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Epicenter: Limp Bizkit, Staind, Five Finger Death Punch, Puddle Of Mudd and More


by Dan MacIntosh

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Epicenter 2011 - September 24, 2011 and Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, Ca

The Epicenter festival is an ever-evolving event. What started out as Linkin Park and friends became a two-day, eclectic weekend headlined by Eminem and KISS in 2010. This year -- staged at its third city in three years -- Epicenter came off like a live commercial for Guitar Center. That's because this was primarily a lineup of rocking guitar bands.

Headliner, Limp Bizkit seemed like a strange choice, especially since last year's big names were, well, so much bigger. Nevertheless, fans swarmed around Fred Durst every time he ventured out into the crowd � which happened so much that it badly disrupted the pacing of the show. Apparently, there are still people that love Nookie. Durst looked healthy and spry in his red Angels baseball cap. If only he had merely come out on stage to tip his cap, without opening his big mouth.

Staind's singer Aaron Lewis couldn't have looked more bored onstage while he smoked an endless series of cigarettes while mumbling out tortured songs. Five Finger Death Punch was compelling, primarily because leader Ivan Moody is just too darn animated when he performs. He even stopped the show, right in the middle of the group's cover of Bad Company, until the security guards let a fan return to her place in front of the stage.

Puddle Of Mudd appeared to be going through the motions leading up to the headliners, while early main stage act, Skillet, performed with true passion, which should help get them to the top of the marquee food chain soon; Skillet especially shone during Awake and Alive, when singer John Cooper bravely spoke out about his Christian faith right there in front of this hard partying crowd. Everlast looked a little lonely out there without his House of Pain family, while poor Red was asked to play to an extremely small house � many of which were still back at the Monster Energy (side) Stage watching the late-starting P.O.D.

Said side stage suffered from too many long delays between bands, which was a shame because Crossfade, Redlight King and MC Rut all played their hearts out during the muggy, early afternoon hours.

Although this wasn't a bad collection of bands and artists, at times it came off a little too much like the Uproar and Mayhem Festivals. In other words, there are already enough established festivals for this kind of loud rock & roll. What's missing on the scene are eclectic festivals like last year's Epicenter. Let's hope the promoters get the balance a little better next year. After all, keyboards aren't exactly of the devil.

Epicenter: Limp Bizkit, Staind, Five Finger Death Punch, Puddle Of Mudd and More

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