Rebellion is always a staple in youth culture, but these days, punk music isn’t all about being angry and stickin’ it to the man. Like with every genre, things change and the energy evolves into something fresh and new.
For anyone with a taste for the aggressive and gritty, but who may not be ready or willing to knock someone around in a mosh pit, they may want to consider checking out Broncho, an Oklahoma band with a punk rock flair that is quickly progressing into something more.
“A Broncho show is kind of like the pillow-fight version of a mosh pit,” frontman Ryan Lindsey says.
“I don’t think that making a point through songs should be all about somebody being mad. I like to laugh about things a little bit. I like the humor aspect of music.”
Along with band members Nathan Price, Ben King and Johnathon Ford, Lindsey has taken what was initially a songwriting side project and created a band with a contemporary punk sound that both captures and defies the attitude of an era.
Broncho’s 10-song debut, Can’t Get Past the Lips, has been said to have echoes of The Replacements, Iggy and the Stooges and The Ramones, but there’s also a lighter element to it, stemming from a prominent Buddy Holly influence, that makes the music appealing to music lovers of rock and roll and indie pop.
“We’ve had good luck with our audiences. People that show up to our shows are from all over the map. There are some older people that were around for the first punk wave, younger kids that are just trying to get into anything, hipster kids, rock and rollers… it’s a fun challenge trying to entertain all of those different people and make the songs make sense to anyone who wants to listen to them,” Lindsey says.
From shows to parties to the Norman Music Festival, Broncho has garnered popularity statewide and, over the past couple of months, has begun playing the regional circuit, from Dallas and Austin to Chicago and St. Louis.
Currently laying the groundwork for an upcoming new album, Lindsey anticipates building on Broncho’s sound with his band mates.
“It’s not going to be wildly different, but it’s definitely a progression. There are people in the band now and we’re all writing songs together this time. It has definitely turned into a pretty fun situation.”
Matt Donovan, 21, is the first native Oklahoman to be a first-round National Hockey League (NHL) draft pick. Donovan began skating and playing hockey in Oklahoma City before leaving the state at 16 to pursue his hockey career. Moving up the ranks from Triple-A to the Junior League to college and Olympic teams, Donovan was drafted in 2010 by the New York Islanders and is now playing for their minor league affiliate, the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Sound Tigers.
Oklahoma Magazine: Matt, growing up in Oklahoma, how did you come to play hockey? Matt Donovan: My dad helped run the Iceland Sports Center in Bethany when it was still open. Now he runs Blazers Ice Centre in Oklahoma City. I grew up watching the Blazers games.
OM: You were born and raised in Edmond, moved to Dallas when you were 16 to play Triple-A, then to Iowa to join the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, then you joined the Denver Pioneers college team, and now you are playing in Connecticut for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That’s five cities in five states in six years. How do you like moving around so much? MD: I don’t mind it. It’s kind of cool being in new places every year or two. I’ve loved every place I’ve been.
OM: Do you still consider yourself on Oklahoman? MD: Yes. My parents still live in Edmond. I come back every summer for three or four months. I still love Oklahoma.
OM: You joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in time to suit up for the last few games of the 2010-2011 season. Did you get much playing time? MD: I played six games at the end of the season, after our season ended in Denver. I got a lot of playing time. They put me in a lot of different situations. I think they just wanted to get my feet wet. I think I did pretty well those last six games.
OM: How does the pro game compare to college-level hockey? MD: This is a lot faster. You have to make your decisions with the puck a lot quicker. The guys are grown men, they are not college kids. They are bigger and faster.
OM: Twenty-one years old and brand new to the pros. Do you feel like you are fitting in well with your teammates or do you sometimes still feel like a kid? MD: I’m fitting in pretty quickly. We actually have a pretty young team. A lot of the guys are around my age. I don’t even know if we have any guys in their 30s.
OM: You finished two years at the University of Denver before the Islanders signed you. Do you plan to finish college? MD: My parents are kind of bugging me about taking classes and working for my degree. Eventually I’ll start taking classes. I’m considering a degree in business management or criminology.
OM: We know you love hockey, but we have to ask. Are you a football fan? What teams do you root for? MD: I love football. I root for the Sooners, obviously. I also root for OSU. My girlfriend goes to Oklahoma State.
