Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Celebration

The Vans Warped Tour® Prepares For A 25th Anniversary Celebration

Location & Venue Details To Be Announced Monday, January28th

Artist Lineup Announced & Tickets On Sale Early March

Following the announcement that 2018 would be its final cross-country run, the Vans Warped Tour headed out for a final summer of music, philanthropy, and community.

Looking back on it now, Lyman shares, “It was truly an honor to do a final cross-country run of Warped in 2018; to see fans from all eras of the tour come out for a day to celebrate an event that meant so much to them. I walked away from the final show with a true sense that the Vans Warped Tour became the community I had always hoped for.”

The location and venue details for the Warped Tour 25th Anniversary shows will be announced on Monday January 28th.  Tickets and the artist lineup will be available by early March.

For many, this announcement comes as no surprise; the Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Celebration was eluded to in Lyman’s original statement about the end of the Vans Warped Tour:

“I sit here reflecting on the tour’s incredible history, what the final run means for our community, and look forward to what’s to come as we commemorate the tour’s historic 25th anniversary in 2019. […] The enduring spirit of the Vans Warped Tour remains as bright as ever, continuing to inspire creativity and ambition in new and exciting ways as we prepare for a 25th anniversary celebration in 2019.’”

VANS WARPED TOUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY DATES:

6.08 CLEVELAND, OH
6.29 “EAST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
6.30 “EAST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
7.20 “WEST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)
7.21 “WEST COAST” (LOCATION TBA)

About Vans Warped Tour:

The Vans Warped Tour was the largest traveling music festival in the United States, and the longest-running touring music festival in North America.Originally conceived by founder Kevin Lyman in 1995 as an eclectic alternative rock festival, with a focus on punk rock, over the years the tour grew to include a multitude of genres, including metal, hip hop, reggae, pop and more.It established itself as one of the best tours to attend to discover emerging acts, to learn more about wonderful non-profits and companies who are working to make a positive impact on the world that surround them, and to meet like-minded friends.

The tour also cemented its place in history by bringing alternative rock and skate culture from the underground to the forefront of global youth culture, while at the same time helping those in need through non-profit and eco initiatives.

Over the past two decades, Vans Warped Tour built a legacy as the must attend summer festival for rock and music lovers alike. Since its start in 1995,it provided a platform for established as well as up-and-coming artists, with alumni including blink182, No Doubt, Sublime, Beck, Katy Perry, NOFX, Limp Bizkit,Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Eminem, Yellowcard, Bad Religion, and countless others.Alternative Press readers voted the Vans Warped Tour as the “Best Tour/Festival” and Rolling Stone called it “America’s Most Successful Festival”. 

Learn more about theVans Warped Tour:
www.vanswarpedtour.com

Follow the VansWarped Tour: 

www.facebook.com/warpedtour

www.twitter.com/vanswarpedtour

www.instagram.com/vanswarpedtour

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 25th, anniversary, celebration, tour, vans, warped, ...

Concert Review: Vans Warped Tour 2018, Darien Center, NY

Vans Warped Tour 2018
Wednesday, July 25th, 2018
Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY

Our Score: 3 our 5 stars

The long running Vans Warped Tour made its final appearance at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on July 25th providing long-time attendees just one last opportunity to enjoy a day of fun in the sun while listening to a wide range of music acts. Though the day kicked off under foreboding skies it certainly didn’t stop eager fans from rushing through the gates in an effort to get one of the festival six stages which were spread strategically throughout the sprawling outdoor venue.

One of the last if not only traveling festivals in the United States announced earlier this year that after twenty plus summers 2018 would be the final run of the Vans Warped tour. The festival which began in 1995 served as the summer highlight for many alternative music fans like myself and even though this year’s line-up on paper wasn’t as stellar as years past there still was a little something for every era of warped tour fan. Right away you could tell that the day was going to be unique as the diverse crowds ranging from hoards of middle/high schooler’s to entire families and all ages in between were present and ready to take in the music. Highlights of the day included and earlier afternoon set by longtime Warped tour performers Less Than Jake whose set was full of fun upbeat moments which included water cannons and toilet paper blowers. Guitarist Chris Demakes even took time to thank the Buffalo crowd for all their support of the band and the tour going back to the days when the event was held in Le Salle Park. Other notable performances included a ten song set from Buffalo’s favorite sons Every Time I Die. The group which took the stage flanked by family and friends blistered the crowd with a high intensity, aggressive set which came to a close with guitarist Jordan Buckley crowd surfing on a cabinet top while playing the final notes of the bands closing song. As the day started to wind down I took in sets by crowd favorites Simple Plan who played a brief greatest hits set which was a lot of fun and included a bevy of black and white beach balls which was only fitting given the occasion. Shortly after we checked out sets by the Massachusetts based Four Years Strong, metal-core legends Unearth and the face painted duo of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide collectively known as Twiztid. There set was a nice break from the crunching guitars and thunderous double bass kicks as those were replaced by thumping bass beats and tongue and cheek lyrics which were quite comical. Before calling it a day we checked out the always energetic and entertaining Nekrogoblikon. The group performed a couple of songs of their most recent release “Welcome to Bonkers” before breaking in to their back catalog which consisted of “No One Gets Out Alive” and “Powercore”. The groups green skinned mascot John Goblikon made several appearances both on stage and off as he helped the band and fans get the most out of the shred-tastic thirty minute set.

As the sun started to set on the final Buffalo stop of the Vans Warped tour it made me think back to the previously attended years and the fun that was had. Often sun burned, sweaty and always with ringing ears memories from seeing bands like NOFX, Bad Religion and Rancid in the tours early years to more recent tours with bands like Masked Intruder, Of Mice and Men and Teenage Bottle Rocket. The Vans Warped tour really was the place to be during the summer and this one was no different and, while the tour may come to a close for the final time on August 5th in West Palm Beach, FL myself and thousands of other attendees will always have the memories that the Vans Warped tour set the stage for. So long Warped tour and thanks for the memories.

