Toronto 2010 Warped Tour Wrap Up

Hey Everyone!
Phew... what a weekend! I dont know about you folks, but I'm about ready to crash and never get up haha. I spent this past weekend in Toronto with one of my best friends checking out the 2010 Vans Warped Tour and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Not that I was expecting it to suck... but when I consider the lineup and compare it to past years, I have to say it was somewhat lack luster for me. And then I remembered the magic of that place... 5mins in the gate and I was home. Here are some of my highlights for the day... recommendations of what to see if you plan to catch the tour in a city near you... pricing for those of you who are curious about the money you can expect to spend on various things... the whole deal, right here!

HINT: The lineup- Great place to meet new friends. Why not strike up a conversation with the people around you? I know that the weather made for great small talk in Toronto with the torrential downpour we experienced in the morning. Be aware, if you intend to pay for tickets in line they may sell fast and price just over $50 CDN.

HINT: First thing is first... before you run off to the nearest stage, check out the schedule usually located by the main stage. Hard to miss... its huge and inflatable! Make sure you prioritize and get to see as much as you can. Dont regret it!

First up in my day I checked out the last few tracks of the We The Kings set. The boys played a great set as per usual. Very tightly knit instrumentals, great vocals, and a guest appearance by Hey Monday's Cassadee for a memorable duet. If you get the chance to watch them, definitely do. They are certainly a pop punk fan's dream, but they also know how to get the audience going.

HINT: Take a walk of the full park on your downtime. Check out the layout, get familiar with it. Its easier to find your favorite bands when you already know where the stage is. You wont miss anything looking for it! Also, check out some of the tents. Lots of cool merch and free giveaways that are worth a look. Great causes and charities also set up tents so you can learn a lot in the process of walking away with free swag.

Note: Band tees run about $15-25, Hoodies about $40-50, Pins/Patches/Bracelets about $2-5

Next up, I went over to see The Rocket Summer. I swear, Bryce Avary is a genius. I know he does it in every city, but the man can write a freaking song in seconds. He's a multi-instrumentalist, which is something I am completely floored by. It took me 5 years to play a solid flute piece, I cant even begin to fathom playing an entire bands worth of instruments perfectly! If you want something a little upbeat and fun to beat the serious metal/emo overtones of the tour, wander over to their set and smile for a bit!

About halfway through their set, I wandered off to check out the tents and found my way back to the Main Stage (This year its going by the name of Teggart, in honor of a warped tour staff veteran who passed away earlier this year) for the Bouncing Souls set. Always a great set for punk rock fans. Timeless, simple, and amazing. I saw these guys at my very first Warped seven years ago, and watching them was like reliving that day. If you're looking for some fun in a pit, be sure to check them out.

Next up I got some lunch. Price points here werent as bad as I expected. You can assume that a slice of pizza will run about $4.25 CDN... closer to $9 if you add a pop and a bag of chips.

HINT: Bring food. Sealed water bottles and wrapped sandwiches are permitted in MOST venues, so check it out online and save yourself a few bucks.

Next up, The Cab. Now, I know what you're all thinking... Rocket Summer, We The Kings, The Cab... whats with all the pop? Truth is, I will take this over some of the "metal hxc alt core" whatever you want to call it stuff that plays on some of the other stages. I actually have an appreciation for vocal talent and solid instrument harmonies so think what you will, but I dont care. It was GOOD. The Cab drew a pretty large crowd, and played a lot of great tracks off their album, as well as their upcoming release. If you're in a dancing mood, I highly recommend letting lose to their set... tracks like Bounce and One Of Those Nights will have you busting a move in no time.

After the Cab's set, I decided to head over to their tent for their impromptu signing. The guys were great, super chatty and friendly which is always a plus. Cant say the same for the screaming girls though...

HINT: Some bands dont announce signings until they close their set. If you're really hoping for some Warped Tour magic, to meet your favorite bands, wait to see if they invite fans to drop by their tent for an autograph, then deak out before the last song to snag a spot in line early. ALSO, please... remember that lines function better than mobs people. LINES. Like when we were all in Kindergarden? Remember lines? One behind the other... orderly fashion. Lines...

Once I finished up with that, I had just enough time to check out a couple tracks by both Motion City Soundtrack and Pierce The Veil. Good times. Pierce the Veil are actually on my radar for Warped. They are a lot of fun, and usually play a pretty wicked cover or two that make the set more than worthwhile. This time around they chose Drake. Good fit for us Canadians. Motion City are also a solid band worth giving a go. If you like their old stuff, they play a lot of it on tour so dont worry- they make use of their catalogue unlike some bands :)

3:45pm and the clouds were pushing further into the distance. About halfway through the day, lots more to see and do! Here is where I had my first and only real conflict for the day. You see, Bring Me The Horizon and The Pretty Reckless were set to play different areas of the park at the same time.

