VANS Warped Tour – at Home Depot Center – Carson, CA

On the anniversary of Michael Jackson's death, and on the same day as the infamous raver event Electric Daisy Carnival, better known as EDC, the first day of the 2010 Vans Warped Tour finally took place at The Home Depot Center and kicked off the 8 week tour. Last year, the tour began in Pomona and ended in the city of Carson, and this year, both cities switched places as this year's tour begins in Carson and ends in Pomona. Several big names joined along for the tour including Sum 41, Andrew W.K., The All American Rejects, GBH, and many more names that all derive from different genres of music. Staying true to its mission to bring diversity and unity to a musically minded youth, Vans Warped Tour continues to provide a unique experience that no other festival has successfully put together to last the times, years, and changes that the world of music constantly undergoes.

The doors to The Home Depot Center were immensely packed with people and outrageous lines before 11am, and while the sun was already beating down on everyone with full force, people appeared pumped, eager, and content as the security at the doors began to slowly allow people inside. Shortly after noon, the lines had already diminished in size and the majority of the people who had been waiting outside under the exhausting sun had already made their ways inside the doors. Walking around the Home Depot Center grounds, booths and booths appeared to line up the entire area in all directions. Surrounding the large area full of booths were all the different stages which would go on to feature the bands who were set to play the entire day. Right in front of the Teggart Stage(Main Stage), the inflatable Vans Warped Tour Line Up board displayed the names of the different stages available, and the times each band would play a specific stage. A few vendors sold written copies of the posted line up for two dollars, but if you couldn't afford the two dollars or felt that the price was a waste, a blank copy was available free of charge so that you could write down the line up according to your own preference.

Face To Face approached the Teggart Stage close to 2pm and opened up their set with "You've Done Nothing". The audience was overwhelmingly large in size and the circle pit was wide as well. Whenever the circle pit became loaded with people trying to pit, everyone inside it appeared to be running laps or slowing down before making it halfway around. Face To Face was not only providing an energizing Punk performance, but also causing its audience members to fulfill some much needed exercise activity. The band went on to play, "Ordinary", "Walk The Walk", "I Won't Lie Down", "Struggle", "Pastel", "Disconnected", and "You Lied", among several other songs played during their set.

Face To Face's time on stage soon ran out, but before it did, the band ended their set with "It's Not Over". The crowd cheered and clapped as the band members each walked off the stage and departed for good.

The Flatliners dominated the Kia Kevin Says Stage as they performed for an average sized audience that constantly shouted out requests while the band played on stage. The Flatliners offered variety to their fans by playing songs from each of their full length albums, with a majority coming from their latest release, "Cavalcade". The band's music provided fast paced Ska from their popular album, "Destroy To Create", yet also provided their audience with the more melodic Punk songs from "The Great Awake". The Flatliners performed with intense spirit as song after song showcased each individual band member's diligence and effort. The band performed a short set, yet within that time, demonstrated to those present that they're a band with an adept talent capable of delivering a remarkable performance.

Over at the Punk Rock Legends Stage, Swingin' Utters began to play for the Punk rock kids who made up Warped Tour's Punk audience. Swingin' Utters played a 30 minute set that consisted of raw energy and rowdy beats, and as the band's music began to manifest itself onto the audience, circle pits were enabled and started for a few of the band's songs. Crowd Favorite "Pills & Smoke" provoked several audience members to run loose around the pit, while others simply sang along to the catchy song. The band's turn was soon over, and FEAR's turn on the Punk Rock Legends Stage was next.

FEAR arrived on stage and opened up with their most well known song, "I Love Livin' In The City". FEAR performed the majority of their set's songs from their debut album, "The Record", including, "Beef Bologna", "Camarillo", "I Don't Care About You", "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones", "Gimmie Some Action", and "Foreign Policy". At one point during the band's set, vocalist Lee Ving told the audience, "We wanted to make a popular hit song that would make us famous, so we asked ourselves, hmm, what rhymes with FEAR? Queer? No, that's not right." Several members of the audience quickly reacted and shouted, "BEER! MORE BEER! MORE BEER!" FEAR then led the crowd straight to their song, "More Beer" and mass pandemonium rapidly ensued on the floor. As people rushed into the pit to dance along to the song, bodies were flying and collapsing as the floor became a beer crazed show of its own. FEAR's 30 minutes on stage ended shortly after, and the band officially dismissed themselves by playing "Let's Have A War". When FEAR's time on stage was over, the audience remained and screamed for an encore and shouted for at least one more song. Lee Ving came back on stage and everyone's hopes shot through the roof, but despite Ving's appearance on stage, no encore was given as he only came back to pick up a piece of equipment.

