Ryan Key of Yellowcard plays before a massive crowd in Orlando for the 2016 Vans Warped Tour. Photos by Will Churchill and JC Hernandez/The Pit
For the past few years, Warped Tour has been changing constantly, featuring a much different variety of artists than the traditional punk/ska artists that were prominent when Warped Tour first got it’s start.
This year, the lineup looks like the Warped Tour lineups of old with punk rock and ska headliners like Yellowcard, Pepper, Sum 41, and many others. Perhaps one of the most visibly excited about this throwback is Less Than Jake, who has started the campaign of “Make Warped Tour Great Again,” selling T-shirts
The florida-based band has performed in Warped Tours, including overseas Warped Tours, since 1997. This weekend the tour went through multiple stops in Florida including Tampa, Orlando and West Palm.
“It’s great. … Because our wives come out with us for this part, it’s kind of like a little break from Warped Tour,” said trombone player Buddy Schaub. “ You play and get the hell out of here. … Tomorrow we get to go in the car and actually get to go through back home in Gainesville and get to be home for a day since we have the day off on the Fourth of July.”
Also joining the line-up is veteran ska band Reel Big Fish on their 6th Warped Tour who is also getting ready for a tour going through Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mexico City, Mexico.
“We’re planning world domination with Less Than Jake and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones,” decreed trumpeter Little Johnny Christmas.
Christmas dropped hints that there’d be a 90’s festival in the fall, but Matt Appleton corrected him, saying they couldn’t discuss that yet.
Joining the veteran groups are the up-and-coming first timers, The Heirs. Based in Los Angeles, The Heirs – who are still in their first year of existence – are made up of Brandon Hudson, his sister Savannah Hudson, Alex Flagstad, Eian Mcneely and Brennan Benko.
“We all just kind of pump each other up amidst playing on stage,” said Brandon Hudson when describing their show style.
This young group put on one of the breakout performances of the day in Orlando and is a must-see for anyone attending Warped Tour for the rest of the year.
For more information on Warped Tour or any of the bands go to vanswarpedtour.com. Be sure to check out The Music Blitz podcasts featuring full interviews with Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, The Heirs, Chunk! No Captain Chunk! and Broadside.