OM: You live in Connecticut and your girlfriend is in Stillwater? That’s truly a long distance romance. MD: We’ve been dating for almost two years now. We’ve known each other since middle school. It’s tough, but it works.
OM: Well, you are now in your first full season of pro hockey. Does this feel like the “big year?” What are your goals for this year? MD: I’m hoping this is the first year in a long professional career. I’m just working my hardest, just the way I’ve grown up. Hopefully I’ll be called up [to the Islanders] sooner or later this year. I wouldn’t have signed if I didn’t think I had good chance of playing in the NHL this year.
The Roots, Undun – This Philadelphia hip-hop ensemble has gained a huge following during their more that 25 years in the business. Now a whole new audience has come to know The Roots as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The prolific group is set to release their 13th studio album – their first concept album, telling the story in reverse of a life ruined. The Black Keys, El Camino – This is the seventh studio album from the Akron, Ohio-based blues-rock duo, but only the second since their breakout 2010 album Brothers, which brought the band three Grammys plus two additional nominations. The band told Spin the album was influenced by The Clash and The Cramps, and that vibe definitely comes through in the debut single, “Lonely Boy.” Snow Patrol, Fallen Empire – Snow Patrol made a splash in the US with Final Straw – their first major album release – and gained widespread fame with the follow up, Eyes Open. However, the Northern Ireland-based band’s next effort, A Hundred Million Suns, fell flat in comparison. Now, they’ve regrouped for a powerhouse comeback with Fallen Empire, a big album with a new sound, a collaboration with Michael Stipe, a gospel choir and other surprises. Amy Winehouse, Lioness: Hidden Treasures – Winehouse’s death from alcohol poisoning in July ended a brilliant, yet deeply troubled, career. Two longtime Winehouse collaborators, producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, sifted through the artist’s archives to create an album in tribute to her brilliance. The 12-track collection spans her career and includes alternate versions of released material, covers and previously unreleased songs, including two demos from what would have been her third album. The first single from the album is “Like Smoke,” a heartrending duet with rapper Nas.
Every fall for the last fifteen years the rolling hills of northeast Oklahoma have rung with the sounds of a huntsman’s horn and the musical sound of baying foxhounds on a line of scent.
Oklahoma? Yes! Fox hunting is alive and well in ‘Indian Territory.'
Harvard Fox Hounds hunt club was founded by Barbara and Max Naegler of Tulsa and has since been in the business of land conservation, appreciation for nature, and enjoying the company of others who ride to hounds. Before the Naegler’s took on the task of starting their own hunt, Barbara had competed in English riding events, but after having the opportunity to ride with the Artillery Hunt at Ft. Sill in Lawton, Okla., she was hooked. When her husband Max realized what a fun group of talented riders fox hunters were, he wanted to join the fun and was soon going with her to hunts.
After consulting with leaders of other hunt clubs, or Masters of Fox Hounds, and other professionals involved with hunts around the country, they were prepared to start their own hunt in 1996 and called it Harvard Fox Hounds. The National organization, The Masters of Fox Hounds of America registered them in 1997 and recognized the hunt in 1998 to full national membership status.
Winston Churchill said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
Lauren Hayes, a charter member of Harvard Fox Hounds and a medical student, would agree.
She says, “Horseback riding has fostered in me a work ethic because when I was younger it gave me responsibilities I wouldn’t have had otherwise. One of my fondest memories was preparing for each hunt. My siblings and I were responsible for getting the horse trailer loaded with our saddles and equipment the day before. After we had loaded the horses early on cold, dark mornings, my dad would admire all the work we had done ourselves. This always gave me a great sense of accomplishment. Since my family rode, this meant that I spent many of my weekends engaged in family activities where we were all participants. It isn’t that common nowadays, and I think that my siblings and I are very lucky for it.”
In late October, the 15th annual Opening Hunt, or first hunt of the season was held at a private farm east of Tulsa. The Naegler’s welcomed more than 70 riders and interested observers to the day’s festivities, which included a blessing of the hounds, welcoming of new members and thanks to all who participated in making the day what it was.
Max Naegler is retiring from hunting the hounds and is passing his hunt horn to his wife following the opening hunt. Epp Wilson MFH, Master of the Belle Meade hunt in Georgia presented Max with an engraved horn given in appreciation by friends and hunt members. Max recited a poem about himself and his horse that he had written, which concluded with the following lines:
In later years those that were there would often say
You should have been there on that wonderful fall day
When Max and ole Fred would cinch it up one final time
And go hard and fast like they did in their prime.