GBH made their way onto the Punk Rock Legends Stage approximately 30 minutes after FEAR had cleared the stage, and GBH undoubtedly had the most abundant amount of people that the Legends stage had experienced that day. Once GBH got started, there was no turning back for the crowd as they immediately lost all sense and rationality and committed themselves to a realm of unimaginable physical action. GBH's music never once allowed the audience a moment of peace and calm as their fast beats and cacophonous guitar riffs caused the audience to convey turbulent participation inside the circle pit. The band played a majority of their music from earlier albums, "City Baby Attacked By Rats", and "Leather, Bristles, No Survivors & Sick Boys", yet also included a few songs from their latest release, "Perfume And Piss". Among the songs played, GBH performed, "City Baby Attacked By Rats", "I Am The Hunted", "Give Me Fire", "Big Women", and "Perfume And Piss". Once GBH's time ran out, vocalist Colin Abrahall stated to the audience that the next song to be played was dedicated to the ghost of Joe Strummer, and with that said, GBH performed The Clash's "White Riot". The band finally departed from the stage, and the floor then spread out as each went his/her own way.

The Casualties witnessed tremendous hype and anticipation on behalf of an eager audience that packed the floor of the Punk Rock Legends Stage around 7pm. The Casualties opened up with "Carry On The Flag", and the majority of their set featured the band's newer material from album, "We Are All We Have". The Casualties performed songs, "Riot", the Spanish version of "Tomorrow Belongs To Us" which is called "Futuro Destruido", "Punk Rock Love", "We Are All We Have", "Criminal Class", and "War Is Business". During the band's set, The Casualties told their audience, "FEAR has this song that says 'New York's Alright' or something, but you know what? NEW YORK'S THE BEST! Next to LA of course," and after the band made sure to mention the LA part, the audience began to cheer louder than ever. Casualties also saw excessive action on the floor, and when the band closed their set with "Unknown Soldier", the crowd demonstrated their dedication by carrying out a huge circle pit for their beloved band.

Adolescents headlined the Punk Rock Legends Stage and began to play promptly at 8pm as the band introduced themselves with their signature opening song, "No Way". Although Adolescents were the headliners, their set unfortunately was no longer than the previous sets of the former acts and the band also played a 30 minute set. The band stayed true to their fans as they performed the majority of the songs from their most loved release, their debut self-titled album known as "The Blue Album", but the band also maintained diversity by featuring songs from "OC Confidential" and their upcoming release, "The Fastest Kid Alive". Adolescents performed, "Monsanto Hayride", "Who Is Who", "Self Destruct", "Amoeba", "Democracy", "Creatures", "Lockdown America" and "OC Confidential" among other songs.

During the band's set, vocalist Tony Cadena told the audience that The Dickies would be performing at the Skullcandy Stage at 8:30pm since they were late and unable to perform earlier that day. Tony Cadena constantly reminded the audience not to miss The Dickies and to catch their performance immediately upon the end of the Adolescents' set. Adolescents finally met the end of their time on stage and ended with their classic song, "Kids Of The Black Hole". The entire floor was dominated by people who paid tribute to the Adolescents by remaining in the pit for the duration of the entire song. Within moments, the entire floor WAS the pit, and Adolescents were able to end on a great note made possible by their most true and loyal fans.

Immediately after the Adolescents played, The Dickies began a quick and short set right next to the Legends Stage at the Skullcandy Stage. The Dickies played a 20 minute set, and while 20 minutes seems to be a pretty outrageous time frame for a band as prominent in the Punk scene as The Dickies are, the band was able to showcase an invigorating experience and performance that produced a rowdy audience nonetheless. The Dickies were able to provide a fulfilling set in the short time they had, and played crowd favorites such as, "You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)", "Waterslide", "Give It Back", and "Paranoid". Time ran out quickly and The Dickies soon departed from the stage, but not before playing their hit song, "Gigantor". The Dickies then left the stage, ending their set shortly after 8:45pm, and upon looking around, the realization that Carson's Warped Tour was over hit everyone as the booths were gone and several stages were being taken apart. The first day of the 2010 Vans Warped Tour was officially over and already in the process of getting ready to move on to the next city.

While several occasions were taking place on Friday such as EDC (which thankfully kept away the excessive ravers and E-tards away from Warped Tour), and memorials for the late King of Pop Michael Jackson, Warped Tour was kicking off the best and longest standing music festival for the mass amounts of people who migrate and prepare for this event year after year. The first day had arrived, passed, and left, yet brought to the musically minded people of Southern California the much anticipated experience of music and culture on a silver platter. Warped Tour's 8 week course continues until August 15, which will mark the last day of the epic tour. If you were unfortunate enough to miss the festival, the LA area will host one more day of Warped Tour in Pomona, which is also the last day of the run. Friday's experience was a day full of life and energy; can you think of a better way to celebrate music, culture and life in one same setting? Try it.

 

-Stephanie M.-
Big Wheel Senior Staff Writer

More photos of the show can be seen HERE
 
              See the other report of the 2010 Warped Tour at Carson HERE

 

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