Barflies.net Warped Tour 2003 Coverage

San Francisco, Sat. July 12, 2003 - Text & Photos by Ashley-Kiana
Long Beach, Fri. July 11, 2003 - Text & Photos by Jenifer Hanen

San Francisco, Sat. July 12, 2003

The Vans Warped Tour has blossomed into a huge music event. The tour started out small, with only beer provided for the bands playing. The tour is now “America’s longest running touring festival” according to an official Warped Tour press release. Although the event’s popularity and attendance increases every year, I feel the quality of the band line up decreases every year.

Note in the last paragraph I said the tour is a huge music event. I have to admit I barely saw any of the music part of the event. The day turned into more of a social event for me, as it tends to do every year. The heat always hits during bands making me always leave during the first song of the band’s set. This doesn’t bother me because I usually can’t see the band anyway as too many people are in front of me pushing to see the band.

This year the three bands I actually stayed to watch for more than the first song were Avenged Sevenfold, Face to Face, and Anthym. Two of the bands I took pictures for and one band I knew, which is why I stayed so long for each band.

Out of over 70 bands playing, I am glad I picked to stay for Avenged Sevenfold. The crowd was the perfect size and the lead singer packed a powerful scream and was wearing a Guns N’ Roses shirt. I was impressed. The Avenged Sevenfold set had to be the only band highlight of my day.

Every year I complain about the crowds being too big, the stages too far, and the temperature too high. Every year I still go back to the tour. What is it about this tour? Every year I come home tired, sun burnt, and carrying a large bag packed with free stuff from all of the merchandise booths. It must be the free stuff that brings me back.

-ashley-kiana

Avenged Sevenfold

Warped Tour 2003 at Long Beach, CA - July 11, 2003

I have been to seven years of Warped Tours so far and have enjoyed each in varying degrees depending on bands, weather and venue location. The Long Beach State venue was one of the best of the lot so far. I enjoyed the grass, the trees, and most of all the ocean breeze!

This year's line up of bands was a mix of famed, signed, and unsigned bands with over 60 bands playing at eight stages over the course of 8 hours. Truly mind boggling if one is attempting to see as many as possible. As always the crowd watching is some of the best sights of the day. It is encouraging to see so many people - young and old - and of many different sub-cultures out to see the show.

The musical highlights of the day were:

The Used: Their radio hits do nothing for me. Live they rocked.
Mad Caddies: The Santa Barbara ska/punk/ragtime band left for tour in February and came back in lean, mean fighting machine shape. Bravo!
Level: Metal meets eletronica in a non-rap-metal fashion. The keyboardist got amazing sounds out of his rig. R2-D2 anyone?
Dropkick Murphys: The sound went south on the band with a great deal of cracks/snaps/feedback/humming out of the main stage speakers, but in true Boston fashion the DKM gentlemen went on and kicked ass.
The Unseen: This Boston street punk band had the most energetic crowd of the day. The mosh pit was going mad during their set.
Rancid: The boys are back. Thought they were going to break up a year or two or so ago with all the new side bands? Hmmmm.... Nope. Back with more focus and verve.

-- Ms. Jen

The Used