Rock the Park: Five things to know about the London music festival

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Four nights of music – from rock, to hip-hop and R&B – begin Wednesday in London at the 20th edition of Rock the Park, an outdoor festival that draws thousands of music fans to Harris Park. Reporter Noah Brennan spotlights key things to know ahead of the festival’s launch.

THE BIG PICTURE

When it began two decades ago, Rock the Park was a classic rock-themed event, originally held as a fundraiser for Bethany’s Hope – which supports research for metachromatic leukodystrophy. The event has evolved into a four-night series of lineups, each focused on a separate genre. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Last summer, hip-hop star Ludacris headlined one night along with performers Ja Rule and Ashanti. On another night, Toronto rockers Billy Talent headlined along with Alexisonfire. The festival has raised more than $4.1 million for local charities since it began. This year’s festival is put on in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters London, the Children’s Health Foundation and Make A Wish Southwestern Ontario.

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THE BIG CANCELLATION

Billed as the biggest act in the festival’s history, legendary Canadian rocker Neil Young had been booked to headline Saturday’s finale but cancelled after members of his band fell ill following a show in Detroit. Within 48 hours of Young’s cancellation, organizers tapped Bryan Adams, another legendary Canadian rocker, as Saturday’s replacement headliner. Young fans who didn’t want to see Adams had two days from the cancellation announcement to claim refunds. Some fans did request refunds, organizers said without being specific about the number. Tickets were still available Tuesday for the final show. Adams, 64, with a five-decade career under his belt including smash hits such as Summer of ’69 and Straight from the Heart, is playing the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada this year on his So Happy It Hurts tour.

OTHER BIG NAMES

Besides Adams, some of the other big-name acts taking the stage this week include:

Nickelback: Hailing from small-town Alberta, the Canadian rock foursome led by Chad Kroeger achieved global commercial success with hit songs such as How You Remind Me, Photograph, Far Away and Rockstar. The second best-selling foreign act in the United States behind The Beatles, the band has become the subject of intense criticism and backlash from audiences in response to their music, which the band discusses on its 2023 documentary Nickelback: Hate to Love.

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Tyler Childers: With seven Grammy nominations to his credit, the country singer-songwriter is known for music that weaves traditional country, bluegrass and folk music genres. His 2024 album, Rustin’ in the Rain, earned him five Grammy nominations including best country album and best country song for his track In Your Love, which received widespread media attention for its music video depicting a relationship between two gay coal miners in the 1950s.

Nas: Considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, Nas is highly regarded for his music’s lyricism and storytelling. His debut album, Illmatic, is considered one of the best hip-hop albums of all time by fans and critics alike. In the early 2000s, Nas was involved in a highly publicized feud with Jay-Z in which both rappers issued a slew of “diss-tracks” against the other before they eventually reconciled.

RAINFALL WARNING

With remnants of Hurricane Beryl bearing down on Ontario from the United States, warnings are out about torrential rainfall in Southwestern Ontario, including London, starting overnight Tuesday and ending Thursday. The rainfall during that period could vary widely, with total amounts from 40 to 80 millimetres forecast and with the added warning that the rain could come at rates as heavy as to 20 to 40 mm an hour.  Rock the Park is a rain-or-shine event, but organizers advise people to plan ahead and bring ponchos if they have them. They can also bring umbrellas but not the giant ones. Instead, from their tip to their base, they must be under 60 centimetres long. Friday and Saturday are expected to be sunny, with daytime highs nearing 30 C both days.

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BEATING THE HEAT

Festival-goers, especially later in the week as the temperatures rise, should follow the usual precautions to beat the heat, including wearing loose clothing and wide-brimmed hats, drinking lots of water and trying to limit direct exposure to the sun. A public water fountain will be available on site, with bottled water available to buy. Expect fewer shady areas just beyond the festival grounds along the riverfront in the park, since about 30 trees – some of them enormous – were cut down this year to make way for a shoreline protection project.

ICYMI: FULL LINEUP

Wednesday: (sold out) Nickelback, The Glorious Sons, The Tea Party and Crown Lands.
Thursday: (limited ticket availability) Tyler Childers, Charles Wesley Godwin, The Strumbellas and Sam Barber
Friday: (tickets available) Nas, Ne-Yo, Lil Jon, Sean Kingston, Shawn Desman, Keri Hilson
Saturday: (tickets available) Bryan Adams, Alan Doyle, The Sheepdogs, Odds
Gates open: 4 p.m. daily, with the first acts expected to take the stage at 5 p.m.
Tickets: Remaining tickets start at $135, including taxes and fees, and are sold separately for each day of the festival. For more information, go to rockthepark.ca.

nbrennan@postmedia.com
@noah_writes_

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