August 22nd 2026: KATTFEST @ Lucky Star Casino Amphitheatre - El Reno, Oklahoma

KATTFEST | Photos Courtesy of: Ally Arens

In celebration of over 50 years as a station, Oklahoma City’s local rock radio mainstays, The Katt, hosted their annual KATTFEST at Lucky Star Casino in Concho, just outside of El Reno, OK, bringing together music fans of all ages in the pursuit of rock and roll. The day-long extravaganza featured acts from multiple sub-genres of the rock umbrella, ensuring there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Kicking off the show was Atrus, a local metal band from Oklahoma City who had won the station’s local Battle of the Bands to earn their spot on the KATTFEST stage. They had a unique energy and got the show started with a bang.

The next two sets were those that I was personally most excited for - Eva Under Fire and Mothica. By performing this show, Eva Under Fire was able to finally break a multi-show curse of having their OKC shows cancelled by their respective headliners at the last minute, and it was worth the wait. As the opening notes of “Awakening” rang through the amphitheatre, Amanda’s powerful vocals echoed and captivated all within earshot. Their latest album Villainous was the focal point, though they made sure to include a couple of throwbacks like “Heroin(e)” and “Blow” as well, ensuring that they would be welcomed back to OKC any time.

Mothica’s appearance at the festival was special as well, as she was born in Tulsa, OK and grew up in the OKC area, and the show was her first hometown performance in a few years. Though her sound is overall a bit poppier than the typical KATT listener may be used to, the station has shown her lots of love over the years on their Local Talent Show segment highlighting the plethora of talent in the state, and she absolutely rocked it. Plus, her latest EP Somewhere in Between is some of the heaviest music she’s released thus far, proving that “rock-ica” deserves her place on the KATTFEST stage. Mothica is currently on the road supporting Jutes - her upcoming shows can be found here.

The next two acts brought their own flair to the stage as well - Ayron Jones and Sleep Theory. Ayron Jones is a southern-rock trio hailing from Seattle, WA, and they brought some soul to the stage with tracks like “Blood in the Water,” “Boys From Puget Sound,” and “Filthy.” They also channelled their Seattle roots with a Nirvana cover, switching up the vibes a bit and bringing some groove and soul to the festival. Meanwhile, Sleep Theory had the unfortunate luck of playing while the sun wrought its fiercest rays of the day yet, but their energy was incredible as they played through some of their hits from their latest album Afterglow like “Fallout” and “Words are Worthless”, as well as their breakout single “Numb.” However, none got the crowd quite as amped up as their rendition of the *NSYNC classic “Bye Bye Bye” - a live staple of theirs that finally got the studio treatment this summer.

Though I was beginning to question my life choices by this point in the day as the sun sweltered on, there was still much more to come as co-headliners I Prevail and Chevelle were still on the way. I Prevail are no strangers to the KATTFEST stage, having played alongside Godsmack, Bad Omens, and others at the event’s 2023 edition. Despite their lineup shifts since then, with the departure of co-vocalist Brian Burkheiser, guitarist Dylan Bowman has stepped up to the plate, holding his own against the brutal screams of Eric Vanlerberghe. Their career-spanning set ranged from their breakout cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” to newer hits like “Violent Nature” and “Into Hell,” cementing their place as metalcore badasses. Chevelle, on the other hand, got off to a touch of a rough start when an unexplained technical issue ground their set to a halt after their second song. Thankfully, this was short-lived, and the opening notes of “An Island” roared a few minutes later. Despite the technical difficulties, they sounded phenomenal as they offered the first taste of their latest stage show, set to accompany them alongside Breaking Benjamin throughout the US shortly. Overall, KATTFEST was an incredible day full of amazing people and amazing music, offering a great escape from daily life for a few hours.

Sleep Theory

Mothica

I Prevail

Eva Under Fire

Chevelle

Ayron Jones

Atrus