Since the Where-House figures so prominantly in not only my personal story but Bleed Into One as well. Here's a little information on the venue. FYI this was originally supposed to be for Wikipedia but they determined that we were a "concert venue of little to no consequence" and would not post our info. We'll try again after the movie comes out.
The Where-House is an all ages live music venue located in Bartlesville Oklahoma.
Founding
The Where-House was founded in 1990 by then 17-year old Tim Cook. Cook, a California transplant and avid music fan became frustrated that his favorite bands had no local venue to support them and began booking his own shows. His first venture in the live music arena was a show by Believer held at a local high school auditorium. Opening the show was an as-yet unsigned band called Living Sacrifice. The show turned out to be a huge success with a crowd of several hundred kids turning out for the underground band.
“It was insane” Cook said later of the show.
“I just remember this line of kids going around the building.”
In the wake of the success of the show, a permanent venue located at 331 N. Quapaw was secured. The space, an abandoned warehouse that had formerly been used for auto repair and salvage was immediately cristenend “The Where-House.”
The First Show
The first show at the Where-House was the now legendary Crucified show held on July 21, 1991. Cook recalls that the Where-House stage was constructed in a marathon 48 hour process prior to show time.
“We finished the stage the night before the show and were taking a break after all the work when the fire marshall came in” he says.
“He basically told us that we had to have a fire exit in the building or the show could not go on.”
Undaunted, Cook and several volunteers rented a jack hammer and were able to tear a ragged hole in the side of the building, just enough to satisfy fire codes and ensure that the show would in fact go on. And go on it did the Crucified, who were in peak form tore through one of the most memorable shows of their career, with singer Mark Salomon swinging on a rope out over the churning crowd.
Cook would later be quoted as saying that the do it yourself spirit that surrounded the first show would follow the venue throughout it’s history.
The Early Years 1990-1998
Focusing mainly on the then underground Christian rock scene, the venue mainly presented punk, heavy metal and alternative music, with Cook booking shows purely based out of his own taste.
Early shows included, Deliverance, Believer, Mortification, Scattered Few, Mortal, Steve Taylor, The Altar Boys, the 77s, and the Prayer Chain.
Formative Years 1998-2005
With the Where-House in full swing Cook began dabbling in artist management, with several bands that had come through the Where-House including Mortal, Grammatrain and Squad 5-0. Eventually Cook signed then fledgling hardcore act P.O.D and eventually guided them to multi-platinum status. In the coming years Cook’s company, Cook Mangagement would come to represent acts such as Blindside and Pillar. With the increased activity on the management side, Cook began finding less time to devote to the venue. Eventually he appointed then volunteer staff member, Tim Hudson as new director.
New Band Tournament
The Where-House New Band tournament began in 1997 and has since grown to one of the most successful tournaments of it’s type in the United states. Beginning with 30 unsigned bands, the tournament kicks off in January of each year and runs through March, with the top band securing a showcase at Cornerstone Fesetival or the Gospel Music Association convention. Throughout the tournament’s history numerous bands have went on to national record deals, including Philmore, the Agony Scene, Mourning September, Edison Glass, Fern, Eleven Hours Down, Jackson Waters, Neveah Nevi and Mindrage.
The Where-House is an all ages live music venue located in Bartlesville Oklahoma.
Founding
The Where-House was founded in 1990 by then 17-year old Tim Cook. Cook, a California transplant and avid music fan became frustrated that his favorite bands had no local venue to support them and began booking his own shows. His first venture in the live music arena was a show by Believer held at a local high school auditorium. Opening the show was an as-yet unsigned band called Living Sacrifice. The show turned out to be a huge success with a crowd of several hundred kids turning out for the underground band.
“It was insane” Cook said later of the show.
“I just remember this line of kids going around the building.”
In the wake of the success of the show, a permanent venue located at 331 N. Quapaw was secured. The space, an abandoned warehouse that had formerly been used for auto repair and salvage was immediately cristenend “The Where-House.”
The First Show
The first show at the Where-House was the now legendary Crucified show held on July 21, 1991. Cook recalls that the Where-House stage was constructed in a marathon 48 hour process prior to show time.
“We finished the stage the night before the show and were taking a break after all the work when the fire marshall came in” he says.
“He basically told us that we had to have a fire exit in the building or the show could not go on.”
Undaunted, Cook and several volunteers rented a jack hammer and were able to tear a ragged hole in the side of the building, just enough to satisfy fire codes and ensure that the show would in fact go on. And go on it did the Crucified, who were in peak form tore through one of the most memorable shows of their career, with singer Mark Salomon swinging on a rope out over the churning crowd.
Cook would later be quoted as saying that the do it yourself spirit that surrounded the first show would follow the venue throughout it’s history.
The Early Years 1990-1998
Focusing mainly on the then underground Christian rock scene, the venue mainly presented punk, heavy metal and alternative music, with Cook booking shows purely based out of his own taste.
Early shows included, Deliverance, Believer, Mortification, Scattered Few, Mortal, Steve Taylor, The Altar Boys, the 77s, and the Prayer Chain.
Formative Years 1998-2005
With the Where-House in full swing Cook began dabbling in artist management, with several bands that had come through the Where-House including Mortal, Grammatrain and Squad 5-0. Eventually Cook signed then fledgling hardcore act P.O.D and eventually guided them to multi-platinum status. In the coming years Cook’s company, Cook Mangagement would come to represent acts such as Blindside and Pillar. With the increased activity on the management side, Cook began finding less time to devote to the venue. Eventually he appointed then volunteer staff member, Tim Hudson as new director.
New Band Tournament
The Where-House New Band tournament began in 1997 and has since grown to one of the most successful tournaments of it’s type in the United states. Beginning with 30 unsigned bands, the tournament kicks off in January of each year and runs through March, with the top band securing a showcase at Cornerstone Fesetival or the Gospel Music Association convention. Throughout the tournament’s history numerous bands have went on to national record deals, including Philmore, the Agony Scene, Mourning September, Edison Glass, Fern, Eleven Hours Down, Jackson Waters, Neveah Nevi and Mindrage.
4 comments:
Great post! I cant believe The Where-house got rejected by Wiki. Even I have a page on there! I have NO idea how it got there but I think it means I'm a big deal...
Man, I miss the Wherehouse of old. I remember my first show (Crucified & Mortal Jan 93) being significant in the start of my love of music. I later broke two bones in my foot during Sixpence. That was a major embarrassment for a Tourniquet and Mortification fan.
I was in Bartlesville just yesterday (driving up from Tulsa) so I drove by the infamous Wherehouse - only to find the door w/out stickers and the building with a fresh coat of paint - no cars in site, I felt kinda sad and very nostalgic. I moved to Tulsa in '98 and saw sooo many good shows there from '98-'03 (or so)
Trip down memory lane! Lots of great memories at the wherehouse and many hours on 75
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