The 2011 Warped Tour Main Stage band have been officially announced. This year the Teggart Main Stage features A Day To Remember, The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria, 3OH!3, Paramore, Gym Class Heroes, Against Me!, August Burns Red, Attack Attack!, Pepper, Less Than Jake, Jack's Manequin, and D.R.U.G.S.
You'll need to check your local date to see what bands will be at your venue. Warped is always a great time and I had some reservations about this year having seen so many of the band on other go rounds. But it is the event of the summer and I will be there sweat and dirt covered as I am every year, and I will love it.
What concerns me this year is the amount of hype or swag being offered. The $8.50 meal plan (not kidding either a slice of cheese pizza with small french fries and a soda OR a cheeseburger with small french fries and a soda. Each meal is only $8.50 each, and has to be purchased in advance, as it won't be available in the venue) just keeping it healthy I suppose.
How about the Warped Survival kit for $30.00? A durable canvas shoulder bag packed with an exclusive 2011 Warped Tour shirt, a sturdy pair of stylish sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm and a pair of quality ear plugs. Note those are 'quality ear plugs'
I really want to go off saying that Warped is a sell out and it sucks and its about the music not the swag.
But I cant.
For the life of me as much as I find these 'deals' amusing I cant bring myself to say one negative thing about it. The meal thing may actually work for a kid whose parents need to make sure they eat at the all day event rather than spending their dough on tshirts. A nice idea really a prepay on it. Of course its couldn't be less healthy but this sort of music isn't exactly healthy either. The survival kit? Well I could see how some kid may actually really want that, maybe even a kid who cant make the concert but wants cool stuff. Not for me but Warped isn't for ME. I'm not the demographic of this show I'm not even supposed to love this stuff.
But I do.
Warped Tour can do no wrong, what it does that I find 'odd' is only odd because its not aimed at me. I am there for the music and to see as many bands as I can and to see if I can stay hydrated and dash from one side to the other of a filth strewn fairground and by chance see or meet cool rockers doing cool stuff. I may even find a new band to love. I will renew my subscription to Altpress as I do each year (though I got some issues with those people this year) and I will support PETA and sign petitions and make new friends and put at ease parents who look a bit nervous about the events taking place.
So what they're serving pizza with fries.. freaking Devil Wears Prada is main stage!