BTB GOES DOWN THE WARPATH, WORKS CHARITY BOOTH AT 2010 WARPED TOUR

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

I used to joke that The Warped Tour was like Woodstock, except there were more drugs and less peace. But after finally getting the whiff of what it’s all about, I’ve been forced to revoke my previous bias. I got in to the Country of Hardcore sans passport, simply because I was working one of the charity booths therein. Expecting to get some good doses of awesome music through bad sound sets, throbbing sun, and people already drunk by 9AM, I was preparing myself for one long day. But as time went on and the crowds grew thicker, I came to feel there was something more to what I had expected. Somehow Warped has a way of making you feel special, knowing you were a part of the spectacle — that the things you saw, the hairdos you spotted, and the smiles you captured were all part of something significant.

I don’t think I have to tell you how many heaven-bound bands showed up. From the household names to the underground breakout artists, the place was packed with talent. It was a direct injection of sizzling, incinerating rock, and a salute to what the Sex Pistols set out to prove: as long as you’ve got a guitar and some ‘tude, you have the means to go far. I even got to experience the unpasteurized thrill of discovering some new sounds along the way!

I was stationed by the tent where This Time Next Year and Suicide Silence sat to give autographs, heard Andrew W.K. bellowing to the crowd, Anti-Flag working up a riot while Hey Monday showed off their stuff, and as I walked away from the grounds I could hear Pierce The Veil start up on Caraphernilia. Everyone was singing along, and it was this magical moment I couldn’t get rid of. Suddenly, everything in my writing had popped off the page, and every note in my earphones had transcended to reality.

I guess the only true problem with The Warped Tour is there are so many different shows going on, it’s impossible to see every single snazzlegram of the line-up. And, one must remember, I was chained to a charity booth the whole time. But even getting snippets of it was a crucial addition to the memory bank.

If The Warped Tour went through your city this year, share the dirty details with us. If they haven’t hit you up yet, take a look here to see if your city’s on their warpath. ‘Cause, like one of the singers shouted from the stage, there will never be another Warped Tour ‘10.