5 Things That Went Horribly Wrong At Rocktoberfest

So, looks like this year’s edition of the long-running Rocktoberfest was nothing but fail. The only thing that prevented it from becoming a Hiroshima-style disaster is the people who decided to make their own fun in the parking lot. Even after paying to be at the event.

There were a few differences that stood out from the previous editions. This time it wasn’t put together by the usual organizer, Dan Odhiambo. It also changed the venue, something that never goes down well with diehard fans.

Below are five things we identified went wrong with Rocktoberfest, which was such a fail that Oktoberfest released a statement clarifying that they do not have any affiliation to the event.

1. The bands were told to come to soundcheck at the 3:00 p.m. on the day of the event. Most bands obliged but the technician who was supposed to do the sound for the gig didn’t show up until 6:00 p.m. just before the event was meant to start.

2. The event had to be cheap and that’s why it was moved from Carnivore to Volar. Sounds noble enough. But the cheapness came with consequences. Dove Slimme had asked about payment but the organizers said only Parking Lot Grass and Last Year’s Tragedies would be paid because they were “good.” DS backed out on grounds of unappreciation. Other bands stayed on for the love of it.

Also, the venue change kept away some fans as they only use public transport. Walking from Ngong’ Road to the inner folds of the Racecourse to Volar is not how a gothic rocker wants to show up at an event. And for the ones who did, getting through the traffic after the Airtel floodies, only arriving at 10:00 still didn’t find anything going on.

3. With PLG, LYT and the “not-good” bands in the bag, the show was ready to set off, right? Wrong. There were no drums and amps, the foundation of the rock sound. Without amps you can’t play the electric guitars or the bass. The drums were only brought at midnight, at which time most of the guys from PLG had left. “I only remember Koinange St. Avengers, I can’t remember the other one. I was pretty drunk by that time,” a fan recalled…or didn’t.

4. The Kshs. 500 wasn’t worth it. With all the problems going on inside, people mostly stayed outside making their own party in the lot. Multiple arenas were promised, for the fans, DJs and bands. Only one DJ performed. If it wasn’t worth it for the guys who paid Kshs. 500, imagine how it was for the guys who paid Kshs. 1,500 for VIP? “There was going to be a VIP area with Sheesha and whatnot so those guys who paid for that wasted their money ‘cos there was really no VIP. The Sheesha they had said would be at the VIP was at the bar,” another fan said.

5. And the most important thing, something that should have taken precedent even when everything wasn’t going right. Most people expected, or at least crossed their fingers for, metal music to be played. They were not even lucky enough to get emo played. The DJ mostly played trance, house and more EDM further ruining an evening that wasn’t going well, anyway.

Looks like people who attended Just-A-Band’s listening party had a better time. And it was free.