Truth: Last year's Warped Tour had a near-perfect lineup.
Truth: This year's lineup is less star-studded.
Truth: Both years are equally valid and enjoyable.
Warped Tour got a lot of negative feedback during and after its live-streamed artist announcement last Wednesday, and to a certain extent the negativity was warranted. There are going to be far fewer seasoned performers and many more newcomers, which is daunting to fans who follow their big-name bands almost religiously, and who are going to spend $50 on a ticket that now may or may not be worth the money. But there are several reasons why you shouldn't skip this year.
Warped Tour has never been about mainstream success. It isn't about showcasing one specific artist, with a few secondary artists opening; it's about every artist getting equal treatment--30 minutes to perform and half a stage to perform on. This allows for dynamic performances as each of the 90+ acts attempt to convince you that you should be their fan. In that way, Warped Tour is about discovery.
A quick glance at the lineup reveals just how diverse this tour is going to be, from rap to metalcore to fourth-wave ska, ensuring you'll have the ability to listen to something you've never heard before. Take advantage of that. Don't just stick with one stage this year. Go to a performance that you think you'll hate, and you may be pleasantly surprised.
For a lot of the smaller bands going on Warped this year, this is their chance to make it in the scene, and the only way they can make it is if you make it to their sets. These up-and-comers are going to do some pretty amazing things to gain followers, and you're going to want to be there for that.
You've probably never heard of half the bands that are playing this year, and that's fine. You don't need to know the songs to enjoy the performance. The best part of Warped Tour isn't one specific part--it's the experience as a whole: the weather, the crowd-surfers, the water slides and the free stuff.
So even if your favorite bands aren't going to be on Warped this year, still go. There are infinite positives and only a few negatives, and the experience will definitely be worth it.
