Diversafest (Dfest), Oklahoma's Music Conference and Festival, was an annual live event that showcased independent and emerging artists and hosted educational music industry panels and a tradeshow. Dfest took place the last weekend in July in the historic Blue Dome District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The music conference and festival had the purpose of promoting and empowering emerging artists from around the United States. By 2008, Dfest had grown to include more than 140 bands performing on over 10 stages in downtown Tulsa and featuring music industry panels, clinics and a tradeshow during the days at the host conference hotel. Attendance over the two-day event in 2009, was nearly 70,000. However, the 2010 festival was cancelled.Cary Aspinwall, "Organizers: Dfest 'on hiatus' this year", Tulsa World, May 21, 2010.
Festival The first Dfest took place in 2002. 12 local bands played for a crowd of roughly 150 people. Growing steadily each year, there were 22 showcasing acts in 2003, 65 in 2004, 96 in 2005, and 108 artists of 20 different genres playing for 16,000 fans in 2006. In 2007, the location was moved from 18th and Boston to the Blue Dome District in downtown Tulsa. This location was more conducive to the multi-venue format Dfest had evolved into. The Blue Dome District also featured a large, centrally located parking lot where The Flaming Lips, Leon Russell and Amos Lee played for more than 15,000 enthusiastic fans in 2007. All told, Dfest 2007 would feature over 130 acts on 13 stages with approximately 40,000 people attending over two days. In 2008, the festival grew even larger, featuring festival stages in the PAC parking lot where The Disco Biscuits, Moe, Ghostland Observatory, Clutch, and Helmet played to huge crowds in excess of 5,000 and the Santa Fe lot where Edison Glass, Phantom Planet, Paramore, The All-American Rejects, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Zappa Plays Zappa, and The Roots played to music fans that exceeded 15,000. Overall, the 2008 event featured over 140 acts and attendance over the two-day event in excess of 60,000 festival-goers. 2009 is expected to be the best Dfest yet.
Notable acts featured at Dfest have included: Adam Hood, The All-American Rejects, Amos Lee, The Apples in Stereo, Bassnectar, The Black Crowes, Black Stone Cherry, Blue October, Cake, Carney, Citizen Cope, The Cool Kids, Clutch, Damone, Daphne Loves Derby, Delta Spirit, Dengue Fever, The Disco Biscuits, Dub Trio, Edison Glass, Evangelicals, Fair To Midland, The Flaming Lips, The Format, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, Gogol Bordello, Ghostland Observatory, Helmet, The Honorary Title, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, The Knux, Leon Russell, Limbeck, Lovedrug, Mates of State, Metro Station, MC Chris, moe., Other Lives, Ozomatli, Paramore, Phantom Planet, Ra Ra Riot, Rooney, The Roots, Motive for Movement, Sherwood, Shiny Toy Guns, Steel Train, Starlight Mints, The Veils and Zappa plays Zappa.
Conference Dfest 2004, was the first year to feature music industry panels. All showcasing artists were invited to attend these panels featuring music industry professionals speaking candidly about getting ahead in the business. In 2005, panels were extended to two days, and covered a variety of topics including record deals, touring, marketing and recording. 2005 also featured guitar and bass clinics, as well as demo listening sessions.
The 2006, Dfest Music Conference grew in size and scale. It moved to the Downtown Doubletree Hotel which allowed for more room than previous locations. The keynote speaker in 2006 was Scott Booker, manager of The Flaming Lips. It featured a tradeshow with 21 exhibitors, a bass clinic by Billy Sheehan, a guitar clinic by Ravi, demo listening sessions, and one-on-one artist mentoring. The conference was very well attended, with over 800 registrants.
The conference continued to grow in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the keynote speaker was Ken Abdo, of the Grammy Foundation, and there was a much-hyped "couch interview" with Wayne Coyne, frontman of The Flaming Lips. A drum clinic featuring Will Calhoun of Living Color was a hit and the tradeshow was home to 25 exhibitors.
In 2008, the keynote speaker was Martin Atkins, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd., Ministry, Pigface and Killing Joke. He also wrote the indie band Bible, "Tour Smart and Break the Band." The conference host hotel also moved to the Downtown Crowne Plaza Hotel which added convenience being literally less than a block from the festival site in the Blue Dome District.