2018 Line Up:
3OH!3, Simple Plan, Mayday Parade, Asking Alexandria, We The Kings, Silverstein, Frank Turner, Reel Big Fish, Motionless In White, Senses Fail, Less Than Jake, Crown the Empire, Four Year Strong, Tonight Alive, Issues, The Amity Affliction, Every Time I Die, Chelsea Grin, State Champs, Real Friends, Don Broco, Unearth, Ice Nine Kills, Knuckle Puck, This Wild Life, Twiztid, As It Is, Chase Atlantic,In Hearts Wake, Deez Nuts, Waterparks, Wage War, MyChildren MyBride, The Interrupters, Broadside, Movements, Trash Boat, Palaye Royale, Nekrogoblikon, Grayscale, Kublai Khan, Dayseeker
Story Untold, Sleep On It, Assuming We Survive, Capstan, The Makeout, Doll Skin, Sharptooth, Farewell Winters, LIGHTERBURNS, Of Night And Light, Kaiser Solzie,The Toy Box Brigade

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews, Music Tagged With: 2018, concert, review, tour, vans, warped, ...

2018 Vans Warped Tour®, Presented by Journeys® Lineup Revealed

2018 Vans Warped Tour®, Presented by Journeys® Lineup Revealed

Brings Together Friends From Throughout The Years
Including Reel Big Fish, Bowling For Soup, The Used, Frank Turner,
All Time Low, Simple Plan, Taking Back Sunday, The Maine, Waterparks, The Interrupters, ISSUES,
SUM 41, Tonight Alive, Knuckle Puck, 3OH!3, and more

Super Fan Bundles On Sale Now
General Admission Tickets on Sale Thursday, March 8th

The entire lineup for 2018’s Vans Warped Tour, presented by Journeys, has been revealed today via a special announcement video, which can be viewed now at VansWarpedTour.com.

It was previously shared that this would be the final cross-country run for the tour, now in its 24th year. On the upcoming shows, founder Kevin Lyman has shared: “I truly am happy to get the chance to travel around the country one more time to thank you for your support, and bring you another best day ever.”

For its final run, the tour is thrilled to welcome back countless bands who have rocked Vans Warped Tour over the last 24 years including Reel Big Fish, Simple Plan, All Time Low, Four Year Strong, 3OH!3, Less Than Jake, Underoath, We The Kings, The Used, Tonight Alive and more. Adding to this year’s lineup are up-and-coming acts such as State Champs, Trash Boat, Don Broco, Grayscale, Waterparks, Real Friends, and Movements.

Also returning this summer are the newly named Mutant Red Dawn and Mutant White Lightning stages, showcasing the best in heavy and hardcore music: Chelsea Grin, MYCHILDREN MY BRIDE, Every Time I Die, Knocked Loose, The Amity Affliction, Ice Nine Kills, etc.

The Vans Warped Tour is the largest traveling music festival in the United States, and the longest-running touring music festival in North America. Originally conceived by founder Kevin Lyman in 1995 as an eclectic alternative rock festival, with a focus on punk rock, over the years the tour has grown to include a multitude of genres, including metal, hip hop, reggae, pop and more. It remains one of the best tours to attend to discover emerging acts, to learn more about wonderful non-profits and companies who are working to make a positive impact on the world that surround them, and to meet like-minded friends.

Over the past two decades, Vans Warped Tour has built a legacy as the must attend summer festival for rock and music lovers alike. Since its start in 1995 it has provided a platform for established as well as up-and-coming artists, with past performers including blink182, No Doubt, Sublime, Beck, Katy Perry, NOFX, Limp Bizkit, Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Eminem, Yellowcard, Bad Religion, and countless others.

In addition, the tour continues to host a wide array of amazing non-profits and educational workshops for attendees and 2018 will be launching the FEND Movement (Full Energy, No Drugs) in partnership with thePreventum Initiative. The FEND Movement empowers youth to make a stand against opioids. The FEND Movement aims to engage 50,000 young people between March and August 2018, giving them the chance to earn rewards and prizes as they increase their knowledge and change their attitudes and behaviors in relation to opioids. Youth can participate by downloading the Preventum app and on-boarding to the FEND campaign.

A Voice For The Innocent, American Red Cross, Hope For The Day, Feed Our Children Now!, Living The Dream Foundation, To Write Love on Her Arms, and truth will all be involved this summer, just to name a few. Fans can see their favorite bands as well as become educated on these causes and how they can help.

“I am very excited about the upcoming year. With it being the last tour, the non-profit presence will be as big as ever. Groups who have been out in the past will be coming out in more markets, and hopefully we will attract new non-profits,” comments Sierra Lyman. “With more non-profits coming out there will be more options for our audience to hopefully get involved before, during, and after the tour. I am hoping that this last year encourages non-profits to partner with bands and for bands to partner with non-profits on their own events and tours once this summer is over.”

The Entertainment Institute will return to the 2018 tour as well, hosting educational workshops and Q+A’s hosted by the industry’s most successful writers, artists, and photographers. More information regarding the artists conducting workshops will be available in April at http://www.thinktei.com

Also joining the tour this year as sponsors are dailyKARMA, Ernie Ball, Equal Vision Records, Full Sail University, Peta2, MusiCares, PRS Guitars, Hopeless Records, Viceland, Violent Gentlemen, Hope For The Day, and more.

“Kevin and the tour have touched so many lives through their commitment to giving back to the community,” shares dailyKARMA CEO Patricia Dao. “They’ve been doing it long before it was the cool thing to do. Our team is thrilled that dailyKARMA will be powering Warped Tour’s online fundraising efforts this year.”

Early Bird Tickets, as well as Super Fan Bundles, for this year’s tour on are sale now and can be purchased at www.vanswarpedtour.com. As a bonus for early ticket buyers, the first 500 tickets sold for each show will be at the lowest price available and will include a digital download of the Official Vans Warped Tour 50-song compilation. The cover was revealed earlier today, and features Tonight Alive’s Jenna McDougall.

General admission tickets will be available starting Thursday, March 8th.

The 38-date tour will commence June 21st in Pomona, CA and end on August 5th in West Palm, FL.

