No surprises on opening night of the Basilica Block Party opener. The beer flowed. The crowd of 13,000 didn't, at least not in the assorted bottleneck areas. Over by the Sun Country big stage, audience members mostly only paid attention to the songs they know off the radio by Weezer, Eric Hutchinson and One eskimO. At the smaller M&Ms churchside stage, fans were much more attentive listening to the less commercial/airplayed artists Spoon, Grace Potter and Rogue Valley. This has been the case the last several years there. I'm starting to get déjà vu at these things, and not just because Cities 97's Greg Burke always offers me a beer while I'm trying to file my story for the print edition (accompanied by a photo gallery online). Here's a rundown of what I caught on both sides of the pews -- obviously not entire sets by any of the bands, what with all the running back and forth.

Weezer's set: As silly and jovial as their last show in town at Xcel Energy Center in 2008. The difference this time was the addition of L.A. vet Josh Freese on drums (from the Vandals, Guns 'N Roses v.2.0, some Paul Westerberg tours, Devo's new album). Freese's presence allowed original drummer Patrick Wilson to play guitar and adding a little extra punch and punkiness to tunes like "Pork and Beans," the riotous new single "Tripping Down the Freeway" and the finale "Buddy Holly." Best crowd shout-out: "This one goes out to the people in the portopots." So yelled Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo as his band started up its rousing romp "Troublemaker" two songs into its set, following the irresistible opener "Hash Pipe" and a Spinal Tap-ian prog-metal instrumental intro – a really great start all-around by the band.

Spoon's set: Not as steamy and climactic as their First Ave shows in April, this one emphasized the moodier aspects of the Texas quartet. Songs such as the snide opener "Don't You Evah," "Don't Make Me a Target" and the encore gem "The Beast and Dragon Adored" even sounded sort of creepy with the band surrounded by a faux-candlelit stage and religious symbols galore. "I Summon You" and "Written in Reverse" just plain rocked, though. Star-making performance: Vermont rock howler Grace Potter, 26, turned a few people off with her far-reaching, powerhouse, Janis-meets-Alanis voice, and indeed a few times it seemed like she was doing vocal acrobats just to do them. But mostly she turned heads. Some of her best singing came when she slowed down and played organ for the mellower, soul-stirring "Apologies." The cover songs: Potter covered Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit." Weezer did a better version of "Kids" than MGMT did at Rock the Garden last month. And Spoon delighted maybe four or five audience members by reviving Wolf Parade's "Modern World." Absolute worst song of the day (year? decade?): I've always thought Weezer's "Undone (the Sweater Song)," which they played third, is a dumb one. But One eskimO's "Kandi" sounded jaw-droppingly inane in concert, the one that repeats, "I love you baby, baby, baby," about 480 times. I can handle "baby, baby" refrains if the songs are catchy and fun, but this one is drab and sour and musically basic, as were the four other songs I caught by the hippie-soul-wannabe London band. Is he a novelty act?: The Jason Mraz-like, be-bopping acoustic/piano popster Eric Hutchison has a great voice and a sturdy band. But the D.C.-bred singer – who returns to town Aug. 6 for the Macy's Glamorama -- tried too hard to be Mr. Wacky. He should've left the quips up to Barenaked Ladies. The worst was his mocking run-through of a Jack Johnson concert. Not that the charitable Mr. Johnson is untouchable, Hutchinson's spoof of him just wasn't funny. He did eventually drum up a pretty serious singalong with his own song, "Rock and Roll," though. Best idea for the future of rock 'n' roll: Playing under a gorgeous sunny sky just after 6 p.m. with his band Rogue Valley, Minneapolis-via-Portland, Ore. singer/songwriter Chris Koza thought out loud, "I wish I had a solar-powered guitar." Koza & Co. pretty well played their first Rogue Valley album straight through, and while the songs have a serene, nighttimey, moonlit charm, they still sounded great in the bright daylight.