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VANS WARPED TOUR

25 Years of the Vans Warped Tour

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 1: When Kevin Lyman Met Steve Van Doren

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 2: Skate Culture

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 2: Skate Culture

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 4: No Room For Rockstars

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 4: No Room For Rockstars

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 3: They Played Warped?!

25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 3: They Played Warped?!

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Simple Plan.

Punk's not dead? How Vans Warped tour jumped the shark

The festival defined noughties pop-punk and united America’s outcasts – but as it shuts for ever, we ask: did it fail to champion diversity?

T he sun is blazing mercilessly in Columbia, Maryland, on a Sunday in July. It is not yet noon, and the nasal singer of a jet-black metalcore band is crying out: “Will you miss me when I’m gooone?” Already this weekend, I have seen hair-dye jobs in impossibly electric hues of bubblegum pink and highlighter-pen lime. I have seen ripped fishnets and Tim Burton mini-backpacks and earlobes stretched as big as the rims of drinking glasses. I have perused the wares of outfitters called Mall Goth Trash and Sad Boys Club. I can confirm that the campaigns to “Stay Positive and Hail Satan” and ensure that “Ska’s Not Dead!” have endured in some corners of America.

I am on my third consecutive day inside the misfit carnival that is Vans Warped tour, which, after 24 years, finished its final run as a national touring festival last week. While American festivals such as Lollapalooza have long retired their caravans and turned into annual fixed-site weekenders, Warped persevered as a roving punk-themed circus. The brand will probably continue with abbreviated tours, says Kevin Lyman, its founder. An exhibition about Warped’s history will open next year at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. But it is the end of an era for the generation who invented “mall punk”.

Kevin Lyman, 58, creator of the Vans Warped tour.

Now 58, Lyman says he felt like an outcast as early as junior high. He was partial to British street punk, reggae and the Clash’s Sandinista! album. Socialising with the band geeks and theatre kids – “You got food thrown at you in school,” he says. “I was always the guy who said, ‘Let’s unite and throw food back.’” After several years working behind the scenes at Lollapalooza, Lyman founded Warped in 1995.

Warped made its name packaging the more brashly commercial strains of pop-punk, emo, hardcore and ska that peaked in the early- to mid-2000s, though the tour has also featured household names including Limp Bizkit and Eminem (and, early on, Katy Perry). It had no identified headliners: the schedule changed daily and was not announced until gates opened. To ensure you would see your favourite band, you simply had to arrive by 11. “No one did things the way I did, and no one has since,” says Lyman. “This was the last festival for the people.”

A fan in the crowd at this year’s Vans Warped tour

Lyman sought to “put punk rock in the sunshine”, to escape the violence of clubs, which he thought distracted from the genre’s radical message. But Warped ultimately became a shorthand for an easily digested candy-coated version of rebellion. The spirit of commodified dissent was exemplified by its name – sponsored by Vans shoe company, in a checkerboarded break from punk’s historically anti-capitalist ethic. Warped’s scale meant it dealt bands like gateway drugs, which plenty of young people need. My three days following the tour evoked a complete scene of maladjusted suburban youth: the car park, the mall, the skate park, the mosh pit.

In contrast to its diverse audiences, Warped’s lineups were shockingly male and white and, at times, the tour presented worrying streaks of conservatism – in Maryland, I saw a recruiting tent for the US Marines. Warped came under fire in 2015 for allowing a performance by Front Porch Step after he had been accused of sexual misconduct and preying on young fans. This prompted Paramore’s Hayley Williams, one of Warped tour’s most renowned alumni, to tweet: “What happened to our scene?”

Lyman says: “If I look back at Front Porch Step, probably I made a mistake. With hindsight, I probably wouldn’t have let it happen.” Lyman says he’s open to criticism, though he seems allergic to the way it plays out online. “Maybe that’s why I’m ending it,” he says. “We all used to be a community that figured things out. Now people prejudge so quickly on the internet.”

Only 7% of bands on this year’s touring lineup included women, such as Australia’s Tonight Alive and ska revivalists the Interrupters. The feminist rock band Potty Mouth (incidentally once managed by Warped veterans Good Charlotte) ended up on one Californian date after tweeting about gender disparity on the tour: “We wanted access to that fan base of young girls,” says bassist Ally Einbinder. “For us, it would be breaking into a whole new audience who might not hear of us otherwise.” Lyman mentions that the production crew of Warped tour has been heavily dominated by women, and reasoned that this year’s gender disparity was due in part to the fact that he curated the festival (he still chooses the bands) as “a nostalgia tour”.

‘We were never, at any point, even remotely in the cool kids’ club of punk rock’ ... Less Than Jake.

Over the years, Warped formed alliances with bands such as Less Than Jake, a Floridian ska-punk troupe who first played the tour in 1996 and have remained fixtures since. The drummer, Vinnie Fiorello, reminisces about performing, in the scrappy early days, on a stage made of plywood and cinder blocks. “Warped was supposed to be a punk rock summer camp,” he says. Less Than Jake embodied that, instigating “maximum fun” and an air of weirdness: regular mayhem at a Less Than Jake Warped set might, for instance, find “a metalhead shooting a toilet-paper gun”.

“We were never, at any point, even remotely in the cool kids’ club of punk rock,” says Fiorello. “But Warped was a common denominator among punk bands, hardcore bands, screamo and metal, ska punk. You had to play Warped tour.” Fiorello, who also co-founded the influential pop-punk and emo label Fueled by Ramen , noted that Warped was a crucial marketing tool: “Warped tour would be a huge chunk of the launch for a record or label or band. It was in the Less Than Jake marketing plan in the 90s, for sure. The end of that truly means the shrinking of some ways to market what’s out there.”

Fellow ska-punk elders Reel Big Fish have also been enmeshed in Warped since 1997. Year after year, they built their audience on the tour, though trumpeter John Christianson was not shy about the price. “There’s a lot of anxiety,” he says. “There’s five bands playing at one time. Five bands playing at one time is cacophony, and that is not any fun for me.”

Chuck Comeau is the drummer of Montreal pop-punks Simple Plan: 11 Warpeds in total. “You had this cultural movement that was happening,” he says of the scene’s 2003 peak. “And Warped had the cultural currency. If you wanted to be part of this scene, if you wanted to be respected, if you wanted to reach the audience, it was a must.”

A crowdsurfer at the 2018 Vans Warped tour

The music of Warped has not all aged well. In Maryland, surprise guests Good Charlotte led a workmanlike singalong to Girls and Boys, their arguably sexist 2002 single about teenage materialism. Speaking backstage, Buddy Nielsen of the New Jersey post-hardcore band Senses Fail (eight-time Warped veterans, who this year performed a medley of nu-metal covers) cited childhood trauma and a bad relationship with his mother as sources of the toxic masculinity in some of his earliest material. “I don’t necessarily celebrate those songs,” Nielsen says. “I wouldn’t encourage my daughter to listen to music like that.” His self-awareness reflects a broader cultural milieu that has recently been forced to reckon with its ingrained misogyny.

I was watching a formulaic pop-punk band in matching Hawaiian shirts play a side stage when I heard a woman’s demonic roar in the distance and ran towards it. “Where my fucking ladies at?” seethed Lauren Kashan, singer of Baltimore metalcore band Sharptooth. They played Clever Girl, the title track from their 2017 debut, which culminated with a mosh-summoning breakdown and an incendiary refrain: “Dead men tell no tales,” the crowd chanted. “Dead men talk no shit.” This jolt of radical feminism felt shocking in the context of Warped tour. “The world we live in is not a safe place for too many of us,” Kashan shouted from the stage. “So this needs to be.”

Sharptooth’s sets were thrillingly righteous. Kashan issued a call to arms or systemic indictment between every song, attacking street harassment, police brutality and US border policy. She drew attention to the fact that she would be the only woman performing on that stage all day and, before a song called Left for Dead, spoke bluntly about her experiences of sexual violence. “I’ve been raped multiple times,” Kashan told the crowd. “I don’t like talking about it, but if I’m the person with the mic and I can’t talk about my trauma, how is any other survivor supposed to ask for help?”

I watched a pink-haired girl in the eye of the pit scream along with Kashan: “I can’t be silent anymore!” “Sharptooth and [2017 Warped band] War on Woman make me feel so relieved about being into music in this scene,” says Niquey, 20. “Stuff like that needs to be talked about at places like Warped tour because it’s so hypermasculine.” Niquey has come to Warped every year since she was 12 – she had only seen Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers in concert before that – and said she looked forward to it more than her birthday.

Some have welcomed the demise of Warped and the aggressively male-dominated culture it came to represent. But after witnessing Sharptooth’s set, it occurred to me that it would be a tragedy for Warped tour to simply end, not evolve, at a moment where powerful, wide-reaching platforms are increasingly rare in rock music of any kind. Potty Mouth’s Einbinder agrees: “There is so much potential to make some changes and evolve the whole culture of the festival,” she says. “But so much of that cultural shift would have to come from the top down.”

‘Raw and feminine and powerful’ ... Members of Doll Skin pose with fans.

I felt optimistic watching Doll Skin, a band of women aged 18 to 21 who play pop-punk with riff-heavy nods to classic rock, and strive to be “as raw and feminine and powerful as we can”, according to singer Sydney Dolezal. They played an original song called Punch a Nazi and a cover of Fugazi’s Waiting Room, which stood out as strongly at Warped as the flower crowns in their circle pit.

