Location(s) Central New York | Founded by WKLL/WKRL-FM/WKRH | |
Genre Alternative rock
Alternative metal
Rock Dates K-Rock 1: July 28, 1996
K-Rock 2: July 13, 1997
K-Rock 3: July 12, 1998
K-Rock 4: July 11, 1999
K-Rock 5: July 9, 2000
K-Rock 6: July 14, 2001
K-Rock 7: July 14, 2002
K-Rock 8: August 16, 2003
K-Rock 9: July 30, 2004
K-Rock 10: July 16, 2005
K-Rock 11: July 22, 2006
K-Rock 12: July 21, 2007
K-Rock 13: July 19, 2008
K-Rock 14: August 8, 2009
K-Rock 15: July 31, 2010
K-Rock 16: July 30, 2011
DFB 1: May 2007
DFB 2: May 24, 2008
DFB 3: May 23, 2009
DFB 4: May 29, 2010
DFB 5: May 28, 2011
DFB 6: May 27, 2012
SS2009: March 20, 2009
SS2010: April 7, 2010 Years active 1996 – 2015, 2017 – present | ||
K-Rockathon is an annual music festival held in the Central New York region of New York sponsored by Galaxy Communications-owned radio stations WKLL/WKRL-FM/WKRH. These concerts have been held at venues in Vernon, Syracuse, Oswego, Utica, and Weedsport, NY. Local bands are showcased at the event along with nationally-touring rock music acts. Since its inception, the K-Rockathon has showcased many subgenres of rock music from alternative rock, to rap rock, to straight metal.
Contents
- History
- K Rockathon 1
- K Rockathon 2
- K Rockathon 3
- K Rockathon 4
- K Rockathon 5
- K Rockathon 6
- K Rockathon 7
- K Rockathon 8
- K Rockathon 9
- K Rockathon 10
- K Rockathon 11
- K Rockathon 12
- K Rockathon 13
- K Rockathon 14
- K Rockathon 15
- K Rockathon 16
- K Rockathon 17
- K Rockathon 18
- K Rockathon 19
- K Rockathon 20
- First Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Second Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Third Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Fourth Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Fifth Annual K Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Sixth Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Seventh Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
- Spring Slam 2009
- Spring Slam 2010
- Halloween Havoc 2009
- Fall Ball 2011
- References
History
The K-Rockathon began in 1996 when modern rock-formatted radio stations WKRL-FM in Syracuse, WKRH in Minetto and WKLL in Frankfort felt they needed to throw a party for all of their listeners, where rock music fans in Central New York could listen to some of their favorite bands. The stations' idea was to create a show that was developed around the tastes of the people where they weren't just a stop on a mega tour, and where fans could go and interact with the bands via the three stations and spend time with them. Thus, the three stations established the K-Rockathon, a rock festival with food, drinks, shops, activities, and music from the bands at the top of the music charts. It has since grown to be one of the most anticipated events each year.
Since 2007, a smaller series of mini-concerts called the K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ event has run prior to the K-Rockathon event itself. And in 2010, a Spring Slam began to run prior to the BBQ event.
In its first several years, K-Rockathon tickets sold for $10.00 or $12.00. Ticket prices were marketed as "10 Bands for 10 Bucks" or "12 Bands for 12 Bucks" depending on the number of artists scheduled to perform at the concert in a given year. This marketing has been abandoned in recent years as the number of scheduled bands has decreased and ticket prices have increased to roughly $40.00.
K-Rockathon 1
K-Rockathon 1 was held on July 28, 1996, at the Vernon Downs race track in Vernon, NY.
In March 2016, 18 year old Jette Collins of Durhamville, New York posted a photo of himself holding a text stating that he was searching for his biological father, whom his mother had met at the first K-Rockathon.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 2
K-Rockathon 2 was held at Vernon Downs in Vernon, NY, on July 13, 1997.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 3
K-Rockathon 3 was held at Vernon Downs in Vernon, NY on July 12, 1998. More than 100 people were treated for injuries, 50 of which had to leave the event in an ambulance for various reasons. Punk rock band Blink-182 was scheduled to perform, but canceled the day of the show due to a band member's illness.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 4
K-Rockathon 4 was held on July 11, 1999, at Vernon Downs.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 5
K-Rockathon 5 was set on 2 stages at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York, on July 9, 2000. Lit played as a late replacement for the Foo Fighters who were originally scheduled to play. The reason given by Galaxy Communications for the cancellation was that there was a conflict with a personal engagement for Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 6
K-Rockathon 6 was held back at Vernon Downs in Vernon, NY, on July 22, 2001.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 7
K-Rockathon 7 was held in Oswego, New York, just outside the Oswego Speedway on July 14, 2002. The event was held without the use of beer as Galaxy Communications failed to secure a permit to serve it.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 8
K-Rockathon 8 was held on August 16, 2003, at Vernon Downs in Vernon, NY.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 9
K-Rockathon 9 was held at the Weedsport Speedway at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds in Weedsport, New York, on July 30, 2004. For the first time in its history the K-Rockathon event sold out.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 10
K-Rockathon 10 was held on July 16, 2005, at the Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, NY. Over the decade, more than 100,000 fans have attended at least one K-Rockathon. For K-Rockathon 10 Galaxy Communications opted to bring back some special bands from K-Rockathon's past, as well as a few newcomers to celebrate the 10th K-Rockathon. During Boy Hits Car's set, front man Cregg Rondell climbed up on top of the speakers and dove into the crowd below. A video of this can be seen here.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 11
K-Rockathon 11 was on July 22, 2006, at the Weedsport Speedway at the Cayuga Country Fairgrounds in Weedsport, New York. It was the very first time in the history of K-Rockathon that the event sold out in advance. TV News reports had tickets listed on eBay for up to $400. Evans Blue cancelled its set because they were stuck in the 17-mile traffic jam on the Thruway outside of the Weedsport Speedway.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 12
K-Rockathon 12 was on Saturday, July 21, 2007, at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds in Weedsport, New York. Evans Blue were booked to perform since they didn't even have a chance to set up their equipment at last year's K-Rockathon.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 13
K-Rockathon 13 was held on Saturday July 19, 2008, at the Cayuga Country Fairgrounds in Weedsport, New York. For the second K-Rockathon, the event sold out before the day of the show.
