Warped Tour Basics

Warped Tour can be one of the greatest concert experiences that you've ever been to and it can be made even better if you go to it prepared. Of course, part of the concert experience is going and just "winging it," but knowing some of the basics of the event and how it works will give you a heads up on the other fans and you might actually be able to see more of your favorite bands than you'd think is possible. In case you don't know what Warped Tour is, it is an outdoor concert event that has multiple stages where multiple bands play all at the same time. The concerts start about 11am and will run into the evening until about 8 or 9pm.The stages are often "ranked" in a way that more popular bands will only play on either "stage A or B" and semi-popular bands will only play on "stages C, D, or E." Something to also know before you arrive the day of... bands are not guaranteed to go on at any particular time as they are told which time they will go on and which stage they will be on that morning. If there's a Warped "celebrity" group like a Bad Religion, Pennywise, etc. they will typically be playing one of the later shows on the biggest stages.

One of the first places to go once you enter the gates is to the large inflatable board like the one featured in the picture to the right. This will tell you exactly who is performing, which stage, and at exactly which time they will be on. Now just like you would strategize at an amusement park and try to figure out exactly which rides you want to ride and how many times, this is your time to meet up with your friends and figure out exactly where you want to head and when. But be warned, if you want to be front row at your favorite band's show, you might have to even show up towards the end of the show before them to get a great spot in front of the stage. Some of those pit areas are difficult to get into unless you're a die hard and show up early.

• Sunscreen - It would seem like an obvious thing for any kind of outdoor event, but you never really know how much you need it until its the day after and your fried.
• Water - 11am to 8pm really doesn't seem like it's that overly long and that you could get by on minimal food and water, but crowd surf and mosh for about two hours and see how overheated you'll become. It comes up quick and you don't want to be that guy or girl that has to sit on the sidelines of the concert because you're worn down.
• Money - If you're someone who wants a souvenir, be prepared to pay. There are plenty of booths that feature band gear and will do autograph signing from bands throughout the day. Sometimes you can even be lucky enough to catch a booth that has a band performing an acoustic set during the day long before they go on stage just to warm up and show fan appreciation. But the gear from these bands booths and generic Vans or other clothing stands can get pricey. Water and food is over-priced as well, just like at any kind of concert event.

If you're not sure if it's the kind of event that you'd really appreciate or enjoy to the fullest extent, I wouldn't suggest it for you. Warped Tour is about letting go for a day and just going crazy at multiple concerts throughout the day. The comradery is like none other and you will often get comments about tattoos you have and shout outs for awesome band tees. Another benefit to this is that if you're hurt in a mosh pit or someone needs help in order to crowd surf, there's always someone there to help you. I've simply asked random guys in the crowd on multiple occasions to see if they'd lift me up and nobody had issue and I got to the front in no time. I always determine if I'm going to go to Warped Tour by which bands are coming to the tour date I'd end up going to. Not all of the bands who are scheduled on the tour will be at every stop so you need to visit the website and see exactly which bands which be at your local stop on the tour!