LIMA — The first Loud-N-Lima rock concert continued through Saturday at the Allen County Fairgrounds and the acts left many people happy, despite the mud, sun and heat.
The Allen County Fairgrounds were full of vendors selling a wide variety of food: Pizza, burgers and the usual fairground event staple, funnel cakes. There were a couple of vendor tents selling different rock ‘n’ roll related items. There was also a Budweiser tent selling beer to the wide assortment of rock ‘n’ roll fans.
People from all over Ohio came to Loud-N-Lima on Saturday to see artists such as Lita Ford, Cinderella, and the main event of the day, Bret Michaels. A wide assortment of people were in attendance. People who grew up with bands such as Poison and The Runaways mingled with people who discovered those artists decades later.
Zak Morgan, of Cincinnati, was in town on business and met up with some friends at the concert, he said. He didn’t come for any one act but he left with Dee Snider’s act Friday night on his mind.
“He was amazing,” Morgan said. “He had great energy. He is 62 but had the energy of a 20-year-old. My favorite was Dee but they’ve all been good.”
Snider played the song “We’re not gonna take it,” but turned it into an anthem against terrorism, during his act Friday, Morgan said.
“The people went crazy,” he said. “He had the whole crowd on their feet singing along. It was very patriotic and inspiring. Even the people in the handicap section stood up.”
Morgan said if Lima ever holds another Loud-N-Lima event he will definitely be back for it.
Tom Farley, of Spencerville, said he came to see Cinderella, but they ended up canceling their appearance.
“My wife came to see Bret Michaels,” he said, as his son Cade Farley, 11, sipped at his drink. “I’m taking care of him so she can sit up there [in the bleachers]and enjoy herself. I guess this is her night tonight.”
Renee and Joe Swartz, of Bucyrus, came to Loud-N-Lima specifically to see Ford in concert.
“We’ve been waiting to see her for almost 40 years,” Joe Swartz said as he hosed mud from his feet. “The reason I came to see Lita is because when grunge hit the market she did an interview on MTV. They asked her if she would change genre to stay current. She replied she was a heavy metal artist and heavy metal would never die. It would just keep coming back around and when it did she said, ‘I’ll be ready.’ Those were her words.”
Renee and Joe Swartz both agreed that seeing Ford in concert was everything they hoped it would be.
Loud-N-Lima finishes Sunday with performances from Brown and PJ Farley, Troy, Love N Revenge and Vince Neil.
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