SHELBY, NC — MercyMe band members and crew were performing a sound check at about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday Aug. 10 for a concert associated with the American Legion World Series when the event’s organizers noticed a wind shift and grew concerned about its intensity. Less than a minute after they evacuated the stage, a wind gust toppled the structure. The concert, also featuring Aaron Shust and The Afters, was canceled.
Although the National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg estimated the wind gusts at that time to be in the 35 to 40 mph range – less than what might be expected to topple a stage – it remains unclear exactly how strong the wind at the site was at the time. Eddie Holbrook, co-chair of the local American Legion World Series committee, called the staging provider, L&N Productions, “extremely reputable,” according to press results.
The stage structure collapsed before the gates to the 6:30 show opened, so none of the 10,000 attendees expected were on site at the time. There were an estimated 350 workers, crew and band members on site at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, but no one was injured in the incident.
The American Legion World Series, an annual championship tournament for teen boys, is expected to proceed as planned Aug. 16-20. Other musical performances affiliated with the championships include performances by Ronnie Milsap and Sara Evans on Aug. 14 and 15, respectively; both at events planned to take place within LeGrand Center in Shelby, NC.
