River Riot 2007 gets bigger, better in third year

July 21 arrived partly cloudy and cool but that was just fine with the nearly 16,000 fans packing the grounds at Westfair Amphitheatre in Council Bluffs for the third annual River Riot, sponsored by Iowa Western Community College's 89.7 The River. Though not as blisteringly hot as last year's fest, Saturday's sold-out show reached a decent temperature of 84 degrees.

The day began with two up-and-coming bands: Simon Dawes at 2 p.m. and The Exies at 3 p.m.

Fuel was next in line with a rock out performance, playing hits like "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" and "Won't Back Down." It was a job well done getting the crowd pumped and ready for Buckcherry, who caused chaos in the crowd singing their famous single "Crazy Bitch" as well as other hits.

The pit of fans reached a crowd-surfing height during Papa Roach, who came on after Buckcherry. Lead singer Jacoby Shaddix repeatedly thanked the "crazy awesome crowd" who, according to him, are some of the best people out there.

Fans moshed to hits like "Last Resort," "Getting Away with Murder," "Scars," "To Be Loved" and "Forever." Papa Roach also surprised the crowd when Hinder's lead singer joined the band during a song.

Hinder's chance to shine came after Papa Roach. But if you are a fan of the lead singer's raspy singing voice, it wouldn't have pleased you to hear his live, screaming raspy voice. When he wasn't singing, he could be heard rasping various things to the crowd, which sounded completely muffled. The band made their way through various overplayed hits like "Lips of an Angel" and "Better Than Me."

One positive aspect of their performance was the crowd involvement in the song "Get Stoned."

Incubus' performance was, by far, the most anticipated event of the evening. When the band came out at 9:30 p.m., the crowd had reached a huge number compared to previous hours. Everyone, it seemed, had come to catch a glimpse of this well-established group.

Playing hits like "Dig," "Anna Molly," and "Oil and Water" from their newest album, Light Grenades to "Vitamin" from their early album S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Incubus was an instant crowd pleaser. Lead singer Brandon Boyd addressed the crowd often as "boys and girls" and thanked everyone for coming out.

They ended the evening bravely - playing the almost eight minute song off their 2001 album Morning View. The track, "Aqueous Transmission," is known for its soothing sound and peaceful elements. The last minute of the song iscomprised entirely of frogs and crickets, which was perfect for the outdoor environment.

While it may not have been the traditional way to end a hard rock concert, they pulled it off effortlessly. It wasn't so bad leaving the concert, hearing frogs and crickets all around you. It may have even put many in a state of euphoria, making the couple of hours getting out of the fair grounds seem completely blas.