GONZALES - Bill Champlin, a former member of the band "Chicago" was on stage, warming up inside the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, while a long line of fans waited outside, starving for some live rock and roll.

"'I'm beyond tickled that they are back. It's much, much needed," Kari Mayeaux said.

Mayeaux and her friends got to the Expo Center three hours before showtime. They couldn't wait to get in, despite the large crowd and the Omicron variant posing a serious threat.

"If I'm going to get it, I'm going to get it. To me, it's worth it," Mayeaux said.

"We announced this show December 2019. Here we are January 8th, 2022," the promoter of Rock'n the Bayou Scott Inne said.

Innes, a long-time promoter and radio personality, says while others are afraid to hold live shows during the pandemic, he's not.

"I'm going full throttle man. Someone has to step up and be the guinea pig, and I'm willing to do it. We got to get people back in here to retrain people to be happy, energetic and to live," Innes said.

The last Rock'n The Bayou took place back in 2018. Three were canceled because of COVID, and the fourth was called because of a hurricane.