The Best Concert I Went To in the Last Year

Last summer I picked up tickets for X-Fest. I was expecting a killer show with big name bands like Saosin, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jet, AFI, The Killers and the always awesome Papa Roach. I knew that with that lineup we were all in for a real rock and roll treat!

X Fest is a music festival that is held annually at various venues all over the United States. It is hosted by radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications. X Fest features bands in various genres such as alternative rock, industrial rock, grunge, heavy metal and hard rock. It made it debut in 1995 and was hosted by WRZX in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Some of the names that appeared at that very first X Fest included Bush, Weezer, Sugar Ray, Johnny Socko and Birdmen of Alcatraz as well as others. The tradition was begun and over the years bands such as No Doubt, Matchbox Twenty, Better than Exra, Limp Bizkit, Third Eye Blind, Creed, Kid Rock, Stone Temple Pilots, P.O.D. , Linkin Park, Korn, Snoop Dogg, Shinedown, Godsmack, Rob Zombie (awesome!) and Bullet for my Valentine have participated. The list of names could go on and on. Since it began, the Noblesville X Fest alone has drawn close to a quarter of a million people. Overall, the numbers are astronomical.

So, I approached X Fest 2007 with a lot of excitement. I was really looking forward to being rocked out by some of the greatest names in music. We had to park a couple of blocks from the venue and walked the rest of the way. Our path took us directly behind the building. As we approached the building, we say someone sitting outside, just chilling on the stone barrier. When we got closer, we realized that it was Jacoby Shaddix from Papa Roach! He talked to us for a bit. He was really cool, very friendly. That is the great thing about X Fest that sets it apart from other concerts. The performers are more relaxed and tend to interact more with the crowd before and after the show. We saw the members of AFI walking across the street and they stopped and talked to us as well.

Once inside, the excitement just grew and grew. The bands really rocked out, but then it came time for the band to come on that I had really come to see. The stage was dark and then came alive as "To be Loved" started. Everyone went crazy as Papa Roach took the stage. We were on the floor and everyone was on their feet, some were moshing, others were singing and dancing while still others were screaming their heads off.

Jacoby sang one awesome song after another. Papa Roach just can't release a bad song, can they? And when they began "Forever," we all lost it. I didn't know the people on either side of me, but we were all grabbing each other, high fiving and singing together. For that time the music brought us all together. It was an experience that I will never forget.

Sure, AFI was great and The Killers were incredible as usual, but Papa Roach had my heart. The whole band has so much energy and Jacoby really knows how to get a crowd moving and singing. They all seemed like they were having such a great time on stage, it was impossible to not have a great time in the audience. Each of us felt that he was singing to us alone.

That is the thing about X Fest. The energy is high and you are treated to not just one or two great bands, but several. The music just keeps on coming. Yeah, you can plan to be there, rocking out for about 4 or 5 hours, but it is so worth it. X Fest was by far the best concert that I went to in 2007. There is just no comparison. I am already making plans to go again this year. I can't wait!