Marilyn Manson, Staind, Cold, Stabbing Westward, Godhead, Monster Magnet, Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, and Buckcherry.
KROCK’s Boot Kamp 2k1
June 10, 2001
Westfair Amphitheater, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Words and photo by Adam Tibbott
Photos digitally restored from original Kodak film negatives
On a blistering summer day in 2001, Westfair Amphitheater became the center of the hard rock and nü metal universe as KROCK 93.3 in Omaha presented Boot Kamp 2K1. Scheduled on an off day during 2001’s Ozzfest run, the festival managed to assemble one of the strongest single-day rock lineups the Midwest had ever seen.
Looking back, the lineup reads like a time capsule of 2001. Staind was exploding thanks to Break the Cycle, Puddle of Mudd was on the verge of becoming one of rock radio’s biggest new acts, Saliva had just broken through with “Click Click Boom,” and Cold and Stabbing Westward were staples of alternative radio. Closing the night, Marilyn Manson brought the theatrical spectacle of his Guns, God and Government tour straight from Ozzfest to Council Bluffs.
For fans in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, Boot Kamp 2k1 wasn’t just another festival, it was proof that Omaha’s KROCK 93.3 could deliver major rock events without requiring a road trip to Chicago or Kansas City. At the time, the station broadcast from the Ranch Bowl, an iconic Omaha venue that served as a hub for the local rock community before its eventual closure and the station’s later transition under iHeartMedia to a country format.
More than two decades later, Boot Kamp 2K1 stands as one of those unforgettable “you had to be there” moments. It captured rock music at its commercial peak, when hard rock and nü metal dominated radio, amphitheaters were packed with distortion, and a single summer festival could feature nearly every band fans were listening to on repeat.
