Date: July 24, 2002
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Bands: Various
Warped Tour is one tour you should check out this summer. There’s great music, fun people, and a giant pirate. What more is there to ask for? Here is my take on Warped Tour, 2002.
There were so many bands to check out, I had no idea where to start. So, I began with Anti-Flag. Anti-Flag kicked off the day by playing a crowd pumping set. They united they crowd by pronouncing them brothers and sisters and asking everyone to take care of each other. If you get a chance, check Anti-Flag out, as they were one of the best performers. The godfathers of punk, Bad Religion, kicked major butt. They rocked the stage with songs like “Punk Rock Song” and a few off their new album.
This year’s Warped was the first time Finch played on the Warped tour. They played on The Drive Thru Records stage. I got a chance to talk with Nate after they played their set (Which was put together by Ian of New Found Glory). Nate said he was having a good time playing on the tour and meeting fans.
Good Charlotte played a great set. That was my second time seeing them live and they didn’t disappoint me. Joel did a good job of keeping the crowd involved while Paul, Benji, and Billy played their little hearts out. The audience was a little wild, though, and a few girls got hurt. So remember to play it safe.
I caught a bit of MxPx. From what I saw, they played great and kept the crowd singing along with every song. I also watched a bit of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Ozma, and NoFX. NoFX are truly talented entertainers. Go check them both out; they are worth it.
New Found Glory had the biggest audience by far. They played a few new songs off their “Sticks and Stones” along with a songs from their old albums. They performed well enough and much of the audience enjoyed them.
The people were great. No one got too drunk and I didn’t see any fights going on. There were a few guys giving out free hugs. I got a hug, and I loved it. If you want to mosh and are afraid to get hurt, stand next to a strong guy. (Trust me, this works) There were also other things to do at Warped. The giant pirate was just want was needed in the heat. There were many informative tents like the Anti-Racism and the PETA tent. Stroll by and check out what they have to say. Overall, Warped was a fun time. There was tons of good music, fun people, and lots of fun things to do. If you haven’t checked out Warped Tour yet, go out and do it! You won’t regret it, I promise.
For More Information:
• Warped Official Site: www.warpedtour.com