On Sept. 22 Charlotte played host to the eighth annual End of Summer Weenie Roast, a multi-act concert sponsored by 106.5 FM, WEND, The End.

My friend and I made it to the all-day affair, originally only interested in Nickelback. We found ourselves pleasantly surprised by many of the other acts. The line up of the show was gradually revealed throughout August, but several performers were added at the last minute, later in September.

These additions included bands One Year Later, Karma, Gruv Union, Ultracyde and Sick Speed, who opened the show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I found my 11th-row seats just in time to see the day's first main stage band, SR-71. The group played mostly new music off of their much-awaited album, Tomorrow, hitting stores Oct. 22. With all four band members' flashy smiles simply adorable, they really had the girls' attention. I felt they "brought it all together" as lead singer Mitch Allan said with their newest hit, "Right Now."

Filter took the stage next. I thought they put on a decent show. They were by far the most patriotic and crowd-oriented, but a lot of their music was unfamiliar and a little too hard for my liking. Filter's lead singer Richard Patrick was the most animated of all the Weenie Roast vocalists. Wearing an American flag and a cowboy hat the entire show, he surely felt at home in Tarheel country.

My personal favorite of the evening though, was Our Lady Peace, who arrived onstage around 8 p.m. They were the other headliners of the Weenie Roast. The band's set featured a lot of their older songs including, "Superman," and "Clumsy"; but the bulk of their act was based upon their newest release, Gravity. If you haven't seen Our Lady Peace live, you're missing out. They sound even better in person both vocally and instrumentally.

Default hit the stage that night as well. You may know them from the single "Wasting Time," or from videos featuring lead singer Dallas Smith in leather pants. A four-piece from Vancouver, Canada, Default played derivative hard rock, but not as powerfully as other acts.

In between shows there were 20- to 30-minute "walk breaks" where we ambled around Verizon Wireless Ampitheater, taking in all of the Weenie Roast ambience. Highlights were barbecues, beer trucks, jewelry and clothing sales, and last but not least body piercing/tattoo shows. We saw several piercings in action, including chin, nose, lip and tongue. As the tent's owner explained of his body ornamentation, "This is just part of the rock world. Pain is a tradition."

At 9:55 p.m. Nickelback was scheduled to take the stage. With anticipation high, the lawn crowd began pushing forward, creating mosh pits that the security couldn't handle. Nickelback exploded onstage with incredible special effects and volume. The four-man band, also from Vancouver, came off like hard-rockers Creed, only without the religious undertones and a bigger, catchier sound. Their set included "Woke Up This Morning," "Breathe," "Hollywood," "Never Again," "Where Do I Hide," "Too Bad," "Hero" and "How You Remind Me." They also performed some of their new and unrecorded work including a song called "Where Do." Nickelback disproved their hard-rock reputation that night with their melodic tunes rather than angst.

My fourth Weenie Roast experience was a great one; the lineups seem to get better each year. If you're are a fan of alterna-rock bands, piercings, tattoos, beer, or any combination thereof, mark next September on your calendar; 106.5's throwing a party you don't want to miss.