Norman locals The Neighborhood will perform with Stillwater's Colourmusic tonight at the Opolis, 113 N Crawford Ave.

Both bands are fairly new to the scene, and the buzz about each seems to be running high.

"We're definitely excited to headline, which is a new thing for us at The Opolis," The Neighborhood frontman Phil Rice said. "This is a really big show for the band."

The Neighborhood is a collaboration of Matt Duckworth on drums, Eric Mai on bass and Rice on guitar and vocals. The band, which recorded an EP last spring, is setting their sights on a new sound while concentrating more on songwriting for their next effort.

"We're trying some simplicity with the instruments," Rice said, "And not worrying about filling in all the cracks and corners of the music."

Rice explained how these kinds of shows, along with the camaraderie of Norman bands and the general talent of the groups are helping the local music scene grow.

"I see that with music in general, Norman has been a cool place musically," Rice said. "With the Flaming Lips and the Starlight Mints gaining popularity in the last few years, I think the next wave of musicians is beginning to stir."

Opening the show is Colourmusic, a band that has created a major fan base in their home town of Stillwater, though only playing a handful of live shows.

"We're preparing now. Stillwater and Norman are great for the college-feel, I just hope the college rivalry doesn't transfer over to the show," drummer Cry Suter said.

The band includes Suter on drums, with Nick Turner on guitar and Ryan Hendrix on lead vocals. Colourmusic also features members of another group, The Bells Are..., in their live show, singing and playing keyboards.

The band has released one EP, "Red," and says they enjoy the shorter format over traditional albums.

"We decided to not do LPs because a lot of it just ends up being fluff," Turner said. "Our EP is 18 minutes long and is easy to take in in one sitting."

Known for outlandish stage presence, the band played recently dressed as a six-member family on-stage, and on another occasion as graduates.

The members of Colourmusic said they've been working especially hard now that they are able to.

"Nick's from London and has to leave once every three months," Suter said. "With a Vacation Visa you can stay for ninety days and then must leave for another sixty days."

Even with this setback, the band has received positive feedback from local media and fans.
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