The Reverend Judy Van Hoose told the story of St. Hubert, patron saint of the hunt, who had a life changing vision while out hunting on a Good Friday. He envisioned a cross in the antlers of a stag and thereafter vowed to lead a selfless life helping those less fortunate.
After blessing the medals which were awarded to new members of the hunt, she said, “For St. Hubert, that event, that interruption changed Hubert’s life forever and he went from being self centered to selfless as he helped the poor for the rest of his life. I hope everyone at this hunt has an interruption that changes them in some way and that their lives will be better for it.”
Then Max, aided by the mounted staff of helpers, brought the hounds forward and Rev. Van Hoose said the blessing prayer for the hounds and all who were riding that day.
Bagpiper Victor Anderson, wearing traditional attire, played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes. As the inspirational sound of the pipes echoed off the hills, the hounds, guided by the huntsman and his staff went down the avenue of trees to begin the hunt followed by the field of approximately sixty riders.
After a two and a half hour hunt, riders returned to the large barn, transformed by lights and decorated tables into a welcoming banquet hall by member Peggy Knight and her committee. All enjoyed a sumptuous hunt breakfast of barbecue and the rousing music of Shelby Eicher’s band, The Grasshoppers. Stories were told and retold of the galloping runs up and down the hills and over jumps while hearing the ‘music’ of the hounds’ voices.
Photo credit: Ann Bennett of annbennettphotgraphy.com
Those who have contemplated a Marc Chagall painting will not be surprised to know that one of the 20th century’s most revered artists was deeply inspired by the Bible. From his birth in 1887 Russia to his establishment in France (he died in 1985), Chagall created mythic and dreamlike images in many media, including stained glass. In 1930, Parisian art dealer and art book publisher Ambroise Vollard commissioned Chagall for a series of drawings for the Bible. The series, completed in 1956, materialized out of his visits to Palestine, where the Jewish artist felt at home among the many Yiddish and Russian speakers living there. Today, you don’t have to live in Israel or Europe to witness his passion. The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art continues its exhibit Marc Chagall: Drawings for the Bible in Tulsa through Jan. 31. www.jewishmuseum.net
The misconception that tapas are the precursor to a larger meal is a common one. At Bolero, it’s impossible to overlook the small plates, as they make up nearly the entire menu. Bolero executive chef Curtis Bramlett has created a tapas menu that offers a wide range of options to satiate most palates. Goat cheese that’s lightly fried and drizzled with Tupelo honey, braised crimini mushrooms, steamed mussels and clams Basque: the diversity of the tapas on Bolero’s menu reflects the wide range of culture in Spain, where tapas originated as small plates, complemented by wine, to share and enjoy with friends. The Three Olive Combinacion is accompanied with pickled garlic and seasoned toast points, while Artichoke Frito is served simply with lemon-garlic aioli. Bolero’s wait staff is trained to offer suggested wine pairings with the tapas, and an open-air dining room provides the optimal modern setting for a delicious dining experience in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown. 200 Oklahoma Ave., Suite 140, Oklahoma City. www.bolerotapasbar.com
Few things are as comforting on blustery, wintry days as gumbo. The quintessential Cajun stew features a rich blend of vegetables, spices and often meat or seafood, and none do it better in Tulsa than Chicory & Chives, the restaurant with all things Cajun-inspired. The thick stew served over rice is laced with okra and pieces of chicken and sausage. Owner Jim Loggins is cooking up the gumbo in small batches at lunch and dinner seven days a week because, as he puts it, “we sell an awful lot of it.” 5800 S. Lewis Ave., Suite 129, Tulsa. www.chicoryandchives.com
Meatloaf Sandwich at Saturn Grill
The bulk of the menu at Saturn Grill locations focuses on healthy, fresh ingredients. So even when the eatery serves a staple like a meatloaf sandwich, the sandwich doesn’t pack the calorie wallop like its diner-style counterparts. Slices of cooked meatloaf are seared, then piled on a flatbread with tomatoes and barbecue mayo. Served with Saturn Grill’s famous dill pickles and mustard potato salad, it’s a lunch (or dinner) that will take you back to your mother’s kitchen. 6432 Avondale Dr. and 4401 W. Memorial Dr., Oklahoma City. www.saturngrill.com
Cabbage Rolls at Dena’s Lebanese Cuisine
Tucked away in a small shopping strip facing 11th Street in Tulsa is Dena’s, a weekday lunch and dinnertime favorite for TU students and those who work nearby. Dena’s boasts standard Lebanese/Mediterranean fare – gyros, falafel, spinach pie, stuffed grape leaves – but it’s the cabbage rolls that stand out on the expansive menu. Ground meat and rice are cooked with spices, then wrapped in cabbage leaves and steamed. The cabbage rolls at Dena’s are flavorful and fork-tender, which comes in handy if you order them takeout. A healthy serving of hummus and pita and tabouli accompanies each cabbage roll dinner. 2615 E. 11th St., Tulsa. 918.599.9623
What started as a small music class in the Tulsa Community Arts School has become one of Tulsa’s premier choral organizations. Tulsa Children’s Chorus has delighted audiences throughout Tulsa since 1991.
