O'Colly: McKnight Center Plaza Opening

Perfect.

When attending college, we tend to become obsessed with perfection. We have an inclination to perfection because the professional world will expect nothing less than from us.

This is most apparent when attending an orchestra concert, but what if it didn’t have to be?

When you go to an orchestra concert, your first expectation is that the musicians are perfect and professional. No one would want to go to a concert where every performer is tuned incorrectly. People would leave if there where tares and the piece fell apart.

At the starting price of $200 a seat, we expect organizations like the New York Phil Harmonic to be perfect, and they absolutely delivered. Not a note was out of place or a single musician sticking out. They demonstrated a level of musicianship most of us will never understand. Even their facial expressions where perfect.

So what’s next?

After the initial attraction, we evaluate, either consciously or not, the venue. This starts at the entrance, and extends to the vestibule, the corridors leading into the concert hall and the concert hall itself. Modern design and architecture can completely change how we experience the music. This can be the difference between the modern McKnight Center and the Tulsa PAC, which was made in the late 70s.

Next, belive it or not, you evaluate yourself. At orchestral events, especially ones like the New York Phil Harmonic, you have to be perfect. This means showing up in a suit and tie, conducting yourself in a professional way and making sure you’re a perfect audience member. Every sneeze is audible and god forbid you have a child that needs attention during the event because everyone will hear it and see any noise as an infraction of this invisible contract we all sign at the door.

None of this matters outside though.

Enter the McKnight Center Plaza. A grass lot next to the McKnight Center containing a screen almost four stories tall. It’s a wide open space with surround sound where people can walk in and out with little to no interruptions.

This was admittedly the first time I’ve experienced Orchestra outside, but it was a transcendent experience.

Assuming we have a giant screen and a beautiful orchestra to listen to, all the traditional conventions of orchestral concerts go out the window. When you first get to the plaza, there are no doors to go through, no seats to find and no rows to line us up in a specific direction.

Sit backwards, stand, move around during the performance, talk to a friend about how it makes you feel. It doesn’t really matter because there is no longer an expectation of being a perfect audience member. Someone shouted multiple times during the concert, and it actually added to the experience.

The power from the speakers drowns out everything around you. Cars from the street are muted and the children running around just add to the causal environment. People vocally expressing themselves during the even make it feel more like a shared experience.

As to the venue, what could be more perfect than listening to music as the sun sets over the horizon? The trees and beautiful structures surrounding the plaza are just the cherry on top.

There is also something magical about listening to a performance that is not traditionally outside in the great Oklahoman outdoors. Look up and seeing sky, look around you and seeing the green of the trees and the architecture of the plaza. Outside you’re no longer confined to you designated box and there are no arm rest to fight over.

However you want to experience it, do it.

Want to talk about stuff during the concert, do it. Need to check your phone, do it. Really need a burger before but to have time to eat it, just bring it. It’s not about creating a perfect environment to deliver the perfect performance, it’s about enjoying the music together.

So is it a better experience than being inside a perfectly constructed masterpiece like the McKnight Center? That kind of depends on the person and how they prefer to experiences the event. It also depends on their expectations for the event are and what their expectations for themselves are. And it goes without saying, the plaza probably won’t be much fun in 30-degree weather.

For many long time concert goers though, it might be worth it to try out something new. You might be surprised by how much a different perspective can respark your passion for music. At any rate, it’s hard to regret a night spent outside listening to great music with friends and family, and sometime the imperfections are what makes an experience perfect.