Edgefest 04 at Mt Smart Supertop

By RITA STEEL

A younger, shorter and much more commercial version of the Big Day Out, Edgefest 04 attracted thousands of teens to hear 12 radio-friendly acts rock it up under the Mt Smart Supertop.

Jamelia was one of the feature performers. Her distinctly British r'n'b brought an air of pop to the event, as she was squeezed between rock acts Steriogram and American punk band Yellowcard.

Scribe proudly represented New Zealand's burgeoning hip-hop movement and was proclaimed by many to be the highlight of the day.

Seasoned New Zealand act the feelers validated their position as a well-established band, drawing the crowd into the tent despite their less-than-perfect sound - what happened to the bass?

Surprisingly it was the relatively lesser-known bands who were the stand-out acts. These included Elemeno P, who took stage performance to a new level, and West Auckland band Blindspott, who were obviously influenced by their stadium shows throughout Asia.

Headlining the festival, American band Alien Ant Farm, dogged by bad fortune over the past year, played their new single Blow to a packed-out Supertop with hardly a single soul outside.

Closing band Pacifier played to a crowd so young one had to wonder if any of them would know who Shihad were.

A great introduction to festivals, it is clear that Edgefest will have a future as an annual event in Auckland.

It's an affordable way to see some top-quality acts. If you sent your kids along, maybe next year you should join them.