Warped Tour 2015: From the Monster Energy, Ernie Ball, and Kevin Says Stages

This concert review originally appeared on Degenrefy.com

Published in

Rezonatr Magazine

13 min readJul 18, 2015

Vans Warped Tour, now in its 21st year, has become a staple in pop culture. It started out promoting punk bands, California’s skate culture, and the alternative music scene. It moved on to embrace emo and pop-punk, and now Warped mostly supports and promotes the hardcore music scene. Warped Tour has been the springboard for many up and coming acts throughout its history. This year the tour brought 11 stages, 100 bands, and 9 hours of sweat and music to PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, NC.

Monster Energy Stage

On the Monster Stage, we found Escape The Fate [★★★★★] tearing up the stage. The crowd was hyped as the band delivered one aggressive song after another. Deafening chants were perfect responses to singer Craig Mabbit’s calls to action. A great way to open things up at the Monster Stage.

Next up was ’68 [★★★★] who delivered a chaotic and bombastic set. Comprised of just two musicians, they pushed the envelope of sound and noise. Josh Scogin takes on both vocal and guitar duties in this band, while Michael McClellan pummels the drums. A very unique orchestration, unbelievable antics, and monster guitar tosses!

The Aussie force of Amity Affliction [★★★★★] attacked the stage with ferocity. These seasoned veterans battled the midday heat and prevailed with new found fans and respect. Powerful vocals coupled with equally powerful back up vocals commanded attention. Songs like “Never Alone” and “Open Letter” proved that this band earned their spot on this tour. Look out for these guys.

The surprise act of the afternoon was Crossfaith [★★★★★] from Osaka, Japan. This quintet crushed the stage and crowd with a relentless cadence of pummeling riffs and a stunning stage presence. Fusing elements of metalcore and techno, Crossfaith delivers an undeniable must see powerful performance.

Fit For A King [★★★★] came out swinging. Breakdowns and djent-esque guitar riffs laid the foundation while the group strong-armed the audience with hits like “Ancient Waters” and “Hooked.” Delivering a no frills heavy set, frontman Ryan Kirby dispensed a menacing vocal beatdown while bassist Ryan O’Leary complemented with an expansive clean range.

The big draw for the afternoon was Beartooth’s [★★★★] Bludgeoning riffs and brutal vocals that brought people to the stage en masse. Throwing up fan favorites like “In Between” and “I Have A Problem,” Beartooth the crowd screaming along and climbing the barricades. These guys are steadily becoming one of the must see bands no matter where they go.

Scene veterans and epic showmen Senses Fail [★★★★★] performed a stellar set. Singer Buddy Nielsen was unstoppable as he worked the crowd and stage. Songs like “Take Refuge,” “Buried A Lie,” and “Can’t Be Saved” had the crowd worked up and showed that Nielsen sets the bar very high for future frontmen of live bands.

Ernie Ball Stage

Amongst all of the chaos of Warped Tour, there were hidden gems if you took the time stop and listen. Stacked Like Pancakes [★★★★★] was one those gems on the Ernie Ball Stage. They are an energetic ska band with an insanely sick brass section. They danced, entertained the crowd, and passersby. These guys know how to engage a crowd.

Kevin Says Stage

Emarosa [★★★★★] took the stage to an excited crowd of screaming fans. Singer Bradley Walden’s powerful voice and charismatic stage presence captivated the crowd while the band delivered a tight performance. Walden took every opportunity to engage the crowd. Jumping the barricade early in the performance, Walden could be seen singing in the crowd and on top of the crowd without missing a beat. A must see act that is full of surprises.