Thursday, August 11, 2011

Warped Tour 2011!!!!!!

Wow. I haven't written a post in a while! This is my Warped Tour post!! I was gonna do a whole Warped Tour/festival themed thing on my beauty blog but then I realized that it wouldn't really be helpful since my town was on the last week of the tour and summer is winding down so most festivals are probably over. Anyway on with the post.

So if you don't know what Warped Tour is you can go to www.vanswarpedtour.com and check it out. I went with Kenneth, his cousin Holly, her friend Jasmine and our friend Zach. We got there a few minutes late due to the traffic trying to get into the place. The first thing we did is suck it up and buy one of those 2 dollar paper things which I recommend 100%. On one side it has a list of the stages, each band playing that stage and what time they are playing and on the back is a map. So we put a mark next to each band we wanted to see and luckily there were no time conflicts with the bands we wanted to see like there was last year.

We walked around a bit looking at the tents, (each band has a merch tent set up, plus there are tents for clothing companies, record companies, charities and organizations). And then we went to see the Aggrolites which Zach really likes. While we were waiting for them to come on we watched the band on the stage next to it, Family Force Five. They actually put on a really fun show and for the last song the lead singer got in this huge plastic bubble and rolled out on top of the crowd! So he was in there singing and rolling around and everyone was holding him up, it was one of the two coolest things I saw all day. The Aggrolites were good, I had never heard of them before, but they played kind of ska-ish music just without the horns and they had the cutest circle pit, everyone was dancing in a circle.

Next we saw Abandon All Ships, my guilty pleasure band (come on, they are just so silly with the squats and the autotune and the way the screamer guy draws out the last syllable of every word). But they were really good and played most of my favorites. Then we watched a little bit of Asking Alexandria but they were kind of boring so we went to go sit down on one of the parking curbs and from there we could see Black Veil Brides. It was kind of funny seeing the surprise on Ken and Zach's faces when they actually saw them.

I think we had a long break here, Ken ate something and then we sat in the very back of the parking lot on the curb, with no shade, full on sun the whole time. From there we could hear Of Mice and Men and then me and Ken went to lie on the gross prickly grass in the only shade we could find before we got back up to meet back with Zach and go see Eyes Set to Kill. I hate when bands change the crap out of their lineup but they were good anyway.

Next was my favorite band of the day Enter Shikari. Ahhh they were SO GOOD. They did all my favorite songs and were so much fun I'm so glad I got to see them. Then we ran to the main stage to see Paramore. There was such a huge crowd and we were way in the back. I like Paramore but I don't really know any of their new stuff and I don't know what the whole drama with the lineup change was all about. Zach stayed to watch the whole thing but me and Ken left part way through to see D.R.U.G.S. They were awesome. They were probably another favorite because of the energy of the crowd and the band and I liked all the songs and everything. I was hoping that the crowd would all sing along with the slow beginning of one of the songs and we did and it was one of those moments.

We went back to our spot to chill and I got fries because it was the only thing there I could eat and we watched a few more bands from back there. It was starting to get dark and cold and the lead singer of (I think it was Miss May I) was saying how damn cold he was and it was the coldest stop on the whole tour. The day temp got up to only about 80 and then it gets chilly every night around here, summer or not. The second coolest thing I saw was the marathon pit for this band. They made the biggest circle ever and ran all the way around, it looked awesome from where we were. We thought everyone was leaving at this point but then we walked by the main stage and found EVERYONE. There was the biggest crowd ever gathered for A Day To Remember. I don't even know who this band is but apparently they are popular.

There was only one more band we wanted to see The Ready Set and they went on very last of the night. I was surprised to see that we had plenty of time in the gap to check out A Skylit Drive so we watched them and then The Ready Set who were really really fun, since I knew all the songs and they were another fav.

So I told you the two coolest things I saw so here is the lamest thing I saw. Ok, I think I said this in a post before but I'm cool with mosh pits. Circle pits are just dumb to me but  I was actually wishing for a circle pit after this new trend I saw. So a couple big dorky dudes will start shoving the crowd out of their way until a circle is formed and then just start flailing their arms around and looking like they are doing the spastic bee dance. (You know when there is a bee in the car and you jump out spazzing out trying to swat it away?) It is the number one most stupid looking thing I have ever seen and I just can't allow myself to think, "oh you know, just let them have their fun," no. They brutally shove people trying to have a good time out of their way and then fling their fists around so fast that if someone were caught in that they would be seriously injured. Plus they make this huge circle that no one else can enjoy. There is only enough room for like two dudes to be in there doing that and they tire easily so there ends up being an empty circle pit. PLEASE stop this trend. Some people wanted to start a circle pit but couldn't because at every single band there were some lame guys doing this.

So overall the day was so amazing. And extremely tiring, we were there for 10 hours in the sun. I only got a little burned and a lot tanned. I also bought an Enter Shikari wristband, a Vans tank top and got a free bag with it. Loved the Kleen Kanteen (you can fill up your bottles with free filtered water at the station) and the fact that there were actual bathrooms. Food was way over priced as usual but it didn't put a damper on my day. If you like the kind of music they play I definitely recommend going next year, get your ticket early at the presale they are way cheaper!

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