Hit The Lights are planning on releasing their next full length in the summer of 2010.

So, here it is, November 22, and I’m JUST NOW getting around to looking at the photos I took at Warped Tour this summer.  I went to the Dallas show as I have for the last two years, which I love.  I’ve been to Warped in Pomona, Las Cruces, and San Antonio, and Dallas is by far my favorite venue.  I think it’s the giant covered stage that does it for me.  You’ve got a place to sit and relax in the shade at about 2 pm when you feel like you are going to pass out.  That’s Warped for you.

My favorite part of Warped Tour every year is that glorious moment when you decide you’re so hot you no longer care about how your hair or make-up looks, and you let the guys with the water hose spray you down.  It’s such a liberating feeling… one that I haven’t been able to partake in the last few years because I’ve had thousands of dollars worth of gear strapped on my back.  Oh, well.  Warped is always worth every drop of sweat shed.  Where else can you find thousands of kids who can decide for one day to get over their differences for the sake of the (very varied) music?  It’s special, you know?  So here are a few of my favorite shots from Warped Tour 2009… I already can’t wait for next year!

3oh!3

Alexisonfire

Chiodos

Hit the Lights

Typical.

Thrice

Thrice

Underoath

Underoath

Underoath

Stephen Christian and drummer Nathan Young

PREVIEW: VISIT Anberlin’s Website.
PREVIOUS: 20 WATTS COVERAGE Editor’s Pick #209: Anberlin

In the middle of their set, Anberlin lead singer Stephen Christian told the crowd that their Sunday night performance happened to be on an off date from their All-American Rejects, Taking Back Sunday tour. While the crowd was clamoring for more, Christian told the crowd that at first he wasn’t sure if they should just take the day off to rest, or come to Syracuse’s Lost Horizon and play a show. The band settled on the later and Christian, with a huge smile on his face, told the crowd, “We made the right decision.”

The night started off rather slow with Oh No Not Stereo and Sparks the Rescue turning in less than memorable performances. Vinnie Caruana, the frontman of I Am the Avalanche, was the third performer to hit the stage. His acoustic performance was heartfelt, but it didn’t fit with the other bands pop-rock sensibilities.

Next up, There for Tomorrow delivered their energetic, clean cut, pop songs to a crowd that was waiting to do a little dancing. Small mosh pits broke out during their set which showed that these guys have a lot of potential.

Hit the Lights performed next, and even though they weren’t the last band to play the crowd certainly treated them like headliners. Lots of people wore Hit the Lights paraphernalia and it seemed like a good number of people were only there to see them. Hit the Lights had tons of people crowd surfing, moshing, and singing along to their pop punk anthems. If you’ve never seen Hit the Lights think of New Found Glory and you’ll have a good idea of what they’re like.

After a set change that seemed to take forever, Anberlin came onstage and burst into one of their most aggressive songs “Godspeed.” Practically the whole crowd was singing along, and for the rest of the night Anberlin’s dynamic pop-rock ruled the stage.  Anberlin kept the energy high by rolling right into “The Resistance.” The 300 or more people that managed to stick around were somewhat less rowdy then they were for Hit the Lights, but they were not at all less passionate. On older songs, like 2006’s “Paperthin Hymn” which was played third, the crowd truly came alive. When Christian held the mic out to his adoring fans all of them knew the words. When they slowed the set down to play “Unwinding Cable Car” and “Inevitable” many people in the crowd grabbed their significant other and slow danced. It was like prom, except a really good band was playing instead of a crappy DJ.

In the middle of the set Anberlin played their new single “True Faith,” which is a cover of the 1987 New Order single. Most people in the crowd didn’t really know the song, because the vast majority of them weren’t even born when the single was released, but the song’s up-tempo, make you wanna dance mentality fit nicely into Anberlin’s repertoire.

The band finished the set with their biggest hit “Feel Good Drag.” At this point the entire floor of The Lost Horizon was singing and dancing. Amid chants of “one more song” Anberlin came back out and performed an old fan favorite “A Day Late.”

Pop punk was on full display Sunday night. At times-mostly when Hit the Lights was playing- it seemed a little ridiculous, but in the end it was all about having fun. Anberlin is a band that’s worked very hard over the years and they deserve the popularity and notoriety that they’re starting to garner. These bands aren’t changing the face of music as we know it, but they are writing catchy pop songs. Is there anything wrong with that?

– Eric Hoffman

TEST

The Starting Line's newest release will be their last, at least for a while.

The Starting Line’s last project before their hiatus hits shelves today. The live 2-disc CD/DVD titled “Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us” includes 18 songs from their nearly ten-year career.

Since the beginning, the Starting Line has changed names, added band members and ultimately become one of the most celebrated pop-rock bands of the decade. Known for their emotional ballads and lyrics that bite, The Starting Line has acquired a large fan base over the years. These fans were devastated upon hearing the band they loved would be going their separate ways following their spring tour in 2008.

“Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us” follows the band along their final tour, leading up to their performance at Bamboozle. Fans are treated to incredible live performances and amazing live acoustics. The May 4th Bamboozle performance is bittersweet, both heartfelt and hard to watch. The DVD also includes rare interviews, allowing fans to witness the band’s process of deciding to take a much-needed hiatus to work on other projects.

