The Southwest University Stadium opened its doors at 5:30 p.m. for KLAQ and Leg Up Entertainment’s “KLAQ Rocks the Park (KRTP).” A rock concert held for fans in El Paso for artists such as Hooked Like Helen (HLH), Dead Poet Society (DPS), Poppy and Scott Stapp.
The event was announced on April 4, giving fans plenty of time to grab their tickets and be a part of the lively crowd down at the pit, the closest section to the stage of the venue.
The concert had fans of all ages attending, all having an unspoken dress code of mostly black and white, showing the alternative side that El Paso has to offer. Most attendees also donned merchandise from their favorite artists, including some who were performing that night.
KRTP was started as a revival of El Paso Streetfest, a two-day festival that featured live music on multiple stages downtown, but was discontinued in 2018. Attendees who went to Streetfest, like Clarissa Duran, enjoyed the rebirth of this festival.
“It’s really cool that they’re bringing back music annually,” Duran said. “It’s a bit different, but it is still a cool way to bring bands more often to El Paso. It’s cool that they’re making that effort to make cool concerts every now and then.”
Starting the concert off at 6:30 p.m., the stage welcomed the first openers of the night, HLH, a band from Cleveland, Ohio. Describing themselves as a band with “No label, no agency and no manager”, their alternative sound brought an expressive form of music to the border city.
KRTP was HLH’s first stadium show and first performance in El Paso. The band played an unreleased song, leading to a strong finish to their set as the night sky began to set bringing a darker mood.
The next band to perform was DPS, another strong act whose bassists brought high energy, providing a different tone of music for the crowd. For attendees like Nadia Aragon, energy from the performances and the crowd made the night feel livelier.
“The bands have been super talented. We were dancing all night long,” Aragon said. “I like this [revival] better, it’s a lot more intimate, everybody is closer together. Everybody is vibing and happy, this is the place to be at right now.”
Excitement grew for Poppy’s performance as the crowd doubled in size, with more seats filled, and the pit becoming increasingly packed and loud with anticipation. The only light came from the purple stage lights and the moon.
Poppy’s sound was distinct, displaying more genre-bending and experimental music, that brought out a completely different vibe for the night.
“She [Poppy] was amazing, I love metalcore, I love headbanging, and she put on a really cool set,” Duran said. “It’s been a while since I have been in the middle of the crowd, as I try to be near the barricade, it was fun seeing a mosh pit upfront and that was really cool.”
Scott Stapp’s headlining performance became the highlight of the night, bringing together a mix of long-time fans and some who have never heard of Stapp or Creed. Stapp played songs from his solo albums and well-known tracks from Creed.
Victor Valenzeula, a long-time fan of Creed, who despite only getting to the event before Stapp’s performance, still enjoyed the night and the turnout for Stapp’s performance.
“I grew up with Creed and his music and stuff, so it took me back to my childhood,” Valenzuela said.
The night ended on a powerful note as Scott Stapp sang “One Last Breath,” one of Creed’s most popular songs, evoking a sense of nostalgia among the crowd, marking a successful close to KLAQ’s music festival revival plan.
Abigail Pedroza is the arts & culture editor for The Prospector and may be reached at [email protected]
