Offspring, silverchair Leave Controversial Songs Off Setlists Absent from rock bands' sets at Hard Rock RockFest '99 are tunes whose lyrics were cited for violence by religious and civic protesters.

Correspondent Lang Whitaker reports:

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Rather than taking an in-your-face posture with local protesters, the Offspring and silverchair chose not to play songs deemed dangerously violent by a group of civic and religious leaders Saturday at the Hard Rock RockFest '99.

A group calling itself Be Level-headed -- a play on the title of an Offspring song, Beheaded (RealAudio excerpt), which the group said it found particularly offensive -- formed in May to seek cancellation of Saturday's concert. Certain songs by artists on the bill, including the Offspring, silverchair and Better Than Ezra, could inspire young concert-goers to commit acts of violence, the organization claimed.

One of the songs targeted was silverchair's Suicidal Dream . "[The song] is about teenage suicide," silverchair singer Daniel Johns said before his band took the stage midway through the all-day show at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "It's not telling people to go out and do it. It's just about what people must go through when they're going to commit suicide during their teenage years."

Nonetheless, the Australian rock group didn't play that song or Israel's Son, another song from silverchair's 1995 debut, Frogstomp, whose lyrics came under fire by Be Level-headed and which venue officials asked them not to play.

"[The protest] doesn't bother us at all," Johns said. "They are just trying to get as much publicity for their cause as possible so they can make more money for their organized religion, I guess."

The Offspring, who also were targeted for the song Cool to Hate, declined to talk to reporters Saturday.

A few blocks away, fewer than 100 people milled around, praying and talking, as part of a protest against the all-day rock show. Christian music played over a stereo system.

Protest organizers cited two recent high-school shootings -- a deadly incident in Littleton, Colo., that claimed 15 victims and one a month later in Conyers, Ga., in which six students were wounded -- as examples of the effect rock lyrics could have on teenagers.

Brad Bernall, whose daughter Cassie was killed in Littleton, sent a letter to be read at the event. "Lyrics that promote death, despair and degradation are harmful to your soul," the letter read. "You will find this to be more true as your life goes on."

Youth minister Tim Bach, 26, helped organize the protest at North Forty Park in Griffin. "This has been a good day for us to come together," he said. "We got Coca-Cola and Kroger to make some donations to a few charities."

Meanwhile, 127,000 fans were partying at the RockFest, which also included Live, Third Eye Blind, Sugar Ray, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Everlast, Eve 6, Better Than Ezra and Marvelous 3. There was also a 40-foot-high Ferris wheel, a Sony PlayStation bus and other attractions.

While the fans sweated, doffed their clothes and sought relief at one of the speedway's several first-aid stations, silverchair played an intense set, marked by Johns' brooding, growling vocal style.

The Offspring, who headlined the 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. event, included their hits Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) and Why Don't You Get a Job in their energetic set.

Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath made several efforts to dive into the throng of people. After his set, he explained, "We've always tried to involve the fans in our show, so I figured what the hell. Besides, I'm pretty drunk right now."

Backstage, several performers condemned the protest. "People try to read messages into the music, and that's really going too far," Everlast said shortly before he took the stage.

"It's crazy that people are protesting, man," Mighty Mighty Bosstones singer Dicky Barrett said. "To protest the song lyrics, that's really getting picky, like you're just looking for someone to blame. It's just music, dude. Take it for what it's worth."