On The Download: KROQ Weenie Roast 2010

If you’re from Southern California, there’s always one event that lets you know summer has started – LA radio station KROQ’s annual Weenie Roast.

It’s the kind of event that brings a sunny, relaxed sort of vibe to the destination, mixing the tanned, toned and shirtless with pasty-skinned, slightly overweight regular Joes, who form unlikely friendships while dancing together to a diverse and delicious roster of bands.

Set at the Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre, which once had the romantic moniker of Irvine Meadows, describing not only its Southern California location, but the wavy hillsides surrounding the concert locale, this year’s lineup was one of KROQ’s most eclectic to date.

Australia’s soundtrack-friendly indie rockers the Temper Trap started things off, taking to a hot and sweaty side stage (held on the black tarmac), where they politely churned out music for kids in black to swoon to, while those in strappy sandals swayed to the beat in awe. The delightfully sprightful (musically, anyway) Passion Pit, a five-piece from Massachusetts, kept the indie love going with their cinematic soundscapes, which soundtracked the increasing afternoon heat and stunning summer rays. And as the temperature rose, so did the intensity of the bands. Chino Moreno’s Sacramento metal-heads the Deftones slammed themselves on to the stage and whipped through a hit laden set – including the fave “Change,” that stirred up the revelers.

As day turned into evening, the main stage welcomed Austin’s steady rocking Spoon and a rip-roaring Paramore, whose singer, Hayley Williams, showed off the commanding energy of a ‘90s-era Gwen Stefani of No Doubt. While Gwen wasn’t around to catch that set (although a lookalike was backstage with a baby), her bandmate Tony Kanal was spotted in the VIP area, as were stars including “Hills” beauty Audrina Patridge and actor Emile Hirsch.

And then there was Devo. Engaging and enthralling, the band, which formed in the ‘70s, hit the stage in gray uniforms and gray masks, and despite the wear a body goes through in four decades of rock ‘n’ roll, they performed like animals. There were dances moves (lots of marching in place, actually), air guitar on the part of the keyboard-friendly members (Mark Mothersbaugh) and some ferocious groin thrusting (Jerry Casale) as they lit up the stage and the speakers with a slew of electrified tunes. A costume change – to black T-shirts and blue versions of their famous step-ladder hats — signaled their big set moment – performing the 30-year-old “Whip It,” which a scan of the crowd revealed tens of thousands shaking and shimmying to in utter delight.

But if it was a good old headbanging the crowd was after, they got it when the newly reunited Stone Temple Pilots took the stage after dark. The San Diego outfit, with singer Scott Weiland a rock deity in Cuban heels, a striped shirt and a vest, sounded as fresh as 1992, throwing out songs from across their career, including a host of “Core” hits. Bounding across the stage with his megaphone, the singer sucked in the crowd, who instantly forgot about his detour with Velvet Revolver and probably went home ready to dig out their old flannel.

With summer now here (even if not officially by the calendar) and those re-discovered woolen checkered and plaid shirts back in action, let’s just hope it’s a cool one.

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