Thursday, March 29, 2007
The emergence of Rock 104 in 2003 set the stage for an influx of rockin' bands.
By GUY D'ASTOLFO
VINDICATOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The list of hard rock bands that have performed in the Mahoning Valley in the past two years reads like a roster of current multi-platinum powerhouses.
Korn, Staind, Disturbed, Seether, Hinder, Shinedown, Saliva, Buckcherry, Breaking Benjamin and Three Doors Down have all made tour stops here since the summer of 2005, and more shows are on the way.
It never used to be this way. In fact, for years Youngstown was barely a blip on the rock world's radar. The few concerts that did come here tended to fall in the classic rock or nostalgia genres.
So what happened? How did this Rust Belt metropolis suddenly become a mecca of metal for bands in their prime?
It was a mixture of forces swirling in the air that created this perfect storm -- a storm that's still raging.
Roots in radio
The beginning of the turnabout can be traced to May of 2003. That's when WWIZ-103.9 FM, "Rock 104," went on the air with an Active Rock format. It was something new, and apparently, much awaited. Valley rock fans drank it up.
"The area was needing a station like this when we went on the air," said Wes Styles, program director and afternoon drive-time DJ for Rock 104. He has been with the station almost since Day 1.
So identifying the Valley's thirst for modern rock was step one. Meanwhile, over in Struthers, Eric Ryan was looking to draw people to his new nightclub, The Cellar.
"We were looking for a promoter and a venue to hold concerts," said Styles. "Eric came along and he was perfect. We had the same goals."
Despite his inexperience as a promoter, Ryan landed Saliva for a June 2004 show.
That show whetted fans' appetites, but more importantly, it started a union between Rock 104 and Ryan. The station's marketing power creates a synergy that sells a lot of tickets.
"They run a lot of promotions that create excitement and awareness about each show," said Ryan.
He said he regularly meets with Rock 104 to get a sense of which bands are hot in Youngstown. "From there, I try to book the bands that make the most sense," Ryan said.
Styles said his station tracks bands' popularity through record sales and phone requests from listeners.
Getting on a roll
The current run of top-tier concerts began in earnest in the late summer of 2005, when Seether (Aug. 26) and Disturbed (Sept. 7), with new releases still active, sold out back-to-back shows at the B & amp;B Backstage in Boardman. Ryan promoted both shows, which were the only two sell-outs in the outdoor amphitheater's short history.
Financial problems forced the closing of B & amp;B a few weeks after the Disturbed show, but something better was right around the corner: Chevrolet Centre.
The opening of the downtown arena was another milestone in Youngstown's rock renaissance. The 6,500-seat venue opened Oct. 29 with Three Doors Down, and hosted Korn on April 3. Cleveland's Belkin Productions, which became part of Live Nation, a national promotion company, handled both shows.
Ryan has since brought Shinedown (July 5, 2006) and Staind (Sept. 12, 2006) to the arena, as well as Hurt, Static-X, Reel Big Fish, Dropping Daylight and Ill Nino to The Cellar.
One crowning moment for Ryan came Feb. 2, when he brought Hinder, which was red-hot at the time, to the Eastwood Expo Center.
The Expo Center, a gutted department store dotted with roof-support beams, is hardly a first-rate facility, but it's been made livable. A raised stage with two large simulcast screens on either side gives the bare-bones building a sort of makeshift basement appeal. Beer stands occupy the corners of the hall, which can jam in more than 2,500.
Last summer, Corey Ward of Austintown jumped into the promotions game, further satisfying the demand for rock. Ward brought Buckcherry to The Wedge twice in a span of a few months. Since then, he's brought Breaking Benjamin (Feb. 9) to the large but intimate club in Austintown and has two shows coming up in the next two weeks: Smile Empty Soul (April 3) and Chevelle with Finger Eleven (April 10).
"All the concerts we have promoted at The Wedge have sold out," said Ward, who said he also works with Rock 104 to market his events. Ward also owns and operates the Steel Valley Nationals hot rod show.
Setting the stage
Regardless of the venue, Rock 104's Styles usually finds himself up on stage during concerts, firing up the crowd and introducing the acts.
"I love being part of this in my hometown," the 23-year-old said. "Just standing on stage and seeing the seas of people out there."
Not only is Youngstown now on the rock 'n' roll map, said Styles, but it's getting favorable feedback from the bands.
"Once they play here, they want to come back," he said. "They appreciate how the crowds get into it, and they love the venues."