Warped Tour '08 Weekend Kickoff: Cobra Starship Draw Huge Crowd, Pennywise Nearly Break UpWarped Tour – the longest-running music road trek out there – opened its latest chapter over the weekend with shows in Pomona, California (Friday); San Francisco (Saturday); and Ventura, California (Sunday). Despite some major sound issues and torturous temps, the show had something for just about everybody.
 [Cobra Starship - Photo: Heylauren] Speaking of bodies, there were fewer of them at the Friday launch than in years past – there were only 16,000 people at the Pomona Fairgrounds, compared with 20,000 in 2007. Still, much like in years past, the festival was filled with young kids with big hair, band T-shirts, facial piercings and tattoos that they will regret in the years to come. Cobra Starship attracted one of the biggest crowds in Pomona, while Reel Big Fish appeared to be playing in front of a whole new generation of kids who didn't recognize the band's classic songs. As expected, Jeffree Star inspired an overwhelming amount of underage kids to flash their cameras and chant "we want c---" ad nauseum. Katy Perry was a crowd favorite, jumping around the stage with endless energy. Surprisingly, Perry decided to sing over a track á la Ashlee Simpson on "SNL." This was especially strange, because when she performed an acoustic set for DJ Rossstar's Punk Rock Show, she sounded perfect without it. Perhaps the weakest performance of the day was provided by Tom DeLonge and Angels & Airwaves ... the crowd just wasn't into it.  [Katy Perry - Photo: Lashaunda] The end of Warped Pomona turned out to be disastrous, however. Two songs into Say Anything's set, power issues took their toll on the band's keyboard and one of its guitars. With time running out, singer Max Bemis did the respectful thing and performed solo for the hundreds of fans watching. Bemis seemed content given the situation, but Jim Lindberg of Pennywise was so frustrated with the sound techs that he nearly broke up the band onstage because of the sound issues. Closing the first day of Warped, Pennywise hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. and immediately started making fun of the other bands on the tour, saying how stupid the lineup was until "now." Obviously intoxicated, Lindberg slurred his way through two songs before cursing up a storm about how terrible the sound was onstage. Things got worse between each song as Lindberg and guitarist Fletcher Dragge continued to drink and badmouth the Warped Tour and its sound team. Lindberg suggested someone else come and sing because he had had enough, and exclaimed, "It's been a great 15 years. This is the end," before closing the set with fan-favorite "Bro Hymn." Luckily, the band has apparently reconsidered. With a lineup that also included Gym Class Heroes, Against Me! and Anberlin, it seems nearly impossible to have had a bad time at Warped. Still, Buzznet Community member Popcornfartv1 wasn't overly pleased with the festival, stating, "Warped Tour was fun, but ... I think it was a lot more fun when I last went in 2004. Maybe it's 'cause I was younger. I know I'm not that much older, but there's a difference from when you're 16 and then when you're 20." Meanwhile, the following day's Warped – which took place at San Francisco's Pier 30/32 – spurred Buzznet Community member Kathrynkeats, who said she took four pre-teen boys to Warped San Francisco, to make a complaint of her own: "We would like to see some chick bands next year." On the other hand, it looks as if Mpatzz had a fantastic time at Warped San Francisco, meeting bands like Cobra Starship and Forever the Sickest Kids.  [Mpatzz and friend with Forever the Sickest Kids' Caleb Turman in San Francisco on Saturday.] Breesays is in on Warped Tour all summer long and has been posting some videos from her escapade:  [The Academy Is ... play "Neighbors" in San Francisco on Saturday; click the picture to watch the video.]  [Click on picture to view the rest.]  [Click on picture to view the rest.] Don't miss our nonstop Warped Tour 2008 coverage: "Warped Tour Founder Kevin Lyman: 'Ill Make Less Money' This Summer" "Cobra Starship Drummer: 'Shake What Your Momma Gave Ya!' Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Classic Crime Promise 'Pyrotechnics': Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Relient K Guitarist Recalls Seeing Blink-182, Eminem: Warped Tour" "Warped Tour '08: The 411 on Four Year Strong, Against Me!, Every Avenue, The A.K.A.s" "As I Lay Dying Guitarist: Don't Wear Black Clothes - Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: Who Are You Most Excited to See?" "Warped Tour '08: A to Z" "Warped Tour '08: Hip-Hop Acts Might Give You a Reason to Leave Emo Alone" "Norma Jean Considering Nirvana Cover, Fireball Dance: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Fall Out Boy's Andy Hurley Unveils Clothing Line; Plans For Warped Tour Booth" "We the Kings Singer Saved Drummer's Life at Summer Fest: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: The 411 on Angels & Airwaves, Bouncing Souls, 1997, Devil Wears Prada" "Angels & Airwaves