Norman arose to such a clatter at the beginning of this year’s holiday season to find neatly wrapped presents awaiting its residents.
No, these presents weren’t sleds or dolls or any of the other classic holiday fare. They were free 12” vinyl records, festively wrapped and dropped off by a pair of entities teaming up to play Santa Claus.
Sponsored by Fowler Volkswagen and Nice People Records, the “Checking It Twice: 2010 Nice People Holiday Companion” features 14 local bands teaming up on 10 original holiday-themed songs, including tracks from The Boom Bang, Evangelicals and Depth and Current.
It gets better. Eight of the bands have teamed up to play a free show at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Meacham Auditorium.
“I didn’t even really think about a show until I heard how great all of the songs were,” said Nice People owner and operator Chris Harris, also the creative mind behind Depth and Current. “The album came first.”
Co-sponsored by Jonathan Fowler, former Norman Arts Council president and past Norman Music Festival chairman, the album and show mark a creative venture between a pair of local businesses .
“The overarching theme is sort of this magical vibe that happens during the holiday season,” Harris said. “To me, it’s about family, friends, kindness and wonder. I hope the album emphasizes those aspects of the season.”
It does, in a modern, hipstery Christmas time sort of way.
“Good cheer invites a soundness of mind,” Student Film sings on “Slay Belles,” the album’s last track, before wishing the listener a happy holiday with electronic drum beats and dancey synths.
Talented singers Penny Hill and Samantha Crain team up on “No Whiskey Snow Cone” for a surprisingly intimate depiction of a sad, lonely holiday. The album promises a terrific show with plenty of locals playing together for the sake of good holiday cheer. Harris said each band will get a mini-set, playing at least one holiday song apiece.
“We’ll definitely hear some of the songs that these bands have on their albums and CDs,” he said. “It’ll be a great chance to hear a handful of great bands from right here in town.”
Bands performing:
The Boom Bang
Kite Flying Robot
Brother Gruesome
Depth and Current (feat. Skating Polly)
Student Film
Penny Hill
Gang Starr Museum
Gentle Ghost (feat. Brine Webb)
If you go
WHAT: Holiday Concert presented by Fowler VW and Nice People
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Union’s Meacham Auditorium
PRICE: Free
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