Music

Cheap Trick sues Ottawa Bluesfest for $1 million

by Nicole Villeneuve

Though Ottawa Bluesfest 2013 has so far kicked off without incident, in 2011, attendees weren’t so lucky. A freak storm caused a stage collapse that, on the Fest’s inaugural day this year (July 4), was the cause of a $1 million lawsuit from performers Cheap Trick, who were narrowly missed by the wreckage.

The CBC is reporting today that the band names the festival, stage company Groupe Berger, and Project X Productions in the suit, claiming Bluesfest “breached their contract by not providing a safe place to play on July 17, 2011, neglecting to properly evaluate the risks or monitor the weather before a 117 kilometre per hour gust of wind toppled the stage, injuring three people.”

Cheap Trick truck driver Sandy Sanderson is also suing Bluesfest for $100,000. He claims a stage fixture hit him while he was loading equipment.