PHOTOS: Final Vans Warped Tour presented by Journeys in Virginia Beach, VA
You never know what you got until it's gone. The final Virginia Beach Vans Warped Tour has come and gone and now, like many attendees from all the other past dates of the tour so far, I am feeling a slight emptiness.
It's been 25 years that this tour has been tearing through city after city every summer, bringing the favorite bands of all the young fans that attend the festival; and for many this may be the only concert that they're able to go to for the entire year. The name is as iconic and influential as some of the bands that it gave a platform to grow. Blink-182, Green Day, Paramore, A Day To Remember, Simple Plan, Panic! At The Disco; the list goes on of arena status bands that started their careers playing the Warped Tour. Eminem and Katy Perry even made an appearance in past years. And like all of these bands and artists that were relatively unknown at the time, the Vans Warped Tour was a place for these smaller bands to get discovered by new people and help boost them into a more popular status and on a path to success. Local bands were welcomed to play the same stages as the larger bands, and they were also allowed to promote and sell their music to the attendees waiting in line outside the venues. Many bands even dedicated their summer to following the tour route to promote their band, barely making enough money from CD sales each day for gas to get to the next city. All in hopes that it would boost their fanbase and maybe, just maybe, Kevin Lyman (founder and leading man all these years) would give them the opportunity to play their music inside the festival.
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If you didn't realize how influential this tour was, well now you know. Many bands owe their success to Kevin Lyman and the Warped Tour. And this being the final year of the cross-country Vans Warped Tour, there were a lot of bands that fell into this category, and many bands that were on the tour for the first and last time. Fans young and old are coming out in full force for one last Warped Tour experience, selling out multiple California dates to begin the tour and even more dates selling out for the remainder of the summer.
Raleigh Metro Concert Media had the honor of attending and covering the Virginia Beach date one last time. See all of our favorite photos from our day at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach below.
Journeys Stages:
3oh!3Limited 10th anniversary Want vinyl available for pre-order
Issues
Reel Big Fish
WaterparksThe album Entertainment AVAILABLE NOW
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We The KingsNew album Six AVAILABLE NOW
Four Year StrongSome Of You Will Like This, Some Of You Wont OUT NOW
Mayday ParadeNew album Sunnyland AVAILABLE NOW
State ChampsNew album Living Proof AVAILABLE NOW
Movements
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Mutant White Lightning / Red Dawn Stages:
Motionless In White"Voices" music video OUT NOW
Wage WarDeadweight AVAILABLE NOW
Deez Nuts
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In Hearts WakeArk (Deluxe) AVAILABLE NOW
SharptoothClever Girl OUT NOW
Every Time I Die
Crown The EmpireNew song "20/20" out now
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Full Sail Stage / owly.fm Stage:
BroadsideNew album Paradise OUT NOW
Summer WarsEP Borrowed Time AVAILABLE NOW (local Raleigh, NC band)
Transform Stage: Mothersound
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Don BrocoNew album Technology OUT NOW
YungbludNew album 21st Century Liability AVAILABLE NOW
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It has been a memorable past 12 summers for me going to the Vans Warped Tour. I even had the unique opportunity of being part of the 2011 tour and had one of the best summers ever. The people I met that summer have made it possible to get the access I'm able to get today to all of the concerts that I cover. Thank you again to Kevin Lyman for building such an amazing event that has brought so much joy for everyone who has been involved and attended throughout the years.
So what's next? Will a new tour take the place of the Warped Tour? Will the Warped Tour return in a different type of event? Whatever the case, count me in and expect photos!
Full 2018 Vans Warped Tour Gallery:
