Only a week ago I was standing in a giant L.A. parking lot surrounded by 6 or 7 stages all with bands playing. This amazing festival, full of bands and tour merchandise, is know as the Warped Tour; the hottest, sweatiest, most amazing concert to get excited for each summer.

The Vans Warped Tour happens every summer all over the U.S., in almost every state, and has some of the most amazing bands. Each year, 50 popular bands play on the main stage, while tons of smaller bands fight their way to the top on lower stages, all sponsored by a different companies.

Every band that plays have a little merch tent -sponsoring themselves with every shirt sold- and thirty minutes of stage time to play. In that time, most bands play their most popular songs, pulling in every listener near by. And after sets, most bands go out and meet their fans signing autographs and taking pictures with the ones devoted enough to stay in the long line.

This year's line up consisted from big bands like Bad Religion and Flogging Molly, to bands trying to get a label on the Ernie Ball Battle of the Band's stage and everything in between. It has screamo, alternative, acoustic, punk-rock, pop-rock, metal, and any other genre consisting of guitars and singers.

But the music isn't the only thing going on at Warped Tour. You have a large array of people consisting of every one from the tattooed mohawk rockers to the prissy looking prep people you'd think would die before going to a concert like this. Warped Tour is also full of sponsors like Truth Road Crew, Monster Energy Drinks, Guitar Hero, Myspace, Steven's Untitled Rock Show (from FUSE), and many, many others.

Though the heat is horrendous and standing around isn't always the most comfortable, Warped Tour is a fantastic experience and is worth the sun burns and sweat.

Learn more about this author, KT Netzer.
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