Get warped: what it's all about
So you haven't heard of Tsunami Bomb or the Used? That's okay. With four stages and 50 bands, you're bound to find something you like. If you don't, head to the parents' tent for noise-proofed headphones.
By BRIAN ORLOFF
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 24, 2003
Having trouble selecting from the Vans Warped tour's 50 bands? Feeling terribly unhip because you recognize so few?
You're not alone.
Part of the annual Warped experience is the excitement of confronting the roster of performers. With four stages and various sporty attractions, the all-day festival promises endless stimulation.
A hallmark of the summer festival scene, the Vans Warped tour began in 1995, celebrating the skater-punk lifestyle with its insouciant approach and low ticket prices. Even in its ninth incarnation, tickets cost just $26.50 (plus Ticketmaster service charges). And the performance schedule revolves randomly each day, allowing some of the better-known acts to play during the day.
Always unpretentious, the Vans Warped tour is often a place for up-and-coming bands to shine, though it's tough to catch them all. And considering what a brutal business music is, this might be your first and only chance to hear them.
Here's a glossary and some tips to guide you through the day.
Girlz Garage: Testy from the day's high testosterone levels? This tent purports to display the latest trends in fashion, sports, music and makeup. Calling all sensitive emo boys; you needn't be female to attend.
Kevin Says Take Action: Like you, we wondered, who is this Kevin fellow? Then we discovered, aha!, it's Kevin Lyman, the Vans Warped tour's founder. Dedicated to socially responsible music, the Kevin Says Take Action area features performances by bands that support charitable causes. The music will be peppered by speakers from local nonprofits.
Militancy: What's with all the bellicose band names? This year's festival touts bands like: Poison the Well, Tsunami Bomb, One Man Army and Destruction Made Simple.
Punk Rock Holocaust: This year's Warped tour might find its way into movie theaters and not in documentary form a la Woodstock. Lyman's quite the auteur, filming a B-grade horror flick while on tour. This film, tentatively titled Punk Rock Holocaust has a plot. Ready for this? "It's about a disgruntled employee," Lyman told MTV Online. "The guy gets fired the first day and he comes back and puts a curse on the Warped tour." Just hope for good juju. The fate of your favorite band relies on it!
Reverse Daycare: Kids, don't ditch your parents at the gate (you may need them for food and beverage money; you can't bring your own goodies past the gate). Send your folks to daycare! Parents can be fitted with "noise-proofed" headphones and sip drinks in the air-conditioned tent. Talk about luxury.
Screamo: Headliners the Used, Poison the Well and Glassjaw fit into this newly coined genre. Parents know its batch of primal, howling vocals and more innovative, melodic sensibilities all too well. After ear-splitting hours on end, few may be able to discern the latter, but screamo bands typically temper the torment with some semblance of melody. There'll be plenty of this to go around.
Vendetta Red: Performing on the "Maurice" stage, this band might be the best of the new crop. Inking a hefty deal with Epic Records, Vendetta Red, a quintet fronted by Zach Davidson, emerged from Seattle with a grunge-inflected sound. The band's debut, Between the Never and the Now, is generating buzz, especially with single Shatterday, which should prove quite the sing-a-long.
PREVIEW: Vans Warped '03, featuring AFI, the Used, Andrew W.K., Less Than Jake and many others, Friday, gates open at 11 a.m. no re-entry, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. $26.50 advance, $28.50 day of show. (813) 287-8844 or (727) 898-2100. No umbrellas, chairs, coolers, or beverages permitted. For complete listing of bands, see www.warpedtour.com
THE BANDS OF VANS WARPED (showtimes will be announced Friday)
NORTH STAGE: The Ataris, Dropkick Murphys, Glassjaw, Rancid, The Used, AFI, Less Than Jake, Poison the Well
SOUTH STAGE: Suicide Machines, Face To Face, Mest, Andrew W.K., Thrice the Starting Line Mad Caddies
MAURICE STAGE: Simple Plan, Slick Shoes, S.T.U.N., All American Rejects, Brand New, Tsunami Bomb, Yellowcard, Atmosphere, One Man Army, Vendetta Red
VOLCOM STAGE: Western Waste, Pepper, VAUX, Destruction Made Simple, 7th Standard, From Autumn to Ashes, Plain White T's, Story of the Year, Places to Park, Matchbook Romance
LYMAN SAYS: The Know Hows, Time Will Tell, Letter Kills, 2 Cents, Big D & the Kid's Table
ERNIE BALL: Bowling for Soup
RADIOACTIVE STAGE: Counterfit, The Goodwill, Park, Over It, Don't Look Down, Bottom Line, Under Oath, Mightas Well, Local Contest Winner
Vans Warped's impressive lineup features a bevy of bands. Here's the skinny on several of the more established groups:
All American Rejects
The members of All American Rejects hail from, brace yourself, the booming metropolis of Stillwater, Okla., where they were undoubtedly inspired by the ennui of their rural life. The band's eponymous debut from last year sports big hooky choruses.
Dropkick Murphys
Get riled up with the band's batch of celtic punk. Bagpipes play foil to electric guitars in this Boston band's musical vision. Guaranteed to be the only set at Warped where you can dance the jig and not feel out of place. The band's latest album, Blackout, came out in June.
Less Than Jake
Florida boys (they're Gainesville natives), Less Than Jake makes power-pop fueled punk music that's heavy on brass and fun. Their debut, 1995's Pezzcore, inspired legions of suburban fans to embrace the burgeoning ska movement.
Mest
Mest is a family affair. The Chicago band was founded by cousins Tony and Matt Lovato. Tony, of green hair fame, and co. just released their third album, simply titled, Mest, which overflows with string arrangements of all sorts.
Rancid
Compared to many of their festival-mates, Rancid is relatively seasoned. Part of the early punk revival in the '90s, Rancid hails from San Francisco and finds inspiration in classic bands like the Clash. Now signed to Epitaph, the punk label founded by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz, the band's latest album, Indestructible, was released earlier this month.
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