The live songs allow fans to relive classics like “Best of Me” and “Greg’s Last Day” and drink up newer hits like “Island” and “Something Left to Give.” Fans might miss the band that has occupied their hearts for the last decade, but this new release might soften the blow. The Starting Line will always have a special place in our hearts.

Download this: “Best of Me”

You might like this artist if you like Person L, Hit the Lights or Valencia.

Track listing:

1. Given the Chance
2. Greg’s Last Day
3.  Almost There, Going Nowhere
4. Direction
5. Up and Go
6. Inspired
7. Are You Alone
8. The Drama Summer
9. Ready
10. This Ride
11. Bedroom Talk
12. A Goodnight’s Sleep
13. Surprise, Surprise
14. Something Left to Give
15. Island
16. Somebody’s Gonna Miss Us
17. Photography
18. Best of Me

Oh No Not Stereo are joining Hit The Lights on tour this fall, taking their high-energy live show coast to coast. The four-piece will be jumping on the remainder of the Manatour—which also features There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Vinnie Caruana and Sparks The Rescue—beginning this Saturday in Anaheim, CA.

TOUR DATES
Oct 24 2009 – Chain Reaction – Anaheim, California
Oct 25 2009 – Knitting Factory – Los Angeles, California
Oct 27 2009 – Soma – San Diego, California
Oct 28 2009 – The Rock – Tucson, Arizona
Oct 30 2009 – The Door – Dallas, Texas
Oct 31 2009 – White Rabbit – San Antonio, Texas
Nov 01 2009 – McAllen Creative Incubator – McAllen, Texas
Nov 03 2009 – Meridian – Houston, Texas
Nov 04 2009 – The High Ground – Metairie, Louisiana
Nov 06 2009 – The Backbooth – Orlando, Florida
Nov 07 2009 – Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, Florida
Nov 08 2009 – Culture Room – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nov 10 2009 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 11 2009 – The Brewery – Raleigh, North Carolina
Nov 12 2009 – The Canal Club – Richmond, Virginia
Nov 13 2009 – Ottobar – Baltimore, Maryland
Nov 14 2009 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 15 2009 – Lost Horizon – Syracuse, New York
Nov 17 2009 – Harpers Ferry – Allston, Massachusetts
Nov 18 2009 – Highline Ballroom – New York, New York
Nov 19 2009 – The Loft @ The Chance – Poughkeepsie, New York
Nov 20 2009 – School of Rock – S. Hackensack, New Jersey
Nov 21 2009 – Webster Theatre – Hartford, Connecticut
Nov 22 2009 – Mohawk Place – Buffalo, New York
Nov 23 2009 – Altar Bar – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nov 24 2009 – The Basement – Columbus, Ohio
Nov 25 2009 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, Ohio

I can’t think of a good way to start this, other than to say “I went to a show, and now I’m going to write about it”, so here I go.

I just got back from The Triple Rock where I saw This Time Next Years, Sparks The Rescue, Fireworks, There For Tomorrow, and Hit The Lights. I went with Alex, Autumn, and Audun, we showed up a little late, but not a big deal. We got a parking spot less than a block from the venue with a parking meter that only lasted for an hour at max. We found out later that they don’t check them after 6

.The first thing that I noticed when I got in was that the crowd(and the venue) was really small. We walked up to the side of the stage and sat there for the first few bands. The stage was less than 2 feet tall and there was no barrier or anything, which meant that I would be within 2 feet of the bands anytime that I wanted to be.

The crowd just sort of stood there for This Time Next Year, but there was barely 75 kids in there and most of them were sitting in the back. In my opinion these guys were second only to Hit The Lights, and I’m kind of upset that I missed half of their set. I didn’t know any of their songs, but I’ll be sure to pick up their album as soon as I can. They were super energetic and left the stage sweating, if only the same could be said about the crowd.

Next up was Sparks The Rescue, another band that I knew nothing of. STR was really energetic, thrashing about and swinging mics like TBS. They were pretty alright, but nothing spectacular. Mostly high, clean vocals with the occasional scream from their Kellan Fabjance rip-off of a bassist. By the end of their set the crowd was starting to grow a little bit, but still no movement. They played a pretty short set, but nobody seemed to mind. Within minutes of getting off stage they were walking around in the crowd talking to people and selling CD’s.

Fireworks was 3rd in the line up, time for some familiar music. Fireworks lacked the energy that the first two bands had and seemed to be playing very half-hearted. Their singer didn’t  project nearly as well as he does on the album or  at his previous shows. This was the 3rd time I saw them, and was definitely the worst performance so far. It was nice hearing some songs that I knew, but they could have been a lot better. On a positive note, the crowd was even bigger and was starting to move. One kid ran up on stage and attempted to dive into the crowd, but everyone(including myself) moved and he hit the floor.

