Show Review: Warped Tour 2012

Review by Anne-Marie Maccio

Whether it’s your first warped tour experience or your tenth, you can never predict how it’s going to turn out.  This year was my second experience and it was particularly special for me, since friends from the United States and Ontario had come all the way to attend the show.  On top of that, a lot of the lineup were the bands I used to listen in high school, such as Yellowcard and New Found Glory.

It was at the beginning of a scorching day, sun radiating down on all of us, that I watched the first band; Senses Fail.  The post hardcore band from New Jersey were the first to make the dust rise with their 30 minute set including Rum Is For Drinking, Buried a lie and Bite to Break Skin.  Buddy Nielsen, the lead singer, asked the crowd to believe in what they wanted to not in something a band asked them to believe in.

On the Tilly’s stage, one of the few female fronted bands, We Are In the Crowd, brought their pop rock to make people dance despite the rising heat.  From Rumor Mill to Both Sides of the Story, their energy stayed at the very top. Fans were disappointed that Alex Gaskarth(All Time Low) did not make an appearance on stage with Tay Jardine to sing Kiss Me Again, like he had during previous dates.

The hype for Pierce the Veil, the next band to hit the stage, was through the roof; their new CD “Collide with the Sky” will be released this coming Tuesday.  The hundred lucky fans that received a meet and greet pass got the opportunity to get the CD in advance.  The Mexicore band from San Diego, California started their set with a Mexican intro, followed by the quick paced Besitos.  The dust didn’t settle in the most pit as the band continued with “The Boy who Could fly to Caraphernelia”. The only downer part set was that Kellin Quinn(Sleeping With Sirens) couldn’t make it on stage to sing “King For a Day” during their set; it was instead Jaime Preciado, the bass player, who handled the responsibilities of adding the screaming to the song.

All Time Low’s highly anticipated set closed the night on the Kia Rio Stage.  Their set was one of the most balanced of the day, considering they already have 4 CDs and 2 EPs, plus an album on the way (coming out in September 2012).  From that upcoming album, they played “The Reckless and The Brave”.  Lead singer Alex Gaskarth didn’t have to ask twice for a circle pit during “Heroes”.  It seemed like the band could ask for anything and it would be answered in mere seconds by the crowd. This included crowd surfing, trying to kiss Alex on the stage or flipping of Rian(drummer). The band, who got their name from a New Found Glory song (Head on Collision), couldn’t contain their excitement as they mentioned several times that New Found Glory was closing out the night on the stage next to theirs.