2018 Vans Warped Tour Line Up – Confirmed Performance Dates for each band and stage:

Journeys Left Foot Stage
3OH!3 (6/21-8/5)
Asking Alexandria (7/22-7/28)
Beartooth (7/19-7/21)
Bowling For Soup (7/6-7/16, 7/18-7/21)
Frank Turner (7/24-7/26)
The Interrupters (7/14, 7/15, 7/17-7/19, 7/21-7/25, 7/28-8/5)
Knuckle Puck (6/21-8/5)
Mayday Parade (6/21-8/5)
Reel Big Fish (6/21-8/5)
State Champs (6/21-8/5)
SUM 41 (7/17)
Taking Back Sunday (6/24)
This Wild Life (6/21-8/5)
Waterparks (6/21-8/5)

Journeys Right Foot Stage
All Time Low(6/22-6/24)
Falling In Reverse (6/26-7/16)
Four Year Strong (6/21-7/29)
ISSUES (6/21-8/5)
Less Than Jake (7/18-7/20, 7/22-7/27, 7/29-8/5)
Movements (6/21-8/5)
Real Friends (6/21-8/5)
Simple Plan (6/21-8/5)
The Maine (6/21-8/5)
The Used (6/21-7/10)
Tonight Alive(6/21-8/5)
We The Kings (6/21-8/5)

Mutant Red Dawn Stage
Chelsea Grin(6/21-8/5)
Deez Nuts (6/21-8/5)
Ice Nine Kills(6/21-8/5)
Kublai Kahn (6/21-8/5)
MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE (6/21-8/5)
Sharptooth (6/21-8/5)
Silverstein (7/17-7/20, 7/25-7/28)
The Amity Affliction (6/21-8/5)
Twiztid (6/21-8/5)
Wage War (6/21-8/5)
Mutant White Lightning Stage
August Burns Red (7/29-8/5)
Crown The Empire (6/21-8/5)
Dayseeker (6/21-8/5)
Every Time I Die (6/21-8/5)
Hail The Sun(6/21-8/5)
Harm’s Way (6/21-7/23)
In Hearts Wake (6/21-8/5)
Knocked Loose (7/10, 7/18, 7/21, 7/24)
Motionless In White(6/21-8/5)
Nekrogoblikon (6/21-8/5)
Underoath (7/16-7/18)
Unearth (6/21-8/5)

Owly.fm Stage
As It Is (6/21-8/5)
Assuming We Survive (6/21-8/5)
Broadside (7/10-8/5)
Capstan (7/10-8/5)
Chase Atlantic (6/21-7/31)
Dead Girls Academy (6/21-7/8)
Doll Skin (6/21-8/5)
Don Broco (6/21-8/5)
Grayscale (6/21-8/5)
Makeout (6/21-8/5)
Palaye Royale (6/21-8/5)
Phinehas (6/21-7/8)
Picturesque (6/21-7/8)
Sleep On It (7/10-8/5)
Story Untold(6/21-8/5)
Trash Boat (6/21-8/5)
With Confidence (6/21-8/5)

Full Sail Stage
Farewell Winters (6/21-8/5)
Lighterburns(6/21-8/5)

VANS WARPED TOUR DATES:
Super Fan Bundles on are sale now and can be purchased at vanswarpedtour.com
Regular general admission tickets go on sale March 8th

6.21 POMONA, CA
6.22 SAN DIEGO, CA
6.23 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
6.24 VENTURA, CA
6.28 PHOENIX, AZ
6.29 LAS VEGAS, NV
6.30 SALT LAKE CITY, UT
7.01 DENVER, CO
7.03 ST. LOUIS, MO
7.05 BONNER SPRINGS, KS
7.06 DALLAS, TX
7.07 SAN ANTONIO, TX
7.08 HOUSTON, TX
7.10 NASHVILLE, TN
7.12 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
7.13 CAMDEN, NJ
7.14 HOLMDEL, NJ
7.15 HARTFORD, CT
7.16 PITTSBURGH, PA
7.17 TORONTO, ON
7.18 CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH
7.19 CINCINNATI, OH
7.20 DETROIT, MI
7.21 CHICAGO, IL
7.22 MINNEAPOLIS, MN
7.23 MILWAUKEE, WI
7.24 INDIANAPOLIS, IN
7.25 DARIEN CENTER, NY
7.26 SCRANTON, PA
7.27 MANSFIELD, MA
7.28 WANTAGH, NY
7.29 COLUMBIA, MD
7.30 CHARLOTTE, NC
7.31 ATLANTA, GA
8.02 JACKSONVILLE, FL
8.03 ORLANDO, FL
8.04 TAMPA, FL
8.05 WEST PALM BEACH, FL

About Vans Warped Tour:
The Vans Warped Tour, presented by Journeys, is well known as America’s longest running touring music festival of the summer. Since 1995, the tour has been a showcase for both established and up and coming talent, across a wide range of eclectic sub-genres.

The tour has also cemented its place in history by bringing alternative rock and skate culture from the underground to the forefront of global youth culture, while at the same time helping those in need through non-profit and eco initiatives.

Alternative Press readers voted the Vans Warped Tour as the “Best Tour/Festival” and Rolling Stone called it “America’s Most Successful Festival.”

Learn more about the Vans Warped Tour:
www.vanswarpedtour.com

 

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2018, journeys, lineup, presented, revealed, tour, ...

2018 Vans Warped Tour, Presented by Journeys Celebrates Its History and Heart In Brand New Retrospective Video

2018 Vans Warped Tour®, Presented by Journeys®
Celebrates Its History and Heart
In Brand New Retrospective Video
Watch it now, here: http://smarturl.it/VWTRetrospec

Early Bird Tickets & Super Fan Bundles On Sale Now
Line Up To Be Announced on Thursday, March 1st
General Admission Tickets on Sale Thursday, March 8th

Los Angeles, CA, February 26, 2018 – Following the announcement that 2018 would be its final cross-country run, the Vans Warped Tour extended family has released a retrospective video celebrating the history and heart of the iconic tour. Fans can watch the video, which features founder Kevin Lyman, Vans VP of events and promotion Steve Van Doren, Fletcher Dragge (Pennywise), Silverstein, and more, here: http://smarturl.it/VWTRetrospective

On the upcoming shows, Lyman has shared: “I truly am happy to get the chance to travel around the country one more time to thank you for your support, and bring you another best day ever.”

“I have spent half of my adult life traveling alongside Kevin on the tour, connecting with bands and fans around the world,” Steve Van Doren recalls. “Bringing music and action sports to youth for over two decades has been a personal honor and I’m excited to hit the road on the last cross-country tour.”

