The year is 2019, and Forty5 Partners Eric Tobias, Andrew Davis, and Scott Kraege recently purchased the historic Vogue Theatre in Broad Ripple to continue its legacy of bringing live music to Indianapolis for years to come. Not even 6 months after The Vogue Theatre was purchased, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and live events halted all over the world. The Indianapolis community desperately needed music and connection in a way that was safe to enjoy.

The Partners at Forty5 knew about the enchanting Holliday Park, just a short distance outside of Broad Ripple, from visiting the park as local citizens. The team later learned the park had previously hosted a 1-day outdoor concert titled “Rock the Ruins” with local artists, and thought that if they could do it once, why not do it over and over (and over) again?

Thus, Rock the Ruins became a summer-long outdoor concert series in Indianapolis for the first time in 2021. Since then, the staff size, audience size, and artist caliber have exponentially increased. As such, the overall experience of Rock the Ruins has continued to improve.

This year, there are artists with international acclaim coming to perform at Holliday Park – an amazing experience of world-class talent on a local stage that’s like a concert just for you right in your backyard. It’s incredible to watch as the Indianapolis community comes together to enjoy these outdoor live events against the beautiful backdrop of the sunset hitting the historic Holliday Park ruins.

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