Nearly 14,000 youngsters have a good time for the entire eight hours of the city’s biggest rock concert last week.

Heavy rain, a late start and the odd scuffle failed to dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm at Rock Show III in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tao Dan Park last Sunday.

The faulty sound system, poor lighting and rank amateurism of the vocalists didn’t seem to matter either.

Tension built up as rain delayed the opening act for a full hour and the crowd erupted when Deep Blue Sea finally took the stage at four o’clock.

They were followed in short order by Nopear and Cuoc Song (Life), selected like Deep Blue Sea and all the other bands through Honda Vietnam’s online popularity poll Be U-nik.

In all, a score of acts from north and south played before the clamorous crowd, among them Prophecy, Negative, Atmosphere, Sagometal, God Father, Ngu Cung, Recycle, Black Infinitive, and Silent.

Only the popular HCMC band Microwave failed to show up.

The free show was like a roller-coaster that took the boisterous fans on the ride of their lives.

Some of the most memorable images, apart from the bands onstage, were of the concertgoers bringing bags and bags of cooking and drink.

Though rock music was once thought of as a rebellious “social-evil” in Vietnam, the show revealed that it’s now clearly more than a passing fad.

Rocker Nguyen Dat, a former member of Da Vang, said fans loved rock music because it was “like a wave” full of “ups and downs.”

“The vitality of rock is strong and latent,” he said. “It could surprise us at anytime.”

In the spirit of Woodstock, the late sixties’ music festival billed as an “Aquarian Exposition: Three Days of Peace and Music,” Rock Show III enticed everyone to stay until the last note.

And, better than Woodstock, the show was entirely free.

The event’s promoters – HCMC’s Light Music Center, Saigon Rock Club and Honda Vietnam – likened the concert to a “thrilling, high-energy experience for the nation’s rock followers.”

Masses of people letting rip with their emotions made hard work for the 140-strong security force.

Nothing serious occurred but there was a minor scuffle when Titanium’s frenetic fans demanded an encore to the band’s three-number set.

There were a few other minuses that evening, but privation it was not.

Still, the more stalwart rock enthusiasts were left longing for a professional show with veteran musicians and state-of-the-art sound and lighting.

Reported by Nguyen Van