LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Torrential rainfall and strong winds are impacting the commonwealth Friday as the remnants of hurricane Helene push into the state. It’s caused disruptions for metal fans hoping to see their favorite bands at the Louder Than Life music festival in Louisville.
Friday morning, the festival announced it would not begin at its scheduled time, and patrons would not be let into the festival grounds at 11 a.m. Fans were allowed inside the building Kentucky Expo Center to get out of the rain, but could not park in the surrounding lots. Around 3:30 p.m., the festival posted on social media it planned to open the gates between 6-7 p.m. They also announced the show would go longer into the evening that previously scheduled.
Organizers announced around 7:30 p.m. that Friday's show was canceled due to weather.
Gidget LeBoeuf, along with her two friends Richard Elliott and Larry Andrews, drove down from Battle Creek, Michigan to see Friday’s headliner Slayer.
She says they were turned away from the lots this morning and are keeping a close eye on social media posts from the festival for updates.
“I just want to go rock,” LeBoeuf told Spectrum News.
Hours of rainfall are in the forecast for the entire weekend. As people awaited news from Louder Than Life, ponchos and rain boots were a must.
Waiting out the storm in the elements are also hundreds of campers who’ve been told to baton down the hatches as best they can.
LeBoeuf says she’s not going home without seeing her favorite headliner.
“I won’t be going to a wedding tomorrow. I’m staying if I can see Slayer tomorrow. I’m going to stay,” she said definitively.
Nothing appears to be stopping these Louder Than Life fans from having their fun.
“I ain’t worried about the rain, I’m not made of sugar,” her friend Richard Elliott said.
“It’s Slayer. It ain’t going to hurt us,” Larry Andrews added.
The last time Louder Than Life was cancelled due to the weather was in 2018. Flooding from the Ohio river made Champions Park unusable. The organizers moved both Bourbon And Beyond and Louder And Life To the Kentucky Expo Center.