Montebello rock fest pledges to clean up act with changes

Organizers of the Amnesia RockFesta music festival held in Montebello, Que. have pledged to prevent the chaotic mess that plagued last years event.

The festival will be held for the ninth time on June 20 and 21.

Amnesia RockFesthas announced the Festival dt de Quebec will take over the production and logistics of the event through its company 3-E (event-experience-emotion).

The festival, which attracts thousands of people with a lineup of heavy metal and punk-rock bands, also hired a field co-ordinator who has experience at Ottawas Bluesfest, Folkfest and Race Weekend.

Other key changes announced Wednesday include:

• Mailing bracelets, equipped with a chip, to patrons ahead of time.
• Extending the grounds.
• Improvingsanitation (toilets, water, garbage cans, cleaning).
• Having two entrances/exits instead of one.
• Restructuringparking lots and shuttle system.

Last years performers included Alice Cooper, Rise Against, Marilyn Manson, The Offspring and Deftones, but the festival also featured complaints of long lines, overcrowding and littering.

One person even started an online petition immediately after last years festival, which gathered more than 400 signatures and called on organizers to improve the event.

This years event has unveiled just one band so far: NOFX, a California punk-rock band. The lineup will be announced at the end of winter, which is also when tickets will go on sale, the festival announced.