#3: Blues Challenge 2018@Cain’s Ballroom
The Blues Challenge is a competition to select the representative for The Blues Society of Tulsa at the International Blues Festival. Six acts had 25 minutes to impress a panel of six judges.
Early readers of the blog (my nearest and dearest) have called into question whether Tulsa has enough activities to fill a top trumps deck. Despite full confidence in Tulsa’s touristic offerings, I am reserving the possibility of having multiple activities hosted at Cain’s Ballroom.
Full disclosure: I left after four acts because I have the patience of an eight year old (much like my artistic ability ¡hiyo!). The first act was more of a big band, reading from sheet music, with a despotic lead singer who moved mics around during his band member's sax solo. Admittedly the solo was weak but his micro-management belied a bubbling desperation.
Ronnie Pyle and the drivers were up next. Good stuff. Much head bobbing. Relaxed band who clearly liked each other. Played their own songs and had more of what I associate with a blue-sy sound. Ronnie Pyle and co would have been my pick.
The third band (didn’t catch their name) were much heavier but still very good. Again, a lot of head bobbing. They had a blokes-who-appreciate-well-cured meat stoicism; someone should have told them they were in a competition.
The fourth band was the Dylan Whitney Band. The crowd clearly liked them. They were more pop-y and, in fairness, the female singer had a cracking voice. Dylan Whitney was uncomfortably eager to please. At one point he genuinely played the guitar behind his back. This rattled my cage to the point I just upped and left.
I think the Dylan Whitney band won. This remains unclear because The Blues Society’s website was designed before the coming of half-decent website templates. Alas. Onto the scores.
Still the raffle went towards a charity and my intention with this category is not to paint Oklahoma as uniquely un-woke. We are all part of the great awokening.
Early readers of the blog (my nearest and dearest) have called into question whether Tulsa has enough activities to fill a top trumps deck. Despite full confidence in Tulsa’s touristic offerings, I am reserving the possibility of having multiple activities hosted at Cain’s Ballroom.
Full disclosure: I left after four acts because I have the patience of an eight year old (much like my artistic ability ¡hiyo!). The first act was more of a big band, reading from sheet music, with a despotic lead singer who moved mics around during his band member's sax solo. Admittedly the solo was weak but his micro-management belied a bubbling desperation.
Ronnie Pyle and the drivers were up next. Good stuff. Much head bobbing. Relaxed band who clearly liked each other. Played their own songs and had more of what I associate with a blue-sy sound. Ronnie Pyle and co would have been my pick.
The third band (didn’t catch their name) were much heavier but still very good. Again, a lot of head bobbing. They had a blokes-who-appreciate-well-cured meat stoicism; someone should have told them they were in a competition.
Soulful and eager.
The fourth band was the Dylan Whitney Band. The crowd clearly liked them. They were more pop-y and, in fairness, the female singer had a cracking voice. Dylan Whitney was uncomfortably eager to please. At one point he genuinely played the guitar behind his back. This rattled my cage to the point I just upped and left.
I think the Dylan Whitney band won. This remains unclear because The Blues Society’s website was designed before the coming of half-decent website templates. Alas. Onto the scores.
Date of creation: 1924
Cain’s Ballroom began its life as the garage of Wyatt Tate Brady, one of the founding father’s of the city of Tulsa. Then Maddison W. “Daddy” Cain converted the garage into a dance hall in 1930 and charged 10¢ for dance lessons. Time ebbed and flowed* until the building was refurbished and opened with its current name in 1976. *aka Wikipedia glossed over this time periodHistorical significance: 55
The Sex Pistols played only 6 US shows in their 1976 tour and Cain's was one of them. Texas Playboys broadcast a popular radio show here in the 1930s. Cain's is the spiritual home of Western Swing no less! But it's all just musical history. I'm leftie enough to admit battles are boring and great man theory is misguided but we can’t get past the fact that culture is just what people do when they’re not working.European-ness: 2.7
Good music is culture and culture is European” is the kind of trap a smug European would fall into. Blues originated over here and there was no vegetarian option, just brisket and beans. This was full America, man.Cowboy hats: 1
Yes yes yes yes yes and it was ON STAGE! The holy grail was accompanied by a pair of sun glasses, a harmonica and an over-sized lumberjack shirt. Her harmonica solo drew the loudest roar from the crowd. A boy couldn’t wish for a better first official cowboy hat sighting.Collective consciousness: 95%
Despite a love for economic history, this blog concedes that nothing brings people together like live music. Blues even more so. Everyone was nodding something along. Less than perfect score because the Blues Society of Tulsa took every opportunity to congratulate former presidents (who just happened to be fathers) or used cute kids for the raffle (who just happened to be grandkids), showing that political dynasties are not unique to the White House.Wokeness: 17
This is the hardest category to write because of the potential to reveal my own un-wokeness. Wyatt Tate Brady’s Wikipedia has worryingly many connections to the KKK. Cain’s no longer houses Brady’s automobiles but there are no doubt questions about cultural appropriation given the demographics of the audience and bands that I saw.Still the raffle went towards a charity and my intention with this category is not to paint Oklahoma as uniquely un-woke. We are all part of the great awokening.
Overall
Everyone shared a love of blues. It felt like a community coming together. Even the raffle, merch and bar had an endearingly amateurish streak; no-one was making big money here. I liked this event and venue a lot.
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