History of the Vans Warped Tour
A Brief Look into this Concert Extravaganza
A brief summary regarding Vans Warped Tour - what it is, when it started, and why it continues to gain in popularity each year.
There are few music fans unfamiliar with the Vans Warped Tour, but many might not know the history behind the enormously popular music-fest.
Typically held in large fields, outdoor concert venues or parking lots, Warped Tour has become a huge success since its inception in 1993. Since 1995, Warped Tour has been sponsored by skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans.
Over the years, Warped Tour has had as many as 100 bands playing during the summer months, at various venues across the country. There are always several different stages, the bigger bands taking to the main stage while other bands span out across others.
The all-day event draws fans from across the globe, and there's no denying that Warped Tour only continues to grow in popularity each coming year.
The History of Warped Tour
Created in 1993 by Kevin Lyman (the man also responsible for creating the Taste of Chaos tour), Lyman got the idea for Warped Tour from working on various skateboard shows. While the tour started out playing mostly ska and skate punk bands, it has since progressed to cater to punk rock, metalcore and post-hardcore bands.
Several years after its inception, Warped Tour went international in 1998 to include venues in Australia, Japan and even Europe, as well as the United States. Eager fans can catch performances from many different bands across the board, as well as view merchandise, commingle with other fans and have a great time doing it.
The tour easily sells hundreds of thousands of tickets each year, and that number will undoubtedly grow as new generations of bands continue to pop up on Warped Tour.
Conflicts
As with any large concert event, there are bound to be conflicts - whether those encompass rabid fans, angry bands or a combination of the two. Some of the most notable conflicts to date have mostly to do with controversy among bands, which is typical of large events like Warped Tour.
For example, one year The Vandals were kicked off the tour for insulting Good Charlotte, which culminated in a fist fight. Other incidents have included bands such as Guttermouth, NOFX, and Underoath, all for various reasons including differing beliefs, attitudes and insults pushed on other bands.
Fortunately, conflicts like these are rarely severe enough to cause fans to lose their enjoyment of the overall experience of attending Warped Tour. Most people simply chalk it up to "these things happen" - and they do.
Music Compliations
For those who enjoyed Warped Tour (or for fans who were unable to attend,) each year SideOneDummy Records releases a Warped Tour compilation album. The albums contain songs from many of the bands who play on the tour, and allow fans to relive their concert experiences or, for those who didn't go, to hear what they missed.
The 2007 compilation album will be released on June 5th - well before the actual event starts. A trend which started in 2006, this allows fans the chance to listen to the album and decide which bands they'd be interested in watching - and which bands they could do without.
Conclusion
Because new bands continue to emerge to cater to the newer generations of pop-punk and post-hardcore music fans, Vans Warped Tour will undoubtedly experience increasing surges of popularity as the years progress.
For further information about Vans Warped Tour, check out their official website. There, you'll find a complete listing of bands, news, and more that will help you plan your trip to Warped Tour '07.
