Last year, the Keizer Labor Day music festival got rained out and only drew about 150 people. After a year of hard work and making the right connections, the rock fest is back, with a new name: Valley Summer Rock Festival.

This year's festival will see an increase in performances from five to eight bands. Instead of six hours of music, it will feature an additional three hours. The new venue holds up to 700 people and it's expected to sell out.

"We were planning on it being a smaller event and it has blown up into a huge deal with the promotion of 101.1 KUFO," said Ryan Mosher, owner of KTR Entertainment.

Mosher didn't give up after KTR's first try last year.

"It took lots of hard work and dedication, and mix that with a little bit of luck and networking," he said.

He managed to get several high-profile sponsors and three up-and-coming bands with large followings.

"We Are The Arsenal from Orange County is really popular in Southern California. They've been featured on MTV and Fuse," he said.

We Are The Arsenal consists of Ryan Terrigno and Peter Moe on vocals and guitar, Kris Dufour on drums and Alan Bauer on bass. They will play at 6:30 p.m. followed by Dead City Sunday.

"Dead City Sunday, from Sacramento, is very well-known in that area for their high energy performances and they're starting to be known there," said Mosher. "They've been together since 1999."

Dead City Sunday is a screamo band, with Nic Musser on bass, Ronny Wiedeman on guitar, Zac Day on lead vocals and Kimberly Brothers on drums.

The Portland rock band Falling Closer will play the final act, scheduled from 7:45 to 9 p.m. It features Chris Huaraque on vocals, Jon Johnson on guitar, and Kyle Baltus on drums.

Four Salem bands will start the day off, with the KTR band playing at noon. KTR has Joe Kyle and Russ Thomas on vocals and guitar, Ryan Booth on bass and Ryan Mosher on percussion.

Almost Friday will follow, with Rodney Galloway on lead guitar/lead vocals, Steve Cannon on rhythm guitar/backing vocals, Dave Noffsinger on bass and Chuck Kovitch on drums.

Next on the lineup is Sandvig, which consists of Mark Sandvig on vocals and guitar, "Little" Dave Toquero on bass and vocals and Jason Rose on drums and vocals.

Groove Thief is scheduled at 3 p.m. The band has Blaine Vogt on vocals and guitar, Tin Sieroslawski on drums, Jarred Venti on bass and Matt Ryan on lead guitar.

The Portland celtic punk rock band Amadan will also be playing, with Eric Tonsfeldt on lead vocals and guitar, Chad Marks-Fife on fiddle, Kevin Pardew on guitar, Billy Tollner on bass and Sam Berrett on drums.

The Valley Summer Rock Festival '10 features other entertainment, with KUFO and Ransack Radio on site, skating demos, free Rockstar energy drinks, a display of Scion cars, a National Guard rock climbing wall and halo jumper, a McMenamins' beer garden and plenty of food and art venues.

Mosher plans to dedicate the rest of his life to promoting concerts, focusing on the Willamette Valley.

"This is something I wanted to do ever since I was a teenager. I certainly have the passion for it, but passion only takes you so far," said Mosher, who was laid off from his civil engineering job when the economic downturn affected the housing market.

"Private developers took major financial losses and they were most of the clientele," he said. Mosher took his skills and professional experience and successfully applied them to marketing, advertising and event management.

He's currently setting up three other events in the area before the next VSR, and planning his own bluegrass-themed wedding.

"I'm building a real entertainment industry in the area. We're in desperate need for jobs and major events attract tourism dollars," he said.

"Plans for the next Rock Festival are in the works already. It's gonna be even bigger, much bigger," said Mosher.