As the heat wave took a temporary break (thank god), the 2012 Warped Tour rolled through Long Island Saturday and set up camp in the Nassau Coliseum parking lot, bringing the best and newest in pop punk, screamo and everything in between to six stages.
The young, who left their parents at the Reverse Day Care center (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is) at the gates, and the young at heart bounced from tents to stages over nine hours and more than 60 performances, while the bands relaxed in the shade backstage between sets.
So, if you weren’t lucky enough to get sandwiched in with thousands of fans rushing the stage as We The Kings performed an awesome cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” the Long Island Press caught up with We The Kings vocalist Travis Clark backstage.
“I love the warped tour, it’s like summer camp—there’s barbecues and music and…sleeping!,” Clark told the Press. “You get to hear a lot of new music. You get to hear a lot of music that you grew up listening to. You get to meet incredible people, who aren’t even playing music, like the vendors, the press and production, the crew. There are so many incredible people on this tour that will hopefully be lifelong friends.”
By the time Clark’s bus landed in Uniondale, he’d performed 28 dates on the tour and traveled through 21 states.
“I fall asleep and wake up in a new city so it’s really nice,” he said. “It’s definitely insane. It’s non-stop moving and it’s always a party and something crazy happening. We also have days when I just want to relax and we chill. We’ll put on music or watch a movie and just sort of hang out.”
Clark is no stranger to Long Island—he has family here. So, if you’re at the beach and think you see him walk by, you’re not hallucinating.
“My sister lives on Long Beach,” he said. “She just had her first baby so I am a proud uncle now. He’s like such a super hero, he’s a stud, he’s going to break so many hearts!”
VANS WARPED TOUR 2012 PHOTO GALLERY
Cmar, also known as Chris Martins, vocalist of Hostage Calm, also talked about what Warped means to him.
“It’s great to be part of a mixed bill, from reggae to rock acts and now a lot of female-fronted, or even all-female, bands.”
It’s been a big hangout for them where they’ve been “throwing around the old vortex in the parking lot” before and after their set. And getting a great response from the crowd has been huge.
Saturday’s date was special to them because they have had a strong connection with Long Island from the many do-it-yourself, or DIY, hall shows they’ve played here in the past.
All Time Low were also excited to be back on our shores.
“We’ve been here a lot,” said vocalist Alex Gaskarth. “This place treats us really well. Everybody comes out. Everybody gets crazy!”
And as for the bus ride…
“We have a great time, there’s a lot of man-on-man action,” said Gaskarth. ”We’re not ashamed of our bodies.”
