"I couldn't wait for the summer and The Warped Tour."
You can't sleep the night before, you keep waking up afraid you over slept. Your outfit is laid out, favorite band shirt/tank-top/crop-top, then your shorts, socks, high tops and bandanna all folded nicely with your ticket on top. Your alarm screams out your favorite song as you jump out of bed, silencing the song and begin to get ready. You slam a quick breakfast at Sheetz or Wawa (inferior to Sheetz), or your local gas station food stop before hitting the road with your best friends, significant other, or parent while blasting your favorite bands all the way there. No, I'm not talking about the first day of school, I'm talking about something more magical, more exciting, The Vans Warped Tour.
Real quick, for those of you who live under a rock, Warped Tour is a giant summer tour that traverses the country toting dozens of bands ranging in notoriety. Warped is an all day event with multiple stages where bands play. There are merch booths set up for every band and even for other organizations like: I Am Second, To Write Love On Her Arms and Keep-A-Breast Foundation, to name a few.
Warped Tour, for me, is the best day of the year. I go every year and I look forward to it again once the Pittsburgh date has passed. Warped is the one day of the year where I have no worries, fears, insecurities or anxieties. It is the place where I feel like I am truly home, with people who are in a way, just like me. My annual drive to Burgettstown, PA, is my pilgrimage. It's my escape from work and the stressors of real life; it's the one day where I am untouchable from everything but the bands and the music.
You park your car down the street in the free parking area and walk the half mile back to drive way of First Niagara Pavilion. As you get closer and play human frogger with the traffic, you begin to hear the first soundchecks of the day. The deep growl of a bass guitar, the loud snap of the snare drum. You feel your stomach flutter with excitement, you're here, you're really here and you have all day with the bands, the sounds, people and memories to make.
Warped 2016 has just ended for the Pittsburgh area date and I'm so stoked about how it turned out. I had a blast with my girlfriend and seeing all my friends throughout the day. I've been burnt to a crisp and possibly beyond but honestly, it was worth it. I was able to see some of my favorite bands and even got to meet a few of them. The highlight of that was meeting a band called The Maine. I had caught a pick from guitarist Kennedy during the set, and got a photo with the band.
What may have been better than seeing New Found Glory, The Maine, Sum 41, State Champs, Roam, Yellowcard and Four Year Strong was the conversation I had with Pat and Garrett of The Maine. (They are the two long haired guys on the left of the pic) I saw them at their merch tent and went over to say hi and to thank them for the picture I had gotten with them. We talked about their album "Pioneer," my favorite of theirs, and how much it has impacted me in my life and how thankful I am for them as a band and as people. Before wishing them an awesome and safe rest of Warped Tour, I had asked them if they both could sign their own picture in my copy of their photography book called "Roads," which they happily did. Garrett, the one in the grey, said he could go get the rest of the band to sign it too and took off. He returned with their signatures and I thanked him and he high fived me again.
This is why I love Warped Tour. This is why I go every year. Bands like The Maine who go out of their way to sign some book when everyone is relaxing on the bus or to listen to a fan talk about one of their albums and how much it means to them. Neither of them seemed put off by it or fake in any of their responses. I was met with nothing but kindness and eye contact and care. I know for a fact other bands do the same thing for their fans. It's a community, we are all in it together and Warped Tour is our place to hang out and just be ourselves. I can't wait to go back again next year and make more memories. I leave you all now with my favorite picture from the entire day. Photo credit goes to my very good friend Nicole Shivak.
Me and Lacie, post Warped Tour.