TCC came from humble beginnings but quickly gained support from not only parents, but the community as well. The chorus incorporated in 1996 and has now grown to feature two ensembles: Tulsa Youth Chorale and the Tulsa Children’s Concert Chorus. Kevin Pearson serves as the organization’s artistic director.
“I want to expose the children of Tulsa to the beauty of choral music,” says Pearson. “Whether we are singing Schubert or an Appalachian folk song, beauty can be found in the blending of voices to create one lovely, harmonious sound.”
Pearson says that children are not exposed to choral music as they were in the past. Gone are the days in which families sit around the piano, harmonizing and enjoying each other’s company. This is one of the reasons Pearson feels the chorus is so important.
“Our youth are often unaware of the unity that can be felt through the music of our greatest composers,” says Pearson. “TCC gives children (and audiences) a chance to be exposed to the expressiveness that choral music provides.”
TCC hosts three open auditions per year and is open to children age 8 to 18. Auditions are held in May, August and December; but private auditions can also be arranged. The chorus is a tuition-based organization, but partial scholarships are available. Rehearsals are held every Tuesday at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.
“Our goal is to reach 80 singers in the next three to four years,” claims Pearson. “We are in the midst of a renaissance right now – and it is my personal mission to see the organization continue to thrive.”
Crystal Grantham is definitely helping the organization thrive. All four of her children participate in the Tulsa Children’s Chorus.
“My children (ages 16, 13, 12 and 10) have been active in the chorus for the past two years,” Grantham says. “We started just with our oldest daughter and loved it so much we had our other children join.
“The directors have a knack for taking children and producing a very professional and impressive product,” Grantham continues. “Our children are blessed to have an environment that challenges them and gives them the opportunity to succeed. I believe our society accepts mediocrity far too often when excellence is achievable. TCC and TYC provide children with the training and venues to accomplish this goal.”
While most people know better than to judge a book by its cover, few grant that same courtesy to the buildings these classics call home. On the surface, most public library buildings appear just as they did decades ago, but take a look inside and it’s easy to see this isn’t your parents’ library.
From free internet access to the growing catalog of eBooks, audiobooks and electronic catalogs, libraries in Oklahoma are adapting to the demands of the information age.
“One of the top questions I get is ‘Well how is business at the library?’” Tulsa City-County Library CEO Gary Shaffer says.
“They think business would be going down, but libraries across the country are busier than they’ve ever been. And they’re busier because of technology.”
The driving force behind that technological shift has been the explosion of electronic media. Several libraries across the state have expanded their catalogs to include thousands of downloadable titles available in eBook and audiobook formats.
The Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma County began offering downloadable eBooks in July 2009. During that first month, the library system had 237 downloads, but has seen that number grow rapidly with more than 14,000 downloads during this past June.
The Tulsa library system has seen a similar climb in the number of eBook downloads, since first offering the format. Usage doubled during the second month to 4,435 downloads in January and has increased 65 percent through the first half of the year.
Although these advances in technology have changed the way we access information, it has not meant a death to public libraries. Metropolitan (OKC) Library System Executive Director Donna Morris says libraries have never been busier, a fact she credits to the poor economy and increased demand for information.
“People are looking for more free material, and a lot of those searching for jobs come into the library for a variety of reasons,” Morris says. “Many companies require applications to be done online, and a lot of people that are out of work probably don’t have access to either a computer or the internet.”
