Van’s Warped Tour is an all-day alternative musical festival run by Journey’s. Each year dozens of bands sign on and tour the country for a few months. Merchant tents are set up all around the venue and the bands can do signings and meet-and-greets at specific times at their designated tents. It is set up similar to a farmer’s market. There are multiple stages set up- this year there were seven- and every half hour a new band plays. The stages rotate when they play so that only 4 stages play at a time. People can walk between the sets and wander around through the merch tents.

Bands like Falling In Reverse, Sleeping With Sirens, Motionless in White, Crown the Empire, I See Stars, and Mayday Parade performed on the tour. With each band slotted for 30 minutes, only a few songs could actually be performed. Falling in Reverse played I’m Not a Vampire. Sleeping With Sirens played Go Go Go. I See Stars played Running with Scissors and took video footage of their set at multiple locations to add in their music video. The crowds were insane no matter which stage you were at. Fans were crowd surfing, creating mosh pits, and climbing over fences to be part of the pit crowd.

Despite the outrageous heat that day, the tour had a sponsor, Cool Gear, who set up a tent where you could go and refill your water bottles for free all day. Staff wheel around carts of drinks to make sure everyone is staying hydrated. There is also a food court that provided food trucks and a slip and slide. Warped Tour is an amazing music festival with great music and experiences to tag along.