Ditching Lasers This Time Around: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Race Through the Aisles of Virgin Megastore Phoenix With As I Lay Dying, Protest the Hero" "From First to Last Call Themselves 'Romantics,' 'Fatties': Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Midnight to Twelve Want Some McLovin: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Motion City Soundtrack Extend Warped Stay; Fear Just on for One-Night Stand" "Academy Is ... Bassist Prefers Leap Frog Over 'Halo': Warped Tour Warm-Up" "All-American Rejects Drop Off Warped Tour" "Warped Tour '07 Retrospective" "Be Your Own Pet Talk Trash About Warped Tour: 'It's Like the New Hair Metal' " "Every Time I Die on 'Punkguins,' GCH and Sitting in Pee: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: How to Meet the Bands" "The Audition Buffing Up for This Summer: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Writing New LP on the Road: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: Last Chance to Be a Pit Reporter and Get the VIP Treatment" "Pennywise Can't Get Enough of Warped Tour, Add More Dates" "A.K.A.s to Be Joined Onstage by Gym Class Heroes? Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Forever the Sickest Kids Want 'A Monkey at Every Show': Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: Roll Call - and Dos and Don'ts" "Charlotte Sometimes Wonders if She'll Blow Up This Summer: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: A Guide to Pit Etiquette" "1997 Keyboardist Longs for the Slip-N-Slide: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: The VIP Guide" "Protest the Hero Singer Says 'We Don't Roll Like Carrot Top': Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Set Your Goals Are Packing Extra Boxers: Warped Tour Warm-Up" "Warped Tour '08: Top 10 Must-Haves" "Two More Killer Bands Added to Warped Tour Main Stage" Also, feast your eyes on these pics of Katy Perry, Beat Union and more at the Warped Tour kickoff show on April 11 in West Hollywood, California – click on the image below.  Get psyched for summer with Buzznet's Warped Tour 2008 gallery:  [Click on picture to view the rest.] See which females will be rocking out on Warped this summer:  [Click on picture to view the rest.] Check out these bands that will be playing Warped for the first time:  [Click on picture to view the rest.] Find out which Warped artists are out of their 20s:  [Click on picture to view the rest.] Warped Tour dates: 6.25: Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion 6.26: Las Cruces, NM @ N.M.S.U. Practice Field 6.28: Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA 6.29: Denver, CO @ Invesco Field 7.1: St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7.2: Kansas City, KS @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7.3: Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center 7.5: San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7.6: Houston, TX @ Sam Houston Race Park 7.9: Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheater 7.10 : Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds 7.11: Tampa, FL @ Vinoy Park 7.12: Miami, FL @ Bicentennial Park 7.13: Jacksonville, FL @ St. Johns County Fairgrounds 7.14: Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7.15: Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7.16: Washington DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion 7.17: Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City 7.18: Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park 7.19: Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park Allen Road 7.20: Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau 7.23: Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts 7.24: Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center 7.25: Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center 7.26: Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum 7.27: Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion 7.28: Englishtown, NJ @ Raceway Park 7.29: Pittsburgh, PA @ Post Gazette Pavilion 7.30: Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center 7.31: Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center 8.1: Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheatre 8.2: Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre 8.3: Minneapolis, MN @ Canterbury Park 8.5: Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre 8.6: Calgary, AB @ Race City Speedway 8.8: Boise, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheatre 8.9: Seattle, WA @ George Amphitheatre 8.10: Portland, OR @ Columbia Meadows 8.13: Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center 8.14: San Diego, CA @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre 8.15: San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre 8.16: Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre Lot 8.17: Los Angeles, CA @ Home Depot Center Win Warped tix on Buzznet right here! 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ahaha Caleb Turman looks like one of my friends
That's really funny. lol
well i can't wait till the houston date!!
