So yesterday marked the return of Edgefest as they skipped putting on a show last year. I decided to buy a ticket many moons ago since it was announced that the newly reformed Stone Temple Pilots would be performing. Amazingly enough STP weren’t the headliner, they were co-headlining with Link Park whom I’m not really a big fan of but decided to tolerate since the ticket was rather expensive. Sam Roberts and Ashes Divide rounded out the acts that I actually wanted to see.
Ashes Divide played a decent set. I haven’t heard their entire album but what I heard yesterday had a very APC feel to it. Sam Roberts was pretty rockin’. Him and his band played all of the hits everyone knows and loves. They have a very “Canadiana” feel to them, much like that of the Tragically Hip.
STP played all of their hits as well. Scott Weiland talked to the crowd a bit which is something I always like at a live show. He didn’t chit chat as much as I liked but then again no lead singer ever does 
. It had rained all kinds during the day but luckily my friend Steve supplied me with a rain protector thing that kept me reasonably dry. Scott commented on the rainbow that appeared during their set and asked Chester Bennington, lead singer of Link Park, to come on stage and sing with him. But other than that, he didn’t really say much and Chester didn’t make an appearance.
When Linkin Park finally came on they started out with some mellow songs that I’d either never heard before or just didn’t recognize. According to a blurb I heard on the Edge today this was due to half the band being missing because of a problem at the airport. The part of the band that was missing was looking to get a helicopter to make it the venue but for some reason that never happened for whatever reason. After those first few mellow songs, I pretty much recognized every song. All in all their set was very flashy but Chester didn’t talk to the crowd at all. I wouldn’t say STP stole the show but they definitely put on a better one.
Other than the acts there was tons and tons of rain. Where’s there’s rain, grass and lots of people there’s bound to be mud. I saw numerous people covered in mud from head to toe throughout the day. Also saw a bunch of guys mudsliding. The other big topic of news was the beer area that was terribly executed for some reason. The line to enter the area was enormous and super slow moving. The beer area had a maximum capacity so once people were in, they didn’t bother to leave. My friends and I didn’t even bother trying to get beer because of this. Word from the radio station is that this will be rectified next year.
All in all, Edgefest 2008 served as a decent way to pass the time for a Saturday afternoon. Hopefully they will be some good bands next year 
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