Inland Empires fans showed up in droves to The Front Bottoms' show, which belonged as much to the crowd as it did to the three acts on stage. New Jersey rapper GDP got the crowd warmed up and waving their arms, and Foxy Shazam took the show out into the crowd as they became makeshift keyboard stands, and The Front Bottoms hosted a sing along with the crowd through their performance. The musical style shifted wildly for each set at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 24, but the crowd made it clear they had come for the ride.

Opening acts tend to have to play to a minimal crowd, many of whom are still finding their way to the auditorium, but GDP walked out to an auditorium that was already bustling with energy and made good use of it. His performance was more low key than the frenetic ride Foxy Shazam would take us on, but the crowd happily waved their arms in the air with him as he played new tracks from his upcoming release "Cross of Matthew" and old favorites like Butter Scripts.

Between sets, the house speakers played The Cranberries' Linger, and the crowd seized the opportunity to have a sing-a-long of their own.

Foxy Shazam came out to a crowd with restless energy and gave them someplace to channel it as they launched into a set list featuring favorites like "Yes! Yes! Yes!", "Killin' It", and "The Rocketeer." The defining moment, however, wasn't what music was being played, but HOW the music was being played, as keyboardist Sky White took his massive keyboard, jumped off the stage, up on to the barrier rails, and turned the audience into keyboard stands while he leaning out over them to keep playing.

The band was just as animated onstage, playing around a tilted keyboard, with hair flying, fabulous poses, and the blare of a trumpet. Foxy Shazam bought the spectacle to the stage, and out to the audience.

With the floor of the Riverside Municipal Auditorium packed full of fans ready to sing, The Front Bottoms came out and gave them what they wanted, opening up with "Motorcycle." Signs, hands, and cell phones were all lifted up over the crowd, while the fans sung and screamed for their favorites. The New Jersey group, led by vocalist and guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Mat Uychich, joined by touring members Natalie Newbold on bass and Erik Romero on guitar, celebrated 11 years of its album Back on Top. Its set included "Cough it Out," "West Virgina," and "Plastic Flowers."

GDP came back out during "Historic Cemetary" to reprise his vocal contributions to that song and giving him another place in the night's story. The Front Bottoms may not have destroyed the stage like Foxy Shazam did, but that didn't mean the crowd had any less energy for them. The audience sang and danced through out the whole set while bright beams and haze created a dreamy ethereal like feeling with the band.

The Front Bottoms closed the main set with "Twin Size Mattress" and then returned to play three more songs, ending the night with "The Beers." In the end, the contrast among the acts had become the show's strength: GDP could lift the crowd with a gesture, Foxy Shazam could bring the crowd into the action, and The Front Bottoms could let the fans do what they ame do all along... sing.