On Monday, we discussed the tours that took place during the summer of 2009, which ones were great, which ones were not so great, and which ones just plain sucked. Today I’d like to examine the concert festivals that happened (or didn’t) during this past summer.
Rock On The Range
May 16 – 17
Technically a spring concert, Rock On The Range was a 2-day hard rock festival that featured top acts Motley Crue, Alice In Chains, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, and Korn. This was the event that kick started the summer concert festivals. Other great bands that performed included Buckcherry, Shinedown, The Used, and Black Stone Cherry, just to name a few. Held at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Rock On The Range was a great event to launch the summer concert festivals. With great bands on the bill and two days of hard rock mayhem, Rock On The Range was an excellent festival.
M3
May 30
The M3 Festival was a one day only rock event held at The Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. A gathering of the best in hair metal, the festivals headliners included Ratt, Extreme, and Twisted Sister. Other notable bands that performed were Kix, Dokken, Slaughter, Jani Lane, Y&T, and the BulletBoys. 2 stages were set up for the daylong event, with the only downside being that fans had to pick and choose which performers they wanted to see as most of the performance times overlapped. The reviews that I read showed this was one strong, fun, metal packed day of music. If it happens again next year, it might be on the top of my list for festivals to visit.
Bonnaroo
June 11 – 14
This year’s Bonnaroo festival packed in some great bands and great performances for a reasonable price ($250 for a full pass). Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, The Beastie Boys, Wilco, and David Byrne all gave headline worthy performances. In addition to those bands, Phish performed for 2 nights as the main headliner (Bruce Springsteen was the other main headliner). The crowd was enamored with Phish and their performances were outstanding. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band gave one of their most memorable shows on their current Working On A Dream tour and fans had a hard time determining which act was the best of the weekend.
Rocklahoma
July 9 -12
Billing this year’s Rocklahoma with the tag “It’s All About The Party,” was a marketing ploy that wound up working against the festival. Some fans cried that it was all about the party because the band and performances were awful. The reviews from this years’ Rocklahoma were not favorable to say the least. Held in Oklahoma in the sweltering summer heat, the first obstacle that fans had to overcome was the weather. Temperatures with the heat index hit over 110 degrees at one point, making it the hottest concert of the summer (in terms of the weather). With Stryper and Anthrax as two of the main headliners, fan complaints were strong that these were not headline worthy performers. The overall feel was that Rocklahoma lost some luster in its third year and there is hope that next year’s festival (should it be held again) will have better planning and better headline acts.
Lollapalooza
August 7 – 9
With Headliners Jane’s Addiction reunited and back in full swing, this year’s Lollapalooza was a spectacular event. Kings of Leon, Depeche Mode, Tool, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Killers rounded out the top bands for the festival. Other notable acts included Lou Reed, Ben Folds, and The Gaslight Anthem. Multiple bands and event tents rounded out Lollapalooza, providing an enjoyable and entertaining event for all who attended.
Rock Gone Wild
Scheduled for August 20 – 23
In what was beyond doubt the biggest disappointment of the summer, Rock Gone Wild never took place. Depending on who you believe, either the promoters were crooked, greedy, and screwed a lot of people (bands and fans) out of a lot of money, or, the promoters got screwed over by the casino grounds (where the concert was supposed to take place after being moved from its original site) and were left to take the hits.
Disappointments aside, I have to think the promoters were shady on this one. They moved the location from what was supposed to be awesome festival grounds to a much smaller area that they supposedly never had a legal contract with. They did this at the last minute (less than a month before the festival date). This only goes to show that ticket sales were not doing as well as they initially claimed. Even with their giveaways and special packages, fans were not buying.
Perhaps the promoters were too greedy. Perhaps an amazing festival (by the looks of the lineup anyway) met up with an awful economy and created an explosion. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that a lot of fans got screwed. Rock Gone Wild has set up information on how to get a full refund on their website (www.rockgonewild.com). If you bought tickets and haven’t received refund information, visit their site.
Outside Lands Festival
August 28 – 30
The summer festivals closed out with the Outside Lands Festival in California. Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, The Black Eyed Peas, and Modest Mouse (just to name a few of the top groups) performed to the delight of fans from all across the United States. Held at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Outside Lands Festival was an excellent end to the summer festivals and perhaps the most diversified event in terms of the different types of music. From rock, to hip hop, to alternative, to folk, this festival offered something for everybody. The 2nd annual Outside Lands Festival looks like a strong leader for best festival of 2009 and with the direction this event is moving in, it is certain to be a hit again next year and is another festival that will be moving to the top of my consideration list.