There For Tomorrow took the stage next, fully equipped with strobe lights and a backdrop. They made comments about how autotune sucked and so did all of the “trendy” kids at Warped tour. With all 4 of them wearing V necks and dyed black hair, I had a hard time taking them seriously. One of the first things the singer said was “Can you feel the 808’s shaking your rectum”, which sums up their whole set pretty well. High, “emotional” vocals and guitar that sounded just like every other scene kid band. They had both live drums and a drum machine (a Roland 808 presumably) to crank out the big bass hits. Nothing spectacular, could have done without them

I noticed halfway through their set these two girls that just didn’t fit in. I’d say they were in their 20’s and had clearly never been to a show before. They had more make up on than anyone should ever have at a show, they were super tan, and both wearing stilettos. You NEVER wear heels to a show! They danced like they were at a John Mayer show, I even took the liberty of recording some of it on my phone. I’ll get it up on my Facebook eventually.

Hit The Lights finally was on and the 4 of us were dead center and as close as we could get. Being less than a foot away from the singers crotch seems to be the goal of ever girl there(except Autumn of course). They started off with a few songs off of Skip School, Start Fights, but eventually made their way to some older stuff. The crowd went nuts for Speakers Blown and everyone was singing along with fists in the air. We (by “we” I mean Aphamy) yelled at them to play Bodybag, but they told us that they don’t play that song anymore. They played a few random songs, like the hidden track on This is A Stickup….Don’t  Make It A Murder and their cover of Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms(which is on Punk Goes 90’s I believe). After constant harassment from us, they told us they had one last song and they start Bodybag. We all jumped around and sang along, just like any good crowd would do.

After they finished up an started tearing down they gave away set lists to a few people, including Audun. He managed to get a drumstick from them too, what a wanker. Audun bought some merch while me and Alex talked to the guys in Fireworks for a bit. They were still sweaty (and lumberjack like), but totally cool about just talking with us. They assured me that my gauges would heal up because all of theirs’ did and they were all much bigger than mine.

All in all the show was fun and a totally different experience to me. It was small like a local show, but the crowd knew all the words and there were no drunk people ruining it. All ages shows rock!

Hit the jump for a tour video of when Hit The Lights, Bayside and Oh No Not Stereo toured the UK in late 2008.

Bay area pop-punkers This Time Next Year have started taking preorders for Road Maps & Heart Attacks; their first full-length album that hits stores October 20th.

Pre-order the CD for only $7.99, or browse other packages for t-shirts, hoodies, 7-inches and more.

This Time Next Year starts touring the country next week with Hit The Lights and Fireworks.

Hit The Lights have upped their cover of “Snowbirds and Townies” (originally done by Further Seems Forever) onto their myspace here.

Ohh man, we cannot wait for this tour!!! Hit The Lights are gearing up for a headlining tour. In true HTL fashion, they have come up with a creative tour name.. this one being the Manatour with poster artwork that compliments the name, and their humor, perfectly. Maybe if we are lucky we will get one of the sweet laminates they are going to have for this tour. The boys will be heading out with There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Vinnie Caruana (of I am the Avalanche & The Movielife), Sparks The Rescue, This Time Next Year and I Rival (some artists may not be appearing at select dates). Rumor has it that they originally planned for Every Avenue to be on this tour with them but due to other commitments they were unable to come along. Oh well, maybe next tour? Either way, we will definitely be at as many dates of this as we can possibly get to. Trainwrecks and Cupcakes have nothing but love (and maybe some lust) for the boys of Hit The Lights. <3

w/ There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Sparks The Rescue, and This Time Next Year
OCT 08 – Toledo, OH – Frankies
OCT 09 – Pontiac, MI – iLounge
OCT 10 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Mixtape
OCT 11 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
OCT 13 – Dekalb, IL – The House Cafe
OCT 14 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
OCT 15 – Des Moines, IA – House Of Bricks
OCT 16 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre
OCT 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
OCT 18 – Boise, ID – The Venue
OCT 20 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
OCT 21 – Portland, OR – Satyricon
OCT 22 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill

w/ There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Sparks The Rescue, I Rival
OCT 23 – Orangevale, CA – The Boardwalk
OCT 24 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
OCT 25 – Los Angeles, CA – Knitting Factory
OCT 27 – San Diego, CA – Soma
OCT 28 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock
OCT 30 – Dallas, TX – The Door
OCT 31 – San Antonio, TX – White Rabbit
NOV 01 – McAllen, TX – McAllen Creative Incubator
NOV 03 – Houston, TX – Meridian
NOV 04 – Metairie, LA – The High Ground

w/ There For Tomorrow, Vinnie Caruana, Sparks The Rescue, I Rival
NOV 06 – Orlando, FL – The Backbooth
NOV 07 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits
NOV 08 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
NOV 10 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
NOV 11 – Raleigh, NC – The Brewery
NOV 12 – Richmond, VA – The Canal Club
NOV 13 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
NOV 14 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
NOV 15 – Syracuse, NY – Lost Horizon
NOV 17 – Allston, MA – Harpers Ferry
NOV 18 – New York, NY – Highline Ballroom
NOV 19 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Loft @ The Chance
NOV 20 – S Hackensack, NJ – School Of Rock
NOV 21 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
NOV 22 – Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
NOV 24 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
NOV 25 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop

Hit The Lights official MySpace: myspace.com/hitthelights

This Time Next Year will release their debut full-length, Road Maps & Heart Attacks (tracklisting below), on October 20th via Equal Vision Records. With the help of producer Brian McTernan (Senses Fail, Circa Survive, Hot Water Music), This Time Next Year have made the classic sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs pop-punk of the late 90’s all their own.

