50,000 Fans a Day Expected to Attend Locally Produced Festival, One of the Nation's Largest, Featuring 100 Bands, Rock Legends & Rare Performances
HOUSTON, August 8, 2008 – This metropolis, used to seeing a vacation exodus during Labor Day weekend, has quickly become a holiday destination for international and national music fans eager to see one of the country's newest, large rock music festivals – Rock The Bayou presented by Bud Light, which has rapidly grown to feature 100 bands on three stages over four days. Completely homegrown, the first Rock The Bayou music festival has made Houston a newfound holiday focal point for U.S. and international rock fans alike. Tickets have been sold to fans in Japan, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Denmark, Portugal, Venezuela, Mexico and Canada plus 27 states across the country, says Ali Fazeli, Houston entrepreneur and president of The Fazeli Group, which is promoting and producing the event. Some 50,000 people a day are expected to attend Rock The Bayou, which is being built on the former AstroWorld grounds. Hotels and restaurants in the area are expecting a surge in business. "Houston is the only city to offer this four-day music event," said Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "People are traveling from around the globe to experience this festival, and we know they will be pleasantly surprised with our city. We whole-heartedly support any event that introduces Houston to the rest of the world, and we hope Rock the Bayou becomes another great Houston tradition. It's going to be a blast." Even some Alaskans have purchased tickets, marking what may be one of the rare times Houston has drawn travelers from the Land of the Midnight Sun for Labor Day. "Usually during the Labor Day holiday the highways are crowded with people leaving town, but we're proud to offer an event that is going to bring visitors into Houston," explains Fazeli. "When something this large becomes an international and nationwide draw, we hope that can mean good things for Houston tourism." The festival's list of legendary headliners and celebrated supporting acts has generated significant buzz among international rock fans: Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Bret Michaels, Queensryche, Twisted Sister, Ratt, LA Guns, Skid Row, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dokken, LA Guns and many others. Rare performances include the second show in 10 years by the original members of Warrant, plus the second concert in 15 years by rock legend Lita Ford who played guitar with the Runaways, the first internationally successful all- girl rock band. Rock The Bayou is a Houston born and bred project, says Fazeli, from the construction of one of the largest huge main stages in the country, to the installation of an elaborate and technologically advanced sound system by Houston-based LD Systems. The large catering demands for 50,000 fans a day, plus 100 bands and their entourages, will be handled by Woodlands-based food concessionaire Spectrum.
Houston Becoming International Tourists Draw this Labor Day; 50,000 Fans a Day Expected to Visit the Rock The Bayou Music Fest
"While resurrecting the old AstroWorld site is satisfying, even sentimental, perhaps the most interesting result of all our work on Rock The Bayou is seeing all these music fans from around the world and across the nation who want to come to Houston to be part of a something amazing," exclaims Fazeli. For tickets and information: Tickets are available by charge by phone at (713) 629-4747, or RockTheBayou.com or OnlineTickets.com, the festival's exclusive ticket seller. About The Fazeli Group The Fazeli Group, an independent promoter headquartered in Houston, Texas, is one of the nation's emerging providers of live entertainment. The Fazeli Group is dedicated to all aspects of live entertainment and production, including producing Texas' largest four-day rock festival, Rock The Bayou.
Featuring celebrated performers & rare performances,Houston rock bash forging a music legend of its own
HOUSTON, July 29, 2008 – At what point does a music festival with a lineup of 40 bands and celebrated headliners decide enough is not enough? If you're the organizers of the Rock The Bayou Music Festival presented by Bud Light you can never have enough rock, apparently. The festival has announced its latest lineup, one that is becoming almost as legendary as some of the performers headlining. Now more than 100 bands will take three stages during the four-day Rock The Bayou festival in Houston this Labor Day holiday. "It's insane," says Judy Sultan, Public Relations Director for the event. Word of this Houston Labor Day Weekend music extravaganza has spread beyond the far reaches of the continental United States, drawing fans from countries as far away as Japan, Denmark and Venezuela, and states as distant as Alaska. All told, Rock The Bayou tickets have been sold in eight countries and 29 states, making Houston a top destination for music lovers come Labor Day. One look at the lineup explains why. "Where else can you see so many hard rock legends in one place?," Sultan asks. If Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Bret Michaels, Queensryche, Twisted Sister, Lita Ford and Yngwie Malmsteen weren't enough, then consider Warrant, Ratt, Skid Row, LA Guns, Dokken, The Lynch Mob, Great White, Lillian Axe, Black 'N Blue, Jackyl, Britny Fox, Broken Teeth, Dangerous Toys, Slaughter, Enuff Z'nuff, Little Caesar, Jet Boy, Bullet Boys with Steven Adler, Bang Tango, Y&T, Faster Pussycat, Gilby Clarke, and numerous other bands all converging in Houston over one sizzling, rock 'n roll weekend. Rock The Bayou has also booked some rare performances, including the only United States appearance this year of Swedish guitar prodigy Yngwie Malmsteen. Ex-Runaway lead guitarist Lita Ford will play only her second concert in 15 years. And the original, multi-platinum selling Warrant lineup is taking the Rock The Bayou main stage, news that's sure to be "Heaven" to fans of that classic MTV staple. There are even rumors of an encore song reunion between vocalist Don Dokken and guitarist George Lynch – at least that's what Dokken said in a recent interview with the Monsters in the Morning radio show. "We're trying to give some great, local bands in Houston and other artists a chance to shine alongside some of rock music's top artists," explains Ali Fazeli, president of The Fazeli Group, which is promoting and producing the event. "The word is out on Rock The Bayou. So many agents have been calling, asking us for just a small spot on the lineup. If Rock The Bayou fans are asking for them, we are making every effort to deliver. As a music fan myself, that kind of response is fantastic." For tickets and information: Tickets are available by charge by phone at (713) 629-4747, or RockTheBayou.com or OnlineTickets.com, the festival's exclusive ticket seller. About The Fazeli Group The Fazeli Group, an independent promoter headquartered in Houston, Texas, is one of the nation's emerging providers of live entertainment. The Fazeli Group is dedicated to all aspects of live entertainment and production, including producing Texas' largest four-day rock festival, Rock The Bayou.
