iwrestledabearonce Drummer Drops a Bomb: A Warped Tour Rival Is In the Works

For years, Warped Tour has been pretty unchallenged as the cross country summer “punk” (and I use the term loosely in recent years) tour. With massive line-ups, scoring acts such as Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Bad Religion, 3OH!3, Andrew W.K. and more, they seemed to have a vice grip on the market. While The Bamboozle Roadshow seemed poised to give them a run for their money, with a 2010 line-up featuring All Time Low, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan and Third Eye Blind, this year the Roadshow line-up was announced, consisting entirely of hip hop acts. Before the disappoint could congeal, however, the tour was suddenly cancelled.

But sometimes, a challenge is necessary. And during a quick conversation with Mike Montgomery, drummer from iwrestledabearonce, Ran Case of DOOM! got the scoop on Warped politics and a potential rival tour:

The subject of Warped Tour came up, as they were a part of it last year. “As long as you pull your weight, it’s incredible,” Mike said, and added that they were fed very well. The problems we at Doom noticed with this year’s Warped lineup (note: this is in reference to the lack of female representation on the tour, but the inclusion of the pro-violence-against-women Blood on the Dancefloor), though, went nastily political here. He put it clearly and bluntly: “We were shit on.” Mike told me that IWABO, as well as a number of other bands, were promised spots on this year’s tour . . . then dropped on their collective asses. He named a string of other bands that Warped screwed or otherwise chose to not pick up this year—bands that are also touring out of their vans, where they need the support of a big tour like Warped the most; bands with female members and fronts, that aren’t cookie-cutter sausagefest screamo.

But there’s a rival tour coming, he says–and while he couldn’t name it yet, it promises to showcase the variety Warped is missing.

Oh, by the way, go read her WHOLE show review and take a look at her awesome shots of iwrestledabearonce and the other bands from the night, including Dance Gavin Dance.

So, would you go see a rival tour? Do you think it’s time someone rises up to challenge Warped and give us a little more variety in the summer? Or, hey, would you just like another excuse to go to a summer concert? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS!