Inside scoop on huge acts coming soon to Tulsa area

If the phrase "Liza with a Z" rings a bell for you, or if you've ever found yourself humming "Ain't no Mountain High Enough," read on, because KRMG has some inside information on some huge acts that may soon grace stages in the area.

Tulsa has long had the reputation of having a vibrant local music scene, but in recent years it has gained notoriety as a great venue for national-calibre acts to put on a show.

Certainly the Cain's Ballroom has long enjoyed reknown, as former owner Danny Finnerty tells KRMG.

"The roots are so deep for Cain's here, so Cain's is an entity all its own and something we should be proud of in Tulsa."

But Finnerty now practices his craft at The Joint, inside the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa.

Not quite two years after opening The Joint has enjoyed great success and Finnerty plans to build on that success by staging acts for all kinds of tastes.

"There's nothing that's off the table," Finnerty says.

As an example, look at some of the upcoming shows that have recenty played or are booked for the near future: The Steve Miller Band, Tony Bennett, ZZ Topp, Hall & Oats, Heart, The Go Gos, Duran Duran, Jane's Addiction, Incubus and Paul Rodgers of Bad Company fame.

They also do comedy ranging from Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy to Dennis Miller and Bill Cosby.

"Something for everybody, I think," Finnerty added.

The big news: Two megastars currently in negotiations to appear at The Joint and one that's confirmed but unannounced, until now.

Finnerty tells KRMG exclusively that Liza Minnelli and Diana Ross are both in negotiations to appear at The Joint.

And just confirmed, rock legend Steve Winwood, a member of Blind Faith, Traffic and the Spencer Davis Group, as well as a longtime solo artist and producer in his own right.

Winwood will appear on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which will be a busy week for The Joint.

Kenny Rogers will kick off his national tour there the previous evening, Nov. 23.

Certainly, the mega-venue in Tulsa is the BOK Center, which opened its doors with an act on a truly legendary scale, former Beatle Paul McCartney.

Since then, BOK has enjoyed incredible success and is currently ranked 35th in the world in ticket sales, according to Asst. G.M. Jeff Nickler.

He tells KRMG that they hope to keep the momentum going and the list of upcoming acts certainly contains some very familiar names.

Friday, tickets go on sale for Journey, Pat Benatar and Loverboy, which will hit the stage in October.

Also coming up is the venue's first electronica show, Bass Nectar, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, Carrie Underwood and Eric Church.

Nickler tells KRMG they also try to find an eclectic mix of acts that will appeal to a wide audience.

"It's easy to be building on your first year, in your 'honeymoon period,' but it's really difficult to sustain that excitement. As we move forward, we really want to keep that vibe positive."

Civic and business leaders point with pride to the new entertainment venues and the sales receipts and tax dollars which stay in Tulsa, rather than going out of town.