STEUBENVILLE - Even though the show ended early due to severe weather, the Joe Zelek Band and the Clarks rocked attendees Sunday evening during the Stars and Stripes concert held at Harding Stadium.
The concert, co-sponsored by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and WTOV-TV, began at 7 p.m. with a performance by the local favorite Joe Zelek Band.
The performance included a number of original songs, both old and from their new release, as well as a few covers like a country-fied rendition of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long."
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PERFORMANCE CUT SHORT — Pittsburgh-based band the Clarks performed fan-favorite songs Sunday evening during the Stars and Stripes concert held at Harding Stadium in Steubenville. Their set ended early, however, as severe weather hit the area. - Jeremy Kins
While Zelek may be a regular to the Ohio Valley, it wasn't the first time for the Pittsburgh-native Clarks, either. The band performed at former St. Johns Arena and what used to be Rooney's Pub downtown.
"We've finally been able to get back here. We haven't been to the area in a long time and it's nice to have a place to play here. We have a lot of fans here and it's good to be back," said the Clarks bassist Greg Joseph during a pre-show interview.
The Clarks took the stage at 8:15 p.m. as fans gathered to dance to hit songs like "Snowman," and "Penny on the Floor."
Mayor Domenick Mucci kicked-off the event at noon during opening ceremonies. A car cruise was held until 3 p.m. in the upper parking lot of Harding School, along with the Family Fun Zone located inside the Harding practice facility and the beer garden in Kroger parking lot until the time of the concert. Food vendors, inflatable games and karaoke were among the number of free activities available throughout the day.
However, the severe weathered that plagued the area earlier in the weekend rolled in around 8:25 p.m., effectively ending the Clarks performance early and delaying the city's fireworks.
Thunderstorms hovered over Harding Stadium only a few songs into the Clarks' set, forcing the band to exit the stage due to safety concerns.
Despite the concert ending early, there are no plans to process refunds, according to Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce President Susan Hershey.
"It was a rain-or-shine concert, and it's unfortunate that we had rain before the totality of the concert. The Joe Zelek band finished its set and the Clarks performed half of theirs. The Clarks are booked so they won't be able to return," said Hershey.
Mucci said the fireworks will be held later this week, but that final plans are not set. He said details are still being worked out due to other commitments held by fireworks provider Pyrotecnico.
Other major event sponsors included Chesapeake Energy, the City of Steubenville, Hollywood City Center, Steubenville City Schools and TEAM Automotive. Other sponsors included Choice Brands of Ohio, the Fort Steuben Mall, Iron City Distributing, WesBanco, the Herald-Star, AEP Ohio, Kwik King Food Stores, New York Life, Ambulance Service and Jefferson Security. Also, Peoples National Bank served as a concert ticket outlet for the southern part of Jefferson County.
