By any measure, Cains Ballroom should be too small forCharley Crockett.
Cains Ballroom, the home of Bob Wills!
Crockett cheered from center stage.
Wyatt Flores performs at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. The Red Dirt breakout star will cap the venue’s 100th anniversary with a pair of shows at Cain’s in December.Hayley Gjertsen*
I kind of got lost there, looking back at them blinking neon lights.
Thought I saw my granddad back there, but he already went on up to glory.
Crocketts sentiment has been a universal one at Cains throughout 2024.
Crocketts came early in his$10 Cowboy Tour, showcasing the album of the same name.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit played back-to-back nights in early May.Corey Kentdid the same in June.
Elle King and Muscadine Bloodline headlined in late summer.
Those are all artists who routinely play to crowds much larger than the 1,700 capacity at Cains.
John Cooper qualifies as a Cains expert.
Cains thrives because of the history, Cooper tells Rolling Stone.
It thrives because of the feeling that the artists have about the building.
People want to play there.
Its important that those kinds of venues tie it all together.
They tie Bob Wills to Wyatt Flores.
Thats the bridge that a venue like that brings to music.
This weekend, the club will feature Tech N9ne on Friday and Ray Wylie Hubbard on Saturday.
Wilco is set to play two nights in December.
Tulsa-based Hanson the one-time boy band turned rock outfit has two nights on the books before Christmas.
Silverada, Joshua Ray Walker, and Vandoliers will play in late December.
Both are sold out.
It seems like all our shows are selling out, says Chad Rodgers.
Theres so much more momentum right now.
Chad recalls of their initial inspection: There were buckets catching water on the floor.
There was dust all over everything.
Its a destination, for sure, Hunter Rodgers says.
Its becoming more of one, and thats an honor for us.
The 9:30 Club is a rock room that occasionally hosts country acts.
The inverse is true at Cains.
It has just blown up so much, Chad Rodgers says.
Oklahoma being the Red Dirt state, we are the capital.
Id like it to be that for all of North America, too.
We can always strive for that.
