There are almost certain rituals associated with summer: going to the beach, watching fireworks, perhaps going to the State Fair. But for others, the return of the scorching days of summer means one thing—it’s almost time for the Vans Warped Tour. Unlike other festivals that take place throughout the year, the Vans Warped Tour makes its way across the country instead of staying static in one place. Local stops this year include the PNC Bank Arts Center on July 13, the Susquehanna Bank Center on July 20, and Nassau Coliseum on July 21. This gives fans a great chance to see their favorite bands play, regardless of their location. Lather on the sunblock, put on your best shades, and take a look at who’ll be playing in your own backyard. For complete details, check out vanswarpedtour.com.
All Time Low
Maryland’s pop punk quartet All Time Low have been taking the music world by storm with their catchy and upbeat songs, such as “Maria, Count Me In” off of 2007’s So Wrong, It’s Right and “I Feel Like Dancin’” off of their most recent release, Dirty Work. After returning from their latest tour in the UK with The Maine, which included multiple sold out dates, All Time Low independently released “The Reckless And The Brave” by having fans tweet about the release of the song in order to receive a free download. According to the band’s website, they are currently working on a new album, which has been slated for release later this year.
Bayside
Since their formation in 2000, Bayside have found themselves to be contenders in the music world—even when faced with tragedy. In the last year or so, the band has found themselves on the Take Action Tour, released a new album, and are now playing on the Vans Warped Tour. After leaving Victory Records, the band signed onto Wind-Up Records, which released the quartet’s 2011 release, Killing Time. Along with the success of the band, vocalist Anthony Raneri has embarked on a solo project, in which his debut EP was released early this year. With their strong yet catchy songs, there doesn’t seem to be much holding the four-piece back.
Brian Marquis
Tearing up the Acoustic Basement Stage on this year’s Vans Warped Tour is Massachusetts’ Brian Marquis. Known for his folk acoustic sound, Marquis is throwing a curveball on the tour by bringing a rawer sound to the lineup. His debut EP, Snow Damage, was recently released and favors fans of eclectic and bluesy indie folk. The six-track release is soulful, entertaining and will be a joyous addition to any twangy music lovers’ collection. Be sure not to miss Brian Marquis and make sure you pick up a copy of Snow Damage!
Captain Capa
Hailing from Germany is the high-energy, electronic duo Captain Capa. The two-piece mixes together bubbly beats and English/German lyrics to create a sound that is bound to get any party started. They’re also a shoe-in to amp up the energy levels throughout their stay on the Vans Warped Tour. The band is currently on Audiolith Records and they’ve released four EPs and two albums to date. For a good time, make sure you don’t miss the in-your-face Captain Capa, who will be on the tour from July 17 until August 5.
Cherri Bomb
An all-girl rock band, Cherri Bomb will explode their way into your hearts. Managed by former drummer for the likes of Peaches and Eagles Of Death Metal, these young rockers have the drive of their own as well as one who knows the ins and outs of the music industry behind them. Don’t let their ages fool you—Cherri Bomb has the strength and talent of some of the veterans in the music scene nowadays and are even featured on the popular Apple game, Tap Tap Revenge. Keep your eyes peeled for what the future will hold for these already accomplished youngsters.
Dead Sara
With their grungy, hard-hitting sound, Dead Sara spices up the lineup with their shocking live performance. The follow-up to the quartet’s debut EP, The Airport Sessions, has sparked the growth of their fanbase, especially with the hit “Weatherman.” The self-titled disc even landed the four-piece a spot on tour with The Used. With a sound that mixes the chic and laid-back vibe of Los Angeles and the dirtiness and rampant lifestyle that New York City brings, what’s not to love? They’ll be performing on various dates of the U.S. and UK Vans Warped Tour this year.
Fireworks
With a music video as sharp as its name, Fireworks are lighting up the sky (and no, I’m not talking about that song by Katy Perry). Besides performing on Warped Tour, the Metro Detroit quintet is also featured on the Warped Tour Sampler put out by Glamour Kills clothing. Because of their bouncy pop punk sound, Fireworks have landed spots on tours with bands such as New Found Glory and Four Year Strong, as well as went out on their own headlining tour. Their sophomore full-length was released in May 2011. Make sure you let Fireworks spark up your time at the Vans Warped Tour.
Funeral Party
Funeral Party are indeed putting the “fun” back in funeral. Their disc, Golden Age Of Knowledge, is edgy, loud and eccentric—much like the band itself. After gaining buzz in their home state of California, the five-piece found themselves on Fearless Records and released their debut EP, Bootleg, in 2008. The quintet left Fearless and signed to RCA Records where their latest album, The Golden Age Of Knowledge, was released in January 2011. Make sure you check out Funeral Party—they’ll knock you dead!
I Fight Dragons
With a somewhat unusual choice of weapons, I Fight Dragons are bridging the gap between rock and Nintendocore. Some of the band’s instruments of choice are various NES extensions such as the NES Power Pad, NES Zapper, as well as your standard GameBoy. They’ve toured with the likes of Cobra Starship and have released five albums, including an album of covers mixed with some originals. The Chicago-based band has a large following and their own 3D video on the Nintendo 3DS system. Although some songs may be overly chiptuned for your standard rock fan, let this four-piece slay their way into your heart.
Lostprophets
Another notch can be added into the belts of the Welsh rock band, Lostprophets. Known for their hit singles “Last Train Home” and the summer anthem “Rooftops,” Lostprophets have played various festivals, including the Leeds Festival. Their fifth studio album, Weapons, was released recently on Fearless after the band departed from Visible Noise. With all the hype the band has received overseas, it doesn’t come as a surprise that they will be headlining the UK stretch of this year’s Warped Tour. Lostprophets’ post-hardcore, alternative vibe will be a familiar yet refreshing return to Warped Tour.
Make Do And Mend
Connecticut post-hardcore band Make Do And Mend added a new bassist to their lineup early this year, but that didn’t stop the quartet from releasing their latest album, Everything You Ever Loved, in June. The four-piece has a sound that is similar to the likes of Sparta but with a little more grime. After releasing five discs via Paper + Plastick and Panic Records, Make Do And Mend have signed onto Rise Records and released their latest album through them. They have also released a split with the highly acclaimed Touché Amoré. The band will be on Warped Tour until the very end, so make sure you check them out when the tour comes to your city!
Man Overboard
Once again, New Jersey is at the forefront when it comes to music. Much like New Found Glory, Man Overboard is part of the pop punk genre and will proudly defend the music however they have to. The Rise Records quartet got their start in various bands before coming together to form Man Overboard. The four-piece has toggled between members frequently but their sound remains just as strong, no matter who is bringing what to the table, making them a very adaptable band. Man Overboard are currently re-releasing their self-titled album and will include five bonus tracks and much more.
New Found Glory
New Found Glory aren’t newbies to the Warped Tour circuit, in fact, one may consider them generals of the tour. NFG’s latest release, Radiosurgery, shows that despite being around the block a couple of times, the band can still erupt with energy. The Florida quintet are also known for their cover of Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me,” which takes the classic romantic tune and brings it from zero to 60 in a matter of seconds. Whether you’re a new or old fan of the band, New Found Glory shouldn’t be missed by anyone.
Of Mice And Men
Reissues are becoming quite popular this summer and it seems like Of Mice And Men are joining in on the nostalgic fun. The metalcore band will be re-releasing their latest disc, The Flood, and calling it The Flood Deluxe Reissue, later this month. Along with containing the original tracks, as a bonus, four new tracks will be added as well. Recently, the band has had to deal with the departure of Shayley Bourget, who played bass and provided the clean vocals. Before the release of the disc, the four-piece leaked their latest single, “The Depths.”
Senses Fail
A decade into their career, Senses Fail are showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Recently, the New Jersey quintet released a best-of album titled Follow Your Bliss, which contains songs from their entire discography as well as a bonus EP with four new songs. Even with the release, photos of the band hitting the studio have been surfacing via Instagram and Twitter, so the wait for new material may not be so far off in the future.
