Knipple 10-Year Anniversary Show
The Colony
July 3, 2026
"You should never be louder than the band" —sign at The Colony
Earlier this month, the band known as Knipple (pronounced KUH-nipple) came together with friends and family to celebrate their 10th year of performing. Jordan Hehl and Nicholas Foster, who go by Jordank and Knicholas in their Knipple on-stage universe, invited many other Tulsa musicians to The Colony for a jam-packed night with incredible displays of craft and comedy. The duo is well known in Tulsa for their eclectic, genre-blending, banter-filled shows. I hadn’t seen them play in years, but I had a feeling this wasn’t a (k)night to miss.
As I took a Lyft ride to The Colony for the show, the driver looked at the destination. “Ah, The Colony!” he said. “They recently redecorated the place, I believe.” A moment of fear struck me as I imagined hanging Edison bulbs and steel chairs.
Thankfully, the place’s tavern vibe hadn’t changed all that much, but a bee motif had replaced the Union Jack standards. It was as cozy and inviting as I had remembered it, with star-spangled Fourth of July decor shimmering in the dim lights. It seems we’ve told the redcoats to buzz off once again. As I walked up to the bar, I noticed a number of small dogs in attendance, each one somehow tinier and more nervous than the last. As their owners headed for the patio, the big dogs themselves started to soundcheck.
Jordank and Knicholas took to the tiny stage as cheers of “10 more years” went up in the packed venue. Jordank began by noting that 10 years ago, they played this very same venue in one of their first shows. "Look how far we've stayed … actually I think I was a foot to the right," he said with a smile.
This energy held for most of the night, with songs that ranged from upbeat, crowd-involved numbers to high-flying and technical tunes for the true Knipple heads. Other performers such as Nate Bellatti, Poppa Foster, Bishop Marsh, Stephen Shultz, Olivia McGraw, Taylor Graham, David Broome, and Mark Southerland rotated in and out throughout the night.