(:
I'd also like to add that I no longer have the energy I once had when I was 16. I do remember not taking any time-outs then.. and on Saturday, after like 2 hours of walking around, I was ready to knock out. Seeing all these younger people running around with the soul of an Energizer Bunny made me sad that I was unable to keep up ahaha. :)
or that cobra had the hugest crowd.
it was my first concert ever, i went to the san fran one ^^
i was so pissed i missed cobra
but i got a great spot for alesana
i loved gettin allt he pics and autographs (lol i probably looked like it was my first one)
treehugger524@yahoo.com
^email or IM me^
Can't wait. :P
Hopefully none of the bands decide to almost break up while I'm there...
With the exception of a few acts, the vast majority of Warped Tour acts are tailor made for teenaged audiences. But please understand that I am not saying this pejoratively.Teenagers need their music too, and many of these bands are helping teens through rough times, as well as helping them develop their identities, just as they did for me. Warped Tour is responsible for some pretty fond memories in my life. The problem with this is in a few years these 14, 15, and 16 year old kids that make up the bulk of the audience will be 18, 19, and 20 year olds, or in my case, 22 year olds, and they will have moved on from that music about teenaged angst and first loves, not to mention that it is exceedingly rare to see bands successfully make that transition with their maturing fans.
I also think Warped Tour is battling with a genre of music that became oversaturated and is now on the decline. From 2000 - 2006 pop/punk/emo and even screamo/hardcore for the more "edgy" kids was THE sh*t with younger audiences. Everybody and their grandma had a Myspace listing all the "cool" bands they listened to, as well as showcasing their ultra-edgy scene haircuts and poses. I think many people became so disillusioned with the fact that it seemed everybody was embracing what was supposed to be an "underground" movement, and they started abandoning their "edgy" music and haircuts (much to the joy of their parents) as to not be "just another one of those stupid trendy scene kids". The trend has been dying substantially over the past year or so. Newer bands like All Time Low and We The Kings will never see the success as their predecessors who would pull in huge numbers at Warped Tour just a few years ago like Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, and Taking Back Sunday. And truth be told, those bands will most likely never see the success again that they once saw. It's just the natural progression of things: things evolve, even music.
So to conclude my wordy rant, do I think Warped Tour is at its end? No, I do not. I think the old girl still has a few years left in her. But I do think people need to understand that it has peaked, and will most likely never see the numbers it once saw, unless of course it entirely reformats its lineup and turns into something entirely different from its roots, like including country artists (because that's where the money is these days).
I'm from South Africa and hearing you guys talk about how some band members were pissed and how they were bad-mouthing other bands makes me feel sad.
I don't know anything about "Pennywise" but I really thought that Warped would be such an awesome tour to go to, if I visited the states again.
I don't look at numbers and go " Oh my ..12 000 this year and *insert number* 3/4 years ago. All I know is.. and all my friends know is that I WILL go to Warped even if it becomes 2 or 3 bands playing..
It's on my "10 things to do before I die" list. hehe
We don't get much concerts here in South Africa ( No.. we don't have lions,elephants running around) and going to Warped would just.. ah.. be amazing!
So one day, I shall be there. Even if it is, the good,the bad and the ugly!
Although, I remember reading a post like this ( on buzznet too!) and hearing bands like, MCR,The Used,Aiden, TBS, From First to Last etc.. and I was thinking..
WOW. Most of those bands I have to see live!
Then, things changed.. FFTL broke up, MCR grew up and became 'famous', The Used.. well, I havn't heard much about them lately ( maybe it's because of the country I live in) but I dunno..
Well, this has indeed turned into an essay!
I don't even know what my point was. I just know that im gonna go to warped even if it shit. :)