"Festivals are a little tired, and so are radio station concerts," says Marc Geiger, of the Web site Artist Direct and one of the co-founders of Lollapalooza. "They need something more." Geiger and Artist Direct, along with Los Angeles radio station Star 98.7, decided that something more would be the first annual "Fan Nation" concert, an all-day show featuring the Wallflowers , Counting Crows, the Go-Go's, Third Eye Blind , Eve 6, Uncle Kracker and late addition Billy Idol , held Sunday at Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, California. What made Fan Nation special was the premise. Billed as, "The show where everyone gets a backstage pass," the gig featured a series of interactive events (including artist autograph sessions, Q&A fan conferences and an acoustic set from Uncle Kracker) ala Nashville's highly successful Fan Fair.

Now it's very easy to get jaded about shows like this one, especially when you live in a city like L.A., where it seems there's a different festival every weekend throughout the summer. The weekend prior to Fan Nation was Coachella, and next weekend is Rockers for Botswanni Relief, featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash & Bono (not really, but you get the idea). But, darnit, Artist Direct pulled this one off. Sure there were a few glitches, including utter chaos in the beginning, where people ran around backstage like someone was giving away Lakers' playoff tickets, and some sound snafus, most notably during Counting Crows' set and Third Eye Blind's clinic on arena rock posturing.

And one of the major problems is that promoters seemingly don't comprehend the "less is more" adage. That the Wallflowers are signing autographs while the Go-Go's are onstage and Counting Crows are answering fans' questions is impressive, but why must every festival come with a series of choices that would make Kierkegaard head hurt? And while we're on the subject of philosophy, here's one: If everyone gets a backstage pass, why did you need VIP stickers to get backstage?

Despite these rough edges, the show worked -- largely because of the fans, and a few stellar sets. Thrilled with the prospects of meeting their heroes, fans lined up hundreds deep to have Billy Idol or the Wallflowers sign a shirt, a pass, a ticket, or something else -- both Uncle Kracker and Eve 6's Tony Fagenson said they were asked to sign flesh in an area that normally is covered. Attendees used the Go-Go's fan conference as an opportunity to tell the band multiple times how they had grown up with the group's music, while those at the Counting Crows' fan Q&A shrilled with every word.

And then there was the music. The themes of the day were definitely "Be loose" and "Be sedated." In tributes to late Ramones singer Joey Ramone, both Counting Crows and Third Eye Blind did versions of "I Wanna Be Sedated," albeit very differently. Incorporating the song into "Round Here," Durtiz turned the number into a quiet, solemn pain of anguish. He blended the two refrains at the end for one of the day's highlights. The Crows also paid tribute to Bruce Springsteen by slipping "Thunder Road" into the middle of "The Rain King."

Covers were also a theme of the day, as the Wallflowers played David Bowie's "Heroes" (this time with help from Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins), Blur 's "Song 2," and the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again." In the spirit of interaction, Duritz joined the Wallflowers for their "6th Avenue Heartache," while Eve 6's Max Collins lent his pipes to Third Eye Blind's cover of the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go."

The stars of the day though were a couple of veterans who stuck to their own tunes. Mixing hits like "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Vacation" and "We Got the Beat" with such new songs as "Stuck in my Car" and "Apology," the Go-Go's showed off their sizable pop/punk hooks. Bounding on stage with wit and energy (not easy in ninety-plus degree heat), the band was superb.

As was Billy Idol, who dove as far back as Generation X, with "Ready, Steady, Go," for his forty-minute set. Playing such classics as "White Wedding," "Dancing With Myself," "Flesh for Fantasy" and "Cradle of Love," Idol -- aided by the always-capable Steve Stevens on guitar -- displayed the same energy and enthusiasm as the Go-Go's. And by softening "Rebel Yell" into a near-acoustic track, Idol that proved he too can change speeds.

That the Go-Go's and Idol, two acts who've had their Behind the Music stories aired publicly, got the chance to shine again in such a large setting was one of the primary ways Fan Nation made fans smile. For another, ask Tamara Cooksey, an Oklahoma woman whose boyfriend brought her out to L.A. to see and meet Uncle Kracker. Still glowing from meeting the Detroit DJ and his band, Cooksey showed off her signed ticket, bragged about getting two full rolls of pictures with the band, and talked about how sweet he was by taking the time to talk to her. Little wonder then that Kracker, Jenkins, Fagenson and the Go-Go's Jane Wiedlin all said roughly the same thing when asked why they wanted to participate in this show: "For the fans."

STEVE BALTIN
(May 7, 2001)