This Sunday August 9th, the Vans Warped Tour will land at Invesco Field in Denver. This modern day music marvel is one of the biggest concerts/music festivals traversing the country.
As of the mid-2000s, the Warped Tour has featured as many as 100 bands per show. The bands play for up to 30 minutes over approximately 10 stages, although the biggest bands generally play the two main stages. Bands typically start at 11:00 a.m. and end around 9:00 p.m., with several bands playing at once. The individual band times and stages where each band play is marked on a large board usually centered in the middle of the venue. The stages are set up in various locations around the venue to ensure one band’s music is not disrupted by the other bands performing at that time. Fans can vote online for the band they want to see play a longer set as the last band of the night.
Every year there is a “BBQ Band,” which, in exchange for the privilege of playing on the tour, must prepare food for the bands and crew for the barbecue which is held most evenings. Past “BBQ Bands” have included Dropkick Murphys and “The Fabulous Rudies”. Similarly, one band, Animo (formerly DORK) has been permitted for the past four years to play on the tour in exchange for working on the setup crew.
The tour started as a skate punk and third wave ska tour, but later began to feature mostly post-hardcore, pop punk, and metalcore acts. There are also some hardcore and street punk bands, such as the Casualties, the Unseen and Anti-Flag, that still play Warped Tour, as well as older bands that have played the tour numerous times since its inception (Bad Religion, NOFX, etc.)
As well as music, this tour brings many attractions, including a half pipe for skaters and bikers. The tour also features many booths creating a flea market-like atmosphere, having tents for each of the bands to sell merchandise, independent record labels, magazine publishers, non-profit organizations, and sponsors looking to market their products to the tour’s audience. Many of the bands will retreat to their tents after their performance in order to meet up with the fans and sign autographs.
In 2006 the tour started the Warped Eco Initiative” (WEI). Ways the tour has changed since 2006: Using Biodiesel to fuel the buses, since 2006 the tour has reduced petroleum by 30%. The tour has a solar stage that is run solely from solar power that host 8-10 performers per show. The catering on the warped has switched to use washable dishes, and silverware. They also use compostable corn, and potato-starch take out boxes. The tour gives out free prizes to kids who volunteer to help recycle.
A sampling of this years bands in Denver is:
| 3OH!3 | A Day To Remember |
| A Skylit Drive | After Midnight Project |
| Aiden | Alana Grace |
| Alexisonfire | All Time Low |
| Attack Attack | Bad Religion |
| Bayside | Big D and the Kids Table |
| Black Saints Cartel | Black Tide |
| Bouncing Souls | Breathe Carolina |
| brokeNCYDE | Cash Cash |
| Chiodos | Dirty Heads |
| Echo Movement | Escape The Fate |
| Every Avenue | Forever The Sickest Kids |
| Gallows | Hit The Lights |
| I Set My Friends On Fire | “In This Moment |
| InnerPartySystem | Inward Eye |
| Ivoryline | KIA Kevin Says Stage |
| Less Than Jake | Longway |
| Madina Lake | Meg and Dia |
| Millionaires | NeverShoutNever |
| New Medicine | NOFX |
| P.O.S. | Random Hero |
| Regret Night | Scary Kids Scaring Kids |
| Senses Fail | Shad |
| Shooter Jennings | Sing It Loud |
| Single File | Streetlight Manifesto |
| TAT | The A.K.A.s |
| The Architects | The Devil Wears Prada |
| The Maine | The Reverend Peytons Big Damn Band |
| The White Tie Affair | There For Tomorrow |
| Therefore I Am “ | TV/TV |
| Underoath | Valencia |
| VersaEmerge | We The Kings |
| Westbound Train | You Me At Six |
All bands are of course subject to change without notice!
Save the environment…take the lightrail!
Invesco Field is accessible by lightrail via the C line.
Please visit the Regional Transportation District- Denver (http://www.rtd-denver.com/lightRail_subHome.shtml)for schedules and route information.
For some other cool places in Denver check out these posts:
West Highlands
Cherry Creek North
Berkeley Lake
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