With several full US tours under their belt, the band have shared the stage with many of the scene’s current pop-punk heavyweights including Cartel, Set Your Goals, and Four Year Strong. This Time Next Year will also hit the road with Hit The Lights this fall.

Road Maps & Heart Attacks
01. Rise & Fall, Curtain Call
02. New Sensation
03. Alex In Wonderland
04. New Florence
05. Rhyme and Reason
06. No Bed of Broken Glass
07. Calling In Dead
08. Liquid Diet
09. Mischief With No Direction
10. Out On Eastern
11. Cheers To A Late Night

w/ Hit The Lights, Fireworks
10/08 Toledo, OH @ Frankies
10/09 Pontiac, MI @ iLounge
10/10 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Mixtape
10/11 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
10/13 Dekalb, IL @ The House Café
10/14 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
10/15 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
10/16 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
10/17 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue
10/18 Boise, ID @ The Venue
10/20 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
10/21 Portland, OR @ Satyricon
10/22 San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill (CD Release Show)

[The Pandemonium]
9/04 Orlando, FL –Cent. FL Fairgrounds

[w/ Hit The Lights, Fireworks, Sparks the Rescue, This Time Next Year]
10/08 Toledo, OH – Frankie’s
10/09 Pontiac, MI – ilounge
10/10 Grand Rapids, MI – Mixtape Café
10/11 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
10/13 DeKalb, IL – The House Café
10/14 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock
10/15 Des Moines, IA – House of Bricks
10/16 Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre
10/17 Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue
10/18 Boise, ID – The Venue
10/20 Seattle, WA – El Corazon
10/21 Portland, OR – Satyricon
10/22 San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill

[w/ Hit The Lights, Fireworks, Sparks the Rescue, I Rival]
10/23 Orangevale, CA – The Boardwalk
10/24 Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction
10/25 Hollywood, CA – Knitting Factory
10/27 San Diego, CA – Soma
10/28 Tucson, AZ – The Rock
10/30 Dallas, TX – The Door
10/31 San Antonio, TX – White Rabbit
11/01 McAllen, TX – McAllen Creative Incubator
11/03 Houston, TX – Meridian
11/04 Metairie, LA – The High Ground

[w/ Hit The Lights, Vinnie Caruana, Sparks the Rescue, I Rival]
11/07 Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits
11/08 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Culture Room
11/10 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
11/11 Raleigh, NC – The Brewery
11/12 Richmond, VA – Canal Club
11/13 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
11/14 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
11/15 Syracuse, NY – Lost Horizon
11/17 Allston, MA – Harper’s Ferry
11/18 NYC – Highline Ballroom
11/19 Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance
11/20 S. Hackensack, NJ – School of Rock
11/21 Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
11/22 Buffalo, NY – Mohawk Place
11/23 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar Bar
11/24 Columbus, OH – The Basement
11/25 Cleveland Hts, OH – Grog Shop

Fresh from headlining the Smartpunk stage on Warped Tour ‘09, Hit The Lights is pleased to announce the MANATOUR. This will be the bands first headline tour in support of Skip School, Start Fights.

The last 12 months have seen the band touring the world relentlessly, sharing the stage with Cobra Starship, All Time Low, Forever The Sickest Kids and taking part in the sold out Alternative Press Tour with 3OH!3, The Maine and Family Force 5. After all this touring Hit The Lights is ready for their first US headlining tour in support of Skip School Start Fights.

Ending the year in style, Hit The Lights humorously named their headlining run MANATOUR, a six week journey across the US starting in early October. Hit The Lights is more excited than ever to get out on the road and be able to play a longer set for their fans. Joining the band on this tour will be There For Tomorrow (Hopeless Records), Fireworks (Triple Crown Records), Vinnie Caruana (of I am the Avalanche & The Movielife), Sparks The Rescue (Fearless Records), This Time Next Year (Equal Vision Records) and I Rival on selected dates.

Non ci fermiamo più. Abbiamo ascoltato e recensito per voi (spesso in anteprima) i seguenti dischi:

• Banner Pilot – Collapser – Fat Wreck Chords
• Chase Long Beach – Gravity Is What You Make It – Victory
• David Bazan – Curse Your Branches – Barsuk
• GWAR – Lust In Space – Metal Blade
• Hit The Lights – Coast To Coast – Triple Crown
• Imogen Heap – Ellipse – RCA/Megaphonic
• Moneen – Hold That Sound – Vagrant/Dine Alone
• Project A-ko – Yoyodyne – Milk Pie
• Sherwood – Not Gonna Love – MySpace
• Shook Ones – The Unquotable A.M.H. – Paper + Plastick
• Simian Mobile Disco – Temporary Pleasures – Wichita
• Thrice – Beggars – Vagrant

Come sempre ce n’è per tutti i gusti: il prog-hard-rock sempre più variegato e sempre meno canonicamente post-hardcore dei Thrice, l’elettronica dance dei Simian Mobile Disco, il synth-pop ambient di Imogen Heap, il cantautorato americano di David Bazan (ex Pedro The Lion), lo skacore dei Chase Long Beach, l’hardcore/punk melodico degli Shook Ones, la parodia horror metal dei veterani GWAR, l’indie pop-rock degli Sherwood, il pop-punk moderno degli Hit The Lights, le prove tecniche di allontanamento dall’emocore dei Moneen, il noise-pop tra shoegaze e indie-rock dei Project A-ko, il punk rock melodico ma rugoso dei Banner Pilot… vedete cosa vale la pena di ascoltare al più presto e cosa evitare come la peste su www.dedication.it.

Anche quest’anno SideOneDummy, Rude Records e Vans si mettono insieme per celebrare la release della VANS WARPED TOUR COMPILATION.

Clicca sull ‘immagine

o scrivi direttamente a contest@ruderecorz.com, rispondendo alla seguente domanda: “Quante volte hanno partecipato i GASLIGHT ANTHEM all’annuale kermesse punk rock del Vans Warped Tour?”.

Tra chi avrà risposto correttamente, Rude Records sorteggerà come ogni anno i vincitori dei 5 kit che incudono T-Shirt + scarpe Vans + CD “Vans Warped Tour Compilation”.

Di seguito, l’elenco delle band che hanno partecipato quest’anno alla compilation: NOFX, Flogging Molly, Underoath, All Time Low, 3OH!3, Chiodos, Anti-Flag, Bad Religion, The Devil Wears Prada, The Maine, Saosin, Hit The Lights, The Ataris, Less Than Jake, Breathe Carolina, Escape The Fate, The Bouncing Souls, Broadway Calls, Vanna, Big D and the Kids Table, Attack Attack, The Flatliners, Anarbor, I Set My Friends On Fire, Therefore I Am, Every Avenue, Civet, Dance Gavin Dance, A Skylit Drive, Sing It Loud, Madina Lake, You Me At Six, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, There For Tomorrow, Ivoryline, Love Hate Hero, The Blackout.

Hi guys! I have been so lazy lately! Well, I’ve accomplished a lot of things…but I’ve also spent a lot of time just sitting around and doing nothing. I’m redoing my room…painting the doors and window frames, decorating, cleaning, etc. Last night I made homemade muffins, they were delicious! I’ll be posting a recipe soon. And I’ve been working a lot!! I’m trying to juggle all the random things going on in my life right now. It’s a bit ridiculous!! Anyway, I’ve been meaning to post this since MONDAY!! But I never got around to it. Expect the THIRD Okinawa post tonight as well!!

Sunday (Aug 2) was WARPED TOUR!!! Ahhh! It was my 5th year, and it was one of the best so far. The weather was PERFECT – 85 and sunny all day, then cloudy with a few sprinkles after 6. It was such awesome weather, we got just enough of a break from the sun. It was such a fantastic day!! But I got suuuuper sunburnt! I couldn’t take my SLR film camera in, so I took a disposable cam….I’ll have that post up in the next few days. My film has lots of crowd pictures and more general pictures of Warped, lots of people shots and a few that my friend took while he was crowdsurfing!! (:

We got stuck in traffic for probably 30-45 minutes before we got there, but we saw Aaron(the drummer) from Underoath running with his shirt off! Ohhhh my. We got to Warped at around 10:45, and waited in line until 11:30 to get inside. Right as I was walking in the gates, I heard the start of the intro song A Day to Remember always plays and I FREAKED OUT! They were the band I was mainly going to see. So I ran as fast as I could to the stage (and the pit). I stayed in the pit until the last song, then I took some pictures. They were so so so amazing! My favorite band right now. I’m so happy I got to see them!!! 

After that I walked around and looked at some merch, found the schedule and watched a few minutes of The Devil Wears Prada. I like TDWP, but I hate them live. There were a lot of people in the crowd, though, and my friend said he loved them live….so I guess everyone has their own opinions, right?

Next I saw Scary Kids Scaring Kids, who were amazing! I’m really happy I got to see them. I’ve happened to miss them every other chance I got to watch them! Then I watched All Time Low from the back. I don’t really like ATL anymore. Their sound’s changed too much in the past 3 years….not their biggest fan. But they had a huuuuge crowd!

SKSK

After All Time Low and SKSK I watched Senses Fail for 15 minutes, then bought some water and merch. Then I watched Chiodos until 2:15, and I went to see Escape the Fate for 10 minutes and Cash Cash for 20 minutes. I walked around and ran into people I know, then we went to see Sing It Loud and Hit the Lights. I was so so so excited to see both of them, I’ve been waiting THREE years to see HTL, and almost 2 years to see SIL. They were wonderful!!

HTL

SIL...lots of peace signs!

 At 3:55, Underoath played! This was my 3rd time seeing them, and they’re always amazing. It’s been really interesting to see their sound and style progress through the years. I looked up at one point and my friend Brandon was crowd surfing 5 feet in front of me! He found me later, and I gave him my disposable camera (he broke his digital). Then he went crowdsurfing again. We wanted to watch Saosin after Underoath (another band I’ve wanted to see for 3 years) but by the time UO got done, it was almost time for Saosin to be done too.