What was your favorite festival? Did you have the opportunity to attend more than one? Drop a comment and let me know. The Guru would love to hear all about it.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Showing posts with label Rock Gone Wild. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rock Gone Wild. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Rocklahoma or Rock Gone Wild
Festival season is nearing! The weather is warming up and rock fans are making their travel arrangements. For metal-heads and hard rocking headbangers there are two big festivals to choose. These two have removed themselves from all other festivals and have really become the festivals of choice; Rocklahoma, in Oklahoma and Rock Gone Wild, in Iowa. Yes, there are other rock/metal festivals happening over the summer, but these two seem to be the biggest. So, which festival would be the better one to attend? Let’s examine the acts, the prices, and the overall perks.
Rating Criteria:
The rating criteria have been broken down into the five most important categories, listed below.
Bands
Venue
Amenities
Ticket Price
History
Rocklahoma: July 9 – 12
Bands
Rocklahoma boasts an impressive lineup of heavy metal/hard rock acts that were at their height of fame during the late 80s/early 90s. Twisted Sister, Kix, Great White, Nelson, Warrant, and Night Ranger, just to name a few.
Venue
This is the 3rd annual festival for Rocklahoma, so they have worked out most of the kinks and growing pains. The location is central US, so relatively easy to get to.
Amenities
Camping/RV parking is offered and RV rentals (delivered to the site) are available. Camping prices were not listed on the website.
Ticket Prices
$120 for reserved seating. $400 VIP: which includes unlimited beverages (and tap beer) and 2 buffet meals a day + ticket for all four nights.
History
This will be the third year for Rocklahoma. They also hold two other annual festivals on these grounds, so they are rich with experience and understanding.
Rock Gone Wild: August 20 – 23
Bands
Much different from Rocklahoma, Rock Gone Wild boasts both hard rockin’ heroes from the 80s and modern rock bands of today. Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Skid Row, Kix, Saigon Kick, and Dokken are the bigger names. Warrant, Lita Ford, Eve 6, RhinoBucket, Dangerous Toys, and Junkyard are also on the 4-day bill.
Venue
This is the first Rock Gone Wild, so they may not be prepared for certain crisis or issues (Woodstock 99 comes to mind). They seem to have pretty solid organization, but they have no history of running a festival. They are also in Middle America, and easy to travel to.
Amenities
Camping is available, as is RV parking. Campsites are $20 for the entire event, and campsites can be set up as early as Monday, August 17th.
Ticket Prices
General Admission - $175
VIP Package - $365 which includes seating in rows 11 – 30, buffet style meals, unlimited beer (tap I presume) and unlimited soft drinks.
Platinum Package - $565 which includes everything that the VIP package has plus liquor, champagne, poster, T-shirt, and access to the sinner’s lounge (which will have a night club atmosphere complete with pole dancers)
History
This is Rock Gone Wild’s first year. Their stages are still being built and there is no picture up yet on what the venue will look like seating-wise. How many seats, how much lawn for general admission, are there reserved seats, etc? These questions currently remain unanswered.
So, which is the better festival? Let’s go point for point.
Bands
I have to give the nod to Rock Gone Wild which currently has a better lineup. Now, both of these festivals have yet to finalize the rosters, so this could change, but as of now Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Dangerous Toys, and Junkyard trump Twisted Sister, Kix, Nelson, and Night Ranger. Not by much, but a trump is a trump. Point – Rock Gone Wild
Venue
Rocklahoma hands down. Rock Gone Wild’s venue is still being built. Rocklahoma has the history. Point – Rocklahoma.
Amenities
This is a close call. Both sites offer the basic showers, water, port-o-johns, RV spots, and general store. RGW is $20 for the entire festival and you can set up 4 days prior to the event. Rocklahoma does not have their price listed yet, and you can only set up the day before the event. Rocklahoma does offer the option of renting an RV and having it delivered. According to the websites, Rock Gone Wild offers a more scenic campground nestled in the woods and surrounded by a beautiful stream. This gives RGW a slight edge. Point – Rock Gone Wild
Tickets
Clearly this goes to Rocklahoma. Their general admission is much lower and while their VIP is slightly higher, they don’t have the uber-expensive platinum VIP option of RGW and thus don’t have the high cost. Point – Rocklahoma.
History
Again, Rocklahoma has the edge, as they have done these festivals before. RGW is a first year festival. First year festivals usually have a lot of growing pains. While the organization seems spectacular and it looks like the organizers have things tied down pretty tight, the proof is in the event, which no one will know until August. Point – Rocklahoma.
