Dfest gets going

Friday, July 25, 2009

It's officially started, in a very, very big way. The Dfest music festival kicked off Friday evening with thousands of music fans streaming into the historic Blue Dome District as the sun set golden over downtown Tulsa.

 

The event, which runs through Saturday night, leaped into action with a stirring set from L.A. pop band Dengue Fever, with Cambodian songbird Chhom Nimol singing both in her native language and in English.

 

Friday night's headliner lineup included gypsy punksters Gogol Bordello, the world-music/hip-hop amalgam of Ozomatli, singer-songwriter Joe Pug, dance duo Gil Mantera's Party Dream and the all-American rocker Black Crowes.

 

Also playing were dozens of up-and-coming acts from every genre imaginable, including local all-stars Callupsie, I Said Stop!, PDA and more.

 

Parking did not appear to be the nightmare that had been expected, despite as many as 40,000 people heading downtown Friday night for Dfest, "Wicked" at the Performing Arts Center and "American Idols Live" at the BOK Center.

 

The closest free spots near the festival filled early, but $5 parking within three blocks was still available as late as 8:30 p.m.

 

Tulsa police stationed about 30 additional uniformed officers downtown. No arrests related to Dfest had been made as of 8:45 p.m., Sgt. Chris Witt said.

 

The only EMSA call was for a festival worker who had overheated in temperatures that ranged into the mid-90s.

 

"It's running very smoothly thus far, especially for as many people as we have here," Witt said.

 

Downtown started swelling with people about 5 p.m. As last-minute music festival arrangements were finished and the merrymaking was firing up, merchandise man Swax carried bags of swag into the Dwelling Spaces store, located in the heart of the Dfest festival district.

 

Swax sells gear for Dfest headliner Gogol Bordello. Born in Ireland and raised in London, he now lives in New York City and travels with the gypsy punk band.

 

"This is really nice. The Midwest is my favorite place to be," Swax said in a soft accent as he stood next to Dwelling Spaces store owner Mary Beth Babcock.

 

The pair held up T-shirts and laughed: His, a Tulsa shirt; hers a Gogol Bordello tee.

 

"It's like the weekend before Christmas in here," Babcock said. Her locally owned business is booming — and the "carry-away" business is possibly even better, she said.

 

"I also share my Web site with all my customers, so people go home and order even more online," she said.

 

She's participated in Dfest for three years and said, "I'm here to spread the Oklahoma fever."

 

Some of her trademark offerings are the "I (Heart) Tulsa" and "Okie Grown" line of T's. Stillwater band Colourmusic bought half a dozen of her "I'm OK" line of state pride shirts, Babcock said.

 

"Dfest brings in a lot of foot traffic. The musicians from all over come in and buy stuff. The locals buy stuff. The exposure is incredible."

 

While Dfest's biggest draw is the music being played by more than 160 acts on 11 stages throughout downtown Tulsa, the festival is often most valuable to participating bands when it gets down to business.

 

Earlier Friday, guest lecturers focused on raising awareness about the changing economics and structure of the music business.

 

Before the music festival exploded in the July heat, the Dfest industry conference at the sold-out Crowne Plaza hotel ignited passions on the business that is music — and its potential on Oklahoma industry.

 

The "do-it-yourself" motto is no longer the war cry of the underground or the punk scene or the ignored. It's a way of survival in the ever-changing music business, and it's a mantra heard again and again by conference panelists, musicians, festival organizers, local businesses and music fans alike.

 

Ryan Hendrix, singer and guitarist for the Stillwater-based experimental guitar-pop band Colourmusic, said Oklahoma bands face unique challenges.

 

"Just in terms of connections, there's a lot to be made at Dfest," Hendrix said. "It's very important for Oklahoma artists. It's not like the East Coast, where you can tour Boston, New York and Philadelphia in a weekend. The closest we have is Austin, and Austin is so inundated."

 

The business of music usually means working without the "safety nets" available to most 9-to-5 workers, such as health insurance.

 

The MusicCares Foundation, an organization partnering with the Grammy Foundation, provides a safety net of critical assistance to artists in need, said Scott Goldman, vice president of Music-Cares.

 

"There is so much happening with the music industry, and we work hard to fill the gaps, to make the picture of success complete," he said.

 

The organization provides health care, counseling, treatment and other care to artists in need.

 

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR and KELLY HINES World Staff Writers and GEORGE LANG NewsOK.com