Rocklahoma 2011 - Pryor, OK 5/11
By Helen Orcutt
The line up this year was much more evenly balanced than it was last year. They have switched over from the 80’s hair bands to a combination of 80’s hair bands with more popular and upcoming bands. This year there were four stages, one of which was in the camping area and was only accessible if you had paid for camping, which was very odd, since only one ticket was bought and you could have a tent or trailer with several people staying on one camping spot. Though the Main stage was where most of my attention was located anyway.
A new band, My Darkest Days, was the first band to play on main stage. Anyone who has seen them play knows that when they sing Porn Star Dancing, the crowd explodes. They are unique in their own ways, but they put on one hell of a show!
One of the bands that I had the pleasure of meeting last year at Rocklahoma, New Medicine, returned again this year. When they sing Little Sister my heart sinks into my stomach. Such love was put into this song about the sister that had died.
Having the pleasure to shoot on stage with Hinder, I had the opportunity to shoot from the upper deck, down on Cody Hanson and up close while he was drumming. The energy that he uses while playing is extraordinary. Hinder originated in Oklahoma, and their recent album All American Nightmare has an amazing song What Ya Gonna Do, which brings them down to Earth, the realization that they may not always be in the limelight, but enjoy it while they are!
I also had the pleasure of shooting on stage with Taddy Porter again this year. These young men are from Oklahoma as well. Kevin Jones and his long curly flaming red hair are definitely his signature. When he is playing his guitar and his hair is flying in the air, it is as much of the show as the songs themselves. Andy definitely has the vocal range for the blues mixture that he has incorporated into their music.
Cavo was placed on second stage and was not announced by anyone which was strange and I was very disappointed with that aspect. The members of Cavo are great guys and their new music that they performed that night showed the evolving of their music.
Saving Abel was awesome as always. The boys from Mississippi/Memphis are true Southern boys. The album they are touring on, Miss America, was released last year just after Rocklahoma. Their current single, The Sex Is Good, is played acoustic. The only member who does not sing in this song is Eric Taylor. They perform songs from previous albums also. Shooting on stage with them was a real treat. The ability to be up close and getting images that would not be obtainable was awesome!
The diversity of the main stage line ups, matching the old with the new guards kept things different for me. Seeing Saving Abel and Seether share a stage with Poison and Motley Crue as well as Sick Puppies and Hinder open for Whitesnake was refreshing and what this festival needed to keep evolving. The Hard Rock Second stage got off as well with the likes of All That remains, Pop Evil, Adelitas Way and the kings of them all, black Label Society.
Motley Crue were divas. The media had to be walked to an area where you needed a 500mm lens to get a decent shot and were only allowed to shoot the first two songs and then we were walked back to the media tent to put our cameras away. Personally it was a waste of my time shooting those two songs! It was apparent that the members do not get along, so why tour?
Overall Rocklahoma was the party you had to be at as the rock was hot and the party did not end. It was memorable and I cannot wait to see what they will have for us next year!
Official Rocklahoma Site
The line up this year was much more evenly balanced than it was last year. They have switched over from the 80’s hair bands to a combination of 80’s hair bands with more popular and upcoming bands. This year there were four stages, one of which was in the camping area and was only accessible if you had paid for camping, which was very odd, since only one ticket was bought and you could have a tent or trailer with several people staying on one camping spot. Though the Main stage was where most of my attention was located anyway.
A new band, My Darkest Days, was the first band to play on main stage. Anyone who has seen them play knows that when they sing Porn Star Dancing, the crowd explodes. They are unique in their own ways, but they put on one hell of a show!
One of the bands that I had the pleasure of meeting last year at Rocklahoma, New Medicine, returned again this year. When they sing Little Sister my heart sinks into my stomach. Such love was put into this song about the sister that had died.
Having the pleasure to shoot on stage with Hinder, I had the opportunity to shoot from the upper deck, down on Cody Hanson and up close while he was drumming. The energy that he uses while playing is extraordinary. Hinder originated in Oklahoma, and their recent album All American Nightmare has an amazing song What Ya Gonna Do, which brings them down to Earth, the realization that they may not always be in the limelight, but enjoy it while they are!
I also had the pleasure of shooting on stage with Taddy Porter again this year. These young men are from Oklahoma as well. Kevin Jones and his long curly flaming red hair are definitely his signature. When he is playing his guitar and his hair is flying in the air, it is as much of the show as the songs themselves. Andy definitely has the vocal range for the blues mixture that he has incorporated into their music.
Cavo was placed on second stage and was not announced by anyone which was strange and I was very disappointed with that aspect. The members of Cavo are great guys and their new music that they performed that night showed the evolving of their music.
Saving Abel was awesome as always. The boys from Mississippi/Memphis are true Southern boys. The album they are touring on, Miss America, was released last year just after Rocklahoma. Their current single, The Sex Is Good, is played acoustic. The only member who does not sing in this song is Eric Taylor. They perform songs from previous albums also. Shooting on stage with them was a real treat. The ability to be up close and getting images that would not be obtainable was awesome!
The diversity of the main stage line ups, matching the old with the new guards kept things different for me. Seeing Saving Abel and Seether share a stage with Poison and Motley Crue as well as Sick Puppies and Hinder open for Whitesnake was refreshing and what this festival needed to keep evolving. The Hard Rock Second stage got off as well with the likes of All That remains, Pop Evil, Adelitas Way and the kings of them all, black Label Society.
Motley Crue were divas. The media had to be walked to an area where you needed a 500mm lens to get a decent shot and were only allowed to shoot the first two songs and then we were walked back to the media tent to put our cameras away. Personally it was a waste of my time shooting those two songs! It was apparent that the members do not get along, so why tour?
Overall Rocklahoma was the party you had to be at as the rock was hot and the party did not end. It was memorable and I cannot wait to see what they will have for us next year!
Official Rocklahoma Site
