Promoter recalls fleeing town during Nor’Wester ’76 riots 50 years ago
The chaos surrounding the Nor’Wester ’76 rock festival, which took place at the Northwest Speedway in State Line, Idaho, was unlike anything that had been seen before or since. 50 years ago, in June 1976, it was a weekend that became etched in the memories of people involved, including Johnny Brower, a renowned concert promoter from Toronto who was instrumental in putting together the ill-fated event.
It was supposed to be a three-day extravaganza featuring well-known bands like Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Heart, but instead, it ended up being marred by riots and destruction. As Brower recalls, he had high hopes for a successful event but had to flee town when things spiraled out of control. The rioters wreaked havoc on the speedway, causing chaos and mayhem that forced the promoters and attendees to make a hasty exit.
The festival was canceled on the morning of the second day, leaving many concertgoers disillusioned and angry. The cancellation was met with disappointment and frustration by the attendees who had come from far and wide to enjoy the music and festivities. One can only imagine the tense and chaotic atmosphere that must have prevailed at the speedway as the situation escalated into a riot.
The riot was sparked by the abrupt cancelation of the festival, and the crowd’s response was one of anger and destruction. The bands that were scheduled to perform at the event, such as Bachman-Turner Overdrive, never got the chance to take the stage, leading to further unrest. It was a turbulent time marked by violence and chaos that left a lasting impact on all those involved.
Sheriff Thor Fladwed of Kootenai County recounted the events of that fateful weekend, revealing that the deputies on duty were overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the riot. Despite their efforts to contain the situation, the destruction continued unabated, forcing them to focus on preventing it from spreading beyond the speedway’s premises. It was a futile endeavor as the rioters continued their rampage, causing extensive damage to the site.
In the end, the Nor’Wester ’76 festival became a footnote in rock and roll history, remembered for all the wrong reasons. It was a stark reminder of what can happen when events spiral out of control and the consequences of such chaos. Johnny Brower and others involved may have escaped the turmoil of that weekend, but the memories of Nor’Wester ’76 will remain etched in their minds forever, a grim reminder of a disastrous event that went terribly wrong.