Early Bird Tickets for the 2018 Vans Warped Tour, presented by Journeys, have gone on sale today at VansWarpedTour.com. Super Fan Bundles are also available and offer fans exclusive merchandise, including a limited edition poster, collector ticket laminate, and custom Vans Warped Tour Authentics.

As a bonus for early ticket buyers, the first 500 tickets sold for each show will be at the lowest price available and will include a digital download of the Official Vans Warped Tour 50-song compilation.

The line up for the 2018 Vans Warped Tour, presented by Journeys, will be announced this Thursday, March 1st. General admission tickets will be available on Thursday, March 8th.

The Vans Warped Tour is the largest traveling music festival in the United States, and the longest-running touring music festival in North America. Originally conceived by founder Kevin Lyman in 1995 as an eclectic alternative rock festival, with a focus on punk rock, over the years the tour has grown to include a multitude of genres, including metal, hip hop, reggae, pop and more. It remains one of the best tours to attend to discover emerging acts, to learn more about wonderful non-profits and companies who are working to make a positive impact on the world that surround them, and to meet like-minded friends.

Over the past two decades, Vans Warped Tour has built a legacy as the must attend summer festival for rock and music lovers alike. Since its start in 1995 it has provided a platform for established as well as up-and-coming artists, with past performers including blink182, No Doubt, Sublime, Beck, Katy Perry, NOFX, Limp Bizkit, Black Eyed Peas, Green Day, Eminem, Yellowcard, Bad Religion, and countless others.

In addition, the tour continues to host a wide array of amazing non-profits and educational workshops for attendees and 2018 will be launching The Preventum Initiative, focusing on youth and adolescent opioid prevention. Teens With a Purpose, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Donate Life New England, Planned Parenthood, Keep A Breast, Testicular Cancer Foundation, To Write Love on Her Arms, and Project HEAL will all be involved this summer, just to name a few. Fans can see their favorite bands as well as become educated on these causes and how they can help.

“I am very excited about the upcoming year. With it being the last tour, the non-profit presence will be as big as ever. Groups who have been out in the past will be coming out in more markets, and hopefully we will attract new non-profits,” comments Sierra Lyman. “With more non-profits coming out there will be more options for our audience to hopefully get involved before, during, and after the tour. I am hoping that this last year encourages non-profits to partner with bands and for bands to partner with non-profits on their own events and tours once this summer is over.”

Early Bird Tickets and Super Fan Bundles for this year’s tour on are sale now and can be purchased at www.vanswarpedtour.com

The 38-date tour will commence June 21st in Pomona, CA and end on August 5th in West Palm, FL.

VANS WARPED TOUR DATES:
6.21 POMONA, CA
6.22 SAN DIEGO, CA
6.23 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
6.24 VENTURA, CA
6.28 PHOENIX, AZ
6.29 LAS VEGAS, NV
6.30 SALT LAKE CITY, UT
7.01 DENVER, CO
7.03 ST. LOUIS, MO
7.05 BONNER SPRINGS, KS
7.06 DALLAS, TX
7.07 SAN ANTONIO, TX
7.08 HOUSTON, TX
7.10 NASHVILLE, TN
7.12 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
7.13 CAMDEN, NJ
7.14 HOLMDEL, NJ
7.15 HARTFORD, CT
7.16 PITTSBURGH, PA
7.17 TORONTO, ON
7.18 CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH
7.19 CINCINNATI, OH
7.20 DETROIT, MI
7.21 CHICAGO, IL
7.22 MINNEAPOLIS, MN
7.23 MILWAUKEE, WI
7.24 INDIANAPOLIS, IN
7.25 DARIEN CENTER, NY
7.26 SCRANTON, PA
7.27 MANSFIELD, MA
7.28 WANTAGH, NY
7.29 COLUMBIA, MD
7.30 CHARLOTTE, NC
7.31 ATLANTA, GA
8.02 JACKSONVILLE, FL
8.03 ORLANDO, FL
8.04 TAMPA, FL
8.05 WEST PALM BEACH, FL

About Vans Warped Tour:
The Vans Warped Tour, presented by Journeys, is well known as America’s longest running touring music festival of the summer. Since 1995, the tour has been a showcase for both established and up and coming talent, across a wide range of eclectic sub-genres.

The tour has also cemented its place in history by bringing alternative rock and skate culture from the underground to the forefront of global youth culture, while at the same time helping those in need through non-profit and eco initiatives.

Alternative Press readers voted the Vans Warped Tour as the “Best Tour/Festival” and Rolling Stone called it “America’s Most Successful Festival”.

Learn more about the Vans Warped Tour:
www.vanswarpedtour.com

Read Complete Article
Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2018, brand, celebrates, heart, history, journeys, ...

Final Cross-Country Run of The Vans Warped Tour Will Take Place In 2018

Final Cross-Country Run of The Vans Warped Tour
Will Take Place in 2018

Farewell Tour Celebrates Historic Legacy With Nods Toward
25th Anniversary In 2019

Read the Official Statement from Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman
www.vanswarpedtour.com

Read the Exclusive Interview with Lyman and Vans Vice President of Events and Promotions,
Steve Van Doren on Billboard.com

November 15, 2017 – Los Angeles, CA – The Vans Warped Tour, widely known as one of the most successful and longest running festivals of its kind, will have its final cross country run in 2018. It will mark the tour’s 24th year on the road. “I have been a very lucky person to have traveled across the country and sometimes around the world as one of the founders and producers of the Vans Warped Tour, and today with many mixed feelings, I am here to announce that the last full cross-country run will take place in 2018” shared Lyman in the official statement. To read Kevin’s full statement, click here:

Billboard.com exclusively interviewed Kevin Lyman and Steve Van Doren on the decision and plans for the future. Read it here: 

Dates for the 2018 tour have been revealed. See them in full at http://vanswarpedtour.com/2017/finaltour

While the lineup has not been announced, fans have seen artists like Blink-182, Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, NOFX, Green Day, The Used, Paramore, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Machine Gun Kelly, The Black Eyed Peas, My Chemical Romance, Neck Deep, Pierce The Veil and more take the Warped Tour stage over the years. The final summer will not disappoint

 

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2018, crosscountry, final, place, run, tour, ...

GWAR To Embark On The “Vans’ Warped Tour” Tomorrow; New Album Details Revealed!

GWAR to embark on the “Vans’ Warped Tour” tomorrow;
 New album details revealed!

