Bumstock fans bummed out as headline act Fat Joe cancels

ORONO – Headliner and East Coast rapper Fat Joe was a no-show at this year’s Bumstock festival, held over the weekend at the University of Maine.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control Fat Joe wasn’t able to make it,” said Matt Rodrigue, University of Maine’s student government president. “Monday, we’ll be pursuing legal recourse. Fat Joe is not getting any money.”

The hip-hop artist canceled at 10:42 p.m. Saturday. The New York-based Fat Joe was scheduled to hit the stage at 11:15 p.m. Many of the 3,000 spectators who gathered for the show started lining up early even though there was a steady downpour of cold rain.

“Fat Joe was going to get $25,000, but now he’s not,” said Rodrigue.

Fat Joe’s whereabouts were unknown when the announcement that he would not perform was made. Little Egypt extended its performance to end the two-day show.

“I think that it’s really lame that all these people showed up and stood in the rain and he couldn’t play,” said Lisa Vandegrift, who was in town to see Fat Joe and visit friends from Worcester, Mass. “He doesn’t deserve the fans he’s got.”

Many in the crowd showed their disappointment by yelling, “Fat Joe sucks,” but the droves exited the UM Concert Park peacefully.

On Friday approximately 5,000 people showed up throughout the day for the nine-band lineup, which included Orange County, Calif., rockers (hed) planet earth. On Sunday the number of onlookers remained the same but 16 bands performed.

“People really enjoyed the local bands,” said Bumstock director Cortlynn Hepler. “What’s college without live music?”

The cost of the other 25 bands that performed was $20,000.

“The drive we may go in the future is to focus on Maine bands to take Bumstock back to its roots,” Hepler said Sunday afternoon.

Diversity played a big part in this year’s music selection, said chief music officer Erin Smith.

“We allowed any student who wanted to participate to participate on the selection committee. So these are the bands the students really wanted to see,” she said.

Eighteen of the 25 bands that performed were from Maine.

The police were pretty happy with how things went.

“In spite of the raw climate and the rain on the second night, things have gone beautiful,” said UM Chief of Police Noel March. “On Friday, five people were arrested and a handful of [summonses] were issued. Of the arrests made [Friday] night, none were UM students.”

One person was arrested for driving under the influence on Saturday and a couple of summonses for minor infractions were issued. Two people were injured Friday while participating in a frenzied mosh pit. One person was transported to the hospital for a sprained neck and another, a twisted ankle. “Neither are life-threatening,” March said.

In the festival’s 30-year history, the number of incidents and arrests has been much higher, according to the chief.

“In years past, 22 percent of our yearly arrests came as a direct result of Bumstock,” he said.