Warped Tour 2012, through Donald's eyes

Warped Tour has taken its lumps over the last five years. Hopping on the newest scene hype trains across the country, the tour seemed to have lost its luster in the scene. Nevertheless, it's still the cheapest way to see almost every one of your favorite bands in the summer, and the experience of being around so many people who have (somewhat) similar tastes in music as you is worth the price of admission alone. So here I am, at 21 years old, writing to tell you that for the fourth straight year, and fifth year out of the last six, I made the trek to wherever Warped was being held in the great state of New Jersey (this year, it was at PNC Bank Arts Center).

This year, however, there was a bit of a different experience for me at Warped Tour. Sure, I packed my bag for the day like I always do, but it was what was in that bag that was different. I caught as many sets as I could, but missed a few. But it wasn't due to the schedule of when the bands played, it was the busy schedule I had to keep up with. The schedule that has produced the three videos you'll see below, and one of the most important things to happen to this show. They are interviews with Yellowcard, The Used, and Of Mice and Men, but they carry more weight than that. They carry a certain sense of accomplishment, for me at least. But it isn't the fact that I was able to go to the box office and get a press wristband. The true joy of this was to be able to post these for all of you to listen to.

I can tell you all about every band I saw. I can say things like Bayside continues to be the best-sounding live band out there, or that Transit's emotional blend of pop-punk and emo sounds as good on an acoustic set as it does during their energetic full-band sets. I can tell you that the crowds surrounding the Main Stage for Of Mice & Men, New Found Glory, and Yellowcard need to be seen in order for you to believe it. I can tell you that Fireworks played like a band who's bound to be the next big band with a cult-like following. I can tell you that Buddy Neilson of Senses Fail is reason enough to see the band in concert, or that Matty Arsenault of A Loss for Words is poised to be the scene's next great frontman. Whoops, I guess I just said all of that. So, there you go. Now you know what Warped was like for me outside of the Press Room. Now, let's get to the good stuff. My interviews with Jeph and Dan from The Used,  Ryan Key of Yellowcard, and Austin and Tino from Of Mice & Men can be listened to below.

The Used:

Yellowcard:

Of Mice & Men:

A big thank you to Jeph and Dan of The Used, Ryan of Yellowcard, and Austin and Tino of Of Mice & Men for taking the time out of their schedules for the interviews. And to those who are reading, I hope you enjoyed them. If you have the opportunity to head to Warped Tour this year, do it. There's no better concert experience this summer, or any other time of the year.