The Vans Warped Tour 2011 - Rock n' Roll Summer Camp

Long known as "punk rock summer camp", the Vans Warped Tour should really be known as "band camp" or just plain "music summer camp" as they have branched out and aren't just known for punk music anymore. On any given day, you will have sets of punk, punk pop, metalcore, scream, pop, electronica, dance, etc. at the same time across 9 stages giving concert goers a chance to experience something that they might otherwise miss in a concert that is genre specific. In its 17th year, this long running concert tour, which is the brainchild of Kevin Lyman, features 9 stages, over 70 bands, 40+ tour dates across North America and in no way looks to be slowing down.

So who were the must see bands this year? Ask 10 attendees and you would get totally different answers from each of them. That's the great thing about this tour. The other unique thing about this tour, each morning the bands find out what time they are playing on their stage and they aren't allowed to announce it until gates open so you need to be there early just in case your favorites play first. This way everyone enjoys the total concert experience, and in doing so gets to check out some artists they normally wouldn't have. It's a mad scramble to find out what time your favorites are playing and then some stake their claim to a spot on the barricade early in the day just to be up front for their favs. At the Mansfield, MA stop this summer, there was a torrential downpour that had most running for cover except for the Black Veil Brides fans that remained in front of the Advent Stage for their set. Diehard loyal fans!

Check out a few of our favorites from the tour:

Of course, heading into this tour, we knew we just had to see Black Veil Brides and D.R.U.G.S. Having seen them on the Spring AP tour, these two bands were favorites of ours. Neither one ever disappoints in their sets as they play to packed crowds each day. Can't wait to see either of them on a headlining tour where they will play longer than a 30 minute set. Also, Warped attendees were treated to an acoustic set by D.R.U.G.S. at the Scranton stop on the tour. If you get a chance to see them acoustic, go!

So I will admit that I ditched my third song of one of my favs to make it over to shoot Blood on the Dance Floor. Prior to the Vans Warped Tour, I hadn't seen or listened to BOTDF and I'm not sure that if I had listened to them prior that I would have gone to see their set in the first place. Lyrically I just can't get into their earlier releases but that being said, they put on a great set that is full of energy and fun to watch. It will be interesting to see how their music /lyrics progress on future endeavors. Check out the interview we did with Jayy Von Monroe where we do discuss their lyrics and their young fan base.

Pop punk was back in the form of Simple Plan! Having recently released their fourth studio album, Get Your Heart On!, Simple Plan was back to the music style that we all love! On their previous release they had strayed a bit but here they were back and you could tell that their fans hadn't forgotten about them as they played to a packed crowd on the Tilly's stage.

Have to admit that we are cheating in our coverage of this summer's tour. As EarplugsRequired.com, we covered two stops on the tour, but some of our people a week on the tour under another guise and were able to catch more sets. It's so hard to catch all the bands you love as well as those you want to experience for the first time as the sets times often overlap. Personally I cannot make a decision about a band by just a couple of songs. I need to immerse myself to really get the feel of a band.

So who were your favorites? Let me know.

Chat with Jayy Von Monroe of Blood on the Dance Floor

Catching Up with Chuck Comeau of Simple Plan