By Michael Lopez
Providing the fans with a much-needed changeup, Airborne Toxic Event descended on the SRP Stage to play their unique brand of alt rock. Featuring a female violin player at Edgefest is a bold move, but the band was able to pull it off quite smoothly. Those few fans that took the set in – an unfortunately low number – were treated to a smooth and effortless set.
Taking the set in from behind the band, I was able to see over the crowd and watch those hardcore fans sing all the lyrics, word for word. The mellow set was a refreshing change of pace, because Authority Zero absolutely tore up the place the set before, sending the moshers in to a circular frenzy (see video). Hell, the bass player for Airborne even pulled out a horsehair to play with, something that struck me as odd, yet it was something that I very much enjoyed.
After Airbone’s set, I was lucky enough to shake the lead singer’s hand, something I told myself I was going to do while watching him absolutely belt it out to his fans. It’s a relaxed atmosphere here at Schnepf Farms. Even someone like me was able to get a quick chat in with the lead singer of The Kooks, thanking him for making the trek out here to Queen Creek. He was as gracious and as properly British as I could imagine, and our meeting left me a little star struck and feeling like one of his biggest fans.