For all you metal fans out there... Bring Me The Horizon is a MUST SEE. These british boys know how to tear the roof off a place... even when its outdoors. They take control of the stage and crowd with incredible ease and aggression. Driving bass lines, growling vox, and vicious melodies had the crowd in a frenzy. They are also the only band I saw that day who managed to create a successful circle pit AND my personal favorite, the Wall Of Death... for those of you who dont know, Oli (singer) essentially splits the crowd like Moses did with the sea, and then when the music kicks back in, everybody runs at each other. Crazy, dangerous, but SOOO fun. They also had a crowd surfing contest, the winner walking away with a brand new, signed skateboard deck. Not bad. Never have I seen so many limbs in the air, and never have I been more afraid of feet falling from the sky and whacking me upside the head.

For those of you looking for something a little more 90s grunge era... I might suggest to you, The Pretty Reckless. So, you know Gossip Girl? The little blonde chick on the show who goes after guys twice her age and is the Queen Bee? Well, chickie is also in a band, and surprisingly, the girl has a voice! Rough, raw, edgy... this girl wowed me. Yes, the lingerie was a little over kill, the blonde extensions could use a wash, and the makeup made me think of the raccoon who digs around in my trash... but beyond all that, just focusing on the music... she's good. Youtube it if you dont believe me. I know she hates the comparison, but she really is a young, more talented Courtney Love. Watch her, she's going to be huge.

After this, I made an attempt to check out Mayday Parade, but some genius decided to put them on one of the smaller stages which was impossible to get to... or see... or hear. So needless to say, I gave up after only a few minutes of their set. I wandered around a little bit and managed to catch a bit of Dillenger Escape Plan, and meet Oliver Sykes from BMTH... even though my picture magically deleted itself from my camera. Its cool. I know it happened and it was pretty sick. After this excitement, I made the tough choice to turn down The Casualties set in order to pursue something a little more satisfying to the 14 year old burried inside me... Sum 41. Yes, ladies & gentlemen, I waited a little while by the front of the main stage to see my 9th grade favorites.

Sum 41... SO MUCH FUN. Yes, they had a lousy album with Underclass Hero, but the old stuff is still classic and insanely fun. Who gets tired of hearing Fat Lip? Not me! Any rap about back packs and dentists wins me over even years later. Out of all the sets I saw that day, they were one of the best. I think thats what happens when Candian bands play their home country on the main stage. Just like Alexisonfire and Billy Talent in previous years, the hometown heroes always win over the audience. Lots of "devil horns" up, and 41 salutes were made. Lots of jumping and moshing ensued. A good time was had by all the Toronto crowd.

Finally, as the night wound to a close and the sun began to set on yet another Warped Tour, the stage stayed standing for its final performance. The one I had anxiously been awaiting all night... Alkaline Trio. The chicago trio are some of my favorite musicians. All equally brilliant, and all true musicians. You can tell they love what they do. I actually met them at their signing earlier in the day and it was probably one of the highlights of the tour for me. Now, with all the hype I had running through my system, I have to say I was slightly let down... The problem? So much new material. I havent had a chance to pick up This Addiction yet, so I wasnt familiar with many of the tracks. I was really hoping for some older stuff. Mind you, Stupid Kid was played so I cant complain much at all. They were still the image of punk rock perfection. Perfectly in sync with each other and brimming with talent. It was a great way to end the night... sun lighting the stage so intensly it looked like flames were climbing the banners. Everyone gathered around the last standing structure, basking in the summer heat and dusty air. Grudgingly turning away to leave the park as the last notes rang out through the amps... amazing.

So that about sums up my day... get it, SUMS up? Haha I'm such a joker :P Anyways, I hope that sheds some light on the fascinating world of Warped Tour through the eyes of yours truly. An real life, summer punk rock wonderland with something for everyone to see and enjoy. If you can, check out this tour. I promise you wont regret it. If the bands all suck, at least you have the experience... again, unlike anything I could possibly describe. A united community, always welcoming new members.

Will you be checking out the tour? Have you already? Tell me your Warped Tales!
Rock On,
-Girl At The Rock Show

New Sum 41 In The Works!

Hey Everyone!

Your favourite Canadian boys and mine are back! ...And lets hope its better than their last attempt with Underclass Hero. Sum 41 have made the official announcement for the release date of their next record, Screaming Bloody Murder. It will hit the store shelves on August 31, 2010. Correlating nicely with the end of their summer long Warped Tour booking.

A new track is also being streamed HERE so be sure to check it out!

What do you think? Yay or Nay? Share!

Rock On,

-Girl At The Rock Show

SUM 41 Involved In Drunk Driving Accident

Hey Everyone!

Relax, no one in the band was behind the wheel. No, it seems like our Canadian boys in Sum 41 are having some rotten luck with their bus on this year's Vans Warped Tour. Apparently, their driver got behind the wheel after a few drinks and ran the bus off the road, endangering the lives of those on the road and those on board.

In a series of early morning twitter posts, the band gave fans a sort of play-by-play of the unfolding events. From the accident, to near fights, and replacement driver salvation, they let everybody know what was going on. They also made sure to note that the driver would never work for the band again, thank god. Drunk driving is seriously scary. You risk so many lives in taking hold of the wheel while drunk. Especially when you control a tour bus- thats a weapon in itself. A lot of metal, steel, and speed. Lethal combination when handled in a wreckless way.

What do you guys think of the situation? Must have really shaken to boys up!

Rock On!

-Girl At The Rock Show

Free Warped Tour Sampler From Itunes!

Hey Everyone!
So to those of you attending this year's warped tour, or those of you trying to decide if the ticket is worth it to you this year (especially with the lack of old school punk on the tour) this may help you out! Itunes and Vans have come together to provide a FREE music sample download, available until August 2010. Yes, you read that right... FREE. The 10 song download includes tracks from several of this year's performers including Alkaline Trio, New Cities, and Set Your Goals. The album is short, but a great insight to some of the different acts that are can be found of the stages this year. Might help you decide if the lineup is a good fit for you! So check out the sampler HERE, it is available in both Canada and the USA.

What do you think? Good idea!
Rock On,
-Girl At The Rock Show

Alkaline Trio To Play ALL Dates On 2010 Vans Warped Tour

Hey Everyone!

Man, the 2010 Vans Warped Tour is definitely shaping up to be one you dont want to miss! Especially if you take into account the latest announcement that Chicago group Alkaline Trio will now be playing the entire duration of the tour! Yes, thats right, they will be playing ALL AMERICAN AND CANADIAN DATES... barring of course: illness, injury, border difficulty, animal attacks, bus breakdowns, grand theft tour van, heat exhaustion, or serious destruction of instruments due to serious rock n roll. These guys are so fantastic live, I love them. I got my first real chance to see them when they opened for Rise Against last year and it was definitely well worth the extensive wait. I highly suggest giving their set a listen if you find yourself at warped tour this year with some spare time on your hands (yes- I know thats rare but it DOES happen sometimes haha). The band will be supporting their seventh studio album, This Addiction, which was released Feb/2010.

Do you plan to check out their set? If so, I'll see you in the pit!

Rock On!

- Girl At The Rock Show

Warped Tour Announces Presale!

Hey Everyone!

Get ready, mark this one in your calendar! Warped Tour has announced that the majority of their pre-sale tickets will be on sale March 26th. The select number of pre-sale tickets will include a 2010 tour compilation CD, a jump the line pass (which I have never really understood) and a limited edition souvenir ticket. More details to come in February!

In the mean time, why not become part of the Warped Panel? Fill out a series of surveys for Vans (usually about one a month until May) and they will randomly select 10 winners per date to win a VIP Pass. I won back in 2008 and I have to say, the experience was well worth it. Its not ALL fun & games... had to hand out surveys and then input the data onto little palm pilots before we were allowed entry... but we beat the crowds by an hour, saw the tour being set up, met bands (actually got to watch the Butcher from The Academy Is paint which was cool), and the piece de resistance, you get to choose a band to watch from side stage. I chose Jack's Mannequin and it was breath taking. Never going to forget that. Ended up standing beside Matt Thiessen and William Beckett... pretty sweet way to watch one of your favorite groups! So yeah, check it out, write the surveys and keep your fingers crossed!

Thats all for now!

Rock On,

- Girl At The Rock Show

WARPED TOUR BAND ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey Everyone!

Alright, the first round of bands are slowly being revealed for the 2010 Vans Warped Tour. A video has been posted to Youtube featuring pit reported Tiffany listing off a few of the bands as well as an announcement from the man behind the tour himself, Kevin Lyman. Check out the video here and dont forget there are PLENTY more names to come. In fact, more names are apparently coming to the website this evening so stay tuned!

Rock On,

- Girl At The Rock Show

Flogging Molly At Warped Tour 2007

Hey Everyone!

A couple weeks ago I linked you to an amazing song called Drunken Lullabies by Flogging Molly. I also mentioned in the same post that the first time I had heard the song was at Warped Tour 2007, giving me memories to last a lifetime. I was on my myspace account (very high school, I know, right?) and I came across this video that I took of the circle pit. Thought I'd throw it up here for you to check out. Nothing violent, just ridiculously fun! I cant help but smile when I look back on this, good times! Anyone else getting excited for Warped 2010? July 9th in Toronto, I'll see you there!

Floggin Molly Pit :D

Jessy♥ | MySpace Video

Rock On,

- Girl At The Rock Show

Vans Warped Tour Announcement!

Hey Everyone!

So the Vans Warped Tour made an announcement today via their awesome pit reporter, Tiff. Not only are the tour dates posted here but the BANDS are going to be announced on DECEMBER 18th! Thats not far from now, only a couple weeks. I'm really excited to see who's on the list this year. Lately it hasn't been as welcoming to older bands (they usually play the last sets of the day when half the crowd goes home) but they're still kicking and I'm hoping to see a come back. Who are you hoping to see? Tell Me, I'd love to know!

July 9, 2010 in Toronto Anyone??? See you there!

Rock On,

- Girl At The Rock Show

Song of the Day: The Festival Song by Good Charlotte... The first year I went to Warped Tour was 2004. Good Charlotte headlined and I remember being very excited for it. They were one of my favorite bands when I was in high school. They were my gateway band for lack of better words... I found a lot of old 80s punk through the 6 degrees of links they provided me with. It opened a whole new world for me, and I still experience a great deal of nostalgia when I hear it now. Even just bringing up this song... definitely takes me back!

Warped Tour To Announce Dates

Hey Everyone!

For those of you, who like myself, are Warped Tour fanatics- the tour announced today via twitter that they will be announcing the dates this week. First week of December follows the typical time frame for this announcement, so it was only to be expected. But I have to say, I'm still pretty excited. I literally plan my summer around attending this, and have for the past 6 years. They have also announced on their facebook fan page that Alternative Press' Most Anticipated Releases of 2010 gives some good insight to the lineup that is beginning to form. Hmmm sounds good to me, I cant wait!

Rock On

- Girl At The Rock Show

The Academy Is... ?

Today I want to share with you all a band that I've loved since the day I first heard them. I remember it clearly... It was late one night in early 2005, I was on Yahoo's LAUNCH player listening to music and doing homework when I heard this gorgeous voice through my headphones. Bringing up the screen immediately, I quickly penned the song's title: Slow Down by The Academy Is... Being a fan of Fall Out Boy (laugh all you want, I don't care, yes I'm 20 and I like Black Flag AND Fall Out Boy) I had heard of the name, but never the music. I couldn't believe I had waited so long to do so! By the time the three minute song had ended, I was already anxiously searching for others. I think I must have spent that night glued to my computer with their album on repeat. That was just the beginning, but things haven't changed all that much.

The band is currently made up of William Beckett (lead vox), Adam T Siska (bass), Andy "The Butcher" Mrotek (drums), Mike Carden (guitar) and Michael Guy Chislett ( lead guitar). They formed in the Chicago area in 2003 after Beckett and Carden (formerly of rival bands) joined together and began to write. Their unique blend of influences and styles, combined with catchy pop tunes made it easy to make a name for themselves. After a few member changes, they had found their sound. Each member contributing with their own quirks and talent. Beckett with his girlish appearance and soft exquisite voice, Carden with his shy demeanor and passion for playing, Andy with his artistic nature, Sisky with his youth and charisma. They were soon signed to Decaydance Records and released their first official full length album, Almost Here. This release earned them a spot on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour where I was able to see them perform for the first time. 

I'll never forget how excited I was. I spent the whole day waiting for it, and when their set finally started, I was in heaven. For 30 minutes, I held on to every guitar note, every drum beat, every eloquently spoken word that I could. After they finished, the guys hung around and talked to those of us who had stuck around in the sweltering heat. So down to earth, so unfazed by the celebrity that had been bestowed on them. Later on, I caught up with them again as they wandered the park spraying unsuspecting victims with water guns. They were all just average guys, looking to play music that people would enjoy. I think this impression made a lasting impact on me. They may not remember me, but every time I see or meet them, it hits me how much these guys haven't changed.

Since this early run on Warped Tour, they have gone on to play headlining shows and other festivals. Adding long time friend Michael Chislett to the band (formerly of Butch Walker and the Lets Go Out Tonites) releasing two more albums (Santi & Fast Times At Barrington High) and a couple EPs in the process. They are currently co-headlining Alternative Press' Fall Ball Tour with Mayday Parade in support of their latest EP Lost In Pacific Time. This tour passes through Toronto on Friday Novemeber 13th, get your tickets now, I know I have mine!

Albums:

The Academy EP (2004)

Almost Here (Feb.2005)

Santi (Apr.2007)

Fast Times At Barrington High (Aug.2008)

Lost In Pacific Time EP (Sept.2009)

Choice Tracks:

40 Steps, About A Girl, The Test, Rumored Nights, Sleeping With Giants, Skeptics And True Believers, Sputter (feat. Andrew McMahon), Down And Out,The Author

Hope you like it as much as I do :)

Rock On!

- Girl At The Rock Show