Sick Puppies, Seether, and Shinedown returned from previous K-Rockathons to perform.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 14
K-Rockathon 14 was held Saturday August 8, 2009, at the NYS Fairgrounds. Early bird tickets were available for $25 on June 6 at select locations that were posted on the K-Rockathon website. The regular ticket price was set at $37. Tickets were also available at the door on the day of the event for $40 as the fairgrounds were much larger than K-Rockathon venues in previous years and did not sell out.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 15
K-Rockathon 15 was held at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on July 31, 2010. Tickets were $30 early bird at select retailers starting June 12 then the price increased to $42.
Bands:
K-Rockathon 16
K-Rockathon 16 was held at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on July 30, 2011. Tickets were $30 for early bird tickets at select retailers starting Saturday, June 11, then the price increased to $45 after the early birds sold out.
K-Rockathon 17
K-Rockathon 17 was held at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on July 29, 2012. Tickets were $30 for the early bird tickets at select retailers on Saturday, June 9, then the price increased to $48.50 after the early birds sold out. A Dance Tent was established at this K-Rockathon featuring prominent DJs.
Main Stages:
Dance Tent:
K-Rockathon 18
K-Rockathon 18 was held at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on July 27, 2013. Tickets were $30 for the early bird tickets at select retailers on Saturday, June 8, then the price increased to $42 after the early birds sold out.
Main Stages:
K-Rockathon 19
K-Rockathon 19 was held at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on August 2, 2014. Early Bird tickets began selling for $30 on Saturday, June 14, then the price increased to $42 after those tickets sold out.
Headliner:
Bands:
K-Rockathon 20
K-Rockathon 20 was held at Chevy Court in the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY on July 25, 2015. Tickets were sold for $30 for the early bird tickets at select retailers on Saturday, June 13, the price increased to $42 after the early birds sold out.
Main Stages:
First Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The first annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ took place at the Herkimer County Fairgrounds in Frankfort, New York.
Bands:
Second Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The second annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held on May 24, 2008 at the Herkimer County Fairgrounds in Frankfort, New York.
Both Hurt and Caustic Method had previously played at a K-Rockathon show.
Bands:
Third Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The third annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held on Saturday, May 23, 2009 at the Chevrolet Court in the New York State Fairgrounds.
Bands:
Fourth Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The fourth annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held on Saturday, May 29, 2010 at the Chevrolet Court in the New York State Fairgrounds.
Bands:
Note: Nonpoint replaced Cold, who were originally booked but later cancelled.
Fifth Annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The fifth annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held Saturday, May 28, 2011 at the Chevrolet Court at the New York State Fairgrounds. The concert started at noon, one hour after the gates opened. Tickets went on sale Saturday, April 16. Early bird tickets were $10, regular tickets were $15 pre-sale and $20 at the gate.
Bands:
Note: The band Hourcast was originally set to play but, due to a scheduling conflict with the band, was ultimately replaced by local band Caustic Method due to popular demand.
Sixth Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The sixth annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at Chevrolet Court at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY. The show began at noon, like the previous year. Tickets, including a limited number of early bird tickets, went on sale Saturday, April 14. Early bird tickets sold for $14 and regular tickets for $20.
Bands:
Seventh Annual Dysfunctional Family BBQ
The Seventh annual K-Rock Dysfunctional Family BBQ was held on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at the Oswego Speedway in Oswego, NY. As usual, the show began at noon. Tickets, including a limited number of early bird tickets, went on sale Saturday, April 13. Early bird tickets sold this time for $10. Regular tickets remained the same at $20.
Bands:
Spring Slam 2009
Spring Slam 2009 took place at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY on March 20, 2009.
Bands:
Spring Slam 2010
Spring Slam 2010 took place at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY on April 7, 2010.
Bands:
Halloween Havoc 2009
Bands:
Fall Ball 2011
Was scheduled to be held Saturday, October 1, 2011 at the Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY. However, the event was eventually cancelled due to scheduling.
Bands: