Downtown Airpark Music Pavilion Opens In OKC

Thursday night, the Downtown Airpark Music Pavilion held its very first show near the Oklahoma River and South Western Avenue.

Thursday, July 25th 2013, 6:37 pm

By: News 9


It's time for a new music venue for downtown Oklahoma City. Thursday night, the Downtown Airpark Music Pavilion held its very first show near the Oklahoma River and South Western Avenue.

It's taken two months for promoters to prepare, and one week to build the stage.

"We're not totally prepared today although we're ready to open," said Howard Pollack, the Airpark President. "We are creating what we call the evolution of music in Oklahoma City, we are creating a downtown music experience."

Pollack says his promotion team worked on the Toby Keith Twister Relief benefit concert earlier this month and had a short time to pull off its own inaugural concert at the Airpark.

7/6/2013 Related Story: Sellout Crowd Turns Out For Toby Keith Twister Relief Concert In Norman 

HB Surround Sound is the show's opening act. The heavy rock and ska band drove from Huntington Beach, California.

"We're a smaller band, and this is our first big nationwide tour, so we're just excited for a lot of people to see our band for the first time I'm sure," said Jake Bushnell, band member.

Four other bands will take the stage until 11 p.m., including Pennywise, Twiztid and headliner, Sublime with Rome. Tickets cost $30, and more than 2,500 free tickets were given to tornado victims and first responders.

"Oklahomans responded the big way they did to help, and we wanted to be a part of that," Pollack said.

And just in case of bad weather, the Airpark has its audience covered.

"We have several tented structures throughout the facility," Pollack said. "We have one 30,000 square-feet tent, and we have two 6,000 square-feet tents, so if it rains, you have shade and a place to go under."

Pollack says the Airpark has 80 acres of parking, shuttle buses, concession stands and misting stations. The Humphreys Company is leasing the land to Pollack for nine months, and it plans to place a Ferris wheel on it next summer.

In the next few years, Pollack hopes to build a 15,000-seat outdoor amphitheater with indoor seats and a stage on the river in order to hold shows year around.

There are more concerts to come at the Airpark in the upcoming weeks, including Motley Crue in September and The Lumineers in October.

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