For the first time ever, Antarctic Alien Overlords GWAR will hit the road beginning tomorrow as part of the “Vans’ Warped Tour.” The tour crisscrosses the United States, running through August 6th in Pomona, CA. A complete list of dates can be found below.

Last week, during GWAR’s “Vans’ Warped Tour” social media takeover, the band announced the name of their forthcoming new album: The Blood Of Gods. The record will be released this fall via Metal Blade Records. The album is a hard rock masterpiece, a new milestone for GWAR’s music that will be totally unexpected, and is going to blow people away. Speaking of blowing people, this is the first album to feature the Berserker Blothar on lead vocals! For those of you human scum that are attending the “Vans’ Warped Tour,” you will have your chance to pre-order the album before anyone else. That’s right Bohabs, just head over to the GWAR merchandise tent to pre-order your copy of The Blood Of Gods. When you give the hateful slave working the GWAR merchandise booth your hard earned cash, they will give you a special laminate that will guarantee you a copy of the CD upon release date. So act now, and spare yourself the wrath of the most violent band in universe… And don’t lose your special laminate, it’s your ticket to a guaranteed lifetime of eternal suffering!

Guitarist Pustulus Maximus did his best to explain the pre-order process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqsW0TnZIAk

Following their run on “Vans’ Warped Tour”, the band will make an appearance at Chicago’s “Riot Fest”, as well as two other headline dates, before they return home for a brief Antarctic slumber. Expect a full fall tour in support of The Blood Of Gods. More details on the new album, including artwork, full track-listing and your first taste of new music will be made available over the coming weeks.

GWAR on “Vans’ Warped Tour”:
June 16: Seattle, WA @ Century Link North Lot
June 17: Salem, OR @ Oregon State Fairgrounds
June 21: Albuquerque, NM @ Balloon Fiesta Park
June 22: Phoenix, AZ @ Fear Farm Festival Grounds
June 23: Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Hotel
June 24: Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah State Fair Park
June 25: Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
June 27: Nashville, TN @ The Fairgrounds Nashville
June 28: Metairie, LA @ Zephyr Field
June 29: Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
June 30: Orlando, FL @ Tinker Field
July 1: St. Petersburg, FL (Tampa) @ Vinoy Park
July 2: West Palm Beach, FL (Miami) @ Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre
July 4: Wilmington, NC @ Legion Stadium
July 6: Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte
July 7: Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
July 8: Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Amphitheatre
July 9: Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre
July 10: Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
July 11: Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre
July 12: Mansfield, MA (Boston) @ Xfinity Center
July 13: Darien Center, NY (Buffalo) @ Darien Lake PAC
July 14: Burgettstown, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion
July 15: Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
July 16: Columbia, MD (Washington, DC) @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 18: Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Cleveland) @ Blossom Music Center
July 19: Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
July 20: Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center
July 21: Tinley Park, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
July 22: Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 23: Shakopee, MN (Minneapolis) @ Canterbury Park
July 24: Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater
July 26: Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino
July 27: Bonner Springs, KS (Kansas City) @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
July 28: Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion
July 29: San Antonio, TX @ AT&T center
July 30: Houston, TX @ NRG Park – Main Street Lot
Aug. 1: Las Cruces, NM @ New Mexico State University (Intramural Field)
Aug. 4: Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 5: San Diego, CA @ Qualcomm Stadium at Jack Murphy Field
Aug. 6: Pomona, CA @ Fairplex Pomona

GWAR headline dates:
Sept. 15: Knoxville, TN @ The International
Sept. 16: Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
Sept. 17: Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest*
*=festival appearance

GWAR online: http://www.gwar.net/

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Old Wounds share their experiences from the 2016 Vans Warped Tour

Old Wounds an up and coming hardcore band from New Jersey are out on the 2016 Vans Warped Tour promoting their newest release “The Suffering Spirit”. Being the bands first time on the tour they are eager to show fans both old and new their unique style of modern hardcore through energetic live performances. Media Mikes had the opportunity to sit down with the band and talk about their experience on the tour and what’s next for the band.

Ryan Albro: What made the band decide to do Warped Tour versus a smaller tour on your own?

Mikey: Our label came to us and offered us a spot on the tour. It’s an incredible opportunity to be given. It’s really a no-brainer. If you bust your ass for nearly 6 years doing this and it comes to a point where somebody is pretty much handing you a slot on Warped Tour, you have to say yes.

RA: Overall how do you like the tour thus far?

Mikey: It’s a lot more fun than I think any of us had anticipated. We had a strong feeling it was going to be good, but it’s been a blast. It’s a very unique time.

Matt: I’m having a great time and I love the food. A lot of us are vegan or don’t eat meat and the catering is really great helping us out with our needs and they make really great food. We made a lot of friends and it’s been a good time for sure.

RA: Who are you excited to see play each day?

Kevin: Every Time I Die and Motionless in White.

Matt: There are two bands that play on the Full Sail Stage with us that I love! two One is called Mother Feather and the other band is called Safe to Say. We’ve made great friends with Like Pacific as well. I usually hang close to our stage so I watch a lot of bands on our stage and those are some of my favorites that play every single day.

RA: Any cool stories from the shows so far?

Mikey: Not so much from this one. It seems every other tour we’ve done though a lot of funny and stupid shit happens.

Matt: One thing that sticks out from this tour is the storm we got in New Orleans. We were loading our stuff out and out of nowhere this crazy monsoon hit. A lot of our stuff got completely soaked. . A lot of our gear was drenched and we had to throw out all the cardboard boxes and stuff for our merch away. Everyone except for Kevin and me was just drenched.

Kevin: I always carry an umbrella around just because I don’t want to get tan.

Matt: That umbrella wouldn’t have done you any good anyway

Mikey: Luckily we didn’t lose anything gear wise. All of our cabs, heads, and guitars were totally fine. We got lucky.

RA: You guys are approaching the end of “The Suffering Spirit” tour cycle, what’s next for the band?

Mikey: We do have a tour about a month and a half after this ends. I can’t say what it is just yet though. We’re in the middle of writing a new album right now so that’s going to take priority. We toured a lot on this record and we really want to get the next record out.

RA: What can you tell us about the new material you’re working on?

Mikey: We have actually been playing one of the new songs in our set each day so we’ll be playing that on the remainder of Warped Tour. That’ll give everyone a taste of what’s to come.

