The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Thousands enjoy music, mosh pit at X-Fest

Promoter says headliner bands helped drive up attendance.

A young lady crowd surfs as the band Skillet plays on stage at X-Fest at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Sunday. Ten bands played at the annual hard rock festival, which began at noon and ended around 8 p.m.

Ron Alvey/Ron Alvey A young lady crowd surfs as the band Skillet plays on stage at X-Fest at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Sunday. Ten bands played at the annual hard rock festival, which began at noon and ended around 8 p.m.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Photos: X-Fest 2011

Ohio’s abundance of water parks makes it easy to melt away your cares
5/25/12
Taste of Cincinnati expected to draw 500,000 people
5/24/12
How discount program is helping arts, patrons
5/22/12
Local ingredients key for bartender
5/16/12
Health clubs giving lifestyle campaign a rigorous workout
5/16/12
> More headlines

By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer Updated 10:42 AM Tuesday, September 20, 2011

DAYTON — The 16th annual X-Fest rocked the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Sunday drawing more than 15,000 music fans to the all-day concert, including about 1,000 who bought tickets at the gate.

“It’s just a sweet event,” said Brent Zerkle, 21, of Springfield.

Dan Kemer, vice president of booking and marketing for Live Nation, promoter of the show, said headliners Five Finger Death Punch, Alter Bridge and Skillet, helped drive up attendance by several thousand compared to last year.

“Those are great numbers. This is a premier event for southern Ohio,” he said.

Josh Schmidt, 35, of Tipp City, considered the $25 ticket he purchased online the day they went on sale a great value.

“Where else can you go in the Dayton area and see this many bands live, for the price of the ticket,” Schmidt said.

Amanda Langenkamp, 18, of Eaton, who attended X-Fest for the first time with friend Megan Jones, said she had been looking forward to the music and mosh pit, for weeks.

“The moshing scared me a little, but it was a good kind of scared, like (going on rides) at Kings Island,” Langenkamp said.

Joseph Keaton, 19 and also of Eaton, said moshing at the start of show wasn’t bad, like moshing for beginners. He avoids the pit by the end of the show, when “everybody is worked up.”

“The music, the mosh pits, crowd surfing, it’s just crazy” he said. “It’s awesome.”

Dayton police received one call from the event and it was dismissed in seven seconds. Checks with both Dayton and Oakwood dispatchers indicated no complaints from the event. In previous years, there had been complaints from surrounding areas about noise.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2362 or josmith@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Share this article