Lose your iPod and rock out to live music: Warped Tour

Wed, 30 May 2007 20:51:00 GMT

By Shira Bogin, Reporter

Tiger Army (courtesy of sing365.com)

Over 50 bands and huge crowds: band members and fans alike are covered with sweat and singing as loudly as possible. Welcome to Vans Warped Tour ’07, the 13th year of the festival. The event has become so popular that each year Vans produces a two-disk CD set with songs from the tour. Warped Tour, which hits major cities across the country, is an event that thousands look forward to. On Thursday, August 23, Warped Tour comes to Marysville’s Sleep Train Amphitheatre, about 30 minutes from Sacramento. The Sleep Train Amphitheatre is an open-air music center that holds up to 18,500 people—perfect for Warped Tour’s massive crowd. Senior Andrew Speciale went to the festival in 2006 and loved it, describing the experience as “music heaven.” Like Speciale, many teenagers adore Warped Tour because of its array of popular bands. This year’s headlining bands include: A Static Lullaby, Bad Religion, Chiodos, Coheed and Cambria, Flogging Molly, Hawthorne Heights, New Found Glory, Spill Canvas, The Starting Line, Sum 41, and Tiger Army. Although about 10 bands play at the same time in the wide venue, fans can see several bands. Though tickets are only around $30, Speciale warns that food at Warped Tour is expensive—even a small soda is $5. Since they don’t sell water, it’s important to bring your own water bottles. However, performing bands have been known to be incredibly down-to-earth, even giving their own water bottles to fans in the crowd. And each band has its own booth that fans can line up at to get autographs and pictures. The most valuable piece of advice would be to wear sunscreen. Since Warped Tour is an all-day outdoor festival, many become so enthralled in the excitement that the sun’s strength is forgotten.

The Octagon

Lose your iPod and rock out to live music: Warped Tour