Billy Talent performs at the Molson Amphitheatre on July 13, 2007. (Toronto Sun/Ernest Doroszuk)

TORONTO - At an Edgefest concert at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre in 2004, Good Charlotte headlined the show but Billy Talent and Alexisonfire definitely stole the show. Last night at the same nearly sold-out venue, that energy, passion and drive ensured that they wouldn't be upstaged.

The two bands put on a show where each group gave it their all, resulting in what can only be described as a draw.

With a near-capacity horde of teens and twentysomethings worked up following Alexisonfire, Billy Talent opened its set with This is How it Goes from the band's 2003 self-titled debut.

The four-piece band, led by the frenzied and at times manic Ben Kowalewicz, dove headlong into a set that caused a lot of fans on the floor to dive headlong into a growing mosh pit.

After tearing through Devil in a Midnight Mass, one of the favourites off the latest album Billy Talent II, Kowalewicz proclaimed this night to be the band's version of Canada Day. From there, the energy never faltered during the punk-ish This Suffering with guitarist Ian D'Sa and bassist Jon Gallant propelling the tune along.

It was also here where both Billy Talent and Alexisonfire showed their admiration for each other, with Kowalewicz proclaiming Alexisonfire to be the "best band in the world" prior to the melodic but brawny The Navy Song.

While the hard, crunchy rock songs would probably stand up on their own, Billy Talent thrives on energy which the crowd supplied in abundance during The Ex and Worker Bees, the latter sarcastically dedicated to Stephen Harper.

Although the band tossed in old songs, a good portion of the set was new material including Surrender which had a guest appearance by Alexisonfire guitarist Dallas Green. Other new tunes included the rather poppy Where is ihe Line?, Sympathy and Pins and Needles.

But perhaps the biggest response of the evening was midway through the set when the band tossed out River Below, with everyone going just a bit nuttier than before.

Meanwhile, Alexisonfire didn't embarrass themselves either. The band's roughly hour-long set had them running through several hits including This Could be Anywhere in the World. The song also demonstrated the band's strengths in the dual vocals of Dallas Green and lead singer/screamer George Pettit.

Pettit, who effortlessly snatched a sneaker tossed at him during the song, shrieked and screamed during songs such as Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints and the "barnburner" We are the Sound.

Like Billy Talent, Alexisonfire could easily be described as frantic, frenzied and manic during songs like We are the End, .44 Caliber Love Letter and Accidents. When your drummer could be deemed the least active of all the band members, well you don't really need Red Bull to get you through the show.

Earlier in the evening, Cancer Bats delivered a good screamo-tinged set. Meanwhile Attack In Black and Die Mannequin greeted the crowd with more straightforward rock and roll.