They wore no shoes and their bodies shook and swayed.  I stood up against a brick wall in a dark corner and silently stared, but I couldn’t help smile.  The music swelled, the base was strong, and my blood pumped like an electronic synth machine with everyone else’s.  I was at the Red Room on Main Street.

I don’t know if you’ve gotten this from any of my other blogs, but I’m just not that cool.  Especially not cool enough to hang in any type of music scene.  I mean I chose to go to the OKC Festival of the Arts instead of the Norman Music Festival.  Now I do love music, but that means Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, musicals, songs on the radio…pretty much anything I can pick apart with my past musical training or anything I can dance too.

I just don’t look for music no one’s ever heard of, and I don’t know anything about the majority of bands either of my roommates listen to.  So, I felt like I was in for an interesting night when my roommate, Jo, said I should come to her boyfriend’s show Sunday.

My first question was whether or not there would be ‘screaming’.  I don’t do hardcore rock.  When the answer was no, my second question was when and where.  This landed me at the Red Room Sunday night with the before mentioned crowd, who had a style and vibe that said they felt the music hard as if it spoke words they couldn’t say.

And so I listened.  There were five bands, but I arrived fashionably late.  I dressed to fit in with casual jeans, tank, scarf, and hat.  I did not go so far as to remove my shoes.  The first band I heard was Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.  This four pieces instrumental band was probably my favorite of the night with music that made me move my body and become one of the crowd as I felt as much as they did.

Then there was The Rumor.  A fun upbeat hip hop three man group that used lights and glow sticks to entertain the crowd.  People jumped around and sang the words until the last song.  Then came Jo’s boyfriend’s band Leroy Neiman, and I got to see my friend rap.

This five man band includes guitar, bass, drums, and singer.  I found their sound interesting, yes, as a non-cool music person.  A rock ‘n’ roll base with a rapper’s soul intertwined.  I discovered I liked it.  There was something about the beat that stripped away my inhibitions and let the music become a part of my energy.

I don’t know if I’ll go to a show at the Red Room again, but I had fun experiencing a new sound and a new venue in Norman.  So, if you’re ever bored, don’t want wait a year for the next Norman Music Festival, or can’t afford to drive to Tulsa and check out their music scene, go to the Red Room and shed your uncool like me.

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Music, Norman Music Festival, OKC Festival of the Arts, Red Room