This year marked the last Cross Country Vans Warped Tour, and you already know that The Saw was there in the middle of the madness. I got to see some of my favorite bands – Wage War, Chelsea Grin, and Kublai Khan. Although it rained the majority of the time, it didn’t stop us from moshing and crowd surfing to our favorite bands. There were people on their friend’s shoulders chicken fighting and another guy with a blow up guitar in the middle of the pit acting like he was playing the song (literally every band gave him a shout out because of this).
I got to meet Chelsea Grin and Kublai Khan after their sets and both bands are so sweet. The singer for Kublai Khan, Matt, wore a local Greensboro hardcore band (MESS) shirt during their set. It was super cool to see a big name, respected band give support to local acts.
Since this was the last Warped Tour, I thought it would be fun to write about my favorite Warped Tour memory of all-time. Let’s throw it back to Vans Warped Tour in 2015 when I went by myself. This was the first show that I was going to alone, and my first ever Warped Tour. I wanted to go because one of my favorite bands, Miss May I, was playing and I’ve never seen them before. I just got my license, and this would be the first road trip to Charlotte, alone. None of my friends liked metal and my parents didn’t want to go, so I only had one option: to go alone. Luckily for me, I have been to plenty of shows with my parents, brothers, and cousins to know what to expect at shows. I was nervous, but I knew that this was the only one that I could see Miss May I.
When I got to the PNC Pavilion, I wasn’t really nervous, I was more excited than anything else to be going to Warped Tour. It was great being by myself because I didn’t have to meet up with anyone, I could go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted, and I could see the bands that I wanted to see. I loved the independence of it, and I think this is one of the main reasons why I am very independent today. I really wanted to try and meet Miss May I, so I went to their merch tent and found out when they were doing signings. I was actually going to meet one of my favorite bands. When I met them, they were really sweet, and I enjoyed talking to them (they signed my ticket and they put hearts near their names. Now they are my husbands). I was in the front for their set and I sang every song with them. Levi (the lead singer), pointed at me and gave me a hug during their set when they played “Hey Mister.” I met Levi again after their set and he said he remembered me and thanked me for jamming out.
I also heard a new metalcore band, that is now one of my favorites, at the Warped Tour of 2016: Wage War. I never heard of Wage War until I went to Warped Tour. They were playing their first song when I walked by the stage, and I ended up jamming out to their set. I also got to meet them after their set and they were such sweethearts. Since seeing them at Warped Tour, I have seen Wage War every chance I get when they come through North Carolina.
Because of Warped Tour, I have matured so much. It helped me become more independent and rely on myself. Now, I’m not afraid to go to shows by myself because I know I will make friends along the way. Every Warped Tour I’ve been to since then, I went by myself. The majority of the shows I go to now, I go alone.
Although Warped Tour might be coming to an end, it has given me memories and lessons that I will remember for a lifetime. Thank you, Warped Tour for the great memories.
You will be missed.
Stay Metal,
THE SAW