Let's clear the air for those loyal attendees of KLPXfest:
The festival on Sunday at the Pima County Fairgrounds is not the 30th festival.
In fact, the whole "30th Anniversary KLPXfest" is a bit misleading: This is the fourth fest since it hosted the first six years ago.
And KLPX (96.1-FM) has been the station's call letters since 1981, which makes this KLPX's 28th anniversary.
Where did they get 30 years?
We asked Lotus Communications General Manager Steve Groesbeck: Just who or what is celebrating a 30th anniversary at Sunday's KLPXfest?
Apparently, it's the music.
Thirty years ago, in 1979, Lotus Communications bought KCEE-FM 96.1 and began spinning contemporary rock from the superstars of the day: Styx, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Eddie Money, Boston, The Who, Kansas.
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Two years later, it changed its call letters to KLPX but kept the contemporary rock format, Groesbeck said.
Today, it still spins Styx, Journey and REO Speedwagon, but under the banner "classic rock."
That strikes Groesbeck as kinda funny.
"It wasn't classic rock back then," he said.
Ironically, these classic rockers are gaining a whole new generation of fans courtesy the burgeoning gaming world. "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Star" both use songs by Styx and REO Speedwagon, the headliners for Sunday's KLPXfest 2009.
"It's been amazing. The whole classic-rock thing had survived on its own, but this is another shot in the arm for all of us," said REO lead singer Kevin Cronin. "I have 10-year-old boys . . . and they've been turned on to a lot of music through playing 'Rock Band.' "
If you go
• What: The 30th Anniversary KLPXfest.
• When: Gates open at noon Sunday.
• 1 p.m. — Great White.
• 2:20 — Ratt.
• 4 — Eddie Money.
• 5:45 — War.
• 7:30 — Styx.
• 9:10 — REO Speedwagon.
• Where: Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road.
• Tickets: $30 through www.klpx.com or at the gate.
