A Disappointing AmsterJam '06

You know you're in trouble when the most exciting moment of a music festival featuring Busta Rhymes, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Foo Fighters takes place backstage. Such was the case at New York's second annual AmsterJam fest, which, despite a stellar lineup, experienced a disappointing turnout and by-the-book performances.

Clad in a yellow doo-rag and a T-shirt promoting his latest album, The Big Bang, rapper Busta Rhymes put on an energetic, attitude-filled set, flirting with the ladies in the front row before he spat out his 1997 hit "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See." The song proved oddly foreboding: After his performance, the NYPD whisked Rhymes away on third-degree assault charges and possible felony weapons-possessions charges stemming from an August 12th incident.

Other headliners' performances were formidable without being adventurous. Raindrops began to fall during LL Cool J's early evening set, during which he (rather predictably) lived up to his "Ladies Love Cool James" moniker, doffing his jersey and throwing red roses into the crowd. Reggaeton star Tego Calderon joined him onstage and hogged the mike on a collaboration of LL's "Doin' It."

Despite the bevy of barely-clad fly girls dancing in the background, Calderon's own set failed to hold the crowd's attention, and much of the audience dispersed to check out the action on the second stage.