While many parts of the public sector have been hit with budget cuts, public libraries in the state have largely stayed afloat due to stable property taxes and support from lawmakers. That cooperation has been exemplified in Oklahoma City by the construction of a new $8.2 million, 35,000-square-feet Northwest Library, set to open early next year.
“The library pays all the operating costs, and generally we ask the communities to provide and improve the buildings,” Morris says. “And we have worked to raise money for a new library in Choctaw and other communities including the Northwest Library. So we have good cooperation all across the county with our 17, almost 18 libraries.”
Into the modern era
Beginning later next summer, Tulsa’s downtown Central Library will undergo a facelift intended to seriously upgrade the facility and bring it into the 21st century.
Led by the Minneapolis-based architectural firm Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle, the project is anticipated to cost a minimum of $12 million, which will be paid for from the capital fund – money which is set aside for facilities improvements.
The bulk of the funds will pay for infrastructure and mechanical systems, notably including much-needed lighting. Signs and drive-through access are also expected to be improved. In combination with other aspects of the facelift, the project is expected to modernize the 135,000 square-foot library. Several studies in recent years have declared the library mechanical systems obsolete and in need of replacement.
Plans to upgrade the Central Library began to take shape after years of debate and a proposal to construct a new library that failed when voters rejected a 2004 bond issue.
Meyer Scherer & Rockcastle has been responsible for designing more than 160 libraries.
Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2013.
Taking the time to do things slowly – to do them right – has always bored me to tears. I’m impatient at the onset of a project, jumping the gun, darting toward the finish line before ever tying my sneakers. As you can imagine, this has had many a dire consequence. Take, for example, the time I rushed to plant $200 worth of shrubbery, only to forget to water them. Only when the poor plants wilted beyond repair did I notice my gaffe. Then there are the times I try to carry all my groceries into the house in one go. My herculean effort never works out, and yet I seemingly prefer a few rolled tomatoes to slowing down and doing things right. It’s crazy.
But, here we are – in December – with our feet firmly planted in the holiday season. About this time my warning bell goes off rather violently. You see, over the years I’ve come to realize that things are different in December. I can’t pull my usual tricks and expect to come out on the other side sane and content. No, I have to deal with the holiday season slowly and correctly.
I’m still refining the process, but here’s what I do: I make food gifts for family and friends – things I would not otherwise think of in the rush of the holidays. I know what you’re thinking – “Making gifts! Who has time for that? It’s so much easier to just buy everyone gift cards.”
I agree when it comes to sewing, knitting and crafting – these are not my forte – especially not while raising a 2-year-old. And yet, gift cards are so much less personal. No, something simple and creative is in order this time of year.
Last year I made themed food baskets for my family. Taking my adventure to eat the world as inspiration, each family got a basket filled with food from a different part of the world. My in-laws got an Italian basket, stuffed with gorgeous dried pastas, gourmet sauces and specialty Parmesan. My brother-in-law’s family got the Greek filled with tapenade, fancy breads, feta and more. The great thing about these gifts is that I could add to them every week I went shopping, browsing the aisles carefully, until I had enough items to fill the baskets. No special trips to the mall required. Halfway through December the baskets were overflowing and more beautiful – more customized – than anything I could have purchased.
Since I was way ahead of schedule I took it one step further, adding a few homemade items to the baskets – fresh ground spices and seasoning blends. These also work on their own as smaller gifts or stocking stuffers. Take the time to find unusual containers and your recipient will be thrilled.
Toast spices in a dry frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, about one minute. Let cool slightly and grind in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 1/4 cup.
For a European Basket
Georgian Khmeli-Suneli Five Spice
Sprinkle on vegetables, salads, mix into marinades and soups. Mix with lemon juice and olive oil for a fabulous chicken marinade.
Grind all ingredients in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 3/8 cup.
For an African Basket
Kan Kan Kan
Sprinkle this spicy peanut powder on meats after cooking to heat things up.
1/2 c. peanut powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 Maggi bouillon cubes; or
2 tsp. powdered bouillon
Crush up the bouillon cubes, if using. Stir all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 1/2 cup.
Sasha Martin is cooking one meal for every country in the world. Her picky husband and baby girl are along for the ride. Join the adventure for recipes, reviews and more at www.globaltableadventure.com.
