Concert news: Def Leppard, Weezer, Joan Jett top Rockin’ Thunder July 11-12

What’s that distant boom approaching?

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Edmonton’s biggest concert announcement of the year so far comes in the form of a whole new festival, perfectly fit for a loud yet often underserved portion of the city: Rockin’ Thunder.

Headlined consecutive days by Def Leppard then Weezer, the July 11-12 rock fest also features Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Poison frontman Bret Michaels, Winnipeg hard rock act Toque and Washington metal legends Queensrÿche — and that’s just the Friday bands!

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Leading up to popular-with-the-modern-kids Weezer on Saturday are Stone Temple Pilots, Sam Roberts Band, Nova Scotia rockers The Trews and Vancouver Wasting My Time players Default tucking in the lineup announced Monday morning.

All these acts will play at Exhibition Lands Racetrack, just north of Borden Park, filling an amped-up hole missing since the bygone era of the more indie-focused Sonic Boom, which ran 2009-2016 with various headliners including Jack White, Twenty One Pilots, Arctic Monkeys, Linkin Park, Jane’s Addiction, Blink 182 and indeed Weezer, 15 years ago.

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You can feel a little more of a rusty metal edge with Rockin’ Thunder, though — its two days roughly though not exclusively partitioned into harder rock and what used to be dubbed “alternative” in the old mall CD bins.

Edmonton’s eternal fealty to hard-edge leather nostalgia is well served by this lineup, no question, with more details yet to come.

“We’ve always dreamed of bringing a rock lineup of this calibre to the Prairies, and with the incredible energy and love for music that defines Canada’s festival city, it felt like the perfect time,” noted Rockin’ Thunder Music Festivals CEO Troy Vollhoffer.

Winnipeg’s version of the fest happens July 9-10 with a similar opening night lineup headlined by Def Leppard, and, their second evening dubbed Country Thunder — topped by Jason Aldean with Tyler Hubbard, Nate Smith and Madeline Merlo.

Aldean and Hubbard play Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose at the beginning of August, in case you feel like you’re missing out on the power twang.

Meanwhile: “Alberta music fans are among the most passionate in the world,” Volhoffer stated, “and we’re beyond thrilled to finally bring the first-ever Rockin’ Thunder festival to Edmonton.”

Happy to have you!

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Tier one, single-day tickets start at $150, while tier one weekend general admission starts at $275.

Find all the details, tickets and passes at rockinthunderfest.ca, and see you out there, singing along to Photograph and The Sweater Song!

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