The Outlaw Music Festival’s 10th Anniversary concert was supposed to make it’s Oklahoma debut tonight… but unfortunately the event had to be called off.
One could say that it was a weather related cancellation, even though the weather in El Reno, Oklahoma (where the concert was supposed to take place) is overcast and in the 80s. So what caused the Outlaw Music Festival to derail and cancel their Sooner State show?
It was actually the inclement and ugly weather that passed through Ridgedale, Missouri on June 29. Fans that went to the cursed venue (we’ll get to more on that later) known as Thunder Ridge Nature Arena were sent home empty handed after violent storms moving through the area called for the event to be called off and evacuated:
@my.hero448 Bob Dylan Willie Nelson concert canceled #outlawfestival #chicken #storms #bobdylan #willienelson ♬ original sound – my.hero448
And though all the artists and concert goers were able to get out of dodge, the festival’s equipment and artists’ instruments weren’t so lucky. The violent storm apparently moved in so fast that nothing was able to be put away or protected, and everything was left out to fend for itself in the elements.
Considering the heavy rain and high winds ended up canceling the Outlaw Music Festival’s stop on July 1, it’s safe to say that the equipment and instruments didn’t fare so well. In fact, Willie Nelson’s team took to social media to say that much of the Outlaw Music Festival’s stuff was damaged and waterlogged:
“The Outlaw Music Festival’s 10th Anniversary concert event scheduled for July 1, 2025 at Lucky Star Amphitheater in El Reno, Oklahoma has been canceled due to unforeseeable circumstances. An extreme weather event on the evening of June 29th in Ridgedale, Missouri at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena produced heavy rains and high winds, forcing the crowd to evacuate.
Unfortunately, much of the Outlaw Music Festival’s equipment and artists’ instruments were damaged and waterlogged, making their condition difficult to assess in time to accurately and safely use for tomorrow’s show. The potential damage has halted the festival production as they recover and replace what’s necessary for the tour to resume. The tour looks forward to resuming in Austin, Texas on July 4.”
The post went on to say that the venue and those putting on the festival were extremely disappointed that they had to cancel, and that refunds to those who had tickets for the Oklahoma show would be issued at point of purchase.
Two things stand out to me with this story. One: Mother Nature remains undefeated. You can do all the planning and preparation you want, and she can still send some nasty weather at the least opportune time. Two: nothing, and I mean NOTHING good happens at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena.
Don’t believe me? Just ask the people who were trying to see Willie Nelson there yesterday, or look at the fact that a recent Post Malone-Jelly Roll show at Thunder Ridge had such bad traffic getting into the place that people missed the concert entirely. And do I really have to direct your attention to the Garth Brooks concert at Missouri amphitheater that was such a disaster… it might have just cursed the venue.
