The Vans Warped Tour returns to Las Vegas tomorrow, June 19, at the UNLV Intramural FIelds. That’s right, exactly ten years after the Warped Tour was held at the Desert Breeze Park, the traveling music festival is finally taking place on grass again in our city (though I still long for a return to the air-conditioned Thomas and Mack). Like every year, the youth-oriented extravaganza features an eclectic mix of bands ranging from ska, hardcore, punk, folk and everything in between. It can be hard to decide what bands to see, especially with so many stages overlapping and set times not revealed until the morning of the show. But in an attempt to help lead you to the cream of the crop we have our fourth annual “bands not to miss at the Warped Tour” list! In no significant order except for alphabetical:
Bayside
After seeing Bayside countless times in various venues in Las Vegas, I’m continuously blown away at how they always manage to top their last performance. I reviewed their latest effort, Cult, and while it fell short of reaching my top 10 records of 2013, it was certainly a candidate. As always, expect to hear some old songs, some new songs, and a few surprises in their setlist thrown in for good measure. – IC
Every Time I Die
Aside from the riffs, the lyrics and the overall badass-ness those guys bring to the stage, it’s hard not to appreciate Every Time I Die’s longevity in a business where success can be fleeting. Their first EP, The Burial Plot Bidding War, came out fourteen years ago, and they’re about to drop their seventh full-length album From Parts Unknown on July 1. Last year their set turned into a party on stage and there is nothing to suggest Thursday afternoon will be any different. Besides, if the possibility of hearing brand new ETID material live doesn’t encourage you to buy a ticket I really don’t know what will. -FG
Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong sure have been making some moves lately. After the Boston pop-punk veterans signed with (and are releasing an EP on) Pure Noise Records, the band quickly put up a preview track for Go Down In History called “Tread Lightly.” And what a track it is. It sounds like vintage FYS; with electrifying guitar work, the intensity turned up, and the lyrics biting and catchy. If it is any indication of the upcoming record, expect to hear a lot about these guys in the coming months. After sort of laying low for a while, Four Year Strong are back and sounding great, make sure you’re there for their set on Thursday. -FG
Guts
If you’re from Las Vegas and have paid attention to the music scene here in any capacity, chances are you know who Guts are. They are a fun, hard-working band who just so happen to be putting out new material soon in the form of Matches Malone, an EP to be released on Don’t Leave California Records. They also have a tour lined up with another local band Calmosa that will take them up and down the west coast. Guts have been around for a minute and they deserve all the recognition they’ve been and will be getting. It’s always a good time whenever friends of the site get up on a Warped Tour stage, so be there or be square. Or be at their Tour Kickoff show on Friday night! -FG
Heart to Heart
Heart to Heart are long time friends of PIV and it’s been so great seeing them grow as a band and as performers. From playing a tiny show at the Box Office to heading out on Warped, where they can bring their aggressive, post punk style to a whole new group of kids. The band thrives off audience energy, particularly frontman Nick Zoppo, whose stage antics resemble the best of pro wrestling and will likely make their set one of the most entertaining of the tour. Heart to Heart on record is good but at their core they are a live band and the Warped Tour stage is the perfect place for them to show that off. -SM
Less Than Jake
With many of its fans younger than the band itself, Less Than Jake is bringing its signature blend of pop punk and ska back to the Vegas scene once again. They’re sure to play old favorites, along with singles from their latest album See the Light. I’ve listened to Less than Jake while driving in my car so many times, but have yet to see them live. Hopefully we’ll all survive another day of waiting! – JB
Light Years
Light Years really took me by surprise last year, coming out of nowhere to release one of the most solid, no frills pop punk record I’ve heard in some time (think Junior Battles, Midtown). Light Years are set to play the Acoustic Basement stage this year, and I had the privilege of seeing frontman Pat Kennedy play acoustic before the band’s show at Eagle Hall last year when we filmed our Stripped Down Session and can attest that the songs are so strong that they sound just as good unplugged. Light Years is one of the smaller bands on the bill so here’s your chance to say you saw the guys first! -SM
Mixtapes
Take a dash of Superchunk, a pinch of The Mr. T Experience and throw in a little The Wonder Years for good measure and you’ve got the first hint of what you can expect from Mixtapes’ sound. The band just exudes fun, alternately dancing and bantering before playing some of the catchiest music in pop punk. Plus I’m a sucker for a good harmony and vocalists Ryan Rockwell and Maura Weaver always sound great together. I promise you’ll walk away from their set with a face sore from smiling and ready to dive into their rapidly growing catalog of tunes. -SM
Saves the Day
Saves the Day holds personal significance for me because some of the best and worst times of my adolescence could all be marked by any of their hits. Though their most recent Pledge-funded album didn’t quite live up to the hype, some songs like “Ring Pop” are undeniable hits and they’ll fit wonderfully on the setlist alongside records from their extensive catalog. – IC
Teenage Bottlerocket
I think it’s safe to say that the Warped Tour and pop punk go together like “Brain Stew” and “Jaded.” And few bands play the genre as well as Fat Wreck Chords’ Teenage Bottlerocket. The band’s fans skew older than your usual Warped Tour attendee and they play the genre closer to classics like The Ramones than the Lifetime-influenced/easycore style pop punk that proliferates the tour post-NFG, so I’m excited for the energetic and rambunctious band to get exposed to a whole new audience. If you want hooks so infectious you’ll need to visit the medical tent to get them removed from your ear and a stage show that is sure to feature more jumps per minute than bands half their age, then make sure to fit TBR at the top of your schedule. – SM
Terror
Hardcore bands typically have a short shelf-life and throughout the last 12 years, Terror has seen it all. The touring machines have played every place imaginable and this year they’re set to conquer the infamous Warped Tour. Though they stick out like a sore thumb on the festival’s line-up, they add variety and are the only true hardcore/punk band on the bill. -IC
-Ian Caramanzana, Julien Boulton, Felipe Garcia, Emily Matview
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