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Rock returns: The 5 most surprising things at Edgefest 26

If there's one music festival that stands out to North Texas, it's Edgefest. A staple of the ever-changing rock scene, Edgefest is a safe haven for those in and outside the mainstream looking to jam out for a day of great music, fest food and an experience few large festivals can compare to: it's comfy. My first Edgefest was in 2007. When was yours?

This year's Edgefest was a little different, if only in terms of its lineup. Headlined by Cage the Elephant, The 1975, Good Charlotte and more, this year's Edgefest signaled a changing of the times, but one we're more than happy to hop to.

The festival as a whole was pretty cohesive, but here's what you really missed out on:

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The Struts, well, in general

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Back in December, during How the Edge Stole Christmas, I wasn't sold on The Struts. They were flashy, Queen-lookalikes on a small stage. But man, was I very, very wrong. The Struts were meant to play the fest stage, dominating the energy, controlling the crowd, and looking darn good while doing it.

As the KDGE announcer described them, The Struts are "Queen in their 20s." And I'm more than happy to agree to that. If you get a chance to catch them on the circuit, take it. You won't be disappointed.

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Standout tracks: "Everybody Wants," Could Have Been Me"

Blue October's new sound

Blue October wss at one of the first Edgefest's I had ever been to, and I was a big fan. "Into The Ocean" was that song you'd play while sitting in the backseat of your parents' car, nodding your head along as the world passed by. Yeah, I know that sounded lame, but it's true.

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So it was nice to see them back this year. And sure, they played that song, "Hate Me" and "Say It," but the real surprise was when the broke out some songs from the newest album, Home, which just released last month.

It's not a hard rock album, opting instead for an alternative sound that reminded me of a darker version of Train. And that's not a bad thing. Plus, lead singer Justin Furstenfeld knows how to command a stage, and his voice probably doesn't need a microphone. It's booming, and a joy to listen to.

Standout tracks: "Hate Me," "Into The Ocean" (Secretly bummed "Dirt Room" didn't make an appearance)

Good Charlotte's return to the stage

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I remember blasting "The Anthem" on the blue iMacs in middle school. Yeah, that might make you feel old, but it also makes me feel old. When Good Charlotte took the stage after almost a five year hiatus, there was not one soul on the ground when "The Anthem" started. The boys still got it.

"You guys ever been to a pop punk show?" That was the theme of the set, as the band carried the crowd through hits like "I Just Wanna Live" and "The Young & The Hopeless" but even touched on later stuff, like "The River" and "Dance Floor Anthem."

Oh, and GC played some stuff from its upcoming album, set for release in rely. Spoilers: It was actually pretty solid, and extremely self aware. One of the songs, "40 ounce dream," touched on the fact that it's not 2003 anymore. Bummer.

Standout tracks: "I Just Wanna Live," "Dance Floor Anthem" and "Lifestyles of the Rich & The Famous"

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The 1975's light show

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When the sun goes down, sometimes a bands true nature is told only by way of its light show. And man, The 1975 delivered on that front. Four rectangular structures and backdrop projected colors throughout the performance, changing with each song, painting skylines and skies and creating the perfect scene for the band's groovy new sound.

While I'm not personally invested in The 1975, it's easy to see why others are. Members of the crows screamed, cried and danced as lead singer Matty Healy commanded the mic, sounding pitch perfect to every song on the list.

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The 1975 is a can't miss band.

Standout tracks: "Girls," "Chocolate"

The crowd

Always my favorite part, and oddly enough, always the most surprising. There are times when the crowd was weak, not really getting into the music of the day. This kind of thing was evident for a lot of opening acts, like The Strumbrellas or JR JR, though each band performed wonderfully.

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Then once The Struts took the main stage, the tone was set. For CHVRCHES and Silversun Pickups, the diehard fans screamed, chanted and sang along with each song. The best crowds, though, were for The 1975 and Good Charlotte.

During the GC show, as said before, no one was left on their feet. They all lost their voices screaming "I don't wanna be in love / I don't wanna be in love" and didn't reel in until the last song ended. Oh, and the mosh pits. Good Charlotte was the first set of the day where I saw both moshing and crowd-surfing.

And of course, the deafening shouts of The 1975 fans. Absolutely fantastic.