Multiple times a day, Dolezal says, young girls approach Doll Skin to say they feel inspired by their set, sometimes crying. “If there’s anyone out there who feels like they can’t be in a band – they can,” she says. “It’s attainable. You don’t have to be a super shredder – you can just play guitar. You don’t have to be soloing on drums, you can just play a beat. You don’t have to be doing runs, you can just yell into a microphone.” It’s no stretch to say this was the most punk statement I heard at the 2018 Warped tour.

In Mansfield, Massachusetts, I meet 19-year-old Felice, who wants to see more bands resembling Doll Skin at Warped. “I wish we could see more intersectionality,” she says. “I wish I could hear more queer artists or artists of colour.” Her friend Felisha chimes in: “It’s a prime time to keep going if anything.” But after Doll Skin’s Long Island set, another new fan, Katie, 26, had a firmer suggestion: “Burn it to the ground and start something new.”

A pair of 23-year-old fans on Long Island, Neena and Gabrielle, tells me they had long fantasised about forming bands. Growing up, they were enthralled by fictional all-girl groups such as Josie and the Pussycats. Neena wonders whether she might have taken up drums had she seen more female instrumentalists.

“I’m such an emo kid. You feel like an outcast sometimes,” Gabrielle says. “But when you’re in this setting, you see there are thousands upon thousands of people who are just like you. It’s so comforting.” I mention how the huge number of outsiders does not quite register until you get here, and it makes you realise – Neena finishes my sentence – “how not alone you are”.

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Warped Tour Europe Dates Announced

by Ryan Minic | Apr 28, 2013

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In addition to a couple dates in the UK, Warped Tour will expand to Mainland Europe in November.

Lineup details haven’t been revealed, but here are the dates:

Nov 09 Berlin, GER @ Arena Nov 10 Eindhoven, NLD @ Klokgebouw Nov 16 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace Nov 17 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace Nov 23 Bern, CHE @ Festhalle Nov 24 Vienna, AUT @ Stadthalle

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Warped Tour is one of the biggest names in the concert canon. Those who haven't gone want to and those who have gone wait for the day they can go again. For a majority of its run, it was the largest traveling music festival in the United States. A number of past Warped Tour lineups have been impressive, but which year was the best? Help decide below! 

Starting as an eclectic alternative rock festival in 1995 and gradually morphing into a punk rock festival by the next year, the tour gained momentum when Vans, the wildly popular shoe manufacturer, was signed on as the tour's main sponsor in 1996. As Warped Tour became increasingly popular with each passing year, more sponsors signed on, slowly growing the tour's scope of influence. Sadly, 2018 proved to be the final year of the famous tour as announced by Warped Tour's founder, Kevin Lyman. 

You'll find every Warped Tour lineup here! Vote below on the best Warped Tour lineups, keeping in mind factors like the bands performing, production value, and overall spectacle. If you're an avid concert-goer, you can also check out this list of the best Coachella lineups ! (Disclaimer - some years certain dates had slightly different lineups). 

Warped Tour 2005

Warped Tour 2005

Notable Peformers: My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Thrice, Billy Idol, The All-American Rejects, Bowling for Soup, Dropkick Murphys, Hawthorne Heights

Dates: June 18 to August 14

Warped Tour 2004

Warped Tour 2004

Notable Performers: NOFX, My Chemical Romance, The Used, Fall Out Boy, Billy Talent, Yellowcard, Motion City Soundtrack, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Anti-Flag, Bowling for Soup 

Dates:  June 25 to August 19

Warped Tour 1998

Warped Tour 1998

Notable Performers:  Bad Religion, Godsmack, Rancid, Less Than Jake, Blink-182, Beck (some dates), Unwritten Law, Reverend Horton Heat, Incubus 

Date:  July 4 to August 9

Warped Tour 1997

Warped Tour 1997

Notable Performers:  Blink-182, Reel Big Fish, Descendants, Less Than Jake, Sugar Ray, Pennywise, Social Distortion, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 

Dates:  July 2 to August 5

Warped Tour 2001

Warped Tour 2001

Notable Performers:  Pennywise, New Found Glory, Dropkick Murphys, The Vandals, Sum 41, Rancid, Less Than Jake, The All-American Rejects, Good Charlotte 

Dates:  June 29 to August 12

Warped Tour 2000

Warped Tour 2000

Notable Performers:  Weezer, Flogging Molly, Green Day, Anti-Flag, No Doubt, Papa Roach, The Muffs, Suicide Machines, NOFX, Good Riddance

Dates: June 23 to August 6

Warped Tour 1999

Warped Tour 1999

Notable Performers: Cypress Hill, Blink-182, Dropkick Murphys, Pennywise, Black Eyed Peas, Suicidal Tendencies, Less Than Jake, Bouncing Souls

Dates:  June 25 to July 31

Warped Tour 1995

Warped Tour 1995

Notable Performers:  Sublime, No Doubt, Quicksand, Fluf, Deftones, No Use for a Name, Supernova, CIV, Deftones

Dates: August 4 to September 5

Warped Tour 2007

Warped Tour 2007

Notable Performers:  Bad Religion, Pennywise, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Killswitch Engage, Yellowcard, Ambelin, Flogging Molly, Hawthorne Heights

Dates:  June 28 to August 25

Warped Tour 2011

Warped Tour 2011

Notable Performers:  Paramore, Jack's Mannequin, Bowling for Soup, Relient K, MC Lars, Less Than Jake, Anti-Flag, Simple Plan 

Dates:  June 24 to August 14

Warped Tour 2018

Warped Tour 2018

Notable Performers:  Korn, Prophets of Rage, Limp Bizkit, Reel Big Fish, Pennywise, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, We The Kings

Dates:  June 21 to August 5

Warped Tour 2002

Warped Tour 2002

Notable Performers: New Found Glory, Simple Plan, Flogging Molly, Anti-Flag, Reel Big Fish, Yellowcard, Goldfinger, NOFX, Jimmy Eat World, Bad Religion, Good Charlotte

Dates:  June 21 to August 18

Warped Tour 1996

Warped Tour 1996

Notable Performers:  Fishbone, Pennywise, CIV, Rocket From The Crypt, Dance Hall Crashers, Down By Law, The Figgs, Guttermouth, Blink-182, Fluf, Red 5, Sensefield, Far 

Date:  July 4 to August 8

Warped Tour 2006

Warped Tour 2006

Notable Performers: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,   Less Than Jake, The Academy Is..., Anti-Flag, Billy Talent, Motion City Soundtrack, Paramore, Rise Against, NOFX

Dates:  June 15 to August 13

Warped Tour 2008

Warped Tour 2008

Notable Performers:  Katy Perry, Amberlin, Jack's Mannequin, Angels and Airwaves, Reel Big Fish, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Broadway Calls, The Devil Wears Prada 

Dates:  June 20 to August 17

Warped Tour 2003

Warped Tour 2003

Notable Performers:  The Ataris, Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, The Used, Pennywise, Less than Jake, Suicide Machines, Andrew W.K., Yellowcard, Glassjaw 

Dates: June 19 to August 10

Warped Tour 2016

Warped Tour 2016

Notable Performers:  Falling In Reverse, Less Than Jake, Good Charlotte, Sleeping With Sirens, New Found Glory, Yellowcard, Ghost Town, Bad Seed Rising, We The Kings

Dates:  June 24 to August 13

Warped Tour 2013

Warped Tour 2013

Notable Performers: Chiodos, New Beat Fund, Gin Wigmore, MC Lars, Craig Owens, Dia Frampton, Charlotte Sometimes, Big Chocolate, Echosmith, Motion City Soundtrack, Reel Big Fish 

Dates:  July 15 to August 4

Warped Tour 2019

Warped Tour 2019

Warped Tour 2010

Warped Tour 2010

Notable Performers:  Alkaline Trio, Motion City Soundtrack, Anti-Flag, Dropkick Murphys, Andrew W.K., Penny Wise, Reel Big Fish, The All-American Rejects, Suicide Silence, We The Kings

Dates:  June 25 to August 15

Warped Tour 2012

Warped Tour 2012

Notable Performers:  Falling in Reverse, The Used, Yellowcard, Dead Sara, Rise Against, Yellowcard, MC Laws, Machine Gun Kelly, Anti-Flag

Date:  June 16 to August 5

Warped Tour 2009

Warped Tour 2009

Notable Performers:  Less Than Jake, Underoath, Bad Religion,  T.S.O.L., The Adolescents, Sing it Loud, TAT

Dates:  June 26 to August 23

Warped Tour 2014

Warped Tour 2014

Notable Performers:  Breathe Carolina, Falling in Reverse, Mayday Parade, Less Than Jake, We The Kings, Yellowcard, The Ghost Inside, The Mighty, Finch

Dates:  June 13 to August 3

Warped Tour 2017

Warped Tour 2017

Notable Performers:   Andy Black, Beartooth, Dance Gavin Dance, I Prevail, New Years Day, Falling In Reverse, Streetlight Manifesto, Neck Deep

Date: May 27 to November 1

Warped Tour 2015

Warped Tour 2015

Notable Performers:  As It Is, Bebe Rexha, New Years Day, Knuckle Puck, Metro Station, Candy Hearts, Motion City Soundtrack, Memphis May Fire 

Dates:  June 19 to October 18

Lists about the phenomena of the summer music festival - who to see, how to dress, and what to expect beyond heat, crowds, and bigger crowds.

Strange Rules at Burning Man

  • Cover Story

Here's What Really Caused The Downfall of Warped Tour

Founder Kevin Lyman explains how the scene that built Warped Tour ripped the festival apart from within.

