The Summer of Rock!
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Festival spokesperson and Springboard Entertainment owner Anita Crawford notices buzz surrounding the event is at an all-time high, especially considering this year’s headliners rarely play Christian market events anymore, thanks to the demand of the mainstream market. That coup has prompted additional media attention and swelling audience sizes, which in a time of economic instability, further brands Purple Door as an interesting anomaly.
“Each year is bigger and better and has an amazing line up,” she confirms. “Purple Door strives to present ‘heavy-hitting’ artists who are making an impact in music and culture. Many of these bands are also playing primarily in the general market. Publicity from prominent outlets gives exposure on a larger scale, exposing a wider audience to the event and giving more music fans the option to attend.”
Ignite Chicago’s post Cornerstone bash
In just three years, Ignite Chicago’s ballooned from just a single-day event to a weekend worth of activities set in a prominent minor league baseball stadium that’s also hosted recent tours by Def Leppard and Willie Nelson. Coming to Alexian Field in Schaumburg (literally a stone’s throw from O’Hare Airport) from July 18–19, the 18-band affair is stacked with tobyMac, Relient K, Skillet, Third Day, Jeremy Camp, Seventh Day Slumber, Addison Road and many more.
“To those in the area, it’s often considered a ‘stay-cation,’ while it’s really easy for those coming from out of town since Chicago is the center of the Midwest,” notes Ed Lomnicki, president of Edan Concerts and co-founder of Ignite. “[The venue] is like a mini-Wrigley Field with 7,000 seats in the grandstand and a field full of grass.”
Given the event’s relatively recent start-up, it’s astounding to think those spacious stands will be full by show time, but between the already established acts, highly buzzed about newcomers and heavy promotion, it’s quickly becoming a reality. While the bill’s leaders have blown through the Windy City several times already, fresh faces like Addison Road have the advantage of a built-in crowd and a coveted chance to win over the masses.
“Ignite Chicago should be fantastic thanks to such a great line-up,” observes the group’s guitarist Ryan Simmons. “We are just so excited we get to be a small part of the festival. The crowds always have such great energy and you get to meet up with other bands and reconnect. I think the best part is just getting to be around so many people. Festivals are always such a great change of pace from what we have been doing the rest of the year.”
