Rockin'
all
Summer Long by Kelsey Leyva-Smith
photos by Jen Navarro
From record-breaking attendance to untimely inclement weather, the Rockin’ on the River crew experienced a full gamut of emotions in their 2021 season.
The weekly summer concert series was set to start Memorial Day weekend off with a bang Friday, May 28. Instead, Concert Promoters Bob and Sandy Early were met with torrential downpours and gusting winds, leading to one of the only cancellations in 35 years of shows. But the one-week delay didn’t keep concertgoers away on what became opening night on June 4.
“I will have to say that first show we had way more than we thought [we would],” said Bob Earley. “But it wasn’t necessarily because of us. It was because people were so tired of being locked up.” After taking the year off in 2020 due to COVID-19, Earley said he was excited to coordinate concerts again.
“Just to be back and to see everybody smiling and no mask wearing and happy, so from a personal point of view it was exhilarating,” he said. “From a business point of view, it was amazing because we had to get back to work sooner or later.”
l a c ol ni a r ol e h t @ | m o c .l a c ol ni a r ol Lorain Local Magazine | page 22
