Hurricane Helene: Deadly storm hampers live events
High-profile festivals and concerts in the southeast of the US have been impacted by Hurricane Helene, which has claimed the lives of at least 107 people.
Festivals including South Star (Alabama) and Louder Than Life (Kentucky) were cut short, while concerts with Billy Joel and Sting (Missouri) and Hootie and the Blowfish (Florida) were postponed.
The inaugural edition of South Star was due to take place across the weekend (28–29 September) in Huntsville, Alabama, but C3 Presents was forced to call off the second day due to the hurricane.
Sunday’s lineup included Blink-182, Beck, Sublime, Goo Goo Dolls, Jimmy Eat World, Big Boi and more.
According to a statement from the festival promoters, John Hunt Park was saturated before the festival started and Saturday’s foot traffic led to “severe deterioration” of the grounds.
“Following an inspection by festival organisers along with city officials, it has been determined that the grounds are no longer safe to welcome you back today,” reads the statement published on Sunday.
“In coordination with the City of Huntsville, we have made the difficult decision to cancel today’s festival… safety is paramount, and we do not take this decision lightly.”
Sunday day tickets and one-half of two-day tickets purchased directly through Front Gate Tickets will automatically be refunded in within 30 days, according to the promoters.
“Safety is paramount, and we do not take this decision lightly”
Louder Than Life, a four-day rock and alternative festival based in Louisville, Kentucky, also lost a day of programming due to the adverse weather.
Promoter Danny Wimmer Presents called off the second day (Friday 27 September) of the 10th edition due to 50-mile-per-hour winds and heavy rain.
“We’ve been working closely with our meteorologists and local authorities, holding on to the hope that we can open doors, but the continuous wind gusts simply make it impossible for us to proceed safely,” read a statement from the organisers.
“We know how disappointing this is — it’s gut-wrenching for us too. But your safety, along with the safety of our artists and crew, will always be our number one priority.”
Louder Than Life’s Friday lineup included performances by Slayer, Till Lindemann, Anthrax, Evanescence and In This Moment. Day ticket holders were invited to attend either Saturday or Sunday of the festival instead.
Elsewhere, Billy Joel and Sting’s concert at Busch Stadium (cap. 46,000) in St. Louis, Missouri, was rescheduled from Friday (27 September) to Sunday due to the inclement weather. Tickets remained valid.
“The safety of the fans, artists, crew, and staff is paramount. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” said Live Nation in a statement.
Live Nation was also forced to postpone a concert with Hootie & The Blowfish at MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater (20,000) in Tampa, Florida, from Thursday to Sunday.
Three days after Hurricane Helene tore through the US southeast, the death toll has hit 107 lives in six states, according to the Associated Press.
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Danny Wimmer Presents enjoys record return to festivals
US independent promoter Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) has set a number of festival attendance records after making a triumphant return to live music shows this autumn.
DWP attracted the biggest-ever crowd for its Louder Than Life event in Louisville, Kentucky, which pulled in 160,000 fans over an expanded four-day weekend last month.
It also recorded sell-outs for Aftershock in Sacramento, California, which pulled in 145,000 people across four days in September, and Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio, which drew 75,000 concert-goers last weekend.
The DWP festival series will climax at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida from November 11–14, which will feature two sets from Metallica over two nights, in addition to Slipknot, Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Lynyrd Skynyrd, A Day To Remember and The Offspring, among others.
“Nobody’s taking anything for granted, everyone is giving 110%”
“When we announced our fall festivals for this year, we could already sense the excitement, we knew how eager bands were to get back on stage, and how long fans had been waiting for something to celebrate. But these festivals have been on another level,” says DWP founder Danny Wimmer.
“Nobody’s taking anything for granted, everyone is giving 110%. There’s something special happening, not just with the bands’ performances, but the energy that the crowds are giving back. The rock and roll spirit is bigger than I’ve ever felt it. Welcome To Rockville is the grand finale of our festival season, and as a fan I can’t wait to feel that energy one more time in 2021.”
DWP has also announced the dates for its 2022 calendar, which will include Welcome To Rockville (May 19–22), Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival (July 15–17), Louder Than Life (September 22–25) and Aftershock (October 6–9).
One of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in the US, other events held under the DWP banner include Bourbon & Beyond, Epicenter, Hometown Rising and Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival. In 2020, DWP launched the digital series Offstage with DWP and Beyond the Barrel, and ventured into digital content curation, promoting pay-per-view livestreams.
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