In one of its few 2006 performances, Incubus [ tickets ] showcased songs from its forthcoming album during a headlining performance Saturday (9/29) at Phoenix-area radio station KEDJ's Edgefest at Tempe Town Lake, Tempe, AZ--and the crowd ate it up.

"Do you mind if we play a few new songs? We'll play them amongst the songs you know," singer Brandon Boyd said.

Fans moshed and pogo-ed along to songs such as "Anna Molly," which, in Incubus' trademark fashion, slowly builds up to a roaring, melodic chorus, and "A Kiss to Send Us Off," with its twinkling guitars and energizing chorus.

Although Calabasas, CA's Incubus spent most of the year out of the stage's spotlight, the band nary missed a step during its hit-packed performance. Boyd's soaring vocals were at their best.

The group, which releases the new set "Light Grenades" in November, kicked off its 80-minute set with a rousing rendition of "Megalomaniac." After guitarist Mike Einziger's U2-like licks, Boyd jerked around the stage each time he sang the line "step down."

"I Wish You Were Here" followed closely on the heels of "Megalomaniac," which intensified the mosh pit within the mostly college crowd of 30,000. During "Nice to Know You," fans sang along to the chorus of "goodbye/nice to know you" and punched their fists in the air.

The band's rendition of "Warning" was stellar. Stripped down to a white-ribbed tank top and baggy pants, Boyd raised his hand like a preacher blessing his minions when he sang "She woke up in the morning."

There was only one downside to Incubus' performance: "Behind the Wheel" was plagued by bass feedback. However, Incubus added an a cappella vocal segment that far outweighed the feedback. Boyd and other band members joined forces to sing "take the wheel and drive" repeatedly until it eventually faded out. The segment aptly showcased the band's tight vocal harmonies, an unexplored aspect of Incubus that would serve them well on future releases.

Before Incubus took the stage, Dirtyheads, A Change of Pace, Sparta, She Wants Revenge, Jack's Mannequin, Authority Zero, 30 Seconds to Mars and Rise Against all turned in strong sets.

Rise Against unleashed an aggressive, 45-minute performance that served as one of the last shows on the band's current tour. The group ripped through songs such as "Ready to Fall," from its 2006 album "The Sufferer and The Witness," but eschewed its melancholy, out of character hit "Swing Life Away."

The group's set began when actor Jared Leto, dressed all in white and wearing a mask, ran on stage to join his 30 Seconds to Mars bandmates with a large white flag emblazoned with the band's logo. As he pulled up his mask, female fans, many of whom were wearing a mask similar to his, went wild. Wrapping up "A Beautiful Lie," Leto flashed a wide grin and said, "It's so nice to see you beautiful people again."