Bad Religion (Photo by Alex Rauch)

[photogallerylink id=115935 align=left] One of Los Angeles and Orange County’s most iconic and long-standing music festivals, KROQ’s Weenie Roast is not only known to Southern California residents as a celebration of the beginning of summer, but it’s also renowned for bringing together amazing musicians in an intimate festival-like setting.

While the mood is set impressively with the backyard/summer party vibe, the plentiful booze, the pretty rock girls, and the eclectic showing of interesting vendors, the real magic of Weenie Roast is in the music.

Photo by Alex Rauch

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Perched like a faraway jewel on a hillside parking lot about a half mile away from the Verizon Wireless Main Stage, the Bud Light Side Stage is a novel idea incorporating two stages side-by-side with bands switching off so there is no changeover time.

Sweltering heat and the screaming, standing-only audience evoke an authentic festival energy–especially because many of the bands that play the side stage are these soon-to-be discovered treasures by much of the audience. As a music critic, the really interesting performances come from the smaller bands trying to carve out their sonic identities to fresh ears.

For those who hadn’t heard some of the Bud Light Side Stage bands before, such as a girl who exclaimed to her friend that she didn’t “know any of the bands, but was open-minded,” they were left with a strong showing of energetic, innovative performances.