Backstage Pass: Warped Tour 2010

Posted by: Visitor

Backstage Pass: Warped Tour 2010

On July 9, I had the amazing opportunity of going to Warped Tour in Toronto with a media pass on my wrist.

For those who don’t know, Warped Tour is an all-day music festival that goes around North America. The bands vary in genre, mainly consisting of screamo, metal, rock, alternative, punk, and pop punk. This year some familiar names are Sum 41 and All American Rejects, as well as newbie Mike Posner.

The bands I went for were a little smaller in popularity: Anarbor, Attack Attack!, Automatic Loveletter, Breathe Carolina, Eyes Set to Kill, Hey Monday, Mayday Parade, The Summer Set, VersaEmerge, and We the Kings. There were a few more, but I didn’t get to see them because of conflicting schedules either with other bands or with my interviews/running around. Warped Tour is what I look forward to most every year; I count down to the next year’s the second it ends (despite not knowing the dates).

Being there with a media pass was a whole other experience. Not only did I get to see these bands live, but I got to meet a bunch of them, chat with them, hangout with them, and be right in front of the stage for their set. I interviewed Anarbor, Breathe Carolina, Hey Monday, The Summer Set, and VersaEmerge. I was really nervous because it was my first time ever doing interviews, I’d actually met some of the musicians before, but I’d never actually been “professional” with them. So I was actually shaking, but Sierra from VersaEmerge had a kind heart and put her arm around me and reminded me to breathe: Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. Throughout the day I met 4 out of my 5 female idols: Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter, Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday, Jess Bowen of The Summer Set (met her before), and Sierra Kusterbeck of VersaEmerge (met her before as well). Meeting Juliet who I’ve listened to and looked up to for about 4 years now was just incredible, and to see her live and sing out loud along with her to these songs I’ve known for so long was unforgettable. I have so much respect for all of these ladies who I look up to in almost every way. For example, Jess is a drummer and she gets a lot of smack for being a girl drummer and she rocks hard at every show to prove that she’s not just another girl. Sierra is completely honest in her music in that it’s her personality put into lyrics and a melody.

I lost my voice a little bit singing along very loudly to my favorite songs, and got a LOT of merchandise. I chatted with my idols and more. The day was beyond perfect, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

To see more of my experience, through writing, interviews, and photos, check out my blog: http://ar-thelistening.tumblr.com/.

By: Alex R.