Here's What Really Caused The Downfall of Warped Tour

It's always sad when a big yearly festival or event comes to an end, and such was certainly the case with Vans Warped Tour , the massive traveling punk rock event that took the world by storm for 25 years. Sadly, 2018 was the year's last as a touring festival, with this year's three fests across the country acting as its memorial. When the fest ended, rumors circulated about what ended the festival -- most notably financial losses. But now, the man behind Warped Tour has stated that it was something much more human behind the festival's downfall -- the loss of punk rock community.

In the latest episode of Inside Track -- our podcast in which the true stories behind rock's most important moments are told by the people who lived them -- Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman explains what led to him winding down the traveling festival after 25 years.

"Ultimately, when I started to think about winding this down after 25 years, it was, ‘I think we’ve lost the sense of community,'" says Kevin. "It took a community to make Warped Tour go. Some of that was self-inflicted… I thought you addressed the fans that complain on Twitter! I was addressing everyone and tried to keep that conversation going, but you realize that you can’t really negotiate, debate, or educate on social media!"

Not only did Kevin find that the unity that built Warped Tour was no longer present, but preconceived notions about bands resulted in great musicians turning down the gig, lest they come off as a "Warped" act.

warped tour europe

"This is what kind of pissed me off," says Kevin. "Because in 1997, ‘98, Pennywise couldn’t judge a band until you met ‘em in the parking lot. You’d be in line at catering because of this community setting with no dressing rooms. You’d meet these people, and they were musicians too. Then I started watching this community tear itself apart from within, with this band — not even meeting these people, just disagreeing with them or with how they look — bashing that band online.

"People would come up to me on Warped Tour, and say, ‘Well, I don’t want to be on Warped Tour because Attila are on Warped Tour,’" he continues. "Have you met the guys in Attila? We’re not here to judge each other’s music. The fans will judge each other’s music.’ Atilla brings people. Do I personally run around screaming ‘Suck my fuck?’ No. Do you? No. But they’re good musicians and they’re not bad people. I’ve never seen them do a bad thing to someone."

"Every year, I’d send offers, and just — ‘We don’t want to tour with those bands. We don’t wanna be a Warped-esque bands,'" sighs Lyman. And it’s like, dude, Warped-esque bands — you mean Bad Religion . A Day To Remember . Paramore … it got very frustrating."

Listen to the full episode below:

And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to Inside Track to hear more of the insane, wonderful, highly-unlikely and totally true stories behind some of the greatest moments in rock history:

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Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Shows to Feature Blink-182, 311, Bad Religion, Good Charlotte & Many More

The lineups for the Vans Warped Tour 25th anniversary show were released on Friday (March 1) and they feature an all-star list of classic acts and fresh faces.

By Gil Kaufman

Gil Kaufman

2018 Vans Warped Tour

After weeks of anticipation, the lineups for the 25th anniversary editions of the Vans Warped Tour were finally unveiled on Friday (March 1) and they feature a who’s who of classic Warped tour veterans and current punk upstarts. The line-ups for the large-scale special events in Cleveland, OH, on June 8; Atlantic City, NJ, on June 29 – 30 and Mountain View, CA, on July 20 – 21, are all toplined by Warped legends such as Blink-182, 311, Bad Religion, The All-American Rejects, Andrew W.K., Anti-Flag, Good Charlotte, Gym Class Heroes, The Offspring, Simple Plan, Bowling for Soup, Taking Back Sunday, Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and Good Charlotte.

Other acts slated to play the shows include: Andy Black, We the Kings, Thrice, Dirty Heads, CKY, Lagwagon, NOFX, Ozomatli, The Starting Line, Silent Planet, Ariana and the Rose, Go Betty Go, Juliet Simms, Quicksand and Silverstein.

Trending on Billboard

“Through the years the Vans Warped tour has always tried to bring you something extra, this year we have gone through the past archives and dug up many of our old friends to join us for these special events,” producer Kevin Lyman said in a statement. “The curated art experience will showcase our favorite moments over the last 25 years. So, dust off the old Vans and lace em’ up since you won’t want to miss a thing!”

Tickets for the events are on sale now here.

Check out the full line-ups for each show below.

        View this post on Instagram                   JUNE 8 • CLEVELAND, OH?? We partnered with the @rockhall to create a special new exhibit – Forever Warped: 25 Years of Vans Warped Tour. ?? ?? This exhibit will document the history of the tour from its inception in 1995 through the final cross-country run in 2018.?? ?? On Saturday, June 8th, 2019, the exhibit will kick off with a special opening event featuring bands from the tour’s history, a mini vert ramp, and more!?? ?? — tickets on sale now?? ?? vanswarpedtour.com?? ?? #vanswarpedtour #warpedtour #foreverwarped?? #clevelandrocks #rockandroll #thisiscleveland A post shared by Vans Warped Tour (@vanswarpedtour) on Mar 1, 2019 at 7:52am PST

Vans Warped 25th Anniversary Tour Unveils Pre-Sale Tickets, First-Time VIP Access

        View this post on Instagram                   JULY 20+21 • MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA?? We are making a triumphant return to the Bay Area for a special 25th Anniversary 2-day event!?? — tickets on sale now?? ? vanswarpedtour.com?? ?? #vanswarpedtour #warpedtour #foreverwarped?? A post shared by Vans Warped Tour (@vanswarpedtour) on Mar 1, 2019 at 7:55am PST

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warped tour europe

Kevin Lyman 

Photo: Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images

Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Details Announced

Also, in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, the traveling tour will curate a special exhibit called "Forever Warped: 25 Years of Vans Warped Tour"

As the 25 th anniversary of Vans Warped Tour gets closer, the famed punk-rock festival has announced two additional cities to hit this summer, plus new details about what fans can expect to see once they’re on site. In addition to the previously announced June 8 date in Cleveland, Ohio, Warped Tour 2019 is due to hit Atlantic City, N.J. on June 29 and 30 and Mountain View, Calif. on July 20 and 21.  

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">25 YEARS OF THE VANS WARPED TOUR<br>Feb 25 • Pre-Sale Tickets On Sale<br>March 1 • Lineups Announced<br> March 1 • Tickets On Sale<br> <a href="https://t.co/rSuGQJH0ta">https://t.co/rSuGQJH0ta</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanswarpedtour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vanswarpedtour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/warpedtour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#warpedtour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/foreverwarped?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#foreverwarped</a> <a href="https://t.co/YZ4OUv50Xj">pic.twitter.com/YZ4OUv50Xj</a></p>&mdash; Vans Warped Tour (@VansWarpedTour) <a href="https://twitter.com/VansWarpedTour/status/1089885986493026312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2019</a></blockquote>

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Also, in honor of the tour’s 25th anniversary (and final traveling tour setup), fans can expect to enjoy an exhibit in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Titled “Forever Warped: 25 Years of Vans Warped Tour,” the exhibit will showcase the tour’s history since it began in 1995. Instruments and other artifacts will be on display from essential Warped Tour bands including No Doubt , Rancid and Fall Out Boy . Joan Jett 's stage clothing will also be on display.

"With the [Vans Warped Tour] 25th Anniversary events, we want to bring the atmosphere of a classic Warped Tour show, but on a scale that our fans simply could not get with a national tour," Lyman said in a statement . "The bands, the special attractions, everything – we want to bring back elements that have made the Warped Tour, Warped Tour, over the past 25 years."

The lineup, which will be announced on March 1, will feature more than 50 bands over various stages. The tour will also feature skateboarding, motocross and other extreme sports.

The tour will end in the Bay Area, which "probably close to half the bands on the first Warped Tour had some tie to," Lyman said.

The Vans Warped Tour is known to be the longest-running touring music festival in North America. Presale tickets will go on sale Feb. 25. For more information, visit the Vans Warped Tour website .

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: FEVER 333 Tackle The Tough Issues

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly . Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly .

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube . This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg , Doggystyle . This is for Illmatic , this is for Nas . We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal , Anna Wise and Thundercat ). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift 's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN ., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers .

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

10 Essential Facts To Know About GRAMMY-Winning Rapper J. Cole

A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea

Photo:  Rachel Kupfer  

A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea

James Brown changed the sound of popular music when he found the power of the one and unleashed the funk with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Today, funk lives on in many forms, including these exciting bands from across the world.

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown . The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton , who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic , psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic . Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis , Silk Sonic , and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar , Flying Lotus , and Thundercat , respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels , while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa , Doja Cat , and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic . There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin ’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music , Amazon Music and Pandora .

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism . Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and " Norma " is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers , from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea 's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’ s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight ’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat .

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo , is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody 's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether .

The Rise Of Underground House: How Artists Like Fisher & Acraze Have Taken Tech House, Other Electronic Genres From Indie To EDC

Living Legends: Billy Idol On Survival, Revival & Breaking Out Of The Cage

Photo: Steven Sebring

Living Legends: Billy Idol On Survival, Revival & Breaking Out Of The Cage

"One foot in the past and one foot into the future," Billy Idol says, describing his decade-spanning career in rock. "We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol."

Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,   Cage , and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage , the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself , details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside , reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of " VH1 Storytellers " and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [ Laughs ]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside . We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

** Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore ? **

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go . If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts , and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on " Viva La Bam "  back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [ Laughs ] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [ Laughs ] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

Living Legends: Nancy Sinatra Reflects On Creating "Power And Magic" In Studio, Developing A Legacy Beyond "Boots" & The Pop Stars She Wants To Work With

Hear All Of The Best Country Solo Performance Nominees For The 2023 GRAMMY Awards

Graphic: The Recording Academy

Hear All Of The Best Country Solo Performance Nominees For The 2023 GRAMMY Awards

The 2023 GRAMMY Award nominees for Best Country Solo Performance highlight country music's newcomers and veterans, featuring hits from Kelsea Ballerini, Zach Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Willie Nelson.

Country music's evolution is well represented in the 2023 GRAMMY nominees for Best Country Solo Performance. From crossover pop hooks to red-dirt outlaw roots, the genre's most celebrated elements are on full display — thanks to rising stars, leading ladies and country icons.

Longtime hitmaker Miranda Lambert delivered a soulful performance on the rootsy ballad "In His Arms," an arrangement as sparing as the windswept west Texas highlands where she co-wrote the song. Viral newcomer Zach Bryan dug into similar organic territory on the Oklahoma side of the Red River for "Something in the Orange," his voice accompanied with little more than an acoustic guitar.

Two of country's 2010s breakout stars are clearly still shining, too, as Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini both received Best Country Solo Performance GRAMMY nods. Morris channeled the determination that drove her leap-of-faith move from Texas to Nashville for the playful clap-along "Circles Around This Town," while Ballerini brought poppy hooks with a country edge on the infectiously upbeat "HEARTFIRST."

Rounding out the category is the one and only Willie Nelson, who paid tribute to his late friend Billy Joe Shaver with a cover of "Live Forever" — a fitting sentiment for the 89-year-old legend, who is approaching his eighth decade in the business. 

As the excitement builds for the 2023 GRAMMYs on Feb. 5, 2023, let's take a closer look at this year's nominees for Best Country Solo Performance.

Kelsea Ballerini — "HEARTFIRST"

In the tradition of Shania Twain , Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood , Kelsea Ballerini represents Nashville's sunnier side — and her single "HEARTFIRST" is a slice of bright, uptempo, confectionary country-pop for the ages.

Ballerini sings about leaning into a carefree crush with her heart on her sleeve, pushing aside her reservations and taking a risk on love at first sight. The scene plays out in a bar room and a back seat, as she sweeps nimbly through the verses and into a shimmering chorus, when the narrator decides she's ready to "wake up in your T-shirt." 

There are enough steel guitar licks to let you know you're listening to a country song, but the story and melody are universal. "HEARTFIRST" is Ballerini's third GRAMMY nod, but first in the Best Country Solo Performance category.

Zach Bryan — "Something In The Orange"

Zach Bryan blew into Music City seemingly from nowhere in 2017, when his original song "Heading South" — recorded on an iPhone — went viral. Then an active officer in the U.S. Navy, the Oklahoma native chased his muse through music during his downtime, striking a chord with country music fans on stark songs led by his acoustic guitar and affecting vocals.

After his honorable discharge in 2021, Bryan began his music career in earnest, and in 2022 released "Something in the Orange," a haunting ballad that stakes a convincing claim to the territory between Tyler Childers and Jason Isbell in both sonics and songwriting. Slashing slide guitar drives home the song's heartbreak, as Bryan pines for a lover whose tail lights have long since vanished over the horizon. 

"Something In The Orange" marks Bryan's first-ever GRAMMY nomination.

Miranda Lambert — "In His Arms"

Miranda Lambert is the rare, chart-topping contemporary country artist who does more than pay lip service to the genre's rural American roots. "In His Arms" originally surfaced on 2021's The Marfa Tapes , a casual recording Lambert made with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall in Marfa, Texas — a tiny arts enclave in the middle of the west Texas high desert.

In this proper studio version — recorded for her 2022 album, Palomino — Lambert retains the structure and organic feel of the mostly acoustic song; light percussion and soothing atmospherics keep her emotive vocals front and center. A native Texan herself, Lambert sounds fully at home on "In His Arms."

Lambert is the only Best Country Solo Performance nominee who is nominated in all four Country Field categories in 2023. To date, Miranda Lambert has won 3 GRAMMYs and received 27 nominations overall. 

Maren Morris — "Circles Around This Town"

When Maren Morris found herself uninspired and dealing with writer's block, she went back to what inspired her to move to Nashville nearly a decade ago — and out came "Circles Around This Town," the lead single from her 2022 album Humble Quest .

Written in one of her first in-person songwriting sessions since the pandemic, Morris has called "Circles Around This Town" her "most autobiographical song" to date; she even recreated her own teenage bedroom for the song's video. As she looks back to her Texas beginnings and the life she left for Nashville, Morris' voice soars over anthemic, yet easygoing production. 

Morris last won a GRAMMY for Best Country Solo Performance in 2017, when her song "My Church" earned the singer her first GRAMMY. To date, Maren Morris has won one GRAMMY and received 17 nominations overall.

Willie Nelson — "Live Forever"

Country music icon Willie Nelson is no stranger to the GRAMMYs, and this year he aims to add to his collection of 10 gramophones. He earned another three nominations for 2023 — bringing his career total to 56 — including a Best Country Solo Performance nod for "Live Forever."

Nelson's performance of "Live Forever," the lead track of the 2022 tribute album Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver , is a faithful rendition of Shaver's signature song. Still, Nelson puts his own twist on the tune, recruiting Lucinda Williams for backing vocals and echoing the melody with the inimitable tone of his nylon-string Martin guitar. 

Shaver, an outlaw country pioneer who passed in 2020 at 81 years old, never had any hits of his own during his lifetime. But plenty of his songs were still heard, thanks to stars like Elvis Presley , Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings . Nelson was a longtime friend and frequent collaborator of Shaver's — and now has a GRAMMY nom to show for it.

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

  • 1 Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Details Announced
  • 2 GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
  • 3 A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea
  • 4 Living Legends: Billy Idol On Survival, Revival & Breaking Out Of The Cage
  • 5 Hear All Of The Best Country Solo Performance Nominees For The 2023 GRAMMY Awards

Warped Tour: A Look Back in Photos in Honor of Its Last Hurrah

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Last year, Warped Tour’s founder, Kevin Lyman, announced the end of an era: After nearly a quarter of a century, the monumental fest would make its “final, full cross-country run.” The news is now sinking in as a reality as the tour’s final date, August 5th, fast approaches. What’s been known as Vans Warped Tour since 1996 has equally officially been known as a place for aspiring alts trapped in the suburbs to flourish—one that just so happened to make history in the process. Warped Tour was not only a launching pad for Green Day, Katy Perry , Blink-182, and even Eminem; it was also a documentation of the birth of emo as we know it in the aughts, seen through its lineups’ shift from punk acts like Bad Religion, Rancid, the Casualties, NOFX, and Anti-Flag to bands like All Time Low, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Taking Back Sunday, the Used, and From First to Last—the latter of which featured one long-haired, screaming emo heartthrob Sonny Moore, now better known as Skrillex . In case you hadn’t noticed, pretty much all of the above feature almost exclusively white men—a lack of diversity that’s unfortunately continued into the 50-plus bands chosen to make up Warped Tour’s last hurrah. (Joan Jett is putting in her usual appearance, but Paramore’s flamed-hair Hayley Williams, essentially the only woman who managed to become a face of Warped Tour throughout its history, is noticeably missing from this year’s lineup.) Take a look back at that history, flaws and all, with the best photos of its glory days, including flashbacks to Perry’s guitar, Oli Sykes’s neck tats, Benji Madden’s snake bites, Jared Leto’s lipstick, Pete Wentz’s popped collar, Demi Lovato ‘s sweeping side bangs, and Jeffree Star’s infamous hot-pink mop, here.

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Skrillex, when he was Sonny Moore of From First to Last, at the 2006 Vans Warped tour in San Francisco.

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A pre-pop-fame Katy Perry performing at the 2008 Warped Tour in Carson, California.

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Hayley Williams of Paramore, with her signature neon hair, performing at the 2011 Vans Warped Tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Chris Barker of Anti-Flag performing at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Wheatland, California.

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Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars performing at the 2006 Vans Warped Tour in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

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Simple Plan performing at the 2004 Vans Warped Tour in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

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Before his makeup line became an empire, Jeffree Star, seen her at the 2011 Vans Warped Tour in Carson, California, was a Warped Tour regular.

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Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance performing at the 2005 Vans Warped Tour in Columbus, Ohio.

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Katy Perry performing at the 2009 15th Anniversary Vans Warped Tour in Los Angeles, California.

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The Casualties performing at the 2006 Vans Warped Tour in Uniondale, New York.

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Demi Lovato posing backstage at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Ventura, California.

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Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless (and more famously of Gossip Girl ) performing at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Marysville, California.

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Taylor Momsen’s shoes during her performance at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Mountain View, California.

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Bert McCracken of The Used performing at the 2002 Vans Warped Tour in San Francisco, California

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Benji Madden of Good Charlotte performing at the 2004 10th Anniversary Vans Warped Tour in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Katy Perry performing at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour in Carson, California.

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Joe Trohman, Patrick Stump, Andy Hurley, and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy at the 2005 Vans Warped Tour in Columbus, Ohio.

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Billy Idol performing at the 2005 Vans Warped Tour in Pomona, California.

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Lars Frederiksen and Tim Armstrong of Rancid performing at the 2003 Vans Warped Tour in San Francisco, California.

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Joan Jett performing at the 2006 Vans Warped Tour in Detroit, Michigan.

