The music of some of the biggest bands in rock history filled the plaza side of Starlight Stadium in Langford on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Upwards of a thousand people came to support the first ever Langford Rocks music festival. The crowds were singing and dancing to classic rock performed by some of the best tribute bands in Western Canada - Completely Creedence (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Nautical Disaster (The Tragically Hip), A Night of Bowie (David Bowie) and Mary Jane's Last Dance (Tom Petty).
"I love all this music so much and all the bands do a fantastic job with it. Just puts everyone in a great mood," said Dylan Stone, executive producer and promoter.
Jackie, a festival goer, said Langford Rocks was a great event, except for the sun beating down on them at the VIP section.
"It would have been better if there were more tents, where we can enjoy the music under the shade," she said. On Saturday, the temperature mixed with humidity felt close to 34 degrees celsius.
"Being the first, a couple of things to learn. Who knew we'd get the hottest day of August at the end of it," said Albert Berns of Ghost Finger Productions Ltd.
Berns is a co-partner with Cascadia Concerts for the first ever Langford Rocks. He says tribute acts are a hit.
"People love tribute acts nowadays because you can't see these bands anymore. Three of the main players in our line-up are no longer around - Bowie, Petty and of course, Gord Downie."
The full-day festival opened at 1 p.m. and ran until 9 p.m. Several food trucks were on-site along with the in-house concession bar selling ice-cold drinks to help festival goers cool down from the heat.
Speaking to Black Press Media in between the sets of A Night of Bowie and Nautical Disaster, both Stone and Berns were giddy with excitement at the turnout.
"The support for the event has been fantastic. Lots of smiles, lots of dancing. We're stamping it a success," Stone said. "We just want to give something to Langford and save people from having to travel to enjoy good music because they have this great facility here."
Asked if there will be another Langford Rocks next year, "one more year, for sure," Stone said, without hesitation.
