ROCHESTER, MN (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — After torrential rains turned
Rochester, Minnesota's Mayo Park into a bog, officials at Riverside Concerts
were forced to move Loverboy, part of their Down by the Riverside 2007
concert series, indoors to Taylor Arena, signficiantly limiting the number
of patrons who could attend.
"Unlike other outdoor festivals, we do have the option to go inside," Steve
Schmidt, general manager of Riverside Concerts told Post-Bulletin.
"I'd rather be outside, but public safety has to be our first concern."
Ordinarily, 15,000-20,000 people attend the free concerts when the weather
is good but the arena could accommodate no more than 3,000 fans.
"I'm disappointed for the organization," Rochester resident and attendee Tim
Torkelson told the Post-Bulletin, "They pass the hat, and 18,000
people are going to give a lot more than 3,000. This is a great thing
they've got going. It gives a lot of people access to music they might not
otherwise have access to."
Upcoming events scheduled for the venue include Gordon Lightfoot on
September 21st, The Boys of the Lough on October 5th and Tempo Libre on
November 10th. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers