|
|
||
|
|
Vans Warped Tour 2005
by Jamie Griffin
For 11 years now fans of all ages have been attending the Vans Warped Tour. The Warped tour has come to be known as Punk Rock Summer Camp. This moniker fits it very well as numerous bands and fans found out within the first few.
The Warped tour was started by founder
Kevin Lyman as a way for non-mainstream bands to gather and get
recognized. The festival has since hosted a myriad of bands, from
Rancid and Sublime to new comers the Transplants, Fall-Out
Boy and My Chemical Romance.
This years Warped Tour was held in the
parking lot of the Pontiac Silverdome, perhaps the only place
large enough to hold the tens of thousands of people in attendance.
The roster included 80+ bands. One of these
was up and comers Fall Out Boy. Before the band even got on stage
security warned people that things might get ugly. Were they ever
right. Half way through the chart toping single Sugar (were going
down) the band had to stop so that the injured people in the pit
could get taken out. That was the end of the fun at the Fall Out Boy
stage.
Next up was Celtic punk veterans
Dropkick Murphys. Boston Natives the Murphys play a mix of punk rock
and Irish standards. Shortly before their set the crowd erupted into
cheers of Lets go Murphys. It made you wonder if it was a Punk Rock
concert or a Detroit Red Wings game. The Murphys went on to play a
strong set that got the crown going for the billionth time that day.
Meanwhile across the parking lot metal band
Atreyu was set to take stage. Atreyu are no strangers to festivals.
They played on the second stage of last years Ozzfest. The band
came out to Queen's Fat Bottomed Girls. They put on one of the better
shows of the day, playing songs like Bon Jovi's, You Give Love a Bad
Name. Look for good things to come from these guys. They seem to be a
favorite everywhere they play.
Back on the Mike Stage were The Suicide
Machines. Out in support of their new album War Profiteering is
Killing us All, the Detroit natives had one of the most energetic
shows of the day. Playing songs Break the Glass and Islands the band
reminded us of a time when Punk Rock was fun and not just political.
Singer Jason Navarro even said that he would start making stupid
songs again as soon as we get a government that isn't money-hungry
warmongers. The new album out on Side One Dummy records deals with
politics and corruption in the government.
After the Suicide Machines came the
Transplants. Touted as one of the hottest new bands at the Warped
Tour the band features Travis Barker (Blink 182), Tim
Armstrong (Rancid), and newcomer (skinhead) Rob Alston. With two big name punk superstars theTransplants were the act to
see. They did not disappoint. With hits such as Tall Cans in the Air,
Diamonds and Guns, and the new single Gangsters and Thugs, the
Transplants proved that punk rock is alive and well. Transplants are out
promoting their new album Haunted City that came out on Lasalle records
on June 21st. The album, like the band is a mix of punk and hip-hop
with guests like Boo Yaa Tribe and B-Real of Cypress
Hill.
Finally the headliners took to the stage.
After over 20 years in the music scene the Offspring played their
first ever Warped Tour. Their set list echoed their new greatest hits
disc. Playing songs like Come Out and Play (you gotta keep em separated)
and All I want.
While the Offsprings show seemed rather
dull compared to acts like Atreyu, and Dillinger Escape Plan
(their singer breathed fire over the crowd) they definitely had the
crowd and sometimes even I forgot that these guys are probably the
oldest band ever on Warped Tour. They can defiantly still rock.
All in all Warped tour proved to be the
best value and time of all of the summer festivals I've seen. 80+
bands, Dozens of merch booths and better yet merchandise that was for
the most part $20 or less.
The only downfall was time. With so many
bands you were bound to miss a few. For the money you can't go wrong
(tickets were $35). I'm sure that the Warped Tour has at least another
11 years in it. After all there will always be kids wanting to go to
shows. With such an eclectic line-up Warped seems to be the tour for
everyone from the scene kids to aging hipsters.
|
|
|
|
||
