MEGAN COURTNEY | A&E Editor
By this point, everyone knows that this summer is going to be the final run of the Vans Warped Tour, which can be heartbreaking to your former or inner emo self.
The lineup can be thought of as the “make or break” aspect of the tour because, if you’re like me, you wait until the lineup is announced to buy your tickets. I haven’t been a huge fan of past lineups, but I believe that Warped Tour is (or soon to be was) a place to discover new bands, so I went and ended up having a great time.
When my friends and I found out that this run was going to be the last, we knew that we owed it to ourselves to go; we felt obligated no matter if the lineup was awful or not. But the lineup was just announced and surprisingly, there are bands on the list that all of us like.
Me being the avid concertgoer that I am, I was so excited when I found out that these six artists were on the last run. I really love these bands, and if you’re attending Warped this summer, I highly recommend that you see them too.
- AS IT IS
I saw these guys when they were with Waterparks on the “Made in America” tour last November and I was completely blown away by their performance and how much energy Patty Walters, the lead singer, had. He was jumping and running around onstage and really interacted with the crowd, which is something that I look for in a band.
- Waterparks
I first saw Waterparks last summer with All Time Low on the “Young Renegades Tour,” and I wasn’t too much of a fan back then. But after the concert was over, I started listening to Double Dare, which was the band’s only full-length album out at the time, and I just fell in love. Not only are there songs that can hit too close to home, but most of them are high-energy and you can dance to them. Plus, the boys put on a visually appealing show with lots of lasers and a video screen, and they’re also extremely good looking. Did I win you over yet?
- The Maine
These guys are better known for their free “meet and greets” which are held after their shows, because in their words, “Why would anyone pay to meet a human being?” My friend got me into them and they’ve been on repeat almost every single day. Their shows are always super chill, so you won’t have to worry about getting knocked in the head by a crowd surfer, and all of them are super down-to-earth people. If you don’t know who they are, I highly recommend them.
- Palaye Royale
I discovered this band when they opened up for Sleeping with Sirens on the “Gossip” tour and it is noticeably different from other bands that I have seen in the past. First, it is a fashion-art rock band and the members call themselves vampires. It is mostly in the rock genre but can be classified as pop as well.
- Chase Atlantic
Who doesn’t love Australian pop bands? I also discovered these guys on the “Gossip” tour and I was immediately drawn into how catchy the instrumental tracks were. This band is also very active onstage; plus the members are also super friendly!
- We The Kings
Everyone should know who this band is at this point, but just in case you don’t, songs like “Check Yes Juliet” and “Skyway Avenue” will bring you back to your middle school days and bring out your former or inner emo kid.
Warped Tour will be coming to St. Louis at noon on July 3 at the Hollywood Casino amphitheater in Maryland Heights. Tickets are on sale now through Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