Skinny Lister
From across the pond, folk quintet Skinny Lister will be making the trip over for this year’s Warped Tour. The band adds a refreshing spin to the lineup, seeing how they play sans a drum kit and have five-part harmonies. Their debut album, Forge & Flagon, is out now via Sunday Best Recordings. The band keeps their sound interesting by blending together various string instruments and catchy melodies that are fun to move to. Once Warped Tour is over, Skinny Lister will return to the UK for Festibelly, a two-day festival in Hampshire.
Stepdad
The electro pop five-piece dubbed Stepdad are aiding fellow artists, I Fight Dragons, in expanding the 8-bit influence on this year’s Warped Tour. After releasing their EP, Ordinaire, all on their own, the band is now dropping their first album, Wildlife Pop, via Black Bell Records. Their overall sound mixes together eclectic tones and springy beats to create a sound that is both versatile and entertaining. Stepdad also recorded a video for their song, “Will I Ever Dance Again,” which can be streamed via their website, stepdad.us.
Streetlight Manifesto
Ska fans rejoice! Streetlight Manifesto will once again be joining this year’s Warped Tour to provide fans with all their ska punk needs. The septet joined a cover project with Bandits Of The Acoustic Revolution (Tomas Kalnoky’s other band), and released an album in 2010, though they have remained fairly quiet since. However, Kalnoky is embarking on a solo tour under his stage name Toh Kay, and it was recently announced that Streetlight Manifesto will also be performing at WROS Fest in South America. Don’t miss your chance to get your dance on!
Taking Back Sunday
Since the release of Tell All Your Friends and Where You Want To Be, Taking Back Sunday have been wooing fans from all over the world with their catchy, high-energy songs. Recently, the band reunited with the original lineup from Tell All Your Friends for the recording of their self-titled album. The Long Island quintet have confirmed that in honor of the 10th year release of Tell All Your Friends, the band will be going on a tour to celebrate the album. Taking Back Sunday will also be performing on all Warped Tour dates and have released an all-acoustic record titled We Play Songs in honor of Record Store Day.
The Used
Utah’s powerful four-piece, The Used, have recently ended their headlining tour throughout the U.S. in support of their latest disc, Vulnerable. Some of the songs on the release have a bouncier and lighter feel to it, such as “Put Me Out.” However, the band did spark some controversy with the video for the first single off the CD, “I Come Alive.” The video features a little boy who goes on a rampage and murders the tormenters in his life. The quartet also formed their own subdivision of Hopeless Records called Anger Music Group, which their fifth studio album was released on. The Used will be headlining all dates on the Warped Tour so make sure you check them out.
Twin Atlantic
Another band from the UK, Twin Atlantic will be embarking on this year’s Warped Tour. The quartet have sold out venues such as Queen Margaret Union and have toured with the likes of My Chemical Romance and Blink-182. In 2011, the band released their second studio album, Free, and have introduced four singles off of it. After the tour, Twin Atlantic will be returning home to tour their side of the globe, including performing at this year’s Reading and Leeds Festivals.
Yellowcard
Known for their summer anthem “Ocean Avenue,” their angsty “Way Away,” and the sweep-you-off-your-feet “Only One,” Yellowcard are back and are working on a new album titled Southern Air, which will be released in August. The standout sound of the five-piece is through their use of the violin, which adds a much more melodic sound to the pop punk vibe of the band. The band has recently had to deal with the departure of bassist Sean O’Donnell, who has been replaced by Josh Portman. The track listing for Southern Air has been announced and after Warped Tour, the band will be heading over to Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Young London
The East Coast has quite a presence on this year’s Warped Tour lineup as well as the electronic music circuit. Young London, a furious electro pop duo from Massachusetts, recently released their debut self-titled album and will be playing all of Warped Tour. Their unique way to toy with tempos to create music that is both chill and fun at the same time really makes Young London stand out. If this boy/girl two-piece isn’t on your radar yet, you’re missing out. If it’s not a hot summer already, Young London will make the temperatures soar.