Vans Warped Tour is about to roll through town mid-month (July 17th at Comcast Theatre in Hartford, July 23rd at Nassau Coliseum and July 24th at Monmouth Park Raceway in Oceanport, NJ). With tons of bands playing 8 different stages each date of the tour, it can be overwhelming to try to figure out who you should watch next. I’m here to give my picks of who you should make a point of checking out. With bands’ set times changing daily (the bands don’t even know what time they play until they get up in the morning), I can’t tell you what time they’ll be playing. You’ll have to check the posted times when you arrive and use the Tour’s official app to manage your schedule. However, I can tell you what stage they will be on. For a full guide to who is playing which stage, check Vans Warped Tour’s official Stage Guide.
1. Unwritten Law
FROM: San Diego, CA
CHECK OUT: “Starships & Apocalypse”
RANDOM INFO: They’re the “UL” that Blink-182 refers to in “Josie”. Josie has good taste. Recently singer Scott Russo survived a beating from MMA fighter Jason Ellis while he sang “Starships & Apocalypse” on Ellis’ Sirius Faction radio show. Now that’s dedication to your craft.
STAGE: AP
2. Terrible Things
FROM: PA, NY
CHECK OUT: “Revolution”
RANDOM INFO: Singer Fred Mascherino is a former member of Taking Back Sunday and Breaking Pangaea, while drummer Josh Eppard is from Coheed and Cambria. Recently, Fred took back his endorsement of laying down in the grass for extended amounts of time after finding a tick on his chest.
STAGE: Ernie Ball
3. A Day To Remember
FROM: Ocala, FL
CHECK OUT: “The Downfall Of Us All”
RANDOM INFO: In 2008 ADTR opened for New Found Glory, whose guitarist Chad Gilbert produced their 2010 album “What Separates Me From You.” The band’s official Warped Tour Survival Kit includes a sombrero to help ward off Warped Sunburn.
STAGE: Main
4. Sharks
FROM: UK
CHECK OUT: “It All Relates”
RANDOM INFO: The last time Sharks played the NY area was opening for Social Distortion. I don’t know about you, but having Mike Ness’s approval would make me feel like I could fly. In their spare time, the band enjoys watching Jim Carrey and Chevy Chase films.
STAGE: Kia
5. Lucero
FROM: Memphis, TN
CHECK OUT: “Hey Darlin’, Do You Gamble”
RANDOM INFO: The Gaslight Anthem regularly covered Lucero’s “War” with singer Tim Barry while on tour. Recently Lucero played the top of the famous Peabody Hotel. Who knew ducks liked to rock out?
STAGE: AP
To get tickets for Warped Tour, click here.