2011 While Dfest was put on "hiatus" for the year, organizers have not announced any plans for a return in 2011.
On May 4, 2011, Cain's Ballroom announced the inaugural Brady District Block Party which will be a one-day festival featuring The Twenties, The Flaming Lips, Primus, Mutemath, Civil Twilight, Awolnation, Solid Gold, Particle, That 1 Guy, and The Pretty Black Chains. The festival takes place on August 6, 2011 and is assumed to replace DFest.
2010 Dfest 2010 was originally scheduled for July 30–31, 2010, but in late May the organizers announced that the festival was on "hiatus" for the year. They cited economic problems, rising costs, and a decline in sponsorships as reasons for the cancellation.
2009 Dfest 2009 took place on July 24–25, 2009 in the Blue Dome District, Tulsa OK. Approximately 164 bands made an appearance.
The First round of artists was announced at a press conference in Downtown Tulsa on April 21, 2009.
Showcasing Artists
Friday July 24
Friday July 24Poseidon StageTriton StageThe Black Crowes Citizen Cope Delta Spirit Carney Other Lives Gogol Bordello Ozomatli Dengue Fever Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Other Venues
IDL Ballroom: Here II Here, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, Crocodile, Joe Pug, Daniel Walcher
Temple: DJ Rekha, Elliot Poston, R.C., Jeff Haze, Heady P
Dirty's Tavern: Ganem, Taddy Porter, I Said Stop!, Ian Moore, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, Manda Mosher, Greg Reichel
Flytrap Music Hall: Jade, Rainbows Are Free, Dub Trio, Vangough, The Culprit, Inside Light, Exit 380
Other: X-Cal, 8bit Cynics, Sidewayz, Kawnar, Ivan Ives, SocietySociety, Navigator, Hold Em High, Canja Rave, Lynhurst, The City Lives, Negative Space, Odis, Oso Closo, Hush Hush Commotion, The Boom Bang, Stevedore, Unwed Sailor, The Burning Hotels, Callupsie, The Pretty Black Chains, Junebug Spade, Ptaridactyl, The Nghiems, Tkatz & The Goods, Astellaway, The Romantic Disaster, The Blooms, GHOSTS, The Moai Broadcast, The Jonbear Fourtet, Western Heritage, Tim Miller, Ziff, Blue Island Tribe, Bald Eagle, Brine Webb, Carter Sampson, Derek Blankenship, Maggie McClure, Chris McLeod, Matt Powers, Kelsey Humphreys, Alyse Black, Van Risseghem, Ben Kilgore
Saturday July 25
Saturday July 25Poseidon StageTriton StageCake Blue October Rooney Mates of State The UglysuitBassnectar Metro Station The Cool Kids Ra Ra Riot The Knux
Other Venues
IDL Ballroom: Dusty Rhodes & The River Band (2nd Show), Gringo Star, Muchos Backflips, Vandevander, Gentleman Auction House, The Calm Blue Sea
Temple: DJ Bill Hamel, Turk, Demko, Derek James, Sean Kibble
Dirty's Tavern: Steve Pryor, Broke City, Damn Bullets, Goodbye to Pretty, Miniver Cheevy, The Round Up Boys, Three Penny Upright
Flytrap Music Hall: Sam & The Stylees, Big Red Rooster, Danny Chaimson & The 11th Hour, Peach Truck Republic, Dirtfoot, Proprietors of the Earth, People
Other: Adam’s Attic, Alex & The Anders, Ali Harter, Approaching August, Avian X, Based on a True Story (Derek Blankenship), Billy Joe Winghead, CoCo Jones, Colourmusic, Dante & The Hawks, Dead Sea Choir, Deas Vail, Dignan, Eric and The Adams, Erin Austin, Head Over Hills, Hollow, Jabee, Johnny Polygon, Marcy Priest, Mayola, Modern Science, Motive for Movement, My Solstice, Native Lights, Oblio, P.D.A., Paul Benjaman Band, Pico vs. Island Trees, Ptaridactyl, Recorder, Roger Jaeger, Ryan Lindsey, Scott Goldman, Spencer Sharpe, Stars Go Dim, The Dawson Project, The Fiascos, The Nightlife, The Pons, The Taking State, Velos Maretha, Welcome The Silence, Without Trees
