PEACH WEEKENDER | COVER

Toledo Music Fest: Something to rock about

Dozens of local and regional bands to perform at SeaGate

Florida rockers Nonpoint headline the 2017 Toledo Music Fest.

NONPOINT FACEBOOK PAGE

Just as foodies delight in the farm to table concept, music lovers will find an organic banquet of their own Saturday at the SeaGate Convention Centre.

The menu: 41 bands on four stages representing the best of local and regional music. It’s called Toledo Music Fest, and the goal is to rock area concert-goers like a hurricane.

Promoter Innovation Concerts considers hosting its annual event as a way to spotlight local performers for eight-plus hours of nonstop performances.

“We want to make sure we’re giving back as much as possible and to encourage the scene to come together even more,” said Broc Curry, founder and owner of Innovation Concerts. “We want to get as many people out to enjoy a cross-section of what Toledo music has to offer.”

The event includes local bands performing throughout the day leading up to headliner Nonpoint, a Florida rock band that’s one of four nonlocal acts. Food and beer trucks will also be on hand.

While the music festival has been hosted at Headliner’s in previous years, Saturday’s gathering marks a move to a much larger venue.

Steve Miller, general manager of the SeaGate Centre and the Huntington Center, said working with Innovation Concerts, from a partnership perspective, was an event he didn’t want to pass up.

Local musicians and staff members of Innovation Concerts involved with the 2017 Toledo Music Fest.

“It’s one of those things where whenever you can get up-and-coming bands that have played in the Toledo market for years together, it shows you what the music scene in Toledo is like,” he said, adding that 7,000 people can fit comfortably in the venue even after all four stages are installed. “There are so many venues in Toledo to see these bands play and this is another great opportunity.”

Cody Sizemore, director of operations at Innovation, said the day is about bringing musicians together to showcase homegrown music.

“[The bands] are all different types of genres and they’re all there at the same place at the same time for the same reason,” he said. “That [reason is] just for the love of music that came from Toledo.”

Tom Brillhart, guitarist and vocalist of Toledo pop-punk band Second String Hero, said Saturday will be his band’s third time playing the festival.

“[The festival] shows how strong the music scene is here,” he said. “[The scene] is so underground and not a lot of people know about it. The festival shows family and strength.”

Ryan Wayton, vocalist of Toledo band Tropic Bombs, said he’s played in various bands throughout the city since 2001 and is reminded each year about the strength and potential of Toledo’s music scene.

“Where else can you go in one city and see 40 to 50 original local acts?” the musician said. “[Being in a local band] it’s not often we get to play on a big stage with a nice sound system. It’s a special thing.”

In addition to drinks and food for sale during the event, fans will find a wrestling ring where local company Northwest Ohio Wrestling will host matches in a separate room.

While Innovation Concerts started as a tiny DIY company with nothing to its name, Curry said he is proud each time he sees Toledo Music Fest advertised on the SeaGate Centre’s digital sign as he drives along North Summit Street.

“It’s cool to know we’re helping support what’s going on downtown and bringing people to downtown Toledo where 10 to 15 years ago it would have been pulling teeth,” he said. “Downtown [Toledo] is coming up in a major way.”

Contact Geoff Burns at: gburns@theblade.com or 419-724-6054.