Norman Music Festival

The Born A Number crew is heading to Norman this weekend to play the First Annual Norman Music Festival. This is our first show outside of our Tulsa cocoon and we’re ready to go. The festival is host to a pretty killer array of bands representing genres all over the map.

Ryan Lindsey, Umbrellas, Colourmusic, Evangelicals, Octopus Project, British Sea Power, The Freaking CHAINSAW KITTENS REUNION, and The Polyphonic Spree are all performing.

I feel like more of a fan than a performer for this show because two of these groups, The Chainsaw Kittens and The Polyphonic Spree are insanely important bands to me. The Polyphonic Spree is made up of ex-Tripping Daisy band members who I knew when I lived in Dallas. We rehearsed in the same studio as they did and used to see them all the time. Their guitarist overdosed as the band peaked and the remaining members decided to call it quits for good. Years later they resurfaced as The Polyphonic Spree and are nothing short of a spiritual experience.

Watch the Polyphonic Spree “Running Away” 2007

I grew up listening to the Chainsaw Kittens. They were just starting to explode when I was in high school and the first time I saw them I almost lost my mind.

They were pre-grunge new wave punk rock and roll madness. Tyson, the frontman was a cross-dressing, rock icon in the making. We stood stunned through the entire show as the band singlehandedly changed our minds about everything and the crowd ripped off almost every thread of Tyson’s clothes. He was like a little gay jesus up there with his arms stretched out and audience hands all over him.

Afterwards we were blown away at how he just stood beside the stage and shook hands and hugged everyone who came up to talk to him… he stood there for 45 minutes. Either he had no idea that he was a rock star or we had no idea that he wasn’t.

After that show we all went crazy, started wearing dresses to their shows, making the trip from Ada to Norman religiously, anytime they played. One time me, Damian and Richard all showed up at the show (in Ada) wearing dresses. Ada was a very small, rural town and I really thought we were going to die but we made it through without being killed.

I remember seeing them open for The Smashing Pumpkins once and we had no idea who the Pumpkins were… I missed the Janes Addiction Ritual De Lo Habitual show (one of my biggest regrets ever) and the Kitties were also openers on that show. They had a few record deals and found some success but unfortunately the Kittens fizzled out over time. They never really hit big and were soon swallowed by the bands that were coming out at the time, and music kind of caught up to their sound.

Watch Chainsaw Kittens “Connie I’ve Found The Door”  1992

Over the years they’ve done a few sporadic performances and I actually caught Tyson doing an acoustic show in a small dive bar here in Tulsa a year or so ago that was quite magical. His voice sounded exactly the same as it did years ago. This is the first full-on reunion show since Tyson’s move to Japan to be a teacher. Needless to say I cannot wait.

We play right before the Kittens on a different stage so I’m basically going to be ending our set at 7:45pm on the DOT and bolting for the door to catch the start of their performance, so if I run over anyone on the way out, no offense.

I have to thank my old friend Sasha (from high school) for adding us to the lineup. It’s been over 10 years since I’ve seen her but she was very nice to add us. The festival should be great, hope to see you there. We play at 7pm on the Sooner Stage.