Last year on June 21st 2014, I became addicted to a very special event called Warped Tour. One year later, I have my ticket in hand and a countdown set for year two. I have an extreme passion for this event and while most of my close friends or seat partners in class know what this is, I can’t help but want to share it more! So, in this post, I will share to you the do’s and don’ts and how to do Warped Tour the right way.

To start off, I should explain what Warped Tour is. The festival itself showcases Rock, Alternative, Punk, and more genres of music. It has something for everyone. This year some of the artists attending are Pierce the Veil, As It Is, Set it Off, Jule Vera and many many more. In order to see the rest of the artists attending go to http://vanswarpedtour.com/bands

So in order to be prepared to go to Warped Tour, you will need to bring the following things:

• A bag of sorts (from experience I would recommenced a backpack)
• Sunscreen
• Money (most of the band t-shirts I bought cost $20, so keep that in mind)
• Your phone at 100% battery and a charging pack (your phone will die)
• Deodorant (depending on if you plan on Mosh Pitting or not, you will sweat)
• Snacks (There are some food vendors and water stations but I                     recommend bringing a healthy snack)

The Day Before:

• Rest up (you will need the energy)
• Make sure you know what bands you want to see, you won’t be able to see the times or stage they perform at until you get to the venue.
• Have your stuff packed so you can get up and go.

The Day of:

• Wake up at a reasonable time so you can eat breakfast and drive to the venue.
• Keep in contact with your ride back and make sure you have a meeting place
• IN CASE YOU WANT TO MOSH, know what you are getting yourself  into. These fans are intense and while that is great for the energy, it can get a little crazy.
• Drink a ton of water. It gets hot fast and you don’t want to get dehydrated
• Most artists will have meet and greets throughout the day. Bring something for them to autograph OR you can just buy something from the merchandise tables.

What to Wear: 

• Something cool and easy to move around in
• Shorts – warning: if you wear jeans, you will pass out from the heat
• Sports bra and t-shirt
• Sneakers were made for a reason. This is it.

The Day After:

The reason I am putting this in, is because the day after is the hardest day of your life. You will cry, your voice will hurt, and you will turn into me (aka starting a countdown that day and waiting and waiting and waiting).You will also spend the day in bed exhausted but craving for the next time. I recommend watching videos and photos while listening to the bands you have just met or fell in love with as a post Warped Tour prescription.

THE DO’S AND DON’TS

DOs

1. Rest the night before.
2. Create a killer playlist of the bands going to get pumped up.
3. Go with a bunch of friends and have a blast.
4. Look into the bands beforehand so you know who you want to see. It’s a large venue with multiple stages and can get overwhelming if this is your first time.
5. When you arrive, check out the published band schedule and set list so you can navigate the venue and effectively plan your day.
6. Cover yourself in body paint. It will seem like a good idea at the time…
7. Keep your eyes open and stay on the lookout for band members because they walk around checking out other performances.

DONT’S

1. Don’t Bring you DSL camera – they are not allowed in and something bad will happen to it if you mosh.
2. Don’t wear flip-flops – if you like your toes.
3. Don’t stress out about seeing every band- be flexible and go with the flow.
4. Don’t eat random pizza thrown off stages by the bands. It might be tempting but it’s not appetizing.
5. Don’t just stay at the Main stages for the big acts. Check out the the smaller stages because they have many up and coming bands. Last year, I heard Echosmith for the first time on one of the smaller stages on the outer rim of the venue. I got to meet and talk with them afterwards. They are huge now!
6. Don’t be afraid to converse with fellow fans. Everyone is super nice.
7. Don’t be afraid to go to meet and greets – all the bands are friendly and are there to talk to fans.

A fellow warped tour attendee gave me the best advice I could give… STORY TIME!

Whilst standing in the middle of a mosh pit for an unknown band, my best friend and I became confused and disoriented. In our state of mind, we tried looking for a way out. A 20 something year old man with a beard and several piercings noticed our lost expression. He advised us “To live life to the fullest” and then forged forward into the crazy mosh pit. So if you want to create a great musical memory with your friends buy your ticket at warpedtour.com today!