Live Wired [Review]: Best Of Warped Tour 2011

posted in: Reviews & Playlists • Rock

For the past seventeen years, Warped Tour has meant summer, the warmest days of the year, pop punk. July 23d, the twenty-fourth stop on the tour, was a brutally hot day on Long Island. Over sixty bands performed on stages scattered throughout the Nassau Coliseum parking lot. The temperatures didn’t stop the crowds from jamming out to their favorite bands, old and new. Warped Tour has changed since the mid ’90s but so has music. Of the vast number of artists to see, there were a few that really stood out.

Moving Mountains took the stage early in the day, playing in their home state. The band has a refreshing sound, strongly focusing on guitar and dynamic vocals. Moving Mountains mixed new songs with old ones, but really stood out with their performance of “The Cascade” from their most recent album Waves. This piece encompassed what the band does best, showing off their strong stage presence. It was clear how much energy they had throughout the entire set, which made it that much more fun to watch.

Representing a new wave of pop punk music, The Wonder Years put on a show for a large crowd of loyal fans. They played the best of their catchy tunes filled with honest, witty and heartfelt lyrics. Lead singer Dan “Soupy” Campbell shared his own Warped Tour experiences. He had the audience singing every word of every song back at him. The crowd went crazy for “My Last Semester,” singing a lyric that has almost become an anthem: “I’m not sad anymore.”

In the early evening, The Dangerous Summer played to a large crowd, especially when you consider that it’s their first year on Warped Tour. They started off with the single from their new album War Paint, titled “Work In Progress.” The song showcases the band’s evolved sound and lead singer AJ Perdomo’s vocal ability and emotion. The Dangerous Summer is a high-energy band, especially with the return of drummer Tyler Minsberg, who adds something special to the band’s live performances. They ended the set with a surprise by playing fan favorite, “Of Confidence.”

On their third year of Warped Tour, Relient K took the stage as the sun was finally beginning to set. Their set was a low-key but still fun end to the day. Throughout the performance, you could spot people dancing. The whole crowd sang along when the band chose to perform a song from their recent covers EP, a version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” They closed with “High of 75” and “Be My Escape,” two songs from their 2004 album Mmhmm that left fans smiling.

Check out the remaining Warped Tour dates and let us know which performances you loved the most!