Warped Tour is unlike any other concert that you've ever been to. You’re outside the whole time -- anywhere between four and eight hours, completely exposed to the elements -- the beating hot sun, pouring rain, whatever the tough summer months will bring. There will be probably over 40 bands there, and thousands of fans, so it’s Crazytown, USA.
Now, I’ve only gone to one Warped Tour, but I had the time of my life and I learned a lot, so I thought I’d share my wisdom with you.
Five Things To Wear To Warped Tour
1. Shorts or capris, weather depending
I know you’re dedicated to your "look," but black skinny jeans in 90 degrees is a terrible idea. I know you’re whiter than printer paper, but you’re not the only one, so let your legs out. It’s hot, and sweating under skinny jeans is the worst feeling.
2. T-shirt or tank top
It’s the same on top as it is on the bottom -- your hoodie or leather jacket (or both if you’re completely insane) look very cool, but it’s July/August. It’s way too hot for that crap, and you know it. Also you’re just going to sweat more and it’ll stink up your clothing so just wear a t-shirt or tank top, free your arms and armpits and have a good time.
3. Sneakers
Every venue is different, so there’s no guarantee what you’ll be walking on. Where I was, there was gravel on gravel on gravel, and with gravel came rocks as big as fists that I almost broke my ankle on at least 20 times. So wear comfortable sneakers. Also, you’ll be walking from one stage to another and from one tent to another all damn day. So wear comfortable sneakers. You’ll probably be stepped on. So wear comfortable sneakers.
4. Sunglasses
The sun is unforgiving, and there’s always a chance that you’ll be facing the sun for the whole half hour that your favorite band is performing.
5. Sunscreen
Did I mention that the sun was unforgiving? Let’s just say that I’m sleeping on my stomach until further notice because my shoulder blades were cooked. Roasted. Ouch. I reapplied twice and didn’t get sunburn anywhere else except where I couldn’t reach. I don’t care if you hate sunscreen and how it feels (trust me, I’m the president of the I Hate Sunscreen Club).
10 Things To Bring To Warped Tour
1. Your ticket
Duh.
2. Three cans of food OR $5 OR an old cell phone
Seems kind of random, but Warped Tour has a pretty awesome system going with Feed Our Children Now where you bring three cans of food (not dented or expired), $5, or an old cell phone to donate and you can skip the huge line that everyone has to stand in to be let into the venue.
3. Backpack
You need something to hold everything else, of course. Pockets only do so much, and if you buy band merch, you want to put it somewhere safe!
4. Hand sanitizer or baby wipes
You’re outside all day, and the outside is very dirty. Port-a-potties. Sitting on the grass or dirt. Shaking hands and high fives with band members. Touching surfaces that hundreds of other people have also touched. And then you’re going to go buy a burger and hold it in your nasty hands and eat it? Nope.
5. Cash
This is your chance for buying band merch and supporting some of Warped Tour’s awesome sponsors. T-shirts are usually $20, tank tops are $25, and wristbands are $5.
6. Sunscreen
You will need to reapply approximately every 2 hours to prevent sunburn. Literally, set a timer on your phone, because you will forget, and you will regret it. No one’s going to judge you for taking care of yourself, but they might judge you when you’re as red as a lobster the next day.
7. Sealed plastic water bottle OR empty reusable water bottle
Warped Tour has rules about what is allowed and what isn’t, so when your bag is searched (which it will be when you’re in line) make sure nothing looks suspicious. If you bring an empty reusable water bottle you can fill it for free, and all refills are free as well at the water station. And you BETTER refill your water bottles, because if you’re dehydrated, you’re going down.
8. Snacks
You’re usually allowed to bring snacks (every venue is different), but you’re usually good with a sealed snack like a granola bar. However, it might melt. My chocolate chip Clif bar turned into a little congealed mess (but I still ate it). So whatever you bring, think about how it’ll react to direct heat for several hours.
9. Sharpies and something for band members to sign
Lots of bands will have a designated time where they go to their merch tent for pictures or signings, and other bands will just wander in at some point, so take advantage and get a selfie and an autograph!
10. If the forecast predicts rain: umbrella, plastic bag to protect what’s in your backpack and a sandwich bag for your phone
Nothing’s worse than coming home, emptying out your backpack and everything’s a little damp. That’s gross. Make sure you have stuff to protect yourself and your belongings in case of rain.
Five Things To Consider At Warped Tour
1. No one cares what you look like.
This goes back to the shorts and t-shirt thing. No one cares what you’re wearing, no one cares if you have a giant hat to protect your face, no one cares if you’ve got so much sunscreen on that you’re shining. Warped Tour is about having a great time, so don’t worry about how you look -- worry about getting as close as possible to the stage!
2. Your health comes first.
Sunscreen, snacks, lots of water, buying a solid meal and sitting in the shade to rest -- you need to make sure it happens. Being out in the sun for so long can cause heat stroke or sun poisoning, and you can get dehydrated and/or hypoglycemic if you don’t drink water and eat something. Listen to your body!
3. Everyone’s here for the same reason.
We all love music, we all love these bands and we all want to have fun. So have a sense of community, don’t be rude and help out other people!
4. The band members are probably exhausted and miss their families.
Not every band is going to have a signing, you won’t always run into a band member around the venue, and that’s probably because they’re in their tour vans taking a nap, getting something to eat, or talking to their loved ones. So I know it’s a little disappointing if you don’t see someone that you really really love, but there’s always next year.
5. It’s unbelievably crowded, so be respectful.
I don’t care how excited and gung-ho you are about a band, do NOT elbow or shove your way through a crowd to get to the front. The people in the front have probably been standing there for a hour and a half to get to where they are, so not only are you disrespecting people’s boundaries, you’re disregarding other people’s dedication and patience for your own personal gain. And on the other hand, if someone is trying to get out of the crowd, move over for them. Even if you can only shift an inch, do it, because that person could be in the middle of a panic attack or about to puke, so let them out.
