Not-so-secret society
Paul Benjaman // Photo by Phil Clarkin
To witness world-class music in Tulsa, try going to the shows musicians go to. For a city our size, we’ve got more than our fair share of amazing talent. A few haunts celebrate this every week, but often only fellow musicians and a handful of fans show up for the magic. It often feels like one of the best-kept secrets in town.
For instance, miracles happen weekly at Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Night Thing at The Colony, 2809 S. Harvard Ave. Benjaman’s informal musical conversation regularly melds diverse styles with a roll call of Tulsa’s best players. Local legends mingle with the current crop of songsmiths, and you never know who’s going to sit in. Benjaman and his cohorts represent the backbone of the Tulsa scene, and they get on stage every week to dish up an organic, live experiment that will absolutely tickle you.
Don’t get out on Sundays? Every Wednesday night the newly renovated VFW, 1109 E. 6th Street, hosts an always interesting mix of local musical wizards. A featured artist usually gets things going, and then the jams open up as the evening progresses.
The secret’s out. Now it’s up to you.