Chairs up Their Noses aren’t playing, but The Grizzly Band has definitely caught my attention.
 
While The Grizzly Band earns its name straight from chords of vocalist Chad Grizzly, there is a lot more to like than just the unique growl of Grizzly.  The band, from Austin, Texas, is inspired by Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Cash, and melds that with a more traditional southern rock sound.
 
When getting to know The Grizzly Band I would definitely start with the single “Train Wreck,” from their Reverbnation site.


​Of course once you are there, you’ll be staying to listen to the rest.  Try “Hammer Down” and then the others.
 
But if you want to experience some serious variety, get down to some of their patented Whiskey Punk (their self-prescribed genre). Hit this song.

“Onward and Westward” is a groovy song and funny video.  Here you can hear the influences of “The Man in Black,” and the videography is done solely on Chad Grizzly’s iPhone, and the results are hilarious.

​I just spent the past half hour just letting their music play, and it is fantastic.  From hard rock, to Springsteen, to the honky-tonk of a band such as Nicnos, The Grizzly Band is something I will not miss at Rocklahoma 2016.  You shouldn’t either.

Let me ask you, what would you do with a $5000 check that included the note; "Hey Guys, Don’t Blow It.”  Please tell me you noticed the check came from the Madoff Bank.  And 80-gallons of milk?  I guess there are a lot of cows in Oregon.

Red Fang has toured and visited Los Angeles a few times in the past couple of years, and every time work gets in the way. I guess my boss wants me to show up coherent the next morning.  I sense a conspiracy.
Since their videos are so hysterically funny, here are a couple more for you.