Rocklahoma, the offical report
Organizers report a record-breaking crowd of over 35,000 fans were on hand May 27-29 to celebrate ROCKLAHOMA 2011, the Memorial Day Weekend camp and rock festival that featured a mix of the best classic bands and today’s top rock artists. ROCKLAHOMA guests enjoyed ideal mild sunny weather throughout the festival at “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds in Pryor, OK. In addition, over $10,000 was raised at ROCKLAHOMA for the American Red Cross Joplin Tornado Relief.
“When we got involved with ROCKLAHOMA last year, the goal was to try to help reinvent the festival without alienating the long-time fans or losing the ‘magic’ that had been created,” commented Joe Litvag, executive producer of ROCKLAHOMA for AEG Live. “In 2011 we proved that the plan is working, as the festival saw its highest attendance to date and the fans’ experience was even more over-the-top than they thought possible. Now we’ve got to focus on topping it next year!”
ROCKLAHOMA 2011 featured performances from top rock artists including: Mötley Crüe, Poison, Staind, Whitesnake, Seether, Papa Roach, Hinder, Saving Abel, Skillet, Sick Puppies, Sebastian Bach, Black Label Society, Drowning Pool, My Darkest Days, Rev Theory, All That Remains, Escape The Fate, Cavo, The Gracious Few (featuring members of Live and Candlebox), Hail the Villain, Pop Evil, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Taddy Porter and many more.
“ROCKLAHOMA is a great rock n’ roll event,” noted Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe. “I played it in ‘07 and it was great to be back there and have Mötley Crüe do it. After getting warmed up at ROCKLAHOMA and in South America and Mexico we’re excited to launch this new, huge production on our headlining run in the U.S. this week.”
"We had a blast playing for the ROCKLAHOMA crowd,” said Whitesnake’s David Coverdale. “We hope we get invited back...Too much fun! Our thanks to all involved for such great hospitality."
Staind guitarist Mike Mushok agreed: “It was really an honor to be able to play with such a diverse group of bands and be one of the headliners for what turned out to be a record-breaking year for the festival. We would like to thank both ROCKLAHOMA and especially the fans for making the night an unforgettable experience for us.”
The media also raved about ROCKLAHOMA. John Hall of TulsaToday.com wrote that “festival organizers saved the best for last as the festival grounds were packed throughout the day on Sunday…As the sun began to set, a quick look around the festival grounds revealed a sea of people as far as the eye could see…With the festival gaining momentum each year, one can hardly wait to see what organizers have in mind for Rocklahoma 2012 (May 31, 2011).”
ROCKLAHOMA also used the mass gathering of rock fans to generate some community awareness and good will. The festival is proud to have raised over $10,000 for the American Red Cross as part of their tornado relief efforts in nearby Joplin, MO. Litvag added, “Not an hour went by the entire weekend where our thoughts didn’t go back to our friends in Joplin. We’re proud of their courage, and every person on site, each fan, each worker, each artist, is happy we could do something to assist them.”
Stay tuned to www.rocklahoma.com in the coming weeks for photo galleries of the festival. In addition, fans who missed the opportunity to buy a t-shirt or other souvenir at the ROCKLAHOMA merch booth can purchase items online at www.rocklahoma.com.
ROCKLAHOMAis held just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK. The “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds is a premier destination for a multi-day festival and includes onsite camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas and much more.
Established in 2007 as a classic rock destination festival with the motto “life, liberty and the pursuit of rock,” ROCKLAHOMA was revamped for 2010 as organizers teamed with AEG Live to create an event encompassing a much broader mix of classic, current and up-and-coming rock artists. ROCKLAHOMA is proud to be presented by Bud Light.
Editorial note:
Be sure to check out the photography by Kevin Pyle in each of the Tulsa Today Rocklahoma features.