My friend Brandon is crowdsurfing, with the purple shirt & green shoes.

Brandon again.

This is one of my favoriteeee pictures of the day. It was so funny!

Marco, Logan, Brandon and I after Underoath!!

Next I saw Valencia for 10 minutes at 5:15, and then got my shirt signed by Sing It Loud. They’re such amazing guys, so adorable and they’re Minneapolis boys! They were so nice. After that I hung out with my best friend and bought a sno cones/shaved ice. Then I went to see The Maine!!!!! They were probably the band I was most excited about that isn’t “hardcore.” And the singer, John O, is GORGEOUS!!! I hung out with my friends Brandon and Curtis during their show, it was really amazing.

Odin, the vocalist of Take Cover. They're a Minneapolis band.

<3

Pat Brown. The gorgeous vocalist of Sing It Loud. <333

The crowd for The Maine!

Hello gorgeous (:

 As soon as The Maine got done, I ran over to the Sing It Loud tent for an acoustic show. Since it was their hometown date, it was huuuuge! There were probably 60 or 70 people watching. They played 3 songs, it was amazing and it made me so happy! After that I got a hug from Pat Brown, the (adorable) singer and then I  ran to see Every Avenue. They’re another band that I LOVE, so I was so excited to see them! They’re even better live than they are on their cd, which is wonderful! I called my best friend during their set, because she couldn’t go to Warped this year….but she got to hear them anyway!!

Dave of Every Avenue. Isn't he cute?!

After Every Avenue, I watched Forever the Sickest Kids. They were so good live, and so much fun! Their singer had an adorable southern (Texan boy <3) accent, and he was always interacting with the crowd and getting us pumped up. It was just an awesome, awesome show.

After FTSK, I watched Bayside, who I have wanted to see for FOUR YEARS. Seriously!! They were so amazing, but then my phone died…so I had to leave their show. I found my friend and used his phone to call the people I was there with, and figure out when we were going to meet up.

I walked past the 30h!3 crowd, and literally got pushed into the crowd. So I was stuck in there for 5 minutes, although I didn’t want to be. I stood in line to get a picture with John (!!!) and right when I got up to him, his manager was like “Dude, we have to go!” but he took pictures with us anyway. <33

<333

After that we left and drove home, got Taco Bell along the way, and I got home and PASSED OUT in bed around 2. It was such a loooong, crazy day but it was absolutely amazing!!

Warped Tour hit Mansfield, MA on July 21, 2009. Now let’s get real here – when over 100 bands and thousands of their fans get together, you know it’s going to be trouble. And trouble in this case typically means a very good time that you absolutely want to get mixed up in.

United Music got the chance to catch up with: The Maine, Hit The Lights, All Time Low, Brokencyde’s Mikl, NOFX, Versa Emerge, A Day To Remember, Underoath, Alexisonfire, Bad Religion, P.O.S, Vanna, and Skate 4 Cancer’s Rob Dyer.

P.O.S was one of the first acts of the day at the Hurley.com stage. Really big on crowd participation, he chose to perform his entire set in the crowd while standing on a box. The crowd really got into the performance, especially when he played “Purexed”. Underoath took the second slot at the Vans Main Stage where the band rocked out to fan favorites in the pouring rain. By the way vocalist Spencer Chamberlain was getting into the music and jumping around in a frenzy onstage, you’d think he hadn’t noticed the nasty weather.

Playing at the Hurley stage, Alexisonfire were expressive, going out of their way to communicate with fans between and during songs throughout their set. They were another band that didn’t let the overcast weather hinder giving a great show to those who had come out. Bad Religion seemed noticeably quiet onstage later with two of their guitarists looking a bit under the weather, yet the band still gave a solid performance. Throughout the set, the crowd at the Vans Main stage had a rowdy energy that didn’t let up for the rest of the day.

Versa Emerge brought a large crowd as Sierra Kusterbeck headbanged her way through songs like “Past Praying For” and commended the crowd for braving the rain. Though having some sound problems in the beginning the rest of the set went off smoothly. Vanna played in the arena at the Hurley.com stage to a large group of rowdy kids who seemed to be having a blast crowd surfing. This however, could be attributed to the set being singer Chris Preece’s last show with the band. All Time Low played their second day of the tour, playing more of the songs from the new record, “Nothing Personal”. These included “Weightless”, “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)”, and “Lost In Stereo”. However, the highlight of the set was Jack Barakat messing up the intro riffs to “Dear Maria” and Alex Gaskarth encouraging the whole crowd to boo give him the middle finger. Barakat didn’t seem the least bit phased, actually encouraging the heckling upon himself.

During NOFX the tomfoolery at the Vans Main Stage was at an all time high. As the crowd tossed large beach balls and bottles amongst themselves, the band members obnoxiously compared what they were drinking. Hint: the tomfoolery wasn’t just in the crowd! A Day To Remember once again put on a great show despite the rain and cool weather. Illuminated by spotlights on the stage, the set seemed extra put together. A Day To Remember was another one of the bands whose performance wasn’t hindered by the weather.