Zak: Now that we have Matt as our second guitar player, the dynamics are definitely a little different. There are more harmonious guitar riffs. It’s definitely a combination of everything we’ve been doing. It’s heavy where it should be and there are melodies where they should be. There’s more of a metal influence for sure.

Kevin: It not going to be something where when you hear it you think “Oh that doesn’t sound like Old Wounds.”

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The Interrupters Kevin Bivona talks about being a part of this years Vans Warped Tour

Kevin Bivona is the guitarist/keyboardist of the ska/punk band The Interrupters. The L.A. based band just released their second full length album titled “Say It Out Loud” via Hellcat Records and are currently out on the Vans Warped tour in support of the release. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Kevin prior to the bands set in Syracuse, NY about the group’s background, their new album and their relationship with Rancid front man Tim Armstrong.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some background info on the band?

Kevin Bivona: The Interrupters are from Los Angeles, and are sound is kind of a mixture of ska and punk. We started the band at the end of 2011 and release our first record in 2014 in Hellcat Records. Our second album “Say It Out Loud” just came out in June and we have been touring pretty solid since the release of the first album. This is our first summer out on Warped tour and so far we are having a really great time.

AL: What was that appealed to the band about doing a tour like Warped tour as opposed to a traditional headlining tour?

KB: We had actually planned on doing our own headlining tour. The band has been very fortunate in that we have been able to open for a lot of great bands who have amazing fan bases. We have been out on tour with Rancid, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Less Than Jake to name just a few. Through opening for all those bands we felt we had developed a solid enough fan base to go out and do our own headlining tour. We then got the offer to join the Warped tour which was taking place the same time as our newest record was scheduled to come out. We wanted to take that huge opportunity to expand our fan base even more before going out on our own. We were really lucky to get the offer. There is so much variety on this tour and you get to play for people who might not otherwise check out your band so this was just the perfect thing for us as a band.

AL: With Warped tour being one of the few remaining touring festivals in the U.S. What do you feel attributes to the shows staying power?

KB: Warped tour has a very loyal fan base. As that fan base evolves sound does the line up from year to year. If you look back 20 years ago when bands like Bad Religion, Nofx and Rancid were playing it and who could still play it today as they are the godfathers of the tour off of them sprouted all these sub-genres of music who have found a home here on the Warped tour. I think the fact that Warped tour stays current with what’s going on in the various scenes and fans know this that’s why more and more people come out to see the shows each summer. What I am seeing a lot of this summer is parents who bring their kids to the shows who have their own set of bands they want see which is just really cool. Having a multi-generational appeal like Warped tour has is something very rare.

AL: With the band being on the tour all summer who are some of the bands you like to check out each day?

KB: There are so many. I like to see Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish; Masked Intruder is amazing and really fun to watch. Teenage Bottlerocket and Pepper are a couple others I like as well. I found out about this band Ballyhoo! while being out here and there are great as well.

AL: How did your relationship with Tim Armstrong and Hellcat Records come about and what is it like working with him?

KB: I first met Tim in 2005 after getting the job as the touring keyboard player in The Transplants. While we were out on Warped tour that year Tim had a studio on the bus so him I started working together. Pretty much any project he has going on I try and get on in one way or another be it playing or working behind the console. I have worked on all sorts of projects with Tim from his Tim Timebomb solo stuff to the Jimmy Cliff record. It’s just a lot of working with Tim and he is always down to check out what I have going on as well which is really cool. With The Interrupters I think we definitely have a sound that fits the Hellcat sound and all of us individually and collectively had worked with him before so when we started the band he jumped on board as a producer/collaborator. Tim was super helpful while we nailed down the band’s sound and vibe. Making our second record with him was a lot different than our previous as we had more time together and some shows under our belts. That first record is sort of an introduction to who we are as a band. We had a solid and defined vision of who we are with this second album so it made things much easier I think when it came time to write and record.

AL: You mentioned a headlining tour was in the works after Warped tour wraps up. Can you tell us anymore about that?

KB: We are trying to put all of that together right now. We have never done a headlining tour in the states before so that’s going to be something new. Right now we are focusing all of our energy on these Warped tour shows and then once we wrap up with that in mid August we should have some more concrete plans for the band and the rest of 2016. We want to play as many places as we can in support of this new record.

For more info on The Interrupters you can check out http://www.wearetheinterrupters.com/

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Concert Review: Vans Warped Tour 2016, Syracuse, NY

Vans Warped Tour 2016

Date: July 7, 2016
Venue: New York State Fair Grounds, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Vans Warped tour made a stop in Syracuse, NY on July 7th for what proved to be a great day of music and fun. Despite foreboding clouds which hovered over the event site earlier in the day the power of punk rock could not be stopped as once the music kicked off the negative weather took a quick turn towards the positive allowing everyone to stay dry and soak up some rays while listening to this year’s assembled line up.

For over 20 summers now the Vans Warped tour has been the go to for traveling one day festivals featuring alternative and punk rock music. This year despite sporting a thinned down roster, less stages and fewer activities the festival still proved to be just as good if not better than years past. The Syracuse venue featured a great lay out with side by staging for the 6 main stages and a 7th smaller stage was only a short distance from all the bigger action. Each stage offered plenty of viewing space, merch areas and facilities, there was even a massive shaded pavilion area which gave fans a place to escape the sun in between acts. Aside from waiting to get into the venue there were really no other lines to speak of throughout the day which again only added to the events over all appeal. Even the free water filling station which always seems to be a hot bed of action was easy and quick to access. This year’s lineup was a great mixture of up and coming bands infused with some of Warped tours biggest veterans. As the day started out bands like Teenage Bottle Rocket, Masked Intruder and Vanna would put on stellar performances which fit in perfectly between bombastic sets from Warped tour regulars Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and New Found Glory. Other notable performances from the day included those by State Champs complete with inflatable waving men and bubbles, Old Wounds who in my opinion dominated the Full Sail Stage, The Interrupters who despite playing later in the day were able to keep the energy going as temperatures pushed towards the 90’s. To cap off an already impressive day the closing set of the festival belonged to Sum 41 who bashed out hit after hit to the massive crowd.