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Travis Barker of The Transplants performing at the 2005 Vans Warped Tour in Randall’s Island, New York.

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Oli Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon performing at the 2013 Vans Warped Tour in Ventura, California.

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Jeffree Star at the 2013 Vans Warped Tour press conference and kick-off party in Los Angeles, California.

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Andrew W.K. performing at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Mountain View, California.

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William Beckett of The Academy Is… performing at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour in Englishtown, New Jersey.

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Hayley Williams of Paramore performing at the 2011 Vans Warped Tour in San Diego, California.

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Ice-T performing in a surprise appearance at the 2003 Vans Warped Tour in San Francisco, California.

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Hayley Williams of Paramore performing at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour in San Antonio, Texas.

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Katy Perry signing a fan’s cast at the 2008 Warped Tour in Ventura, California.

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Joan Jett performing at the 2006 Vans Warped Tour in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Bebe Rexha performing at the 2015 Vans Warped Tour in Ventura, California.

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Riff Raff and bassist Andy Glass of We Came as Romans performing during the 2015 Vans Warped Tour in Ventura, California.

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Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects performing at the 2010 Vans Warped Tour in Carson, California.

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Katy Perry performing at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour in Ventura, Caliornia.

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The Untold Truth Of Vans Warped Tour

Bert McCracken holding a mic stand

From 1995 to 2019, Vans Warped Tour became the mecca of alternative music. Fans would flock to the traveling festival to see their favorite artists and to discover the next big thing, while musicians would know a spot on this coveted tour could elevate their career. After all, there's no disputing the impact it had in the ascension of the careers of groundbreaking acts like Paramore, My Chemical Romance , and Fall Out Boy .

Founded by Kevin Lyman, Vans Warped Tour is widely associated with the punk rock movement and a strong ethos of the do-it-yourself attitude, being seen as the everyday person's music event. However, in the later years, controversy engulfed the tour. From scene politics to giving a platform to disgraced musicians, there were accusations that it was no longer the same place it was in the beginning. For some, it simply didn't feel like home anymore. As a result, there were mixed feelings when Lyman announced the tour would officially call it a day after its 25-year celebration.

Regardless of the sentiment toward the Vans Warped Tour, no one can deny the importance it played in the music scene throughout its run. It outlasted many of its peers and inspired others to start their own events, too. With that said, let's take a look back at the untold truth of Vans Warped Tour and if it is due to make a comeback.

The founder cut his teeth on Lollapalooza

Anyone who has worked on the live side of the music industry understands it is a demanding and grueling job. Not only is there the physical aspect of setting up the equipment and ensuring everything is in working order before the doors open, but there is also the marketing element and understanding of how to deal with unexpected issues that may arise on the day. Think of it like organizing a big birthday bash, but times the difficulty level by 100.

Kevin Lyman was no rookie when he decided to start his own tour, since he had already spent time working as a stage manager at another famous music festival. "Before Warped I was on three years of Lollapalooza, so [it's been] 26 straight summers out on the road," he told Billboard .

Having experience, Lyman also understood that he needed significant sponsorship to make this dream tour a reality. As revealed by Vans Vice President Steve Van Doren, Lyman approached the sneaker manufacturer for finance, and Vans saw it as a mutually beneficial opportunity to expand its reach throughout North America.

Vans Warped Tour gave a lot of people second chances

When applying for jobs, background checks have become the norm. However, that hasn't stopped people from being prejudiced against for having a criminal or substance abuse history, as research has shown, per Criminology . There's a stigma that sticks with people long afterward and makes it exponentially more difficult for them to find work and rebuild their lives.

Speaking to Loudwire , Kevin Lyman discussed the importance of affording people second chances, explaining how it is something deeply personal to him and his value system. "The majority of my early Warped Tour crew guys all had to spend a little time in jail for stupid decisions," Lyman said. "A lot of them were selling meth or whatever and did their time, and I gave them their second chance. And that built a loyalty, giving a second chance to people."

It is also one of the main reasons Lyman became involved in other organizations and philanthropy projects, such as MusiCares and FEND, which address addiction. He believes a large portion of society is still reluctant to allow others back into the community after they have shown remorse and tried to make amends, so he wanted to do his part in inspiring change.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Why the schedule for the Vans Warped Tour changed daily

Vans Warped Tour would take the acts across the country, performing sweaty day-long sets in numerous cities and states. There were even groups of fans who would follow the tour and try to attend as many shows as possible. To keep the shows fresh and unpredictable, the tour's organizer switched up the order of the lineup on a daily basis.

In an interview with Forbes , Kevin Lyman brought up his past as a stage manager for Lollapalooza and how this influenced his decision with Warped Tour's schedule. He explained how he would notice the same acts performed at the same time every day, and the predictability reflected in the audience attendance, as a majority of the people would only show up when it was time for the headliner to go on stage.

"So I said, if I ever get to do this, I'm going to mix it up," Lyman said. "It just spurred in my mind what I thought I'd do. I'll write the schedule each day. It keeps people engaged — you never knew who you were playing before or after, or what time you were playing. It keeps everyone on their toes." The unpredictability encouraged the audience to hang out for the whole day since they never knew who would be playing and when, while it excited the bands too. As Every Time I Die's ex-vocalist Keith Buckley explained, no one knew when they would be hitting the stage, which provided an element of surprise.

How the BBQ Band concept came to be

With all those bands on the road for Vans Warped Tour, there were bound to be a lot of hungry stomachs after a show. However, the tour figured out a way of solving this problem while also giving a group a unique opportunity every year. In return for working the grill after every show, a musical act would be given a spot on the tour's lineup. Hence the birth of what became known as the "BBQ band."

Kevin Lyman revealed to Vice where the initial idea stemmed from. He explained how punk rockers Lagwagon had their own barbeque after a show, but only bands with laminate passes sourced from Lagwagon themselves could get any. Lyman thought that every group deserved access to this and that it shouldn't be limited to the friends of the band, so he came up with a plan where a single act would be responsible for the barbeque at every stop for everyone.

Explaining what the group would get in return, Lyman said, "Yeah, they get a full set, they sell merchandise, they sell albums, and I pay 'em some money on top."

The time when Deftones set a Porta-Potty on fire

If there isn't an element of danger involved, can it really be considered rock 'n' roll? While no one decided to put their head inside a tiger's mouth or challenge a bear to an exploding barbed wire death match, other outlandish shenanigans took place throughout Vans Warped Tour's history.

Alternative Press interviewed numerous people who participated in the tour, and the stories ranged from a golf cart being wrecked to Sublime's trusty dog biting people. However, it was Kevin Lyman who recollected one of the wildest tour tales.

Lyman explained how he intended to take a few days off in 1997 after the birth of his child, but when he stepped off the plane, he was alerted to the chaos taking place in his absence. "It turned into the 'Lord of the Flies' out there," he said. "Deftones got fireworks and set a portable toilet on fire. My production manager's quick decision was to take the Porta-Potty on a forklift and push it into the river. The city's mayor had been running on this 'clean up the river' platform, and that was on the front page of the newspaper the next morning."

The presence of the controversial anti-abortion clinic

The spirit of punk rock is built on progressive values and fighting against oppressive systems. As a result, many non-profit organizations set up tents to promote their causes at Vans Warped Tour throughout its 25-year run; however, there was one that raised more than a few eyebrows. In 2016, the anti-abortion organization known as Rock for Life became a part of the tour, and it drew ire from many attendees and online commentators. The next year, Rock for Life returned to Warped Tour, again reigniting the debate about the presence of a pro-life organization there.

Speaking to Spin , Kevin Lyman explained how Rock for Life's values didn't necessarily align with his pro-choice stance, but that he included various other NPOs on Warped Tour with differing ideologies so that debate and conversation could take place between people.

He said: "I go to the booth, and I see people talk to them. They're really promoting adoption, and other things besides abortion. I'm adopted. I'm not supporting them, but they can have the spot. They're not hassling people."

13,000 people signed a petition to stop a musician from playing, but he did

In late 2014, disturbing accusations surfaced regarding Jake McElfresh, aka Front Porch Step. According to the allegations, McElfresh had sent inappropriate messages and images to minors. Considering Front Porch Step had performed at the 2014 Vans Warped Tour and was relatively well known within the music scene, the news spread fast and wide among the community.

Over 13,000 individuals signed a change.org petition to not allow Front Porch Step to play at Vans Warped Tour again. However, in 2015, McElfresh was confirmed to appear on the tour. This resulted in backlash from fans and other musicians, who couldn't believe Front Porch Step had been allowed this platform — especially considering how many young fans attended Warped Tour and the harrowing nature of the allegations.

Speaking to Alternative Press , Kevin Lyman stated that McElfresh had not been formally charged with any crime and his appearance was part of a rehabilitation program, based upon discussions with his counselor. In a later 2018 interview , Lyman expressed regret at allowing Front Porch Step to have performed at the 2015 Vans Warped Tour.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

The accusation of being a boys' club for the most part

The Vans Warped Tour faced accusations of being a boys' club from certain sections, with  The New York Times citing how only seven percent of the bands listed for the 2018 edition featured female members. Although the tour had shown improvement in its numbers and given more opportunity to women over the years, especially as headliners, there was no disputing that the acts on display were predominantly male throughout the years. Coupled with this was the prevalence of a bro culture that boasted bad behavior. 

The publication spoke to several women and nonbinary artists to get their perspectives of the tour. Each person had their own unique experience, with some stating they hadn't seen misogynistic behavior, while others expressed opposite views.

