Live-Metal.Net - Concert Reports

By GREG MAKI

You can read all you want about the Warped Tour, look at the seemingly endless list of bands on the bill year after year, but until you’ve seen the fleet of trucks, buses and RVs parked at the venue and experienced the whole extravaganza yourself, there’s no way to grasp the enormity of it. Eight stages, 80 bands, and as far as I could tell, every one of them hit the stage almost exactly at their appointed set time. (The stagehands could teach the employees of my local movie theater a thing or two.) The area between stages was filled with booths for the various bands (most of whom appeared for autograph sessions throughout the day), record labels, clothing companies, political and environmental causes—if you can think of it, it was probably there. There were BMX and skating demos, motorcycles on display, even Mexican wrestlers. The crowd was just as diverse, with old school fans of bands like Bad Religion, devotees of the sugary pop music that passes for punk in some circles these days and metalheads drawn by Killswitch Engage all milling about together.

During the time that I wasn’t standing in line for water or Gatorade, seeking the solace of the shade in the press area or interviewing band members, I managed to check out a handful of acts.

TIGER ARMY
So this is psychobilly, huh? Wikipedia tells me the genre is a mix of late-1970s punk and 1950s rockabilly. I hear an equally strong dose of ‘90s alternative rock in Tiger Army’s sound. But who doesn’t get a kick out of seeing a standup bass at a rock show?

THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
This Vancouver outfit featuring the stunning Cassandra Ford on vocals, the brothers Kirkham on guitar (Rob), bass (Chris) and drums (Anthony), and keyboardist Mary Ancheta stole the show for me. I’m having a hard time coming up with a fitting description for their sound—“alternative rock” just doesn’t do it justice. They don’t sound like a natural fit for the Warped Tour, which is exactly why they fit in so well on this bill. A cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” was a cool surprise.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
The first guitar heroics of the day came courtesy of Coheed and Cambria ’s Claudio Sanchez and Travis Stever. I’ll admit these guys have their chops musically, but the band just doesn’t work for me. It’s Sanchez’s weak vocals that turn me off more than anything else.

REVOLUTION MOTHER (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
The crowd was small (perhaps because it was their second performance of the day) and a band on a neighboring stage threatened to drown them out, but this punk-stoner rock hybrid fronted by pro skater Mike Vallely put on one of the more intense shows of the day. Vallely has the antisocial attitude of classic punk rockers, urging listeners to question and stand up to authority. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how hot he must have been performing in the middle of the afternoon under the July sun in a denim jacket.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
One of the largest and rowdiest crowds assembled for the most metal band of the day. It’s not hard to figure out why Killswitch has become one of the biggest American metal bands. Their heavy yet melodic sound draws fans both the mainstream and the more extreme crowds. When it comes to the live performance, it’s hard to deny the joy and energy they bring to the stage. On this day, songs from their 2004 release, The End of Heartache, (“A Bid Farewell,” “Rose of Sharyn,” the title track) held up the best. I was hoping to hear “Holy Diver,” but a Dio cover probably would have been lost on the majority of the Warped Tour audience.

HASTE THE DAY
Unfortunately, Haste the Day’s set overlapped Killswitch’s, so I was only able to see the last song and a half. But that means I at least got to see their anthem, “When Everything Falls.” I’m hoping to see them again soon, as their new release, Pressure the Hinges, is one of my favorites so far this year.

UNDEROATH (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
As a rule, I don’t expect much from bands that describe themselves as “screamo” on their MySpace pages. Underoath is typical of so many “metalcore” acts today that mix screaming, growling vocals with melodic choruses. The problem is that the clean vocals lack power and the band isn’t interesting enough musically to compensate for it.

BAD RELIGION (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
I hope the other punk bands on the bill are watching Bad Religion at every show and taking copious notes. Because this is how it’s done. It’s not about how loud you can scream, how fast you can play or how many tattoos and piercings you have. It’s about having something to day and, even in punk rock, writing good songs. More than a quarter century after its founding, Bad Religion still has it.

THE VACANCIES (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
Stuck on one of the harder-to-find stages, The Vacancies did their best to energize the handful of people who turned up for their set. Led by frontman Billy Crooked, their punk rock feels more sincere than that of many of their contemporaries. They certainly deserve to be on a stage where they can actually be seen.

IT DIES TODAY (VIEW LIVE PHOTOS)
The final band of the day for me. Ending with one of the more metal bands on the bill felt appropriate.

COMPLETE BAND LINEUP:
LUCKY STAGE
Hawthorne Heights, Tiger Army, Pennywise, Pepper, Straylight Run, All Time Low, Underoath, Bad Religion, New Found Glory

13 STAGE
Funeral for a Friend, Chiodos, Coheed and Cambria, Cute Is What We Aim for, Killswitch Engage, Paramore, The Starting Line, Circa Survive, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

SMARTPUNK STAGE
Alesana, Anberlin, The Vincent Black Shadow, Hot Spur, The Human Abstract, Haste the Day, Cinematic Sunrise , Mayday Parade, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Bless the Fall

HURLEY.COM STAGE
The Graduate, Boys Like Girls, Big D and the Kids Table, The Matches, Meg & Dia, Parkway Drive, Family Force 5, Rocket Summer, Poison the Well

HURLEY STAGE
Spill Canvas, k-os, Gallows, Amber Pacific, A Static Lullaby, The Dear and Departed, The Toasters, The Unseen, Bayside, Escape the Fate

HOT TOPIC KEVIN SAYS STAGE
Lookout Point, Dingus, Eastern Standard Time, Guff, Neighborhood Friendly, Animo, New Atlantic, No One’s Hero, Remsa & Event, The Urgency, The Vacancies

ERNIE BALL STAGE
Eleven 54, Late Night, American Diary, Dropout Year, Scenes from a Movie, The Fabulous Rudies, Mustard Plug, Throwdown, My American Heart, Bleed the Dream, Evaline, The Chariot, It Dies Today, Valencia

SKATE RAMP
Revolution Mother, Mad Marge & the Stonecutters

EAST COAST INDIE
Her Alibye, Motionless in White, Reflective Insight, Split Fifty, Thieves and Villains, F.T.S.K.