Rockfest
The drawing power of headliners Stone Temple Pilots and Godsmack set the turnstiles in action for Rockfest 2000, but the groups scheduled to fill the twilight slots seemed to be a distant dot on the horizon as rock fans eagerly piled into Sandstone early Saturday afternoon.
Of more immediate interest was Papa Roach, which kicked off the proceedings with a heavy rap/metal set that its manic frontman, Coby Dick, described as “bangin’ off-the-hook rock and roll.” Screaming profanity between each testosterone-filled tune, Papa Roach united the scattered mohawks and the countless mullets with its of-the-moment sounds. Unimpressed by the enthusiasm level, Dick chided lawn patrons to “get closer to Papa” and fill the somewhat barren first rows. This caused the near-comatose cheap-seat dwellers to spring to their feet and sprint toward the stage, resulting in a mini-pit that came together just in time for the mildly well-received “Last Resort.”
To visit the Levi’s First Stage, adventurous fans needed to plow past sweaty bodies and clouds of smoke, a trek that was almost as exciting as the performances by the bands that awaited them upon reaching their destination. Art-rockers Blue October tried in vain to lure mosh-minded patrons away from the concession stand, while glam band Mars Electric, taking a tip from Blink-182, proved that nudity sells, by attracting a crowd when singer Jacob Bunton stripped to his underwear. The group’s stadium-ready sound was a comfortable fit at Sandstone, although its Van Halen-style bombast would probably be more appropriate pouring from the main stage than this auxiliary stop. Less eventful was the set by Full Devil Jacket, whose mix of grunge and metal translated into generic rock and roll in a live setting. However, as one of the heavier bands on the bill, this group did provide an opportunity for the sparse crowd to polish its headbanging skills.
The Nixons provided a much-needed midday surge of energy for the sunburned crowd with such earnest rockers as “Sister” and “First Trip.” The re-energized, and notably larger, crowd then gave rapt attention to up-and-coming alt-radio sensations Three Doors Down, which rewarded its patient fans with the hit single “Kryptonite.”
Offering more flash, if less substance, Jesse James Dupree attempted to whip the crowd into a frenzy with his tried-and-true antics and constant screaming. Johnny Dare joined Dupree on stage and had the dubious distinction of being the only Neanderthal to shout “Show me your tits” into the microphone during the lengthy event. Despite Dupree’s best efforts, the audience seemed mostly oblivious to the fact that a performance was taking place, although all became alert as soon as he cranked up his trademark chainsaw.
Godsmack, returning to the Sandstone stage after a starmaking, early-afternoon stint at last year’s Ozzfest, performed a nondescript set that nonetheless provoked drunken fans to beg for more. Twin red-eyed gargoyles, seated on opposite ends of the stage, provided the perfect setting for such songs as “Voodoo,” although most fans were too busy being pushed from the aisles by angry security guards to notice the expensive props. The band drew ecstatic applause, although its members looked as if they would rather be drawing pentagrams than performing.
Stone Temple Pilots took the stage just after dark as anxious gawkers awaited the chance to make their own judgments concerning singer Scott Weiland’s sobriety. The group trotted out all its old favorites and, cognizant of its crowd, turned its rock meter up a few notches while exuding a pre-Tiny Music sense of confidence. Weiland pranced around à la Lord of the Dance and gave a heartwarming, if scarcely audible, speech about his overuse of the megaphone, which was followed by his disdainful tossing of the offending object onto the ground at the set’s conclusion. Perhaps the group’s competent performance rekindled a flame within some fans, but as a whole the crowd’s polite applause for the Pilots didn’t measure up to the boisterous cheering with which it greeted the postshow fireworks.
