Off Topic Shout out for the Warped Tour

[LawDaddy]

I've been following the tour on Twitter (@VansWarpedTour and @ernie_ball), what a great festival. I can't imagine the logistics of moving herds of young bands, vendors, merch and gear to a new venue every day. With a doors open usually at around 10-11AM, load in is at 7AM at some venues. Youch.

The crowds look fantastic, great fan access, daily signings. Many of the bands are active on Twitter, and announce their times and singing info. The transparency these days is amazing, and the level of engagement between the bands and fans can be so fluid and immediate. Wish they had this when I was growing up!

Kudos to BP and EBMM for being a part of it.

-Tim

PS: I'm @timbrisson if you're on the Twitters.

 

[bbake1]

My daughters went in PHX and had a great time, though 110 deg.

 

[browndog]

I just looked on twitter and they actually come to Toronto, I was surprised.

 

[LawDaddy]

I just looked on twitter and they actually come to Toronto, I was surprised.

Some of the band and crew posts were about filling out paperwork and clearing customs, pretty funny.

 

[Big Poppa]

canada is the toughest section Your customs usually takes about 12 hours to clear the circus....We do the production and provide the stage for 32 bands per day. It is a blast!

 

[Colin]

you're not kidding about Canadian Customs. I was mugged/robbed years ago while in California and suffered a broken nose 4 broken teeth and black eyes that made me look half raccoon. Anyway that happened Thursday night and I had to fly out to Canada Friday due to a tight schedule. Customs on arrival wanted to know what happened, searched me the whole nine yards. Let's just say, I haven't needed my prostate checked since .

 

[beej]

I've never actually been to it ... I really should get it together next time. Always looks like a blast.

 

[LawDaddy]

Just thought I'd update the thread with this pic I came across. I think this image drives home (pun intended) the incredible number of bands being ferried about:

 

[paranoid70]

22 Bands? How many stages?

 

[Big Poppa]

there are 32-36 on our two stages its more like 60-65 bands a day

 

[the24thfret]

holy moly, bp

 

[kevbroce]

Load in is 7AM almost every venue, doors typically 10:45:-11:00 AM. First band is usually 11:30, last is anywhere from 7:20 to 8:40 PM. I'd say the hardest part is the 10 minute set changes for the Battle Bands. That's not a lot of time to get one bands gear off stage, another's on stage, do a line check and monitor mixes when they've never been on your stage and you've never heard them before. It gets pretty hectic but it's a blast working out here. You never know whats gonna happen at Warped Tour show. The Ernie Ball stage has a little of everything this year, it's a great lineup and a fun day.

If anyone comes out to a show come say hi!

 

[Big Poppa]

Kev Tell us some hightlights!

 

[kevbroce]

Ohh man, every day is something different. Today's Mayday Parade crowd was HUGE. Call me crazy but I think it's been getting bigger as the tour goes on. 15 minutes before their set you could not walk from the front of house tent to the stage. Problem was we needed a new talkback mic at FOH, so we got on the PA and literally had the audience crowd surf Maydays FOH engineer to the stage and back.

Yesterday's highlight had to be Closure In Moscow. Chris, their singer, got a new stage costume and has taken the persona of the Reptilian Overlord and now tells the crowd he will devour their souls and take them to the other demension while running through a "space invader" vocal effect. Combine this with their always awesome set, and it makes for quite a show. It's not the sort of thing you usually see or hear at Warped Tour, but it is great.

I'm on my phone or I'd post some pictures. Hopefully I'll get a chance soon, but our next days off are drive days in Canada. Ahh the allways enjoyable border crossings!

 

[LawDaddy]

Some one needs to make a documentary about this. The logistics alone could earn someone a PhD in time-motion study.

 

[kevbroce]

I never saw it but the tour made a documentary in the last year or two. Not sure what it focused on though. It's pretty crazy that this all somehow works.

 

[LawDaddy]

I found this:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-Screaming-Warped-Documentary/dp/B000GYI3AY]Amazon.com: Wake Up Screaming - A Vans Warped Tour Documentary: Bobby Alt, Jason Bayless, Bleed The Dream, Emery, The Eyeliners, Goldfinger, Hawthorne Heights, Coulter Leslie, Dan Marsala, Ryan Phillips, Adam Russell, Silverstein, David Bergthold, Ca[/ame]

 

[LawDaddy]

Just a bump as the Warped Tour has ended; congrats on a great year!

 

[straycat113]

Wow that is just insane 60 bands on two stages, they should do like when you see those old British invasion tours from the 60s have everyone use the same amps and drums and just plug in and plug out ,and run off for the next band.

 

[LawDaddy]

Here's a fitting send-off: