Vans Warped Tour 2010

As I start my drive up north to Ventura for Warped Tour 2010 I began recounting my previous experiences with the festival. Adjectives like ‘sweaty’, ‘bloody’ and ‘painful’ rang through my head. I sighed heavily, mostly for fear of what kind of teeny-boppers I would encounter screaming for the latest label-polished, family friendly band pretending to revitalize what use to be a no-holds barred, no apologies type of event. I reviewed my list of bands playing, hoping to recognize at least one name. Bouncing Souls! Andrew W.K.! Dillinger Escape Plan!? I was awestruck; I had been expecting those talented names to have weaned their way off the tour years ago.

Arriving at the festival I found a side street to park at, saving myself a small fortune to park at the venue. Grabbing my camera and skateboard, I began conquering the half-mile trek to the Ventura Country Fairgrounds. Entering the press tent one of the new faces of music came strutting toward me, Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter immediately stole my heart in her cheetah print shorts and leather jacket. Thinking it best not to confess my love to her we began talking about Auto’s music. Widening her eyes she responded, “My influences are akin to Janis Joplin, Steve Miller, Joan Jett, Blondie, the Foo Fighters – I could keep going on.” Their record, called Truth or Dare was released by Sony this month, “I wrote a record that was very dynamic, almost like a roller coaster. It’s only been out for a week and here on the Warped Tour I’ve seen fans sing every lyric, which means they’ve been listening to it every day and memorizing the words. I am so appreciative of every little thing. This tour has been fun and exhilarating and its only day three.”

Walking through the packed crowds of people I felt more like a patron of a carnival than a music festival. Stages and merch tents were interwoven across the fairgrounds tightly butting against one another; no space was left unclaimed. The vendors would empty out to the front of any one of the 7 stages, each stage standing like the next roller coaster to ride. Masses of people were pressing their bodies against the barricades eagerly awaiting the next performer to come and take them for a ride. Security hid their undoubtedly concerned eyes beneath reflective aviators and a throng of police stood trying to maintain composure amid the overpowering populace. Andrew W.K. had brought a tent spanning 30 ft; which he dubbed his ‘Party House’ and when he stepped up for his set the crowd accepted his sermon and responded as one cacophonous voice. “We have a full range of emotions why not enjoy all of them? That’s what I am here for and that’s what partying hard is about.” The man himself, Andrew W.K. spoke, as if Sophocles himself were delivering a lecture on the fundamental applications of partying, “We did the whole Warped Tour back in 2003 and already this has exceeded that. It seems very well organized. Your energy can go right to partying and that’s very important for me.”

“We are still trying to figure out how to handle it but all the bands are real cool and we are having fun with it,” comments Chris Cresswell; whose band The Flatliners recently signed with Fat Wreck Chords and released their new album Cavalcade in April. The Flatliners are only slated for a few shows in the states before heading back to Toronto. “I think it’ll take a bit to feel like part of the Warped Tour family but we have our friends here and it’s definitely a close knit thing.”

Everywhere people were dancing and throwing themselves against one another like rag dolls caught in a turbulent wind. “I personally like the crowd here more than I did in the old days.” Mike Burns commented as we drank together in the ‘Beer Garden.’ Mike, lead singer of the band Never Like The Movies, hopes to hop on the Warped Tour wagon next year, “My writing is dark but we work closely with the pop end of music.” Personally Mike has been coming to Warped Tour for seven years. “I like how there is a lot more hardcore and metal stuff that’s happening now. It’s just blown up and there are so many more people.”

“When it started it was so much more simple because it was a simpler music scene, there was less bands and less venues and it’s just expanded,” stated Greg Attonito, front man for The Bouncing Souls and Warped Tour veteran of 10 years. “I think the expansion is good. In my world of the Warped Tour it’s still a community, where people support one another.” No doubt about the support! Andrew WK took to the stage to join the band 3Oh!3 to rock through their track “House Party” and David McWane from Big D and the Kids Table hopped up to sing along with the HaSkaLa to a ska classic.

The vibe was a harmonious blend of nearly every aspect of music founded in DIY. While one stage screamed the nearly indiscernible lyrics of The Dillinger Escape Plan another stage carried the trance like styling of the quiet, yet powerfully present Gardening Not Architecture. Honestly sitting down to offload my nearly 1200 photos gave me a chance to absorb and discern what was happening around me. “It’s very interesting as a sociological observation to see how underground music always surfaces and becomes mainstream,” comments Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan, “I still feel like one of these kids and I just have to stay young with it.”

It’s true, as long as the music and the event stays young at heart Warped Tour will continue for another ten years and I will be a little more optimistic at the onset. Be sure to check out all the bands and keep your eyes open for the new album Truth or Dare from Automatic Loveletter.