Wilderado has spent a lot of time traveling along Route 66, and that doesn’t even count band members Max Rainer and Justin Kila’s relocation in 2018 from Los Angeles back to Tulsa.
There have been many performances in Hollywood; Chicago; Santa Fe, New Mexico and more cities along the Mother Road.
About five years ago there was a showdown with a rooster at a Route 66 gas station parking lot in nowhere New Mexico. That one has stuck with the lead singer.
“All down Route 66, as you go through these tiny little towns, there will be these little gas stations that are seriously in the middle of nowhere. Maybe they run by a train track or something like that,” Rainer said. “This guy in the parking lot of the convenience store was running a bunch of chickens, and a big old rooster was looking after them. I was kind of squatting taking a photo of these chickens, and this rooster dude came charging. I got the craziest picture of it because I kind of fell backwards and took a photo of the rooster as he was chasing me.”
Tours and the drives home often incorporate the legendary stretch of highway, so often it’s led Rainer and bandmates to contemplate the fact the same road running through Tulsa can also be driven from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.
“It’s kind of crazy to be like, ‘Man, it’s nuts that we’re this far from home and this road goes all the way to our literal door. When we’re done, we’re gonna drop all our gear off a block off Route 66,’” Rainer said. “It’s just crazy.”
On Nov. 11, they’ll help the city celebrate the centennial birthday of Route 66 with a sold-out concert at Cain’s Ballroom.
Rainer said the band will play all the hits that night in their first show at the venue since October 2024. Ken Pomeroy will return as the opener and likely join the band for a song or two.
“It’s kind of gone from being scary and embarrassing to only be playing in front of your friends and family, to it being much more of just people kind of making us feel celebrated and welcomed,” he said. “It really has gone from an intimidating, panicky thing to this more of a get together with all of the people that we know, and so I think that feels great.”
While fans won’t hear any new songs, Rainer said they have been working on new material and could begin the process of choosing songs for the record after the new year.
“We reupped with our record label, and they’re being really cool about not asking where it is,” Rainer said. “But I can also kind of tell it’s time to start figuring out where it is, you know what I mean?”
A full day of festivities
The Wilderado concert is the headliner for a full day of Route 66 Centennial Celebration activities in downtown that begin with the Tulsa Veterans Day Parade, which starts at 11 a.m. at 1109 E. 6th St.
Throughout the day you can take part in the Route 66 Centennial Crawl, where eight locations, including Woody Guthrie Center and Bob Dylan Center, are offering free admission.
Head to Guthrie Green from 1 to 3 p.m. for an afternoon of Route 66-themed crafts, giveaways, face painting, lawn games and more. Inspyral Circus will also be on site with their Circus Jam experience.
From 6 to 7:30 p.m. there will be a free concert featuring Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
