Oklahoma City’s Cellar Door Music Group and Fanswell, an online service based both in Oklahoma and Los Angeles that allows fans to play host to bands and musical acts, are working together to host a series of smaller-scale, “listening room” shows in nontraditional venues.
Local folk-infused hip-hop group Bowlsey is the act behind the first show in the series 8 p.m. Saturday at Hidden Dragon Yoga, 26 NE 10th St. Admission is $15, which includes wine and beer.
Cellar Door Music Group, cellardoormusicgroup.com, is a blog started by local singer-songwriter Jennifer Maynord and her sister. Maynord said she has a background in English that she wanted to take advantage of and there were so many local artists and venues she wanted to brag on.
“I love writing and wanted to put that to use,” Maynord said. “I just kind of started this blog in January, not thinking much of it.”
Maynord, who also balances being a mother and teaching yoga with her blog duties, said she always planned on eventually hosting events like the Bowlsey show through her blog, but it wasn’t until Fanswell house show resource co-founder and local musician Graham Colton approached her about the idea for the concert series that she was really able to go “pedal to the metal” on organizing shows.
“I have a lot of people who are really enthusiastic about hosting these shows and having artists come in,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for them because they get foot traffic in their studio and their business.”The shows are a benefit to the concertgoer as well because they offer opportunities to see live music without putting up with late nights or a noisy, smoky bar atmosphere.
Maynord said she has been to some listening room shows and says nothing can match the feeling of live music being played in a raw and intimate setting.
“I have a 2-year-old, and I don’t get out as much as I would like to,” she said. “I would rather attend a show like that than one at a larger venue.”
Other shows in the series are already being planned, which Maynord hopes becomes a regular event. Beau Jennings will play June 12 at Overholser Mansion. Show details are still being worked out, but Maynord said there will be a night tour of the mansion after the show.
“Our goal is to make these shows people want to attend, businesses want to host and artists want to play,” she said. “We still have a ton more to do. I would like to do something monthly, but that will partly depend on the success of events.”
Print headline: Other avenues, A new local concert series hopes to show that less really can be more.
