By now you’ve all listened to Girl at the Rock Shows talk at length about not only her love of Benji Madden of Good Charlotte but also how much music and concerts mean to her. If not – you can head here and do that and then come right back and read about the moments that made me love Warped Tour. Yes, because we talked to a girl all about rock shows and we’re getting all emo this week, I decided to keep the Warped Tour theme chugging along. So I present my top 10 Warped Tour Memories.
The Eggrolls
Sadly, I didn’t take down the name of the establishment that provided me the fried goodness for years, but I do know they’re in Orange County somewhere. Shout out to them for not only being delicious and reliable, but affordable. Your girl ain’t rich and if it wasn’t for those, I’m not sure what I would’ve eaten all day.
Backstreet Boys?
Okay, so my favorite boy band – ever – never played Warped Tour BUT once upon a time their tour with New Kids on the Block landed on the same day Warped was in Pomona. I already had a press pass for that day, and obviously could not miss out on Nick Carter so I did both. I interviewed Soupy from The Wonder Years in the morning and by late afternoon I was running around trying to find a bus to downtown LA. I washed up as good as I could in a bus station bathroom, changed in a parking lot, and today I can’t believe I didn’t die of exhaustion…or didn’t catch anything from that bus station.
Paramore Proposal
So one year that Paramore played we were heading to Ventura. They were the only band I was looking forward to seeing and well, they opened that morning while we were stuck in the infamous exit ramp traffic Ventura is known for. While I didn’t get to see Paramore play, I did take in a larger-than-life fake diamond ring, proposed to Hayley Williams, got a yes (I guess I got ghosted?), and took a picture on those huge bikes the band rode around on. Where are those pics today? I’m not sure but I’d rather not dig them up because I know I looked a hot mess.
Katy Perry Before She Was a Halftime Performer
It’s wild to think that Katy Perry played Warped Tour and that the crowd could’ve cared less after she did “I Kissed a Girl.” Thankfully that was pretty early in the set, and we were able to get a little closer for the rest. While this musical memory stands out for me, I’ll always regret not meeting her backstage later that day. Now she’s KATY PERRY and married to my high school sweetheart.
Best Friends Interview
Wendy Williams has a term called “best friends in my head” which you use when you 100% believe that you and a celebrity would totally be besties given the right circumstances. This is how I felt when it came to Jack and Alex of All Time Low back in the day. We’re around the same age, make the same stupid pop culture references, and when I got to interview them at Warped one year, we vibed over my questions and Power Rangers bag.
Linkin Park
I will go to my grave knowing Linkin Park was untouchable when it came to live performances. If you never got the chance to see them, shit – that sucks. One year they popped up in Ventura and I tried my best to get near the stage but I’m like a meek deer so I didn’t make it too far but that was fine. I had a blast where I was because it wasn’t just them. Every song they brought out someone from a different band and let all these musicians who were influenced by LP, live out their dream performing alongside them ❤
Broken Arm & Security
Okay, so…um, yeah. There were times when my friends and I snuck in using fake passes. Am I proud of that? No, but was I in the position to spend like $50 on a ticket? Oh, honey, the tale of my employment could be a horror franchise. Anyways, other than the time we got caught (UGH), the most memorable time we snuck in was when I was rocking a broken ass arm. Well, sprained. It was all wrapped up. How did they not clock that I wasn’t part of a band or crew? We legit just walked right in.
The Last Ride
Seeing The Used close out my last time at Warped Tour will always hold a special place in my cold heart. I already told the story so you can read that one here.
Fireworks on the Bus
Doing press at Warped Tour was always weird for me because I didn’t come from a big publication. I just ran an itty bitty blog, but it was always nice when bands talked to you like you were a human being (fuck you NeverShoutNever), which Fireworks most certainly did. Usually, I’d talk to one or two members of a band, but Fireworks had my ass on their bus and we just had a grand old time, especially playing Fuck, Marry, Kill featuring Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, and Ryan Phillippe.
Dance, Dance Motherfuckers
While Fall Out Boy is no longer a band I live for, or even really listen to – my life would not be the same without them. They’re the reason I felt like I NEEDED to go to Warped Tour and the reason why I had any fucking friends post-high school, and it’s all because of seeing them in 2005 in Pomona. They are truly a band where I gotta say, Thnks fr th Mmrs.
Crushgasm 