Five Iron Frenzy's Leanor Ortega Till, for example, explained how there was a need to be cautious with tour buses as an example. "One of the bands we went out with had a little inflatable pool," Till said. "They'd get in their underwear and go out there and hang out. And I knew what they were up to, which was get girls into their underwear to hang out, too."

Kevin Lyman said 2017's Vans Warped Tour was a bad one financially

When Kevin Lyman announced the end of Vans Warped Tour, there was a lot of debate about the real reasons for doing so among fans. One of them was that the tour had stopped making money. However, Lyman dispelled this notion in an interview with "All Punked Up" podcast, revealing that Warped Tour made money — except for one year.

"I had one bad year: 2017," Lyman said. "It was one of those years where everything goes wrong that could possibly go wrong, went wrong in 2017."

While Lyman didn't delve into exactly what his challenges were, the initial announcement of the lineup for the Vans Warped Tour 2017 wasn't warmly received by the fans. There were notable acts such as Anti-Flag, Andy Black, Gwar, and Hawthorne Heights on the bill, but the audience felt it didn't have the star power of the previous year's edition, which had featured the likes of Good Charlotte and New Found Glory. Undoubtedly, the lack of excitement for the artists might have factored into the decision for many fans to give it a skip that year.

The one thing that the Warped Tour never managed to do

From Katy Perry to My Chemical Romance and Blink-182, there was no shortage of world-renowned musicians who performed at Vans Warped Tour. Considering the traveling festival ran for a quarter of a century, there can't be much that it failed to achieve in this time. However, for Kevin Lyman, there is something he wanted to do that he never managed to. When asked by Outburn what that is, he replied: "Have a Ramones reunion."

The seminal New York punk band called it a day in 1996 — a year after the formation of Vans Warped Tour. At that early stage, it might have been difficult for Lyman to attract a band of that caliber to the tour — plus, it would have been mighty costly, since the Ramones were bona fide legends and wouldn't come at a discount price.

Unfortunately, by the time Warped Tour had become a force to be reckoned with in the early 2000s and could probably afford the Blitzkrieg Boppers, most of the members of the Ramones had already died . 

Scene politics contributed to its demise

Music brings people together, but the community also has the potential to divide like no other. Much like with any other fandom on Planet Earth — just ask "Star Wars" fans — there is a lot of politics, elitism, and people disliking each other for random reasons. Heck, even the bands themselves partake in this peculiar behavior, with social media feuds becoming equally the most hilarious and sad things to witness online.

Appearing on Kerrang's "Inside Track" podcast, Kevin Lyman opened up about how scene politics contributed to the demise of Vans Warped Tour. The promoter explained how he would reach out to various groups that he found talented and would offer them a slot on the tour; however, they would spurn his advances, citing how they didn't want to perform alongside X band or be seen as a "Warped-esque" band. They either had preconceived negative notions about other acts on the tour or didn't want to be bracketed with the type of genre artists the tour attracted.

Lyman didn't understand the logic, as most bands wouldn't even know the others and acted based on impressions rather than facts. Plus, he considered this a self-limiting behavior that impacted a band's ability to grow their fanbase and reach different audiences. Consequently, Lyman started to feel a disconnect from the community and the very reason he started the tour in the first place.

Fronzilla wants to bring back the tour

Since Vans Warped Tour hit the stop button in 2019, a massive gap has been left open in the music festival scene. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic did no favors to live music, and many have pondered if the return of Warped Tour could help bring back the crowds in droves. Appearing on "No Jumper" in 2020, Attila frontman Chris Fronzak explained what Warped Tour meant to bands. "It's not glamorous, but it's an opportunity for bands to play in front of a huge audience that they wouldn't normally have," he said.

Fronzak added that Kevin Lyman offered to sell him Warped Tour in the past, but Fronzak didn't have the funds at the time to strike a deal. When that changed, the musician reached out to Lyman again in 2020.

"He explained to me that for legal reasons, which I can't go into depth, Warped Tour can't come back for at least another three years or so," Fronzak said, "but after that I'm happy to re-open conversation, and hopefully I'm the one that brings it back because I have a really good plan for how to make it sustainable and make Warped Tour even bigger than it's ever been."

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10 Things You May Not Know About Vans Warped Tour

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Vans Warped Tour is one of the most popular summer festival tours in the country, drawing out hundreds of bands and thousands of fans each year for an adrenaline-filled series of hard-hitting shows. Over the years it has grown from a scrappy festival upstart to a massive and well-oiled production, but it has always maintained its DIY spirit, punk rock edge, and commitment to showcasing emerging bands.

This year’s tour promises festivalgoers an unforgettable day of high-octane performances by big names like Black Veil Brides , Asking Alexandria , Never Shout Never , and Escape the Fate , as well as smaller acts like Silverstein , Attila , and Memphis May Fire . In anticipation of the 2015 tour we’ve compiled 10 things you probably didn’t know about Warped Tour — check it out below and impress all your friends with your vast Vans Warped Tour knowledge on concert day.

1. Warped Tour has been around a while The first Vans Warped Tour took place in 1995, making it the longest running touring music festival in North America. While the festival initially only featured punk and alternative artists, it has since expanded to include emo, folk, rap, hip hop, EDM, and many other musical styles.

2. It supports amazing charities Warped Tour partners with a seriously impressive array of charities and non-profits including MusiCares, PETA2, and Farm Animal Rights Movement. Check out the full list of participating organizations here .

3. For some bands it’s a “full circle” experience Pierce the Vale got their first taste of Warped Tour as attendees, but now they’re a featured act performing their post-hardcore tunes to the masses. Talk about an inspirational punk rock success story.

4. You can skip the line by doing some good Want the quickest access to the festival? Make sure to check out the Feed Our Children NOW! tent, which will be handing out Skip The Line wristbands to concertgoers who provide three canned goods (cannot be dented or expired cans), a $5 donation, or a used cell phone. The tent is located near the Skip the Line flag at the main gate, and proceeds benefit child hunger and the organization’s youth empowerment program. This year Feed Our Children NOW! will also be accepting iPods (with or without charger) to support the charity Music & Memory.

5. The “BBQ Band” for the 2015 tour is pop rock outfit Boy Meets World Yes, this is a real thing. The Warped Tour has a pretty sweet tradition — in exchange for a spot on the tour, the BBQ Band has to grill up a feast after each show for the bands and crew. This year Boy Meets World will join an impressive list of BBQ Band alumni that includes Dropkick Murphys and Art of Shock .

6. Warped Tour puts out an annual compilation CD Each year the festival puts out a mix CD featuring songs from artists on the tour. It’s become somewhat of a collectable item, and it’s a great way to commemorate the experience.

7. Parents and legal guardians can get in free! And there’s reverse daycare for parents Reverse Day Care for parents? That’s right kids, you can send your parents to daycare while you catch your favorite bands. The ultimate perk for parents, the Reverse Daycare Tent is an air-conditioned chill zone for parents who escort their teens to the concert but crave a break from the heat and music. Warped Tour also offers one complimentary, non-transferrable ticket to parents and guardians accompanying a minor (under 18) who has purchased a ticket to a 2015 Warped Tour show. Learn more about both parent-friendly programs here .

8. It’s not just punk and alternative music While punk and alternative still form the backbone of the Warped Tour lineup, the festival has grown over the years to encompass a diverse range of genres including hip hop, indie rock, and even mainstream pop. Noteworthy appearances over the years include Sublime (1995), Beck (1996), Eminem (1999), The Black Eyed Peas (1999), Talib Kweli (2000), Katy Perry (2008), and G-Eazy (2012).

9. Warped Tour has a sweet Tumblr Stay up to date with news, videos, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content over at the slick Vans Warped Tour Tumblr .

10. Set times are not announced until the morning of the show The Vans Warped tour lineup was released with tons of great bands and artists, but set times don’t come out until the morning of the show. Get to the festival early and head to the big inflatable blow-up board at the main Vans tent where the schedule will be displayed in all its glory. And check out the Vans Warped Tour playlist below, lovingly curated by Ticketmaster staff.

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A Final Pilgrimage To Warped Tour, As Told By A Former Scene Kid

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It could have been my rookie naïveté, but witnessing the 2007 Vans Warped Tour felt magical. On the steamy pavement of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome parking lot in Minneapolis, one scene of young MySpace bands was exploding and growing in real time. Another wave of Warped Tour veterans like Bad Religion, MxPx, and Pennywise were still drawing huge, aggressively enthusiastic crowds. Hundreds of bands crossing genre lines under the punk-rock umbrella played on more than a dozen stages across the US and Canada for 45 days that summer. There was nothing else like it.

Well, I’d never seen anything like it, but I didn’t have anything to compare it to, either. I was weeks away from turning 13 (in retrospect, perhaps too young to be gallivanting around the Warped Tour), and I knew about the festival from bands promoting their sets on MySpace and from Blink-182’s “I couldn’t wait for the summer at the Warped Tour” lyric. A friend I met in community theater (who could drive) asked me if I wanted to tag along. I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing bands I’d recently discovered like melodic screamers Chiodos, metalcore mainstays Underoath, and everyone’s favorite pop-infused Tennesseans Paramore, whose classic release Riot! came out just a month before I saw them play that summer. Looking back, I can hardly believe how loaded that year’s lineup was with bands who were either at or nearing the height of their popularity (Hawthorne Heights, New Found Glory, Coheed And Cambria, the Starting Line) and bands who were newbies then but would become absolute powerhouses in the scene (All Time Low, Mayday Parade, My American Heart, Circa Survive).

