FEATURE
In the thick of the summer heat the Vans Warped Tour will once again storm Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on July 30, bringing new and seasoned bands alike to perform in one place.
Last year saw a plethora of older bands like Sum 41, Reel Big Fish, and Face to Face hitting the road with the tour after years of doing their own headliners. This year, it’s a little more of the same as groups like Pepper, The Expendables, Relient K, and Simple Plan are on the tour for the entire summer.
“There’s a whole lineup out there that [older fans] might enjoy,” said Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman in an interview with Billboard.com. “They’ll be like, ‘Wow, Warped Tour might be for me this year.'”
Simple Plan hasn’t been on the tour in six years, but they are making a comeback attempt with their new album Get Your Heart On!, which was released in June and features collaborations with artists like Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, and Natasha Bedingfield.
Warped Tour veterans Less than Jake will be one of the headlining bands alongside groups like A Day to Remember, Paramore, and 3OH!3.
But if there is one thing the Warped Tour is known for the most, it’s the unforgiving heat and tightly packed crowds. By the end of the summer, an estimated 580,000 people will have attended the show.
“I think you need to have that experience of sweating your ass off,” said Lyman. “And the social experience you’ll never replace. You’ll never replace music.”
With so many bands playing at the same time on different stages, it’s impossible to see every single one. So to help you narrow down the list of mustsee bands, here are the UP’s seven Warped Tour newbie bands worth a listen:
Abandon All Ships
Hardcore
Straight out of Toronto, Ontario this hardcore band features a mix of nu-metal riffs and
electronic breakdowns similar to those of headline band Attack Attack! What makes Abandon All Ships stand out is their heavy use of Auto-Tune vocals and Euro dance beats. AAS will be playing on the Advent Clothing Stage.
Electric Touch
Alternative, pop
Hailing from Austin, Texas, Electric Touch is a laid-back band with a similar sound to bands like The Killers and Kings of Leon. They are the perfect band to take a relaxing break from the heart-pounding metal music and enjoy some catchy alternative rock. Electric Touch will be playing on the Kia Kevin Says Stage.
Terrible Things
Rock, modern rock
This is a pop rock band from West Chester, Penn., composed of members from the bands Taking Back Sunday, and Coheed and Cambria. The band’s 2010 debut album appeared at No. 25 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. You can catch Terrible Things playing on the Ernie Ball Stage.
The Exposed
Punk, ska
Streetlight Manifesto won’t be making an appearance on the tour this year. So instead, you can get your ska fix with The Exposed, a punk rock ska band straight from England. According to their profile on the Warped Tour website, The Exposed are known as one of the most energetic live bands in the UK. What this means for you: lots of sweat. You can catch them playing on the Kia Kevin Says Stage.
Big Chocolate
Electro, dubstep
It’s not new to introduce an electro-based band on the tour, but having a dubstep DJ perform is a first. Big Chocolate has toured alongside nu-metal bands like In Fear and Faith and has even remixed songs for bands such as Asking Alexandria and Suicide Silence. If you’ve never listened to dubstep, it can be just as intense as a hardcore band. This is a performance you won’t want to pass up. You can see Big Chocolate spin on the Skullcandy Stage. (Ironic?)
The Menzingers
Punk, rock
Not too many punk bands are known for coming out of Scranton, Penn., but The Menzingers are among the few. In 2010
Alternative Press magazine labeled them one of the “Bands You Need to Know.” The Menzingers are more than just a punk band, as they mix sounds of punk, hardcore and even folk. You can see the Menzingers on the Kia Kevin Says Stage.
Larry and His Flask
Folk punk, bluegrass
Formed in 2003 in Oregon, Larry and His Flask is a unique addition to the Warped lineup. Mixing folk and bluegrass with a punk sound makes their music fun and crowd-surfworthy. There aren’t many chances to mosh at a bluegrass concert, so this is definitely a band you don’t want to miss. You can catch Larry and His Flask jamming out on the Ernie Ball Stage.
