This review was originally published by PureRockNews.com which is no longer around. Enjoy this look back at the early days of Rocklahoma!
Rocklahoma 2012, one day at a time. Today: the gates are open and the party is on!
[This is a continuation of Rocklahoma 2012 in Review: Day One.]
The sun is coming up in central Oklahoma, and I’m rustling around the RV looking for my credentials. It’s opening day at Rocklahoma and I’ve got my gameface on! Well, actually, I will after a few cups of coffee. Our trip back to the RV the night before included stops at many of our neighboring campsites to share our excitement and a round or two with our newest friends. Photographer-extraordinaire, Jami Henson showed up gear in hand and ready to go, so we quickly got checked in at the media tent and made our gameplan. Badges in hand, we grabbed the boys and ventured into the festival grounds.
From the moment we walked through the ticket stand it was nonstop music from every direction, but not overwhelming, which was a surprise to me. Given the number of bands on the bill the festival organizers did an amazing job of staggering the stages so that you weren’t stuck in the middle of competing sound systems, or choosing between your favorite bands.
We kicked off the day with Sunset Riot out of Australia on the Retrospect Records stage. These guys are straight out of the 80′s and seem like they used the film “Rockstar” as a template for their band, and that’s not a bad thing. Catchy and fun, they had the whole tent dancing!
After that it was off to the mainstage for Adelita’s Way and Chevelle. Both were exactly what I would expect for a mainstage-level act. Loud, polished, and playing the fan favorites. Everywhere I looked was entertainment. Girls in bikinis, boys in bikinis, playful vendors and sponsors. It was clear that EVERYONE was here to party… and so.. we did! And that’s what the whole night felt like. A giant backyard party that just HAPPENED to have Slash playing! Above and beyond the talented stage performances was the fact that the bands were also there to have a good time. After most of the sidestage bands played, you would find them on the fringes of the crowds watching the mainstage acts and chatting it up with fans and other bands. And after the mainstage was done, everyone poured into the afterparty stages to soak up even more music from Shotgun Rebels, Soulicit, and Pretty Little Suicide.
I personally closed out my long day with a little bit of Rocker Lips love. They’re a regional favorite of mine, so I couldn’t resist stopping by for their set, only to find that they had JUST made an endorsement deal with Jesse James Bourbon and couldn’t wait to share the spoils! Being a WhiskeyChick myself, of course I had to give it a try, and I liked it so much I immediately called my home liquor store and had them special order a few bottles for when I got there. They have since kept it in stock for myself and the rest of the Motortrain crew that hails from the same 1-mile town of Westville, OK. As for Rocker Lips, their performance matched that of the whiskey… smooth, warm, and with a nice little kick on the back end.