That first Warped Tour visit gave me a glimpse into a world I didn’t know existed, or at least a world I didn’t know was accessible to me beyond the internet. I felt relatively alone in my musical interests; Warped Tour felt like home. I’d spend the next year going to as many shows as my parents would allow, and I’d spend the next three summers attending the Warped Tour — leaving the house before sunrise to wait in line for hours and be one of the first to get in, ensuring a prime “barricade” spot for bands playing right at 11AM and a first-look at the secret set schedule only posted on a central blow-up board in the middle of the grounds.

I didn’t get to experience music movements like riot grrrl or first-wave emo or the first decade or so of the Warped Tour, but the smattering of years I was deep in the scene were something uniquely their own — strange, over-the-top, and gratuitous — that I’m grateful to have witnessed. There was ironically bad, started-out-as-a-joke-but-then-not-a-joke duo I Set My Friends On Fire, who rose to notoriety with a screamo cover of “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” Attack Attack! invented crabcore. No genre was free from the synth takeover; at a certain point, every band had a synth player. There were the Warped Tour equivalents of boy bands like The Academy Is …, We The Kings, the Maine, and Valencia. Scene kids had a limitless desire for more post-hardcore and metalcore and pop-punk bands. Bands filled our desire for pig squeals, four breakdowns in a two-minute song, and gang vocals about your friends and your small town and leaving your small town with your friends. And in the offseason, fans would connect over memes and fuckyeah fan pages on Tumblr.

Much has ensued since the last time I went to Warped Tour in 2010. Perhaps most prominently, a series of sexual assault and harassment allegations against bands who frequented the tour led to the festival’s fall from grace in the eyes of many. At the very least, the number and frequency of these cases left a bad taste in people’s mouths. As I grew older I reflected on dynamics at meet-and-greets, the normalization of a complete lack of women on stage at Warped Tour, and the sheer volume of lyrics that encouraged violence against women who rejected men. The allegations and the reports made sense. There was no surprise.

Because of this, there was also no surprise when founder Kevin Lyman announced that 2018 would be Warped Tour’s final voyage . Nor was it surprising that, when I walked into the festival grounds last month in suburban Minneapolis for one final pilgrimage, everything felt scaled-down: condensed space, fewer stages, fewer bands. The density of crowds and number of people milling about felt familiar, but with less space, a smaller attendance has the potential to feel proportional. Crowds looked and felt older than I remembered, too, which checks out with Lyman’s assessment that “ 14- to 17-year-olds disappeared ” last summer. The average Warped Tour attendee’s age rose to 19.

I asked 18-year-old attendee Emily and her 22-year-old sister Luna why they thought Warped Tour wasn’t as popular among teens and pre-teens, and both chalked it up to kids not listening to Warped Tour type-bands anymore. Both agreed their peers’ interests overwhelmingly lie in rap and trap music and credit their personal exposure to punk, metal, and all its subgenres to growing up around the music via family members.

I watched 12 sets at my final Warped Tour. Many of the groups I wanted to see scratched the nostalgia itch. Some are still actively making music, some aren’t. I started the day by catching the Maine, a poppy, sassy five-piece out of Tempe, AZ who captured hearts with a couple of EPs in 2007 and the full-length Can’t Stop Won’t Stop in 2008. They played Warped Tour from 2007-2009, then again in 2014 and 2016 before this final run.

Impressively the Maine are made up of the same five guys from a decade ago, and the band has consistently released albums since its initial rise — erring further and further away from bubblegum starry-eyed pop-rock. After opening their set with a cover of Blur’s “Song 2,” singer John O’Callaghan joked about being the Dave Matthews Band and then Hootie & The Blowfish, having “just put out a brand-new record called Can’t Stop Won’t Stop .” It was a level of self-awareness about the ridiculous task of playing juvenile songs you wrote as a teen, balancing songs like “Girls Do What They Want” with new music that you’d like to be considered with a certain level of seriousness. I give the Maine credit for playing all of the stops on the final Warped Tour, knowing crowds are mostly there for the old stuff.

There’s a certain sadness around the perceived absence of music discovery at Warped Tour, but on the flip side, it’s also an honor to be a band that old fans care to revisit or still hold in high esteem, years past their height. Each band I saw took a different approach to navigating being potentially or partially in the nostalgia act category. New Jersey emos Senses Fail told the crowd that their new album “sounds like Let It Enfold You ,” the debut album that launched the band’s career. Nearly every band wanted to know how many in the crowd had and hadn’t seen them play before. Metalcore group MyChildren MyBride got their early hits out of the way at the very beginning of the set. 3OH!3 — a duo of two white guys from Boulder who rap purposefully trashy lyrics over cartoonish electronic beats (a genre no one asked for called “crunkcore”) — opened their set by declaring themselves a MySpace band and seemed to enjoy running through the remarkably large number of hits they put out in 2008. A handful of acts — Four Year Strong, Every Time I Die, Less Than Jake — successfully straddled the line between throwback obligations and promoting new (or newish) music with which fans are still becoming familiar.

After watching classic early aughts emo lords Simple Plan play to a gigantic crowd in the mid-afternoon, I talked to a group of three in their late 20s and early 30s who were dramatically belting all the words to the group’s early hits like “I’m Just A Kid” and “Welcome To My Life.” Each of them were experienced with Warped Tour, having attended the festival on and off beginning in the early 2000s. Aaron, 33, described with pride seeing Paramore in 2005 “before they were Paramore” in a tiny tent before he’d heard of them. “It’s wildly smaller [now],” he said of the event. “There used to be skate ramps.” All three expressed remorse that the festival is coming to a close, making guesses that it’s due to young people being less drawn to bands and full albums and more interested in EDM, singles, and concert experiences with elaborate visuals. “But the ’90s are back, so why isn’t this?” Aaron asked. Lynae, 28, believed today’s new bands think they’re “too good” to play Warped Tour.

There’s a combination of reasons why Warped Tour couldn’t stay afloat, the most obvious being that the formula Lyman created in 1995 isn’t applicable to 2018. The subculture has slimmed and gone in different directions; young girls and gender-nonconforming fans are asking more of bands and want to see themselves reflected in the music they consume. As a young girl, I didn’t think it was possible for me to be in a band unless — in this one rare case — you were a talented singer, because I didn’t see it happening in front of me. It’s challenging to cope with a scene that provided a lot of good slowly disappearing, but I rest assured knowing that young punks and weirdos will always find community in music. Maybe it won’t be in parking lots and mosh pits, but I’m confident they’ll be better at holding each other and their idols accountable and work toward a more inclusive, new-and-improved scene — whatever and wherever it may be.

The final Warped Tour wraps up this weekend with Florida dates in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. Find details here .

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Is the Vans Warped Tour Coming Back?

Is the Vans Warped Tour Coming Back?

No sooner than the final tour ended in the summer of 2019, music fans asked, “is the Vans Warped Tour coming back,” even though the festival was canned after 25 straight years.

When asked if the Vans Warped Tour is coming back, its founders have stated that it wasn’t due to re-launch soon, although alternative festivals might take its place.

There has been much debate over whether Warped Tour will relaunch in the future despite co-founder Kevin Lyman retiring the format for good in 2019. However, a resurgence in the popularity of pop-punk and the interest of new partners could breathe new life into what is a summer staple of the American music scene. So is the Vans Warped Tour coming back soon?

Why Warped Tour is Missed

Before seeing whether Warped Tour is due to make a comeback, it is best to know why the touring punk festival is so beloved by music fans worldwide.

For 25 years, the Warped Tour brought together amazing bands. Fans sought a solid two-month touring carnival of music, sport, and anything deemed alternative culture.

First launched by Kevin Lyman in 1995, Warped Tour became another of America’s big touring festivals. It hoped to capture the same attention that other shows like Lollapalooza had in the early 1990s.

With punk and alternative bands dominating the charts at the time, fans quickly rushed to the new festival. It took headline acts such as Deftones , No Doubt , and Sublime to all four corners of the US.

It received a massive boost as shoe retailer Vans became the primary sponsor a year later. The famous brand drew even more eyes to a festival that now showcased established bands such as Green Day and Bad Religion.

Moving into the 2000s, Warped Tour’s popularity reached new heights. The mu-metal and emo crazes made the tour a must-see event for everyone.

It had live skating shows, comedy tours, and even professional wrestling events. Warped Tour was a hub for everyone to enjoy the summer no matter what they liked.

It also earned international acclaim with bands from the UK, Europe, and Australia. All bands fought for spots on tour and increased their American market presence.

At the end of the 2000s, other inclusions on cult phenomena such as the Guitar Hero series and sites such as Myspace meant that everyone knew what the Warped Tour was about

The Rise and Fall of Warped Tour

Alternative and emo crazes lost their fire into the 2010s. The success and grandeur of the Warped Tour slowly faded along with it. The following years saw a slew of controversies that plagued the tour and senior officials.

The 2012 edition was marred by the unfortunate death of a 19-year-old woman .

Kevin Lyman was also caught up in a sex scandal involving YouTube singer Austin Jones Austin was due to appear at that year’s edition only to drop out before the official launch.

Lyman had been accused of turning a blind eye to Jones’ charges. This situation added more negative press to the festival.

The End of Warped Tour

in December 2018, Kevin Lyman revealed that the 25 th edition of the tour in 2019 would be the last ever to be held. Unlike its regular touring format, only three shows were held that year – in Cleveland, Atlantic City, and Mountain View, California.