Final Score:
Rocklahoma – 3
Rock Gone Wild – 2
There you have it, a point-by-point breakdown of the better summer rock/metal festival. While it is a very close race, Rocklahoma currently has the slight edge, and thus is a better spend of your hard earned dollar.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
Rating Criteria:
The rating criteria have been broken down into the five most important categories, listed below.
Bands
Venue
Amenities
Ticket Price
History
Rocklahoma: July 9 – 12
Bands
Rocklahoma boasts an impressive lineup of heavy metal/hard rock acts that were at their height of fame during the late 80s/early 90s. Twisted Sister, Kix, Great White, Nelson, Warrant, and Night Ranger, just to name a few.
Venue
This is the 3rd annual festival for Rocklahoma, so they have worked out most of the kinks and growing pains. The location is central US, so relatively easy to get to.
Amenities
Camping/RV parking is offered and RV rentals (delivered to the site) are available. Camping prices were not listed on the website.
Ticket Prices
$120 for reserved seating. $400 VIP: which includes unlimited beverages (and tap beer) and 2 buffet meals a day + ticket for all four nights.
History
This will be the third year for Rocklahoma. They also hold two other annual festivals on these grounds, so they are rich with experience and understanding.
Rock Gone Wild: August 20 – 23
Bands
Much different from Rocklahoma, Rock Gone Wild boasts both hard rockin’ heroes from the 80s and modern rock bands of today. Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Skid Row, Kix, Saigon Kick, and Dokken are the bigger names. Warrant, Lita Ford, Eve 6, RhinoBucket, Dangerous Toys, and Junkyard are also on the 4-day bill.
Venue
This is the first Rock Gone Wild, so they may not be prepared for certain crisis or issues (Woodstock 99 comes to mind). They seem to have pretty solid organization, but they have no history of running a festival. They are also in Middle America, and easy to travel to.
Amenities
Camping is available, as is RV parking. Campsites are $20 for the entire event, and campsites can be set up as early as Monday, August 17th.
Ticket Prices
General Admission - $175
VIP Package - $365 which includes seating in rows 11 – 30, buffet style meals, unlimited beer (tap I presume) and unlimited soft drinks.
Platinum Package - $565 which includes everything that the VIP package has plus liquor, champagne, poster, T-shirt, and access to the sinner’s lounge (which will have a night club atmosphere complete with pole dancers)
History
This is Rock Gone Wild’s first year. Their stages are still being built and there is no picture up yet on what the venue will look like seating-wise. How many seats, how much lawn for general admission, are there reserved seats, etc? These questions currently remain unanswered.
So, which is the better festival? Let’s go point for point.
Bands
I have to give the nod to Rock Gone Wild which currently has a better lineup. Now, both of these festivals have yet to finalize the rosters, so this could change, but as of now Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Dangerous Toys, and Junkyard trump Twisted Sister, Kix, Nelson, and Night Ranger. Not by much, but a trump is a trump. Point – Rock Gone Wild
Venue
Rocklahoma hands down. Rock Gone Wild’s venue is still being built. Rocklahoma has the history. Point – Rocklahoma.
Amenities
This is a close call. Both sites offer the basic showers, water, port-o-johns, RV spots, and general store. RGW is $20 for the entire festival and you can set up 4 days prior to the event. Rocklahoma does not have their price listed yet, and you can only set up the day before the event. Rocklahoma does offer the option of renting an RV and having it delivered. According to the websites, Rock Gone Wild offers a more scenic campground nestled in the woods and surrounded by a beautiful stream. This gives RGW a slight edge. Point – Rock Gone Wild
Tickets
Clearly this goes to Rocklahoma. Their general admission is much lower and while their VIP is slightly higher, they don’t have the uber-expensive platinum VIP option of RGW and thus don’t have the high cost. Point – Rocklahoma.
History
Again, Rocklahoma has the edge, as they have done these festivals before. RGW is a first year festival. First year festivals usually have a lot of growing pains. While the organization seems spectacular and it looks like the organizers have things tied down pretty tight, the proof is in the event, which no one will know until August. Point – Rocklahoma.
Final Score:
Rocklahoma – 3
Rock Gone Wild – 2
There you have it, a point-by-point breakdown of the better summer rock/metal festival. While it is a very close race, Rocklahoma currently has the slight edge, and thus is a better spend of your hard earned dollar.
Comments are open. Feel free to post some.
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