Despite a scaled down lineup and production this year I felt that Warped Tour 2016 was better than ever. Sure having a bunch of stuff to do in between acts is fun and all but, when you go to a rock show you are going essentially for the music. That was clearly the focus for this year’s tour as you couldn’t have asked for a more stellar line up. Aside from the extremely long lines to get into the venue the day was a lot of fun and we heard a lot of really great music. The tour runs through August 13th so be sure to grab tickets for one of the shows closest to you. You won’t be disappointed.

Line Up:
Against the Current, Assuming We Survive, Avion Roe, Bad Seed Rising, Ballyhoo!, Broadside, Cane Hill, Chelsea Grin, Chunk! No, Captian Chunk!, Coldrain, Crown the Empire, Cruel Hand, Dash|Ten, Emarosa, Every Time I Die, Falling In Reverse, Four Year Strong, From Ashes To New, Ghost Town, Gideon, Hail the Sun, I See Stars, Ice Nine Kills, In Hearts Wake, Issues, Knuckle Puck, Less Than Jake, Like Pacific, Masked Intruder, Mayday Parade, Mother Feather, Motionless In White, New Found Glory, Oceans Ate Alaska, Old Wounds, Palaye Royale, Pepper, Real Friends, Reckless Serenade, Reel Big Fish, Roam, Safe To Say, Secrets, Set It Off, Silent Planet, Sleeping With Sirens, State Champs, Sum 41, Sykes, Teenage BottleRocket, The Color Morale, The Heirs, The Interrupters, The Maine, The Story So Far, The Word Alive, Tonight Alive, Too Close to Touch, Vanna, Veil of Maya, Volumes, Wage War, Waterparks, We the Kings, Whitechapel, With Confidence, Yellowcard, Young Guns

All photos are copy written and cannot be used without permission

 

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Teenage Bottlerocket’s Ray Carlisle talks about being out on Warped Tour 2016

Ray Carlisle is the singer/guitarist for the Wyoming based punk band Teenage Bottlerocket. In November of 2015 the group suffered a devastating blow in the death of their drummer (Ray’s brother) Brandon Carlisle. The group made the decision to keep going and, is currently out on Warped Tour 2016 this summer promoting their latest studio release “Tales From Wyoming”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Ray after the bands set in Syracuse, NY where he spoke candidly about the bands decision to move forward and about what the band has planned for the remainder of the year.

Adam Lawton: Tell us about the bands decision to keep going after the passing of your brother in November of last year?

Ray Carlisle: The decision was something that didn’t happen overnight. Brandon passing away put a lot of things up in the like if we were going to keep going as a band and playing music and also if we were going to go out on the Warped tour this summer. We had actually confirmed our spot on the tour before Brandon passed. I personally felt that I had already lost my brother and I didn’t want to lose my band as well. I truly feel that Brandon would have wanted us to keep going. We take the stage each day with him in our minds and in our hearts. His spirit is there while we play. It’s very helpful because I like being up there playing with my buddies. Brandon and I were really close so when I’m up there it’s a chance for me to not feel alone. We were just together all the time and I miss him very much. When we finally decided to get back together Darren Chewka our new drummer was the first guy I thought of to fill Brandon’s spot. We had him come down to Wyoming for a couple days to see how he fit in and everything went real well. We are really finding our chemistry together out here and have played about 45 or so songs together throughout Warped tour as we try and play a couple different songs each day. Needless to say we have been really throwing him for a loop. That’s kind of the spirit of this band is to just go song after song so we have had some great days out here so far and we have had some terrible ones.

AL: Today you guys opened up one of the stages here. Do you find that changing set times each day makes it a little more difficult to get in to a solid routine as a band?

RC: You sort of just have to go with the groove. When you are out on Warped tour you find out at 9:30am what time your set is for that day. You then just have to adjust your whole day around that. Going first is awesome! Everyone is fresh and super excited. The down side is some people who up late so they miss things. I enjoy the earlier slots over the later ones because you can just see the energy change as the day goes on. The heat can be tough on the crowd during these shows.

AL: With this being the bands second run on the Warped tour how do you feel the tour has changed since your last appearance in 2014?

RC: I am kind of bummed that they don’t have the acoustic stage this year. I recently had a solo album come out titled “Do You Wanna Go To Tijuana” and I was hoping to be able to do double duty and play some songs off of that. They also did away with the hip hop/rap stage this year. There are less bands and stages which means a smaller line in catering. Kevin I think really did his research this year for which bands he wanted to bring out and things are really positive around everything.

AL: Your latest album came out in March of 2015. Where are you at in the writing process for your next release?

RC: We are still on the cycle for “Tales From Wyoming” however Brandon did have some songs he was working on before he passed away. Cody and I have been talking about maybe finishing those up. They don’t necessarily sound like Teenage Bottlerocket so we will have to see. Cody and I are both still writing music and we have also talked about doing a concept album as well. There will definitely be more music and shows in the future. Things really changed when Brandon died so it’s something we are going to have to embrace and move forward.

AL: After Warped tour wraps up what are the tour plans for the band?

RC: In September were going to be doing a few shows in Canada which is where our new drummer is from. We will be up there to prove to all of Derrick buddies that he is in fact in the band. It’s also really great touring up in the Edmonton area. In December we are going to be doing a European tour with a band by the name of Bones.

For more info on Teenage Bottlerocket you can check them out at http://teenagebottlerocket.com/

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Less Than Jake’s Chris Demakes talks about their new album and the Vans Warped Tour

Chris Demakes is the lead vocalist/bassist for the Punk/Ska band Less Than Jake. In November of last year the band released its 8th studio album titled “See the Light”. The band is currently out on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour and  Media Mikes had the chance recently to talk with Chris about the new album, the bands 22 year career and about his recent appearance at the inaugural AP Music Awards ceremony.

Adam Lawton: The band’s latest release came out in November of 2013. With almost 20 years between the two releases what do you feel has contributed most to the bands staying power?
Chris Demakes: I think at some point we stopped believing that we could chase some kind of a trend. We were and still are a 3 piece punk band with a horn section. We worked really hard throughout the years and made a lot of friends along the way. It’s been a crazy ride over the 22 years since the band first started. Right now we are probably the oldest band out on this summer’s Warped tour. I think we are about 6 or 7 years older than the next oldest band. (Laughs)

AL: When you first started out was a career this long something you ever envisioned?
CD: No. I don’t think any band starts out thinking they are going to have a career. We were just a group of guys who got together in a garage to play some music. Next thing we know we were getting asked to play a party, then a bar and so on. Before we knew it we were 3 or 4 years in to this and getting some label attention. I wake out now with 22 years gone by and I am not sure how to totally answer this type of question. Everything sort of blended in to the next thing.

