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Live Review: Vans Warped Tour in Peoria, AZ
Baking in the 105-degree sun, the Vans Warped Tour 's Wednesday (6/30) stop in Peoria, AZ, was a melting pot of super-charged performances, poor sound and vast collections of litter.
Muddy sound hampered sets throughout the day at the Peoria Sports Complex, ranging from Guttermouth 's late-morning performance to Bad Religion 's co-headlining set in the early evening.
Story of the Year frontman Dan Marsala stated the obvious during his band's 2:30 p.m. set on the Teal stage.
"Every year, Arizona is the hottest day on the Warped Tour," he said as fans chucked empty bottles of water at the stage. "That means you're the toughest kids in the U.S."
Fans, whose clothing choices ranged from tank tops and shorts to black leather pants and shirts, clamored for every possible slice of shade. Small areas provided by lemonade stands and the tunnels that lead from the concession stands to the seating areas were little relief from the intense heat. Soaked with sweat, fans lined up against walls, eating pizza and other concession items, looking like the homeless folks who live in subways.
Free T-shirts advertising the cable music channel Fuse littered the field, as did water bottles. So many bands complained about bottles being thrown on stage that bottles were banned early in the day.
Despite the problems and the heat, the vibe was generally upbeat and the performances were energized. Bad Religion, New Found Glory , Alkaline Trio and Yellowcard led the charge at the all-day festival, while Atmosphere, Coheed and Cambria and Story of the Year are poised to be this year's break-out acts.
Story of the Year counted itself among the top acts.
"There are a lot of good bands here today." Marsala said before launching into the minor hit "Anthem of Our Dying Day." "We're the best band, obviously."
Bad Religion took a more stoic and refined approach, letting its music provide the bragging rights. The grandfathers of the punk scene showed up the up-and-comers, many of whom cite Bad Religion as an influence.
Juliette Lewis and the Licks, which features former Hole drummer Patty Schemel, served up a super-charged set on a small side stage. Lewis--best known as an actress--admitted in a pre-show interview that many of the fans see her performance for the curiosity factor.
The six stages of music were placed throughout the complex--the Seattle Mariners' spring training home--interspersed with various extreme sports events. Stores--set up in tents--created a maze throughout the ballfield, anchored on one side by stages, and the other side by giant moonwalk-like attractions.
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