Skate 4 Cancer is an awareness project meant to educate about cancer prevention, embodying the motto of “The cure is knowledge” and “Dream, love, cure”. S4C was founded by Rob Dyer as a response to losing friends and family to various types of cancer. While promoting at Warped Tour right now, Dyer skates across the occasional continent in an effort to raise awareness about cancer prevention. Dyer is armed with a friendly demeanor, always ready with a smile and to give a hug or two. Attendees should definitely stop at the S4C booth if they have time for a friendly hello and to buy a shirt – after all, they’re affordable at only $5! But even if someone doesn’t buy a shirt, Dyer will probably still give them a hug and a smile.

Warped Tour 2009 offers those who attend a variety of choices of who to see and things to do. At any given time seven bands are playing around the venue, so if you don’t like one of the bands you can just go to another stage to check out what’s going on. You’re not supposed to like every band on the tour, which may just be the beauty and moral of the festival. After all, that’s why bands like Brokencyde and The Millionaires can be performing at the same place as acts like Chiodos and Bad Religion, right?

Hit The Lights

The Maine

All Time Low

Brokencyde’s Mikl

NOFX

Versa Emerge

A Day To Remember

Underoath

Alexisonfire

Bad Religion

P.O.S

Vanna

Words and photos by Victoria Morse

Click on any photo to see the full sets from the day.

Hey fellow readers! It’s Melissa here, and I got back from Warped Tour Cincinnati less than a day ago. I have uploaded my photos onto my FLICKR account, and finally narrowed it down to 130  (give or take). It’s incredible that I was able to narrow it down from 1, 805 to around 130 photos!

(To view more photos, click on the photo above & it will re-direct you to my FLICKR!)

Warped Tour Cincinnati was eventful. I was able to check out all of the bands I wanted to see, including my favorite bands; Hit the Lights, Valencia, A Day to Remember and Alexisonfire. I am a huge Dallas Green fan so I was happy to see him as apart of Alexisonfire instead of City & Colour. The weather, however, did not make me as happy. It rained on and off throughout the whole entire day, and finally started to clear up once the Warped Tour was coming to an end. I had a blast shooting all bands, and I hope the fellow concert go-ers that went on Wednesday had a wonderful time as well! If you plan on going to Warped Tour, bring your sun block and extra money for water! I hope you have a great time, and report back to us who your favorite bands to watch were!

Can’t wait to see every-body’s lovely faces at next year’s Warped Tour!

-melissa

July 10th, 2009 – Hit The Lights @ Vans Warped Tour 09

Our contributing writer Angela has whipped up a little snazzy review for Hit The Lights’ latest EP, Coast To Coast.

Check it out here!

Almost a year ago, Hit The Lights released their second record called “Skip School, Start Fights” on July 8, 2008. A few days ago the band released the “Coast To Coast EP,” a melody-driven six song gem great for summer listening. Last October I got a chance to sit down with vocalist Nick Thompson to talk all things tour and their new record. To celebrate a fantastic EP, here’s a throwback to when “Skip School, Start Fights” was released.

Interview by Victoria Morse

I’ve got to warn you, I’ve got a really hard starter question for you… [Laughs] What do you think makes your band different than others?

Nick Thompson: [Laughs] We’re all really good friends and we have a lot of fun. We do it for the right reasons and I think some bands don’t. We have a lot of personality which in my opinion is good.

Hit The Lights just released “Skip School, Start Fights.” How long did it take to record? How long was the writing process?

NT: We recorded with Rob Freeman. He’s worked with Hidden In Plain View. The songs were written around the same time so they have the same theme. We had more time the second time and we knew what kind of album we wanted.

How do you think the new record is different from the old one?

NT: There’s a theme to it that’s better. Yeah, underline that. Twice! [Laughs] For the second record we had a lot more time to experience. Travel effects writing.

What inspired the new record?

NT: Collin [Ross] had left and the second record is most important for a band. We were looking for singers, missing being on the road, and going crazy in town. So the record is about getting back on our feet and getting out there. A lot of songs should reflect that.

What influences did you draw from if any?

NT: Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory… Lot’s of Pantera and Dimebag. We also realized you have to take a hands on approach to what you want.

What kind of feedback are you getting from fans?

NT: A lot of people like it because it’s a progression. Some people say it’s not as heavy, but that’s not true – it’s heavier [than the first album]. Overall though, we’ve had really good feedback.

What’s your favorite song off the album?

NT: No favorite. I like lots of the songs for different reasons. But right now I really like “Cry Your Eyes Out.”

What artists do you listen to on the road?

NT: A lot of everything. Comeback Kid, Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Usher – the old stuff, Justin Timberlake, Bane…Yeah, I’m just name dropping now. [Laughs]

What’s the craziest thing that happened at one of your shows?

NT: In Nashville on the tour with All Time Low a pregnant girl in the pit got kicked in the stomach. She and the baby were okay though. And at Bamboozle [2008] there was a mattress in the crowd. I rode it!

How important is it for you to hang out with fans after a show?

