Spotlight on Warped Tour Bands

Warped Tour 2009

Bayside

Touring in support of their new album titled Shudder released last September, Bayside have shown with their sixth album that an honest approach and disregard for genre pigeonholing can prevail even against the waves of trends and fads. Using the raw energy of their teen years combined with what they have learned about song writing over their career, to the relief of fans, this band has remained undeniably Bayside.

All Time Low

There are at least two things the world of pop-punk doesn’t get tired of, stupid scene haircuts and Blink-182 rip off bands… nothing personal. It is refreshing however to see that Baltimore’s own All Time Low have something of a self-deprecating sense of humor in their new music video for the song “Weightless” of their new album titled Nothing Personal released earlier this month. The band appears to be having as much fun with the tongue-in-cheek titled as they do performing. Check it out at myspace.com/alltimelow.

Anti Flag

If you are the kind of person who is tired bands that grandstand about political issues then Anti Flag is not for you. Come to think of it, you are not the kind of person who belongs at a punk rock show at all. Anti Flag, who started and fell apart in 1988 then reformed in 1993 and broke out of obscurity in 2001, are veterans of the big summer punk tours. Promoting their latest anti-capitalist record The People or the Gun, Anti Flag are as active as ever and on a much grander scale.

Chiodos

One of the most versatile bands on the card for this year’s Warped Tour, Chiodos, has found their way on tour with artists as diverse as Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Alice In Chains, Coheed and Cambria, and now Bad Religion and many others. Their emo influenced brand of metalcore features tons of breakdowns and the high pitched singing and screaming of front man Craig Owens. They are on tour in support of the album Bone Palace Ballet: Grand Coda released in October, 2008.

Senses Fail

One of New Jersey’s workhorse post-hardcore bands, Senses Fail has come a long way from taking gigs at skate parks and churches just to get a chance to perform. Fronted by lead-whiner, the introspective Buddy Nielsen, the band has captured the hearts of preteens and run of the mill emo kids alike. Promoting their latest record, the well-received, Life Is Not a Waiting Room, Senses Fail is not going anywhere.

Madina Lake

Hailing from Chicago, Madina Lake found a unique way to fund the recording of their first demo. Singer Nathan Leone and bassist Matthew Leone appeared on a special edition of the game show, Fear Factor in 2006 and won the grand prize of $50,000. Shortly after the demo was released the band landed a recording contract with Roadrunner Records and are now on the road supporting their second album Attics to Eden released in May, 2009.

Innerpartysystem

Taking their name from George Orwell’s novel 1984, Pennsylvania industrial rock/electronica band Innerpartysystem first surfaced in 2007 with the release of The Download EP. Their exciting live performances feature unique light and video shows which the band has gained a measurable amount of recognition for making way for a well-received self-titled album released last September.

Dance Gavin Dance

You probably are not going to see anyone moon walking or doing the robot (people still do those right?) at a Dance Gavin Dance show but it would likely not be the most welcoming environment for letting loose and expressing yourself. The screamo/post-hardcore sextet is as capricious as any band at this year’s Warped Tour as shown with the release of their latest album titled Happiness thanks to its constant switching between soaring emo vocals and hardcore screams.

---By, Andrew Magnotta