ACM@UCO Completes Festival Lineup
(Provided/The Texas Gentlemen)
The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma will welcome The Texas Gentlemen and Gyan Riley as headliners for the ninth annual Metro Music Fest on April 6.
The Texas Gentlemen, an up-and-coming band of five, and Gyan Riley, a diverse guitarist and artist, join previously announced headliners The Revolution, created in 1983 by Prince, and American rhythm and blues singer Mavis Staples. In addition, more than 45 ACM-affiliated bands are set to perform at the festival.
From the Lone Star state itself, The Texas Gentlemen bring a country-funk, cross-genre vibe to the Metro Music Fest.
The group has performed behind George Strait, Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes, and made a notable appearance with troubadour Kris Kristofferson at the 2016 Newport Folk Festival. The Texas Gentlemen released their debut studio album, titled TX Jelly, in 2017.
“The Texas Gentlemen’s album was one of the best from last year, and I love bringing talent from our Texas neighbors up to Oklahoma,” said Scott Booker, CEO of ACM@UCO. “I’m equally excited to bring an amazing guitar player, Gyan Riley, to our festival.”
In contrast, Riley brings a contemporary classical repertoire to the Metro Music Fest lineup. Riley has toured through Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia and the United States, both as a soloist and as part of various ensembles.
“I saw him perform with his father, classical minimalist Terry Riley, a few years ago and have always thought he’d be a great addition to our festival,” Booker said.
Electronic dance music artist Nitti Gritti also joins Metro Music Fest as the headliner for the EDM stage inside the ACM@UCO Performance Lab.
The festival began in 2010 as a showcase of student talent and has grown to a larger-scale music festival, hosted in the Oklahoma City metro every April.
Performances by dozens of ACM@UCO student bands, Oklahoma-known musicians and internationally recognized headliners are spread across nine venues throughout the Bricktown. On average, more than 15,000 attendees converge to experience the growing music culture of the Oklahoma City metro.
To learn more about Metro Music Fest and to view stage locations and times, visit acm.uco.edu/metro-music-fest.