AL: By being the oldest band out on Warped tour this year how do you go about grabbing younger listener’s attention?
CD: There are certainly no delusions of granger on our part in that we aren’t going to make a 13 or 14 year old girl like our band when she isn’t interested. We just go out there and be ourselves no matter what. We have done enough festivals now to where we are comfortable getting up there in front of whoever. It’s hasn’t been too weird this time around. Warped tour is a way for us to get out there and play to people who may have never heard us before. Being involved with the promotional aspect of the tour has been great for us as well as it has really helped get our name out to the mainstream which is something that probably wouldn’t have happened at this stage in careers. We just aren’t that band anymore.

AL: When it comes times to work on a new record how do you go about keeping the music fresh and do you ever feel confined to writing with your specific genre?
CD: We write ultimately for ourselves and then for our core fan base. If you make the same record over and over people say you’re washed up and you haven’t changed. Then on the other hand if you add a keyboard or tambourine part on something you and asshole and a sellout. You really are damned if you do and damned if you don’t the longer you are a band. You can’t really listen to the internet trolls and naysayers. You have to do what comes from your heart. We are not that complicated of a band. We feel every time we put something new out that it has a freshness to it. We try each time to push ourselves a little bit in terms of writing and musicianship but you have to stick close to who you are while making sure that you keep everything fun.

AL: What do you feel has been the bands biggest obstacle thus far?
CD: That is something that I don’t think I have ever been asked before. I think the biggest thing for us has been all remaining friends. We have the same 3 guys that we started with. Our newest member is our saxophone player and he has been in the band 15 years. You learn over the years how to navigate those relationships. You learn which guy is not a morning person or which guy you don’t want to piss off at this time. (Laughs) That’s really just the everyday obstacle of being in a band and learning to communicate with each other. It’s like a relationship accept we don’t screw each other…Yet! (Laughs)

AL: You were just recently a part of the inaugural AP Music Awards. What was that experience like?
CD: I’m not completely sure how we got involved with that but I was asked to present an award and I graciously accepted. We got to go to Cleveland and drink free drinks and act like assholes. (Laughs) I think the idea of the awards is pretty cool and we were happy to be there however at this stage in the bands career I don’t think being a part of the event is going to change a lot of things for us. We had a great time however and again were very happy to be a part of the event.

AL:  What are the bands plans after Warped tour wraps up?
CD: We have some festival shows booked here in the states and a few in Canada as well. We also will be doing a two and a half week Canadian tour run before ending up in our hometown of Gainesville, Florida for a Halloween show. That will about do it for us this year.

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Reel Big Fish’s Johnny Christianson talks about "Candy Coated Fury" and joining Warped Tour

Johnny Christianson is the trumpet player for the ska band Reel Big Fish. The group’s latest album “Candy Coated Fury” was released in July of 2012 and the band has been on the road ever since promoting its release. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Johnny about the album, the bands new music video and what he is most looking forward to during this summer’s Warped Tour.

Adam Lawton: With there being 3 years between album releases did the band take any different approaches once you were back in the studio?
Johnny Christianson: I think maybe we played better than we ever have. One thing about getting older is that you hopefully get better at your instrument and your craft. As a result of that the song writing and performances will also get better. When a band has been around for 22 years like we have hopefully they are able to write some good stuff in that time. “Candy Coated Fury” is a really fun album and I think it’s the best one we have done yet.

AL: With the band using a number of different instruments what are your song writing sessions like?
JC: Usually Aaron will bring an outline for a song he wants to do. For the latest album we jammed out the songs and made some demos. We then went out on the road and started playing those songs during our sound check where we hashed things out. 99% of the songwriting is done by Aaron. On this last record he and I wrote a song together which was really fun. If someone in the band has a song they want to bring in Aaron will definitely take a look at it.

AL: Can you tell us about the new video for “Don’t Stop Skankin”?
JC: We had a lot of fun working on that video. Sometimes when you shoot these things they can be quite tedious. It’s not as glamorous as people may think. There is a lot of waiting around. At the same time we were shooting the video we also were doing and interview/photo shoot for Beer Magazine. In between takes we would be bouncing between to the two things. We had a full day of running around. There were a lot of fans at the shoot which was also really cool. I hope us having a good time translated through the video.

AL: The band has been around since 1991 and things have changed quite a bit since then. What do you feel is the hardest part about being in a ska band in 2013?
JC: For me it’s being away from my family. Having just had a baby recently being on the road can be tough. Over the past 5 years with the invention of Facebook and other similar sites how we communicate with our fans has been revolutionized. We are able to get the word out much faster and easier than we could in the beginning. Incredibly the band has been impervious to the ups and downs of the economy as we can pretty much go anywhere and play on average to a thousand people a night. We are lucky enough to be able to travel with music and we are all very thankful.

AL: What do you think has attributed to the bands staying power?
JC: I think a lot of it is that for anyone who comes out to one of our shows they are going to have a good time. They are going to be entertained. We take playing very seriously. Not only are we there to play music but we also need to entertain people. I think a lot of bands don’t understand that. Doing this for 22 years now you get really good at what you are doing. I think anyone can come to our shows and have a good time.

AL: What are the bands plans after the current portion of the “Candy Coated Fury” tour wraps up?
JC: I think we have about 3 days off towards the end of February then we fly straight to Europe where we will be for two months. We will be hitting every place from England to Poland. We also we be heading down in to Spain and Italy. That runs till about April and then we will be back in the states playing colleges until the Warped tour starts up.

AL: It’s been a little bit since the band has been on the Warped tour. What are you most looking forward to playing on it again?
JC: One of my favorite parts about being on the tour is the autograph sessions we get to do each day. We get to talk to a lot of people as we will sign for about 2 hours each day. Getting to meet all these different people every day is my favorite part about being on the tour for sure.

AL: Is there anything else that we can be watching for from the band in the coming months?
JC: Maybe some more new videos? Right now we are really looking forward to heading to Europe and then coming back for the Warped tour. After that we will probably start work on a new record.

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