Monday Mashups: Warped Tour, the End of an Era

After 24 years of straight summer smashers, Vans Warped Tour will be a wrap in 2018. Warped Tour built its brand of a “punk-rock summer camp” by bringing out scene staples like NOFX and Bad Religion numerous times. But it was also an early champion of bands like Blink-182, No Doubt, and Paramore -- punkers eventually embraced by the pop world. And outside of punk entirely, Warped’s past lineups are riddled with pre-superstardom misfit toys who found an early home amongst the skate shows and merch tents: Katy Perry, Eminem, Kid Rock, the Black Eyed Peas, G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha. Their ranks were rarely favorites of critics, but they no doubt shaped culture. A culture that will live on long after the end of this era.

According to producer Kevin Lyman, who founded the fest in 1995, numerous factors -- including an evolving summer festival industry, a shrinking pool of bands, and declining ticket sales amongst its teenage demographic -- led him to declare the tour’s 24th year its last. But Warped still has one final summer’s worth of dates on the road. No artists have been confirmed, and in fact, Lyman is still filling the bill, hoping some Warped icons will hop on to make the last hurrah extra special.

We have to share this one snippet of Lyman's interview with Billboard Music, as he reflects on the 2005 Warped Tour experience:

"That was the summer of Warped and TRL, you know? We seemed to be perfectly in line. It was also the year Warped Tour almost collapsed under its own success. These kids got off their couches from TRL in the afternoon then came to Warped. But they weren't ready to be out in the sun. And the medical we had to deal with on that tour. All these kids didn't eat breakfast. They didn't go to the bathroom. Drink water! As soon as they band started, they’d pass out."

"The hardcore fans were like, “You sold out!” And I was like, “No, it just happened..." I had booked Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance a year ahead of time, because I had them on Warped Tour when they were in vans. And I was like, “This is good music. This is gonna break.” That was the first time I ever booked bands a year ahead of time."

Unfortunately, we too have been on the verge of passing out at many FOB concerts. Blame it on our youthful angst and naivety. It was always worth it!

After coming on as an initial sponsor in 1995, Vans became Warped’s primary sponsor the following year and it’s been the Vans Warped Tour ever since. he son of Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren, he’s been a fixture on the tour since that first summer, distributing stickers in the Vans tent at center festival, flipping burgers at their nightcap barbecues each evening. But he, too, echoes Lyman’s sentiment. Though it may be difficult, we can all agree to respectfully go along for the ride as this era comes to an end. With that said, you will most definitely catch us at Vans Warped Tour 2018 devouring the details of this last hooray. See you there!