The Vans Warped Tour – Transcending Generations at St Petersburg, FL
My initial exposure to the punk and ska scene of the mid-’90s came when I was a teenager attending high school in Puerto Rico. During those days, my music collection was comprised of mostly cassette tapes and the sporadic rarity of a CD, a collection mostly filled with the likes of Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, No Doubt and Sublime, just to name a few. Back then, seeing these bands live was a nearly impossible task, and the name of events such as the Vans Warped Tour were something I could only read about in magazines and have endless dreams about one day being able to attend.
I was 16 years old when I first heard of the Warped Tour, and this past weekend, 21 years after its original inception in 1995, I was finally able to experience it. Although I would have loved to experience this as a teen, seeing this now at 37 was just as magical as I had hoped.
The Vans Warped Tour is the largest traveling music festival in the United States. Currently comprised of seven stages and over 60 bands, the all-ages festival ensures fans get their money’s worth. The stages are placed in three sets of two (with the exception of the “Full Sail University” stage), and every band, no matter how small, big, old or new, gets to perform a 30-minute set, with no main event or headliner. Every stage pair flawlessly alternates every 30 minutes without any interruption, guaranteeing non-stop music throughout.
I have to admit that I went in already gravitating towards the “Journeys Left Foot” stage. This was the stage with most of the bands from my generation, as it included New Found Glory, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Yellowcard and Sum 41. In between shows, I explored some of the newer and younger acts, and honestly, this is the where I discovered the true magic of the Vans Warped Tour. Seeing some of my favorite bands in one place was really special, but witnessing the younger generation leaving it all in the hot, sweaty and loud crowd while having the time of their lives with bands such as Falling in Reverse, Crown the Empire and From Ashes to New was something truly magical. Watching this gave me a clear vision of exactly how I would have felt if I would have attended the Warped Tour of my generation when I was in my teens.
Seeing the diverse all-ages crowd enjoying this event was awe-inspiring. There is something to be appreciated from seeing teenagers singing along with Reel Big Fish while sporting Nirvana t-shirts. This shows how the rock genre continues to transcend generations and does not need mainstream media support to remain relevant. As Ryan Key from Yellowcard stated during their performance, “Everyone who says rock’n’roll is dead needs to come spend the fucking afternoon at the Vans Warped Tour.”
As I walked away from my first long-overdue Vans Warped Tour attendance, I could only regret not being able to see more of the younger bands. With this knowledge on hand, I now know that next time I need to attend more than one date of the festival.
The eighth date of the Vans Warped Tour ’16 took place at Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg, FL, on July 1st.
