Rockin’ on the River passes go on sale

Anyone who wants to give: or get — some rock-n-roll for the holiday season should mark Nov. 23 on the calendar.

Rockin’ on the River will sell 2019 season passes and VIP passes on Black Friday.

Online sales are at rockinontheriver.com.

Since moving to Lorain in 2015, the weekly summer concert series has gained a following of regulars and has attracted newcomers to Black River Landing, said Rockin’ on the River founder Bob Earley.

The Lorain Port Authority operates the waterfront festival site.

Rockin’ on the River has found success with season passes and VIP passes, with perks for those who want to upgrade their concert experiences, Earley said.

Yet, for 2019, “VIP is where we made a big, big change,” he said.

In the 2019 season, VIP season passes will cost $150 per person.

The pass will cover admission for whoever buys it, Earley said.

But the 2019 passes also will be transferable to a guest, so if the passholder can’t make it to a show, he or she can lend the pass to a family member, friend or coworker to check out Rockin’ on the River, he said.

“That way, the cards get used every week and no one gets

punished if they can’t come and it spreads the wealth a little more,” Earley said.

For 2018, season passes cost $300 for two tickets for two designated people and were nontransferable.

At times, the process was confusing and not necessarily fair to the season ticket holder, Earley said.

The policy meant some people paid the full price for passes that sometimes went unused.

The designated passholders also had to present photo identification at the gate, which made it harder to check in, Earley said.

“Plus, there were a lot of single people who said, I’d like to be a VIP,” he said.

The summer 2019 policy is a significant change for the VIP passes and could lead to more people coming to the shows and taking advantage of the VIP perks, Earley said.

The transferability also allows businesses to purchase the passes to use as

corporate gifts or employee incentives, he said.

The VIP pass includes:

• Admission to all shows

• Private inside gate parking

• VIP-only outdoor tent with seating provided

• Lawn chairs provided that can be moved to anywhere on the grounds

• Private air-conditioned indoor lounge with concierge

• Private indoor bar with upscale liquors

• Private restroom

• VIP T-shirt

• On-stage access when bands allow. VIP all-access wristbands are provided.

Regular season passes will cost $80 to all shows. Regular admission to most shows will remain $5, the same as 2018.

Next year’s schedule remains a work in progress.

Earley would not name specific performers, but he dropped a few hints about what to expect for 2019.

Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here will return.

There will be a big country

night, he said.

There are at least nine new headlining bands and at least eight or nine new opening bands.

Rockin’ on the River probably will bring back nine or 10 bands.

Anyone who has not come down for a show, needs to visit Black River Landing, Earley said.

For two years in a row, Black River Landing was voted best venue for live music on Lake Erie, according to the reader survey of Lake Erie Living magazine.

Regular season passes will cost $80 to all shows. Regular admission to most shows will remain $5, the same as 2018.