The bands were rocking, the Mattagami River was rolling, and the audience was fist pumping and dancing away Friday and Saturday night in Timmins.
The Timmins Festival and Events Committee pulled off a successful two-day concert at Participark by the banks of the Mattagami River.
The first Rock on the River Concert by TFEC featured Canadian bands and one American band on the main stage, and a number of local acts on the side stage that performed during the setup time for the main bands.
The bands came from as far as Michigan (Pop Evil) and several from the Toronto and Hamilton area.
One band from Timmins who was familiar to all was All the Wasted Years, who last year won the first ever Battle of the Bands another event sponsored by the Timmins Festival and Events Committee.
To say that the organizers were pleased would be an understatement, they were ecstatic.
“Thank you very much,” shouted John Olaveson from the stage at the conclusion of a set by Hamilton’s Monster Truck. “We are a non-profit and we count on your support of our events to build towards even bigger and better events for the future.”
It was Oulfason’s anger at Timmins being by-passed for major concert that spearheaded the creation of the Timmins Festival and Events Committee.
“I got pissed of 18 months and asked why can’t bands come to Timmins...well they can come to Timmins if you support it.”
From the stage Olaveson praised the members of the Timmins Festival and Events Committee.
“We couldn’t do it without you – Jeremy Wilson, Sean Harris, Sara Bertrand, Lise Groulx Paul Pigeau, Norm Dwyer and Sam Fortier,” declared Olaveson.
And a lot of volunteers.
“Look at those lights - best light show I ever saw,” Olaveson yelled after the last set by Monster Truck on Saturday night. “Stay for the after party - guys I love you and thanks a lot.”
Olaveson also reminded concert goers to stay tuned for the Rocktoberfest in October and Battle of the Bands next April 2017.
“The idea behind Rock on the River was to bring a large scale music festival Timmins,” said vice-chair of the Festival Committee Jeremy Wilson. “By bringing big name acts that Timmins has been waiting for.”
“And good local Canadian talent,” he added.
Hamilton’s Monster Truck closed out the two-day concert with a rousing two hour set that had concert goers on their feet fist pumping, dancing and otherwise whooping it up.
Earlier in the evening Michigan’s Pop Evil took to the stage.
On Friday All The Wasted Years, The Standstills, Poor Young Things and Glorious Sons performed on the main stage.
Meanwhile Kyle Coté, Paul Sebau, Lee Hannigan, Jamie Gia, Dalton District and Fault Line showed that they have the ability to be main stage performers.
And if that wasn’t enough to light up the night, Damien Flame, a flame eater, added that little extra spark that amazed the crowd as much as the innovative and original material performed on the main stage.
Most people, when asked by this reporter, said they came to take in all the bands and no one band in particular.
Gordon, an office worker, said he enjoyed the Neil Young tribute – Harvest.
“The singer looked so much like him, the same age and moves like Neil Young,” Gordon said.” I loved his singing Down By The River, Ohio and, “Hey, Hey, My, My”
But the success of the concert was also attributable to support from local businesses and the community.
For example, Lake Shore Gold was a major sponsor and so were others like Randy Gattesco, the owner of the Victory Tavern, who led a contingent of seven concert goers from the Cedar Street South bar into the VIP section, which was sold out at premium prices.
“What we learned this year is that people should purchase their VIP tickets early," said Olaveson. “Many were disappointed when we sold out a couple of days prior to the concert.”
Radical Garden owner Brianna Humphrey, Boston Pizza, and other local concessionaires showed their appreciation by providing food at reasonable prices.
John Tedesco of Radical Garden made his way into the crowd to provide free treats of homemade chocolate and peanut butter tarts.
And what would a rock concert be without some high-spirited high-jinks? On one occasion security had to hustle a merrymaker off the stage as Monster Truck started to play their opening number.
A little later police apprehended one gent who hopped the fence in the hopes of seeing a free concert. Police let the man go with a warning.
For those who didn’t have the funds to enter the concert area, many gathered in the cool of the evening and listened to the blaring music as it wafted over the Mattagami River and the neighbourhoods beyond.
