10:00 AM GATES OPEN Armed with my ticket and photo pass, I waited in line with the rest of the eager concertgoers. Yungblud came over to ...
10:00 AM GATES OPEN
Armed with my ticket and photo pass, I waited in line with the rest of the eager concertgoers. Yungblud came over to our section of the line and started pouring tea for anyone who was interested, taking photos with them, and asking them to check out his set later in the day. His show was already a must in our book.
11:00 AM RILEY, JOURNEYS RIGHT FOOT STAGE
Riley was a solo hip-hop artist. I wasn't a fan. The day was not off to a good start.
11:30 AM WATERPARKS, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
I wasn't about to pass up a chance to see God's Favorite Boy Band. Great set. God has good taste.
12:00 PM WE THE KINGS, JOURNEYS RIGHT FOOT STAGE
We The Kings were no strangers to the Warped Tour, having played the tour seven times since 2008. Singer Travis Clark is awesome.
12:30 PM REEL BIG FISH, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
Reel Big Fish were another Vans Warped Tour mainstay, having performed on the tour eight times. Their set was fun and energetic. The horns were on point.
It was shortly after the Reel Big Fish set that I started running out of gas. It was a hot and humid day at this year's Charlotte stop on the Vans Warped Tour, but most of them have been hot and humid in past years. This year, we added in some heavy, sporadic rain to the mess. Also, I was wearing a soft cast on my arm and the heat and rain were starting to get to me. I decided to take a break from the main stages, grab some lunch, and soak in the crowds.
1:30 PM THE INTERRUPTERS, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
I couldn't stay away long! I was beyond psyched to see The Interrupters, and they didn't disappoint. Their blend of punk and ska, led by Aimee Interrupter's raspy voice, had the crowd up on its feet. Killer set! More people should be into these guys.
2:00 PM FALLING IN REVERSE, JOURNEYS RIGHT FOOT STAGE
Solid set!
2:30 PM MAYDAY PARADE, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
This was Mayday Parade's seventh appearance on the tour. Guitarist Brooks Betts played some gnarly guitar while hitting some major rock star poses.
3:15 PM PALAYE ROYALE, OWLY.FM STAGE
I had been here for several hours and decided to final venture away from the main stage. Glad I did. Palaye Royale was everything I had heard about and more. This was the first of three acts I saw on the Owly.Fm stage and truthfully, if all were as good as these three bands, I should've stayed here all day.
3:30 PM 3OH!3, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
Had to check out these guys. They're cool, funny, and write catchy as hell pop songs.
4:00 PM TONIGHT ALIVE, JOURNEYS RIGHT FOOT STAGE
I have long been a fan of Tonight Alive but this was the first time I'd seen them perform live. Lead singer Jenna McDougall was awesome!
4:35 PM DOLL SKIN, OWLY.FM STAGE
Ok. I knew nothing about these guys prior to the tour. Someone told me I needed to check out this hard rocking quartet and I'm so glad I did. Charisma, attitude, and just plain fun.
5:30 PM CASSADEE POPE, JOURNEYS LEFT FOOT STAGE
Cassadee Pope had performed on the tour with her band Hey Monday, but I believe this was her first tour as a solo artist. She had a TON of fans at the show.
5:55 PM YUNGBLUD, OWLY.FM STAGE
I had to check out Yungblud. Loved his debut album, loved his answers when we spoke to him about touring, and the the whole tea thing earlier in the day was a clincher. Killer, killer set. This guy is going to be huge soon.
Like the Vans Warped Tour, I'm a little long in the tooth. Unlike the Vans Warped Tour, who closed out their 24-year run with a strong roster, I limped to the finish line. The combination of the heat, rain, a sore arm, and seven hours of music did me in. Shamefully, I checked out early, missing sets from bands like Less Than Jake and A Simple Plan. Hopefully, Vans Warped will be back next year in one city (close to NC, please!) like Lollapalooza did.
Fingers crossed.
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