99 X Bigger Day Out

(featuring: Collective Soul, Sevendust, 3 Doors Down, Tantric, Adema, Lifehouse, Rehab, Butch Walker, Lit, Boy Hits Car, Tenacious D, Living Colour, Godsmack and 311)

September 21-22, 2001 Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheater Atlanta, GA

Regional modern rock monolith 99X’s 2001 celebration of themselves now spreads across two days, four stages and a signing tent. Running between them were thousands upon thousands of 18-21 year olds in various states of angst, partying, or recovery from partying. Whether it was to see local up and comers Left Front Tire on the locals stage, Living Colour on the “Living Loud” stage, Tenacious D doing a live interview in the “Digital Den,” meeting Alien Ant Farm in the Wherehouse Music tent or just watching 311 headline the whole kit and caboodle, there was truly something for everyone. That is, of course, except for anyone who doesn’t partake in all the homogenized one-sound-fits-all ethics of the 99X’s of the world. Personally, of the ungodly number of bands I saw, I would only remember a couple of songs if I heard them again. Bands like Tantric, Oleander, American Hi-Fi, Nickelback and such are so painfully interchangeable that I can’t even tell one from the other on air much less in person. I can truly say that the only differences between them seem to be the number of tattoos and variations of hairstyles that they have. Disappointments were many at this summer’s end festival. Jane’s Addiction/Red Hot Chili Peppers axeman Dave Navarro’s main stage solo set was a muted affair with little of note. He hardly played guitar at all and few were even there to hear his late afternoon slot if he had bothered to cut loose. A cover of Velvet Underground’s “Venus And Furs” was a nice try, but too little to liven up the place. Upon venturing over to the side stage, I found the crowd. Throughout the two days, the “Living Loud” stage was generally the place to be. The crowds were more steady, the bands rocked harder and the security guards were less Nazi-like than at the main area. At one point I even saw a guard light a joint for a girl in the front row and proceed to share it! Friday’s Alien Ant Farm set was a pleasant second stage surprise. With a bass player doing a move for move Gene Simmons impersonation and a singer generous with the finger, they proved to be one of the better acts of the event. They gave all they had and the crowd was right in the palm of their collective hand for the duration of their set. Speaking of “collective,” Collective Soul dished out a typical set of mid-tempo rockers written and aimed at the people there to see them and no one else (www.concertshots.com)

Vielen Dank an Shannon, die uns die Bilder geschickt hat!!