Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind
Brad Arnold of Three Doors Down Crooning Tunes
By Rachel Wick
It seemed fitting that KISS performed Saturday Night at Rock Fest, because the band's classic lyrics "I Want to Rock and Roll All Night and Party Every Day" serves as a festival way of life for many die-hard "Festers." My Rock Fest experience consisted solely of Sunday, but proved entertaining nonetheless.
The weather was ideal leading up to Sunday, but I awoke Sunday to dark clouds and the promise of Storms. My friend and I decided to take a chance on the weather and the skys erupted as we departed Eau Claire.
Once we arrived in Cadott, the downpour had slowed to a slight sprinkle that we could handle. Upon arriving, we took a tour of the campgrounds and discovered many sites decked out with the Fest necessities. These items included things like empty kegerators to broken lawn chairs. We then hit up the nearest beer tent, since the performance on the main stage wouldn't begin for a bit.
An ice cold beer and local cover band the Big Deeks proved an enjoyable distraction. The band performed a varied catalogue of tunes including The Whites Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" and AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds." At one point the singer jumped onto the bar, much to the surprise of the bartenders.
Hinder hit the main stage shortly after the Big Deeks and played the majority of their freshman effort Extreme Behavior;including hits "Lips of an Angel" and "Get Stoned." Singer Austin Winkler donned a neck scarf in a none too subtle rip off of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler; and tried unsuccessfully to channel Tyler's dynamic performance style.
The next band left many young Fest-goers wondering, "Who the Heck Is Third Eye Blind?" That's right, a band that had its last hit in the late 90s was chosen to help closeout Rock Fest 2007. This leaves me wondering, did Fest planners tap all their monetary resources in booking KISS? It soon became blatantly obvious that Third Eye Blind was promoting a new album and trying to claw their way back into the memories of fans. The band played many new songs, rather than songs that people might recall from their 90s discs.
As the show progressed, they eventually busted out such hits as "Jumper" and "Semi-Charmed Life," leaving the crowd (myself included) singing along with the lyrics like it was 1998.
Brad Arnold of Three Doors Down brought Rock Fest to a kickin' close. The band showcased a nice mix of radio hits with some newer material. Some memorable songs include "Away From the Sun," "Krytonite," and "Duck and Run."
My Rock Fest experience left me sun burned, hoarse and with ten-year old hits stuck in my head. Mission Accomplished!
