NEWS
SHOW GOES ON AT ROCKLAHOMA
PRYOR, OK: The communities of rural Oklahoma and that from the Rock World banded together to work long hours into the night to insure that “The Show Must Go On” at Rocklahoma on Saturday, July 12, 2008.
After a 2 1/2 hour rain delay and two side stages collapsing, the Emergency Management Team of Catch the Fever Music Festivals led by General Manager Dave Giencke went into full gear as they helped the thousands of rock fans to their safety. After everyone was found to be safe, crews went to work to insure the main stage artists would be able to continue to perform. General Manager Mark Nuessle said, “everyone from the bands, to the different communities around Pryor, OK, the Rural Electrical Cooperative, along with the fans were not going to let this once in a lifetime storm slow down Rocklahoma. Bands that were scheduled for the side stages that missed the opportunity to play on Saturday due to the weather were able to come back on Sunday and perform. There were over twenty-nine bands yet to perform when the storm hit the festival grounds.
Nuessle went on to add, “The commitment from everyone to have Rocklahoma continue on was amazing! We could have all thrown up our hands and called it a day, but that wouldn’t be fair to the fans or the bands who came to play.”
A storm consisting of five different cells converged on Pryor, OK and the Catch the Fever Music Festival Grounds. In just three minutes, we went from rain showers to a storm that I have not seen in my thirty years” said Rocklahoma’s on site weather expert Mike Orange. “There was not enough time to warn everyone in advance.” Winds in excess of sixty-five miles per hour appeared from nowhere causing the collapse of two temporary side stages. No one was injured due to the collapse. One female broke her arm earlier as she was running for cover from the rain, slipped and fell. Over six inches of rain fell on Rocklahoma beginning Tuesday, July 8th through Sunday, July 13th.
The festival continued on as all122 bands had the opportunity to perform as three side stages were constructed early Sunday Morning.
Rocklahoma is the world’s largest Rock Festival of its type featuring bands from the eighties. Attendance has come from all fifty states and every continent in the world with Antarctica being the only exception.
Current VIP Ticket Holders can re-new their seats until October 1st as Rocklahoma will turn into a four day VIP Festival that will include reserved seating along with food and drink by calling 1-866-310-2288.