It brought together a host of big names from past editions of the tour, with Jimmy Eat World, A Day to Remember, and Good Charlotte all performing.

As the last show finished on the 21 st of July 2019, it heralded the end of an era.

The Artists of Warped Tour

The variety fans could enjoy made Warped Tour such a draw throughout its lifespan. You could hear everything from rock to rap to electro in one day.

It didn’t discriminate as musicians got the chance to perform. Many new musicians saw life in front of adoring crowds regardless of genre or style of performing.

Just by reading through some of the acts to play, Warped Tour is a who’s whos of music stars from the 21 st century:

  • Linkin Park
  • Black Eyed Peas

This list is a cross-section of bands that have dominated charts worldwide. All have played at Warped Tour during the peak of their careers.

The Black Eyed Peas and Katy Perry had their first real chance to perform in front of large live crowds. And we all know how far they went from there.

Seeing how some of these talents have been so successful, imagine what Warped Tour could do if it were to return.

It could give the “Olivia Rodrigos” and the “Meet Me @ The Altars” of the world a chance to shine. They could even grab even more followers away from the screen carnage of Instagram and TikTok.

It could give international acts a chance to breakthrough into the American market. Bands such as Bullet For My Valentine and Twin Atlantic took off in a similar vein after their Warped Tour performances. There’s a real knack for artists to appear once again, which is expected.

Who Could Bring Warped Tour Back?

Like anything commercial, bringing back Warped Tour in the same vein as it was would prove to be a difficult feat.

All the commercial rights still belong to Kevin Lyman. He stated his role in the tour is done and was retired from the touring scene.

Metal singer, Chris Fronzak , said he would be keen to re-launch the tour somehow. However, an interview with British music website Dead Press saw Fronzak reveal that legal obligations would prevent Warped Tour from returning until at least 2023.

Fronzak showed there is still interest in the touring festival. However, the wider world could also slow down any plans for it to come back.

Could Vans Warped Tour Return after a Pandemic?

the COVID pandemic has made it difficult for any promoters to hold shows – big or small. So it would be hard to see how a touring festival may work in current conditions.

It would be a red-tape nightmare trying to ensure that band members are vaccinated and crowd caps are in place. Trying to bring in acts traveling from state to state might also be challenging

Given that COVID restrictions change on a per-state basis, the managers would have to adjust for each location. Those chances can occur at any minute.

On the other hand, with everything taking place outside, Warped Tour would be one of the few events that could be held safely.

Authorities and governments give greater tolerance to outside events. Musicians can hold bigger crowds, making an event like Warped Tour the perfect way to trial touring in the new normal.

So Is Vans Warped Tour coming back anytime soon?

With so many fond memories, it is only natural for music lovers to hope that the Vans Warped Tour is coming back – no matter what platform it may be.

Its place in music history is forever defined thanks to defining the cool alternative movement of the early 2000s and showcasing the biggest acts in music.

As its core audience is slowly reentering the mainstream, it would be a great time to relaunch the tour to give new artists a natural place to shine.

Even if legalities prevent the tour from returning until at least 2023, it doesn’t stop promoters from looking at ways to breathe life into a sleeping giant.

Things would still need to return in the real world. The outdoor settings make it a great event to trial in a post-pandemic world and would be a smash hit if it restarted.

So if you are wondering about the Vans Warped Tour coming back, keep your fingers crossed and hope that something comes to fruition!

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IMAGES

  1. TIMELINE: A brief history of the Vans Warped Tour

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  2. Warped Tour 2013 Europe

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  3. Vans Warped Tour Europe announced

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  4. Warped Tour To Return in 2019 August Burns Red, Mayday Parade Lyrics

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  5. Warped Tour Announces Full Line-Up For 25th Anniversary Festivals

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  6. Full Vans Warped Tour 2016 Line-Up Revealed

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COMMENTS

  1. Warped Tour

    The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019. ... In the UK and Europe, Warped Tour was operated by English promoter Kilimanjaro Live. The Warped Tour returned to London in 2015. Warped Tour 2009

  2. Vans Warped Tour

    The official website of the Vans Warped Tour. 1995-2019. The official website of the Vans Warped Tour. 1995-2019. top of page. THANK YOU FOR 25 YEARS! SHOP OFFICIAL MERCH. VANS WARPED TOUR. Play Video. Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Tumblr. Copy Link. Link Copied. Now Playing. 25 Years of Warped Tour | EP 1: When Kevin Lyman Met Steve Van Doren.

  3. Vans Warped Tour Returns to Europe; Lineup Features The Used

    The tour hit Europe in 1996 through 1999, giving bands like Bad Religion, Less Than Jake and Blink 182 exposure on the international scale before they could join other massive festivals. "There ...

  4. List of Warped Tour lineups by year

    The Vans Warped Tour was a summer music and extreme sports festival that toured annually from 1995 to 2019. The following is a comprehensive list of bands that performed on the tour throughout its history.

  5. Warped Tour spirit lives on with 2023 'When We Were Young' festival

    The spirit of the Vans Warped Tour will live on with the second edition of the "When We Were Young" festival. ... Europe, Australia, and New Zealand starting March 2023 through February 2024. The ...

  6. Punk's not dead? How Vans Warped tour jumped the shark

    A fan in the crowd at this year's Vans Warped tour Photograph: Taylor Ward/Vans Warped tour. Lyman sought to "put punk rock in the sunshine", to escape the violence of clubs, which he ...

  7. Warped Tour Europe

    Hannah talks with Red about the diversity of the Warped Tour line up and how he expects the weather to be slightly less inviting across the pond this Novembe...

  8. Vans Warped Tour says goodbye: Stories and statements over 25 years

    July 20, 2019. For almost a quarter of a century, Vans Warped Tour was a clubhouse for music culture, focusing on alt-rock and then branching into a punk-rock juggernaut with tentacles in all ...

  9. Warped Tour Europe

    Chiodos talk all things Warped Tour including their upcoming run of Warped Tour Europe and what their looking forward to across the pond. Check out what they...

  10. Warped Tour Europe Dates Announced

    In addition to a couple dates in the UK, Warped Tour will expand to Mainland Europe in November. Lineup details haven't been revealed, but here are the dates: Nov 09 Berlin, GER @ Arena Nov 10 Eindhoven, NLD @ Klokgebouw Nov 16 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace Nov 17 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace Nov […]

  11. All 24 Lineups In Warped Tour History, Ranked By Music Fans

    Warped Tour 2016. Photo: Warped Tour. Notable Performers: Falling In Reverse, Less Than Jake, Good Charlotte, Sleeping With Sirens, New Found Glory, Yellowcard, Ghost Town, Bad Seed Rising, We The Kings. Dates: June 24 to August 13.

  12. Here's What Really Caused The Downfall of Warped Tour

    But now, the man behind Warped Tour has stated that it was something much more human behind the festival's downfall -- the loss of punk rock community. In the latest episode of Inside Track -- our ...

  13. Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Shows Lineup

    Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Shows to Feature Blink-182, 311, Bad Religion, Good Charlotte & Many More. The lineups for the Vans Warped Tour 25th anniversary show were released on Friday ...

  14. Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Details Announced

    As the 25 th anniversary of Vans Warped Tour gets closer, the famed punk-rock festival has announced two additional cities to hit this summer, plus new details about what fans can expect to see once they're on site. In addition to the previously announced June 8 date in Cleveland, Ohio, Warped Tour 2019 is due to hit Atlantic City, N.J. on June 29 and 30 and Mountain View, Calif. on July 20 ...

  15. Warped Tour

    The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring music festival to date in North America. The festival visited Australia in 1998-2002 and again in 2013.

  16. Warped Tour: A Look Back in Photos in Honor of Its Last Hurrah

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  17. Vans Warped Tour

    This is the official YouTube channel for the Vans Warped Tour. Tickets are on sale now and the lineup will be revealed via live webcast tonight March 22nd at 6PM EST. Complete info: vanswarpedtour.com

  18. The Untold Truth Of Vans Warped Tour

    The Vans Warped Tour faced accusations of being a boys' club from certain sections, with The New York Times citing how only seven percent of the bands listed for the 2018 edition featured female members. Although the tour had shown improvement in its numbers and given more opportunity to women over the years, especially as headliners, there was ...

  19. 10 Things You May Not Know About Vans Warped Tour

    Vans Warped Tour is one of the most popular summer festival tours in the country, drawing out hundreds of bands and thousands of fans each year for an adrenaline-filled series of hard-hitting shows. Over the years it has grown from a scrappy festival upstart to a massive and well-oiled production, but it has always maintained its DIY spirit, punk rock edge, and commitment to showcasing ...

  20. Warped Tour: A Former Scene Kid's Final Pilgrimage

    A Final Pilgrimage To Warped Tour, As Told By A Former Scene Kid. Sounding Board August 2, 2018 9:20 AM By Grace Birnstengel. It could have been my rookie naïveté, but witnessing the 2007 Vans ...

  21. 25 Years of Warped Tour

    After 25 epic years we say farewell to the Warped Tour and all its glory. In this series we'll hear from people who were apart of Warped and have them share ...

  22. Is the Vans Warped Tour Coming Back?

    By Andrew Roach December 17, 2021. No sooner than the final tour ended in the summer of 2019, music fans asked, "is the Vans Warped Tour coming back," even though the festival was canned after 25 straight years. When asked if the Vans Warped Tour is coming back, its founders have stated that it wasn't due to re-launch soon, although ...