Stillwater's Punk Rock Awakening

If you’ve paid attention to music in Stillwater over the last few decades, you’ll note that the music scene has not generally revolved around distorted guitars and heavy drums. Sure, The All American Rejects called Stillwater home once, but punk rock hasn’t been what people think about when they hear the words “music” and “Stillwater” in the same sentence. 

Stillwater should always celebrate the unique country rock sound Bob Childers gave us with Red Dirt music. But thanks to a new and growing group of young musicians and small venues popping up around town, we are seeing a sea of new genres being offered to live music fans in central Oklahoma.

In a back alley off 9th and Lewis, tucked away behind Casual Scene Books, sits an unassuming garage door. Behind that door is The Bait Shop, a gritty space that’s the brainchild of District Bicycles co-owner Bobby Wintle. It’s an L shaped space, the stage taking up one tip of the room. It’s not large, the walls painted silver from its previous use as a creative workshop for sculptor and designer Morgan Robinson.

When I arrive at 6:30 p.m. for the doors, there are a few people milling about already.  It’s Dec. 6, 2025, a chilly and foggy evening and they’ve got a fire going on the back patio that I can’t see but smell.  I’m greeted by Henry, an enthusiastic young man who is excited for the night of music ahead. The first band is already partway through their soundcheck and I can already tell we are in for something fun. The crowd is mostly younger. There is a familiar alt punk look to them that I remember vividly from my childhood in Seattle, WA. A lot of the folks filtering in are friends with the bands, which shows amazing local support and is awesome to see in a newer scene. By 7 p.m., the venue is about half full and the first band EZ4U2SEY is getting on the stage.

Lead singer and bassist, Lee, hops on the microphone to greet the crowd. She’s noticed there’s a huge gap between the stage and the crowd and she beckons the crowd closer telling them “let’s get warm together” as the band begins to play. Their sound is a shoegazey kind of rock, easy to sway to and the band falls into a groove instantly and the crowd responds well. I notice a couple of folks singing along, especially on newer songs like “Just Go” and “Reality In Fantasy” and by the time they end their set with a cover of “Faith” by Limp Biskit they have won the place over. So focused on their performance that I didn’t notice the other half of the venue begin to fill up.

Dreamsickle lead singer Asa performs at The Bait Shop on Dec. 6, 2025 (left), while a crowd surfer rides above the mosh pit during the band's high-energy set (right). The band's screamo and nu-metal sound kept the pit active throughout their performance. – Photos by Quincy Einstein

The second band, Dreamsickle, won me over before they even started. As a Seattle native I took notice that their bassist Jacob was wearing a Seahawks jersey. 

Immediately they were LOUD, not a bad thing for a punk show, but they had the energy to back it up. The sound was very reminiscent of early 2000s screamo mixed in with some Korn nu-metal vibes.  The mosh pit for the evening was off and running before the first measure of the first song was even finished. By their fourth song it was clear that lead singer Asa had enough energy to run the whole city of Stillwater if he felt like it - the man was a machine. On the second to last song of the set, Asa invited a fan up on stage to sing the last part of the song with him, illustrating the band’s connection with their fans.  They ended their set with a new song that had a beautiful 90s rock breakdown, all in an amazingly energetic performance.

Milling around in between sets I couldn’t help but notice that the over 30 crowd was pretty much a minority, almost nonexistent, and I caught myself wondering how many of these kids would have the same piercings when they’re my age. I can’t judge - I was once their age going to these types of shows in the Seattle area. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder how we can bring some of the older punk rock lovers back to these newer shows. Maybe awareness is an issue, maybe we just need more. Both couldn’t hurt.

The third band, Hypnosis, was here for their first performance in Stillwater ever. Their sound reminded me of the Melvins, though lead singer Tyler says that while they’re aware of the band they’re not inspired by them. They seemed a little unorganized, maybe unrehearsed. The bassist, Daniel, did not seem to know where he was on stage stepping on the middle of his pedal on accident multiple times. Despite the shaky start they did seem to find a groove together after a few songs, but they definitely left me less impressed than I had been with the first two bands. The audience seemed in and out as well. At one point they almost a dance party going … sorta.  When Tyler sang it was raw and emotional and his long hair seemed to engulf the microphone in a way that reminded me of Captain Caveman. I could tell this was a project that meant something but hadn’t been fully polished yet. I look forward to seeing them refine their act as they perform into the future.

Peoria (left) and Hypnosis (center) perform at The Bait Shop on Dec. 6, 2025, while crowd surfing erupts during Peoria's headlining set (right). The bands showcased Stillwater's emerging punk rock diversity. – Photos by Quincy Einstein

The last band of the night, Peoria, everyone had been waiting for.  Walking through the crowd between sets I could hear people murmuring, “Peoria, they’re gonna cook tonight!” They came in with a melodic alternative rock sound, excellent band cohesion and interaction with the audience by lead singer Logan. When they started their second song, “Man in The Box” by Alice in Chains, I was completely sold on their vibe. Their guitarist broke a string during the song, kept going, and had the new string on his guitar quickly enough to start the next song without a huge lull in the show.  

The mosh pit was in full effect with crowd surfing, even in between songs, and at one point during the fifth song in their set I saw some breakdancing start up in the mosh pit. The band’s songwriting was on full display with their fourth song, entitled “Freebird”, a satirical anthem that proclaimed “TAKE TURKEY OFF THE MENU!” The band ended their set with a slower song, almost a ballad, and out came the phone flashlights where once there would have been Bic lighters. The crowd sang along with them all the way to the last note of the song.

And just as the audience thought the evening was over, Bait Shop sound guy Eric came on the mic to tell us there was ONE MORE SURPRISE PERFORMANCE. A band made up of members of the EZ4U2SEY, Dreamsickle, Hypnosis, and Peoria, came up on stage and played one song. The crowd sang along with the entire time. Lee from EZ4U2SEY even came up and shredded on a giant spoon.

When I asked the “band members” later what their band was they said it was just a spontaneous urge to play a song together and I could call them “Peoria Fan Club.” When they left the stage Eric put on a mariachi song. As I filtered my way outside I ran into Bobby, who was in the process of starting a conga line that would eventually make its way out the front door, into the alley, and back inside again. 

I left that evening with a smile on my face and a feeling of excitement coursing through my veins.  I cannot wait to see where this Stillwater punk music scene goes. Will it blossom and join Red Dirt as something uniquely Stillwater? I personally hope to see this diverse music scene grow, encompassing all genres and walks of life. But I’m a dreamer and only time will tell.