One band, Rockwood, is new to the scene and only played on the mini stage last year before taking the stage together with 14 other bands.
“We play with the best of the best,” said lead bassist Kevin Gallagher.
Fans got a special taste of what’s next for the band.
“We always play a new song for Eddie,” he said.
In honor of 55-year-old musician Ed “Eddie” Lakata, who was hit by a drunk driver while riding his bike eleven years ago, car after car full of classic rock fans drove toward the Concordia.
As part of a fundraiser in Lakata’s honor, “Eddie” is raising $1,000 in scholarships for graduates of Johnstown High School who plan to study music or science and engineering, where Lakata, an electrical engineer, excelled.
“The event – the idea of our son Austin – started out as a fundraiser. It evolved into a place where musicians from all over the area come together,” said Lakata’s widow, Cindy.
She looked back at other local players who have passed away and noted that the event often honors them as well.
“We also had close friends with us who died like Ed. It’s a place where people can come together, talk and remember them,” she said.
Her late husband, who loved music, would be a good fit for the festival, she noted.
“Ed wouldn’t have wanted the recognition, but he would have enjoyed the event,” said Cindy Lakata.
As the Karg Brothers begin to play, a riff sounds from the stage. The fans mingle and seem hypnotized by nostalgia.
Susie Maye of Johnstown, a longtime fan, sits at a picnic table and listens intently to the music. She said she is here because of the Karg Brothers band.
“I came every year from the beginning. He (Lakata) was one of the best musicians in the area,” Maye said.
In its early years, the Eddie Music Festival was held in Pine Lake, but that changed after a severe storm passed through in 2016, missing the main stage.
“That would have been a disaster,” said Richard Giardino of Fulton County.
He said he remembers the storm and having deputies on site helping with cleanup and providing security.
Giardino sent four deputies to the Concordia Club to ensure the protection and success of the fundraiser.
He recalled being a Lakata fan and attending performances at places like Caroga Lake.
“I remember him as a happy guy,” he said.
Since Pine Lake, the event has always taken place on the second weekend in August.
“Concordia is safer and more centrally located than Pine Lake,” said Harry Russo, Lakata’s best friend.
Russo is one of the original organizers of the Eddie Music Festival, but said he is ready to hand over the reins to the younger generation.
“We want them to know what we did,” he said.
The music dominates the conversation; quiet chatter is not possible. As fans listen to their favorite bands, one can imagine the musician who started it all. Lakata’s fans are as numerous as the packed venue itself.
“It’s gotten bigger every year,” Russo said.
