KICK OUT THE JAMS

Thursday, May 22, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Kick Out the Jams

KXTE's Our Big Concert 6 at Sam Boyd Stadium, May 17

If there's one thing the annual OBC rockfest is known for--besides beer, pot, fights, teenagers puking and your girlfriend showing thousands of drunken guys her boobs--it's bringing in some popular heavy bands. But getting to see Deftones and Social Distortion has its price, and that price is having to see Stun and Blindside. Who are they? I don't know.

But luckily, there were plenty of activities to engage in around the trash-laden (and I don't mean literal garbage like beer cans) stadium while waiting for one of the better bands to come on. Personally, I enjoyed playing a little game called Point Out Something Disturbing. Among the winners: a 13-year-old girl wearing a pot leaf-decorated bikini trying to buy beer, and a kid with a T-shirt that said "Jesus is a cunt."

Taproot played a mediocre set, with the only real highlight coming when frontman Stephen Richards invaded the crowd and halted a mosh pit, only to start it up again and take a pummeling. In previous years Richards has launched himself from a portable shitcan, so this was a shrewd move of self-improvement. But instead of paying attention, I made my way through a large group of half-naked chicks to see what all the fuss was about. Turns out flying motorcycle dude Carey Hart was signing autographs. "I must have signed 200 titties today," he told me, and I asked if he meant sets or individual titties.

Metalheads Mudvayne took the stage sans makeup but lead screamer ChŸd did have an afro wig. They were loud but largely ignored, especially by Spearmint Rhino honcho Rico Connor, who was manning the "Dunk the Stripper" booth. That's not its official name, but it should be. "I'm 48, so this stuff is all noise and screaming to me," he said.

The crowd--more than 13,000 according to Xtreme Radio, but that sounds generous--finally rallied behind the emo-metal of The Used, even though singer Bert McCracken admitted that, yes, he had contracted SARS. After he riled up the crowd, Mike Ness and his mates in Social Distortion took over and created a woozy, feel-good punk rock vibe, complete with "Bush is a jackass" remarks.

Deftones took the stage last and absolutely destroyed it, opening with "My Own Summer." Singer Chino Moreno had to shut down the second song, new stunner "Hexagram," twice to make sure the kids down in front weren't trampling each other. "What do you think this is, Ozzfest?" he mocked.

Deftones' set lagged a little in the middle when the guys tried out some of the new stuff, but the intensity came roaring back with "Change (In the House of Flies)," "Digital Bath" and current single "Minerva." Overall, it was just another OBC; hard rock fans who can survive until the end will be rewarded.--Brock Radke