CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) -
It was billed as "Groovestock," a place to "Groove and Rage ... Employing the same beliefs and feelings of Peace, Love, Unity, Respect and most importantly Responsibility..." as Woodstock.
But for the reported 1,000 or so ticket holders for the three-day concert at a farm in McHenry County, it turned out to be a silent night, according to police.
The McHenry County Sheriff's office got wind of what it called an "unauthorized concert" and canceled the event Friday before the first campers arrived or the first DJ took the stage, according to a release.
However, according to Facebook posts by the event's promoters, the event did go on later at a different venue, though with a far smaller crowd than police said.
Planned for June 22-24 on a wooded property near County Line Road and Flat Iron Road near Harvard, "Groovestock" was promoted by Turn Up the Bass promotions as a weekend camping "experience" featuring more than 40 DJs on two stages, with tickets priced at $10 and $20.
Facebook and Twitter promotions for the event called the venue the "Groove Farm." The property owners, however, had allowed the use of their property only for a weekend camping trip for about 20 friends, according to police.
Early Friday, before the concert's noon starting time, the sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division and Intelligence Led Policing Unit, along with Harvard police, uncovered the location of and met with Scott "Smalz" Lansford of Rockford, one of the promoters.
When police arrived at the site — Lansford, whose Facebook page says he works as house DJ at a club in Loves Park — was directing a set-up crew onto the property, and told officers a relative of the property owner had given them permission to host a camping trip, the release said.
But the McHenry County Health, and the McHenry County Planning and Development departments said no permits were issued for a concert, and when contacted, the property owners said they were under the impression that 20 family friends were going there, according to police.
"They were not aware that 1,000 people and a concert were planned over a three-day period on their property," Undersheriff Andy Zinke said in a statement. "The property owners requested the sheriff's office remove all unauthorized people and their belongings off the property."
Officers found six people and three vehicles at the site, identified as members of the crew that was erecting two stages, setting up generators and sound equipment, and clearing areas for a makeshift campground, according to police.
When told the event was off, they removed all their equipment and left peacefully, police said. No arrests were made.
Sheriff's deputies continued to patrol the area over the weekend so uninformed ticket holders did not trespass on the property.
They may have been looking in the wrong place. According to posts on Facebook, being forced off the farm did not stop the concert-goers, who moved to a second, and eventually a third location for the party.
On a Facebook page promoting the evnt, Lansford posted: "JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED GROOVESTOCK IT WAS A ROUGH TIME AT FIRST BUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT THRU 3 VENUES THANK YOU U WERE GREAT THIS DOESENT MEAN THIS IS OVER THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINING !"
And in an exchange of postings on the Facebook page of Brad (B-Rad) Hussey of Chicago, another of promoters, he writes "they didn't have to find something else to do they just had to go to a different venue."
Landsford says of the police reports, "Ya lies for sure way to take this to another level ... this is a joke im filing something against mchenry co."
Others posting in the exchange say they had an "awesome time" and an event for next year is already being planned.
"In remaining proactive towards these types of events, we are protecting the general public and everyone involved," Zinke said. "Without proper permits, and a health and safety plan we cannot effectively monitor the safety of anyone that might attend."
Neither Lansford nor Hussey responded to a request for comment, but a post on Lansford's Facebook page said, "groovestock famous shut us down we willl never stop!"
