Rockfest coming to Empire Square

By Rhea Munroe

Pull out your air guitars and get ready to rock Belleville. This July, Rockfest brings you the best and the originals of rock’ n’ roll.

Rockfest will be taking place in Empire Square, from July 26 to July 28.

The official lineup includes great classic rock bands such as George Thorogood and the Destroyers and Downchild Blues Band who will play on Thursday, July 26. Boston with 54-40 will perform Friday, July 27, and the Steve Miller Band and Chris Caddell and the Wreckage will be playing on Saturday, July 28.

Mark Rashotte, the man responsible for this year’s Rockfest lineup explained that “each year it’s been more and more heavily weighted towards classic rock. Only in the last few years have we been having people like 3 Doors Down. It’s aimed at the baby-boomer crowd in general.”

Rashotte said the lineup depends on “the availability of the acts, who’s on tour and when.”

Kherson Amell from Harmony Music Plus said it is a great lineup and that he is looking forward to seeing the Steve Miller Band the most, since he hasn’t seen them perform live before and Chris Caddell “because he’s a local boy.”

“Anyone who knows anything about classic rock will immediately know the three headliners coming to town. For a town the size of Belleville, I can’t imagine getting any better acts than this,” said Max Major, a DJ from Rock 107.

“These bands are true rock’ n’ rollers in my opinion,” said Camille Parent, residence programming assistant of Loyalist College.

Tickets for Boston will go on sale in early February. No exact date has been set. All other tickets went on sale Saturday, Jan. 14. For more information and to purchase your tickets, go to www.empiresquarelive.com.