Vans Warped Tour 2015 at Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY

Vans Warped Tour 2015
Jones Beach
Wantagh, New York
July 11, 2015

Vans Warped Tour '15 rolled onto the oceanfront stadium of Jones Beach on Long Island on a sunny, hot summer Saturday. Instead of taking over the amphitheater's expansive stage and stadium seats, the enormous caravan of tour buses stood sentry over one portion of the enormous parking lot, with stages, vendor areas, band merch tents and misting stations on the opposite section of the parking field. Parents headed for Reverse Day Care, an air conditioned sanctuary in the oasis of heat after dropping their offspring off on a mile long line that snaked around the entire perimeter of the concert area, winding next to a quickly constructed fence that provided a barrier between the music and the machines.

With two decades under its Vans designed skate shoes, the Warped Tour was created in 1995 by Kevin Lyman in production with Vans and Creative Artist Agency, with the first date in Boise, Idaho and ending that year in Detroit. What started out as a skate, third wave ska and punk tour has grown into the longest running touring music festival in North America. It morphed to include indie, pop, and metal core acts, and in 1998 the festival expanded to international shores as well. Activism is a strong tent pole of Vans Warped Tour and partnerships with organizations like MusiCares and endeavors involving music lessons on site as well as Music Saves Lives, which gives concert goers the opportunity to donate blood in return for the chance to have extra access, are staples of the festival.

Nearly always outdoors, except for rare circumstances, Vans Warped Tour sports a unique feature, a different layout and schedule for each stop along the way. Fans can stay on top of schedules for their city by following their favorite artists on social media as well as by checking out a huge schedule that is posted that morning at the venue on an enormous inflatable board or by purchasing a paper schedule when they enter the grounds, which becomes the bible of where to be for the rest of the day. With so many active stages operating simultaneously, it is possible to miss the next big thing if you don't possess the schedule. Over the years, the acts to grace these stages is staggering, including the likes of Dick Dale, Dead Jane, Brothers of Brazil, Blink-182, Weezer, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Yellowcard, Greenday, Echosmith, Sublime, Sum 41, Social Distortion, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Incubus, Coheed and Cambria, Paramore, The Offspring, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Rise Against and more.

This year, the impressive lineup brought some acts back to the Warped Tour like Alvarez Kings, post punk laptop rap creator MC Lars for a third summer, Boston based Transit and Identity Fest favorite Le Castle Vania, the DJ and recording star who hails from Atlanta but lives now in LA. Other huge draws to the festival were Atilla, Drama Club, Black Veil Brides and a band from Southern California but heavily UK influenced, Night Riots who are enjoying lots of airplay on SiriusXM's Alt Nation channel. Each brought hearty crowds to their stages, hard core fans reveling in being so close to their favorites and new ones dancing and fist pumping to their newly discovered vibe.

One of the most fascinating and diverse areas of the festival is the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands stage. With local competitions determining the best bands to grace this stage in each market, this side stage is the heart of what Vans Warped Tour is all about and the support given these talented young artists at different stages of their careers is wonderful to see. Some artists have already signed record label deals and are enjoying success and others are waiting for their big break. They all share incredible drive, showmanship and overwhelming passion.

Some highlights from the Ernie Ball stage included Bad Mary, with a unique blend of high energy danceable punk. Lead singer Amanda Mac fronted the band with unbounded energy, seemingly everywhere at once while Mike Staub on bass, Bill Mac on drums and David Henderson on guitar rounded out the foursome. With clever lyrics, wonderful theatrics and pulse pounding punk sensibility, Bad Mary set the tone for the day with their lunchtime set. Right on their heels, Makeshift, a Long Island band of young men including Andrew Musalo on vocals and guitar, Dan Burke on bass and vocals, Austin Barrow on lead guitar and Matt Mangione at the drums brought a different type of set. Falling nicely into the pop punk genre, Makeshift brought a solid set filled with catchy hooks and impressive stage presence and charisma for a band so young. With the afternoon crowd swelling and increasing the energy of this stage, a newly deconstructed and rebuilt Wolvereen took the stage. Once a four girl band of best friends from Chicago, original member Olivia is now based out of New York City and has taken the name of the group with her, blending in three NY based male musicians for a revamped feel. If you knew them from their earlier incarnation as Purple Apple, you might be surprised at the changes but it works. Wolvereen brings indie pop at its best, with an intensity and playful quality onstage that belies their youth. As the day traveled on, Youth in Revolt, Rivers Monroe and The Karma Killers all turned in high energy sets, lighting up the Ernie Ball stage.

As always, Vans Warped Tour was a sweaty, energetic rite of summer, filled with pulse pounding music, long lines, youthful abandon and the sweet dreams of what incredible known and unknown bands wait on the giant inflatable schedule for Vans Warped Tour '16.

Additional Article Contributions: Mike Perciaccante

Photo Credit: Christine Connallon

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