Cheap Trick Demand to Know the Cause of Ottawa Bluesfest Stage Collapse

Aside from a spill their truck driver took (which required a trip to the hospital), Cheap Trick survived the terrifying stage collapse following strong winds July 17 at the Ottawa Bluesfest with everything in tact. Understandably, though, the band are demanding answers as to how the incident where they "narrowly averted death" happened.

According to a statement on the band's official site (via Exclaim), they're "interested in ensuring that no other band or crew experience the same potentially lethal hazard."

"We simply want to know: what are the companies and organizers doing to protect the next act and the next audience?" said Cheap Trick manager Dave Frey. "Every act and every fan out to be asking the same question when attending an outside musical event."

Cheap Trick also noted how other stages used during the festival remained upright as did nearby tents during the storm while the "multi-ton stage roof" fell. "Was it a design flaw?" Frey asked. "Was it an implementation mistake? These are important questions that must be answered."

On July 19, just days after the scary ordeal, the Ontario Ministry of Labour launched an official investigation into what happened. Cheap Trick have been actively participating in the process. But festival director Mark Monahan told the Ottawa Citizen that answers won't be available for many months.

Though shaken, Cheap Trick went on to continue their tour after the Bluesfest date. They're still waiting to recover damaged gear and equipment, which was lost in the incident. According to Monahan, the debris, and what's left of the stage, will be cleared from the site by the end of Friday, July 29.

Watch Cheap Trick's Own Video of the Ottawa Bluesfest Incident