NT: Really important, because they’re the reason you’re there. We don’t expect it, but the kids for the most part are really accepting. We definitely hang out. Oh, and we’re not mean to people! [Laughs]

What’s the most important item you take with you when you leave for months at a time?

NT: Definitely my laptop and cell phone.

What’s the hardest part of being on the road?

NT: Definitely being away from family and friends. If something goes bad with family it’s an awful feeling and you can’t take it onstage with you. But the good outweighs the bad. We all enjoy being out on the road, which is why [Hit The Lights] works so well. There’s an energy everyone feeds on. You can get homesick but at the same time everyone is on the same page. But we all really like being on tour.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in Hit The Lights?

NT: Probably graphic design.

Warped Tour hit Hartford, CT on July 12, 2009. Now let’s be real here – when over 100 bands and thousands of their fans get together, you know it’s going to be trouble. And trouble in this case typically means a very good time that you absolutely want to get mixed up in.

United Music got the chance to catch up with: 3OH!3, A Day To Remember, A Rocket To The Moon, Westbound Train, The Millionaires, Brokencyde, Attack! Attack!, Chiodos, Meg & Dia, No Bragging Rights, Senses Fail, Bad Religion, The AKAs, Bad Religion, Lights (not pictured), Hit The Lights (not pictured), and Jeffree Star (not pictured).

Westbound Train offered an interesting performance with the variety of instruments in use. The band in full form includes keys, horns, and trombone accompanied by the staples of bass, drums and vocals. 3OH!3 put on an energetic dance-driven performance early in the morning. Playing “Starstrukk”, “Don’t Trust Me”, and “Punkbitch” Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte were great companions to wake up and start off the day with. Senses Fail also offered an energetic performance for those who came out to see them on the Smartpunk stage.

The AKAs were a breath of fresh air with vocalist Mike Ski jumping off the stage to sing with those in the crowd. While Brokencyde are certainly one of the less favored acts on the bill (which is made apparent by onstage talk of other bands on separate stages), they do make up for questionable music with a solid live performance. Singers Se7en, Mikl, Phat J, and Antz all seemingly put 100 percent into each performance, even occasionally jumping down to sing with fans at the barrier.

A Day To Remember are one of the acts attendees should keep their eyes on the set time for at the Hurley stage. The band’s energy and level of performance is unwaveringly solid with each day as they open with “Downfall Of Us All”. Bad Religion, though a more mellow performance, offer fans that staple experience of seeing an older and successful band up close and personal. A Rocket To The Moon fronted by Nick Santino was a nice break in the day and provided some pop jams for easy listening. Meg & Dia were one of the more interesting acts of the day. Despite being sick, Dia Frampton’s vocals (accompanied by sister Meg, of course)  were still pleasant to listen to.

Chiodos have garnered a reputation over the last couple years for giving explosive performances. Warped Tour was no exception it seems, as one of the largest crowds of the day gathered at the Vans Main Stage to see singer Craig Owens and his comrades prance about the stage. Though the crowds for Attack! Attack! were large at the Skull Candy stage, the band delivers a generic screamo sound. The group is nothing to write home about musically, but the members do have a coordinated performance that does show they care and put a lot of heart and energy into what they do.

Apparently, the Millionaires are a hot topic among Warped Tour attendees. Minutes before the trio hit the stage the heckling in the crowd and inside the arenas around the Hurley.com and Smartpunk stages was the highest it had been all day. The band before the Millionaires even goes as far to say, “at least we play instruments.” Though not outrightly directed towards the girls, it was obvious what the band’s singer had implied. While the music glorifies women only being appreciated for their looks, drinking and taking your clothes off, the performance showcases that the girls can definitely dance. At least they can shake it if a music career doesn’t work out, right?

Canadian singer Lights is just as adorable as her music. Jamming along with a keytar and regularly addressing her crowd, she engaged them by playing some of her better known songs such as “February Air” as well as teaching them the chorus to “Ice” so that they will sing along with her even if they aren’t already a fan. Hit The Lights are an energetic follow-up, playing songs like “Count It!” and “Stay Out”. As the last performance of the night at the Smartpunk stage, Jeffree Star offers dance-driven music combined with screams and obviously coordinated dance moves. The set list included “Boom Boom Pow” (A Black Eyed Peas parody), “Love Rhymes With Fuck You”, “So Fierce”, and “Starstruck”. Star certainly delivers a solid performance, even giving viewers an eye full as he bends over and lifts his black dress, shamelessly showing off his thong.

Warped Tour 2009 offers those who attend a variety of choices of who to see and things to do. At any given time seven bands are playing around the venue, so if you don’t like one of the bands you can just go to another stage to check out what’s going on. You’re not supposed to like every band on the tour, which may just be the beauty and moral of the festival. After all, that’s why bands like Brokencyde and The Millionaires can be performing at the same place as acts like Chiodos and Bad Religion, right?

Westbound Train

3OH!3

Senses Fail

The AKAs

Brokencyde

A Day To Remember

Bad Religion

A Rocket To The Moon

Meg & Dia

Chiodos

Attack! Attack!

Millionaires

No Bragging Rights

The AKAs

Words and photos by Victoria Morse

Click any photo to see all the full sets.