Live

By Jon Hobson

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KFMA Day

Pima County Fairgrounds, Sunday, May 9

Mediocre, commercial and radio-friendly "rock" and "punk" hit the Pima County Fairgrounds Sunday for the annual KFMA Day. Parents taking kids to their first show and college students accounted for the majority of the crowd at the all-day event.

The stoner/hip-hop/funk/punk Kottonmouth Kings kicked off the show. Their performance was similar to the size of the crowd watching them: nothing much.

Up next was Lit, this year's winner of the "Yes, They're Still a Band" award. Outdated and out of place, Lit shamelessly revived their pop status with the radio hits, "My Own Worst Enemy" and "Miserable."

A late addition to the line-up was Northern California's Papa Roach, just in time to promote their upcoming release, Getting Away With Murder. Papa Roach managed to awaken the crowd with a raw and energetic performance.

Neo-punkers Pennywise stole the show with the most solid and entertaining performance of the day--hands down--highlighted by a cover of the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop," done so well that the late Joey Ramone had to be smiling somewhere. During the final song of their set, "Bro Hymn," members of other groups joined Pennywise onstage to rock out with the crowd.

By the time Pennywise ended their set, the crowd had run out of gas for the final two bands, Puddle of Mudd and The Offspring. The crowd devoted the little energy it had left to the popular singles from each band's catalog.

The heat and alcohol didn't just burn out the audience, but the performers as well.

"I've got cotton mouth all the way down to my nuts," said Pennywise drummer Byron McMackin after his band's set. "It's fucking gnarly!"

Puddle of Mudd--former protégées of Fred Durst--played a set sadly highlighted by a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs."

The Offspring's alternative-skater show featured the hit "Bad Habit," during which the crowd sang the explicit climax for lead singer Dexter Holland.

Question: Why pay hard-earned money to hear live versions of songs in heavy rotation on radio? Then again, who the hell decided the Pima County Fairgrounds made for a great concert venue?