Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - You have to wonder if the band Turnstile has weather-related qualms about playing a show in Buffalo.
Turnstile's December 2022 show at the Town Ballroom was postponed because of the Christmas Weekend blizzard, and the band's Sept. 21 concert at the Outer Harbor's Terminal B pavilion was briefly delayed by a sudden thunderstorm.
All kidding aside, the weather-related delays for the Sept. 21 show brought to the forefront concert strategy when inclement weather pops up unexpectedly.
Veteran concert promoter Artie Kwitchoff says there is also a collaborative bad weather game plan in place, usually done in concert (no pun intended) between the band's tour management team, the promoter and venue operator.
"Yes, we do check the weather and we do make adjustments," Kwitchoff said.
Standard practice, as was instituted during the Sept. 21 Turnstile show, is if lightning is detected power is shut down and fans are asked to temporarily leave the venue. Once the storm passes, fans are let back into the outdoor venue, Kwitchoff said.
"Equipment can be replaced, shows can rescheduled, but fan safety always comes first," Kwitchoff said. "Safety is paramount."
Kwitchoff said it is not unusual for weather pattern models to be checked on laptops. In some cases, he calls local TV weather reporters for storm updates.
That was the case on Sept. 21.
"We were told approximately what time and how severe the storm was going to be and the information we got was very accurate," Kwitchoff said. "We knew we could restart the concert."