TORONTO - The medical condition known as trench foot should never be uttered at a rock concert.
However, this year's Edgefest at the ridiculously soggy and muddy Downsview Park Saturday had many fans wondering if they were getting symptoms.
Thankfully, two of the better "bang for your buck" bands this country has to offer - headliner Billy Talent and Alexisonfire - made the conditions more tolerable.
With both groups set to release new studio albums within the coming weeks, it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test some new material to an eager crowd. And Billy Talent appeared to be a tad more willing to do so, delivering the somewhat slower, less frantic Rusted From The Rain as well as Saint Veronika from next month's III release.
Led by the crazed, high energy vocalist Ben Kowalewicz, Billy Talent ensured plenty of their hits were heard, starting with Devil In A Midnight Mass and the equally emo-meets-rock fervor for The Ex which caused some fist pumps from those in the front.
"Who gives a f--- if it's raining? We're here to have fun!" Kowalewicz said prior to This Suffering, later adding how it was a dream come true for the quartet to headline Edgefest.
Other highlights from the band included an early aggressive nugget in River Below, the relentless Line & Sinker and The Navy Song, a more melodic number the wet crowd soaked up.
Perhaps the one sticking point with the show was how Alexisonfire played it somewhat safe by doling out well-tested, scream-based hits from their past albums over its 45-minute set. Considering how the forthcoming album Old Crows/Young Cardinals sounds like a more refined rock record, a few more unknown tunes would've been welcomed.
Nonetheless, Alexisonfire shone during the strong No Rest and especially Young Cardinals with its rockabilly-leaning feel. Meanwhile lead singer/screamer George Pettit held his own on This Could Be Anywhere In The World, We Are The Sound and Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints.
"It feels like I'm playing to the cast of Mad Max," Pettit quipped early on. "You people are filthy."
Squeezed between both bands, and the lone American group on the main stage, AFI managed to make the most of its hour-long set despite showing a bit of rust in certain parts.
Opening with The Leaving Song Pt. II, AFI and their high kicking, constantly moving vocalist Davey Havok had more ups than downs with Kill Caustic and especially Miss Murder with its huge, Green Day-like sing-along chorus. Havok, who dodged a muddy flip flop tossed his way, even covered David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust quite nicely.
Earlier in the day, Metric won the crowd over with a dose of electro dance rock thanks to the aerobic workout tempos singer/keyboardist Emily Haines just can't get enough of. Whether it was Dead Disco, the lovely Gimme Sympathy and Sick Muse off the new album Fantasies or the guitar-driven Monster Hospital, Metric definitely didn't disappoint.
Hip-hop favourite K-os brought out some tracks from his new album Yes! such as Burning Bridges along with Sunday Morning. He even brought out Alexisonfire's Dallas Green to perform a bit of Man I Used To Be.
Earlier in the day, bands such as Montreal industrial-tinged band Beast and hardcore heavyweights Cancer Bats played brief but strong sets on the smaller second stage.
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Sun Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Edgefest
Downsview Park
Saturday