2008 Dfest 2008 was held July 25–26, 2008 in the Blue Dome District, Tulsa OK.
Showcasing Artists
Friday July 25
Friday July 25Main Stage2nd StageThe All American Rejects Paramore Phantom Planet Edison Glass Congress of a Crow The City Lives The Disco Biscuits Ghostland Observatory moe. Ty England Sam & The Stylees Ravi
Saturday July 26
Saturday July 26Main Stage2nd StageThe Roots The Twenties Zappa Plays Zappa Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey The Effects AM Eventful Winner Clutch Helmet Colourmusic Sworn Against Rainbows Are Free Mercy Street
Other Performers The Apples In Stereo, 20%, 40engine, Acoustic Ross, Adam's Attic, Admiral Twin, Alex Winston, American Taxi, Angela Ortiz, Astellaway, Bait, Bangalore, Beau Jennings, BEN.BEN., Benji Kay, Black Swan, Black Wednesday, Blake-O, Blowing Trees, Born A Number, Brice Woodall, Bricolage, Callupsie, Carter Sampson, Cat-a-tac, Cavedoll, Cecada, Cheyenne, Cheryl B. Engelhardt, Chris McLeod, City Riots, Colourmusic, Congress of a Crow, Crocodile, Crooked X, Dance Robots Dance/Trash Yourself, Deas Vail, Dick Sims Project, Drag The River, El Paso Hot Button, Ernie Halter, Galapogos, Ganem, Gentlemen Auction House, Ghosts, Ghost of Monkshood, Glister, Gravity Propulsion System, Greg Reichel, Hazzard, Here Is There, Hey Hollywood, Hush Hush Commotion, I Said Stop!, Jabee, Jayne Doe, Jeremy Buck & The Bang, Jesse Aycock, John Moreland & Black Gold Band, Kawnar, Kendal Dean, Klondike5, Leopold and his Fiction, Lords of the Fjords, Love In October, Mama Sweet, Mando Saenz, Matt Stansberry Band, Maxtone Four, Mayola, Miniver Cheevy, Modern Rock Diaries, Motive for Movement, My Solstice, Noush Skaugen, The Non, Odis, Of god and science, Oxygen, PDA, Progress In Color, Quiet Company, Recorder, Red Dirt Rangers, Ruthie Bram, Ryan Lindsey, Salute, Sam and The Stylees, Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers, Scott Goldman, Sherree Chamberlain, Sir Threadius Mongus, Sleeperstar, Slorder, Soulfege, Sparky Quano, Stanley Maxwell, Stars Go Dim, State Bird, Stop, Revolt, Taddy Porter, Tech Tonic, The Abdomen, The Benjamin Banneker Band, The Boxing Lesson, The Brandon Clark Band, The City Lives, The Compulsions, The Cringe, The Decomposed, The Feed, The Forms, The Heyday, The Oh! Johnny Girls, The Starkweather Boys, The Stockmarket Crash, The Twenties, The Uglysuit, Three Penny Upright, Vandevander, Vangough, Vannadine
Conference Panelists
Ken Abdo, Lommen Abdo Law Firm Stephanie Adwar, Furgang Adwar Tom Alexander, AEG Live AM, Artist Holly Anderson, Eventful Martin Atkins, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails Daryl Berg, FuelTV Jonathan Belzley, Mastering Engineer David Codr, micspace.com Mia Crow, Visionworks Music Jon Delange, Tinderbox Music Dan Efram, The Musebox, Tractor Beam Management Damian Elahi, Interscope, Geffen, A&M/Universal Erica Forster, YSK Entertainment / Extasy Recording Studio Jim Halsey, The Jim Halsey Co. Carrie Hughes, MTV / Reflection Music Chris Jackson, Comcast Entertainment Group Jeff Jones, Drum World Paul Kriegler, 94.1 The Sound Keith Lacock, Tinderbox Music Justin Levenson, SESAC Catherine Lieu, Eventful Mike Locke, Rhino Independent Max Luces-Tucker, Bunim/Murray Productions Mollie Moore, Atlantic Records Shawn Murphy, ASCAP John Nicolson, Hollywood Records Scott Perry, The New Music Tipsheet David Ponak, Rhino Entertainment Eavan Porter, Nettwerk Management David Preston, BMI Ravi, Artist/Clinician Steve Robertson, Atlantic Records Joe Rudge, Search Party Music Jeff Scheel, Gravity Kills Jon Schroeder, Producer / Engineer Jack Shapira, Unison Studios Wil Sharpe, Sharpe Entertainment Services Madalyn Sklar, GoGirlsMusic Robert Spinelli, Bodog Music Ben Tedder, Drum World David Teegarden, Producer / Engineer Larry White, Larry White Management
2007 Dfest 2007 took place July 27–28, 2007 in the Blue Dome District, Tulsa OK.