Mystic Lake Amphitheater's first stormy night: Did Live Nation tell fans the whole story?
Mystic Lake Amphitheater concert postponed due to storms, questions raised
The Dave Matthews Band concert at Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee was postponed Tuesday night due to concerns about lightning. Some fans are questioning whether lightning was the only reason, pointing to blue skies and photos on social media showing a flooded stage. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the story.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The first big stormy night at Shakopee’s new outdoor music venue left fans with questions after the Dave Matthews Band show was postponed.
Fans react to sudden postponement at new venue
What we know:
Live Nation, which runs the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, postponed the Dave Matthews Band concert Tuesday evening, citing a significant risk of lightning through the 9 p.m. hour as the main reason. Their policy is to delay events by 30 minutes if lightning is detected within 15 miles of the venue.
FOX 9 meteorologists observed the last lightning strike within 15 miles of Shakopee around 7:45 p.m. While the immediate threat faded after that, thunderstorms continued in Belle Plaine, about 20 miles away, through 9:30 p.m.
Early troubles at Mystic Lake Amphitheater
Officials led to a postponement of the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, but fans say otherwise. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has more.
Sean Ryan of Woodbury said, "We're looking at the forecast and seeing the rain's gonna stop."
Some fans who stayed in Shakopee reported seeing blue skies by 8 p.m. and a few even spotted Dave Matthews leaving the venue on a bus with clear skies in the background. At the same time, band insiders posted photos of a flooded pit and a wet stage.
The decision left many fans confused about whether lightning was the only concern.
Venue conditions and unanswered questions
Why you should care:
The new amphitheater’s handling of weather and communication with fans is under scrutiny, especially with more shows scheduled soon. Some fans, like Sean Ryan, are looking for more transparency about what happened Tuesday night.
"They don't address the issues that the fans are talking about between, you know, was there really standing water was the roof leaking," said Ryan.
On Wednesday, a FOX9 reporter saw crews working on the tarp over the stage and pit. FOX 9 asked Live Nation representatives about the roof and drainage system. They responded late Wednesday, telling us lightning and an 11 p.m. curfew were the only reasons for the postponement.
A few fans said they could accept weather as the reason, but they want the venue to be upfront about any other issues.
"It's a new venue. There's going to be, you're going to work through the kinks. And I certainly want to give them the grace on that. But at the same time, it, hey, let's just be a little bit more open. Minnesotans can be very understanding if we get straight answers," said Ryan.
The next show at the amphitheater is The Guess Who on Thursday, with Bob Dylan scheduled for July 6. If there are any unresolved problems, the venue has some time to address them before the next major concert.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether issues with the roof or drainage system contributed to the decision to postpone the concert, as Live Nation has not answered specific questions about the venue’s infrastructure.
The Source: FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard reported live from outside Mystic Lake Amphitheater and spoke with fans and venue representatives as well as our meteorologists.