Saturday 22/07/06 Day 1 @ Vans Warped Tour, Salt Lake City

During the summer one of the largest tours in the world blazes its way across North America burning the masses with the diversity and power of Punk and Alternative Rock. Van’s Warped Tour brings to town over 75 of the choicest bands on 10 stages all running at the same time, all in one day. Because of its immensity Gigwise is taking this show on in two states. First up is Salt Lake City and we stand in line with thousands of others waiting to get in. Many sport spiked Mohawks, angled and feathered hair cuts streaked with bright colors and are dressed to the punk nines in band T’s, mini skirts, blue jeans, camouflage and black. Once inside familiar songs fly at us from all directions whilst there’s a scramble to find the stages. The order in which the bands play is drawn up differently everyday and it’s a wide eyed confusing mess as we all gaze up at the venue menu and try to organize a viewing list.

Armor for Sleep is on the Hurley Stage. The stout-hearted vocals of Ben Jorgensen are striking. This alternative/emo punk band takes Gigwise by surprise and leaves us decimated as they play ‘Car Underwater’. Ben declares “I’d just die for you…” whilst Nash Breen’s drums pounds out an intensive undertow of a beat. Thousands of people are now gathered in front of this one stage alone as Ben asks “Mother****ers are you ready?” then launches into ‘Remember To Feel Real’ with a passionate delivery that’s met by a whirling, jumping and head banging mob. There is a fresh confident simplicity to these young lads physical performance and instrumental delivery that rivals the most seasoned of bands. The crowd is now set on fire with ‘Stay On The Ground’ as at least 10 people are hoisted off of it, literally fly cartwheel style and surf to the front.

An enticing roar from the Hot Topic Stage pulls Gigwise in as The American Black Lung dishes out a brash helping of hard in your face rock with ‘Werewolves By Night’. Solid instrumentals and intense vocals thrusts ‘Sound Effects’ to the breaking point as Philip Patrick’s harsh thundering voice strikes out “Rock and roll means dead at 25…” We hurry off to the next stage dodging tattooed ladies and people in animal masks carrying impeachment signs then descend on Main Stage Left, which is on the right, and stake a claim on a wee spot of grass under a tree.

It’s about 41 Celsius now and the real heat of the day hits us full on in the face as Rise Against storms the stage and blasts us with the force of a world whose direction is spiraling out of control. Tim McIlrath turns his back on the largest crowd of the day and stands on the drummer platform with his right hand raised in the air and roars “If we're the flagship of peace and prosperity/We're taking on water and about to ****in' sink…” then jumps and spins towards the crowd and begins his assault of our senses with ‘State Of The Union’. He charges onward into ‘Chamber The Cartridge’. The audience jumps with one fist in the air and screams “Fate!” during this unifying song. A clacking sound sets a beat and the mob goes insane as ‘Ready To Fall’ brings to mind RA’s video that perches us on the edge of a planet succumbing to global warming, wonton environmental destruction and cruelty towards life. The crowd sings with him and beats their hands in the air with a frightening intensity. RA’s set ends with blistering warnings about calls for self sacrifice in ‘Give It All’ then Tim says “Take care of yourselves…peace” and leaves.

Thursday just keep upping their game and takes to the stage with richly refined vocals and a progressive melodic post-hardcore/emo sound that reaches an epic status. The instrumentals wind-up and explode as vocalist Geoff Rickly swings his microphone in circles and catches it just in time to begin ‘The Other Side Of A Car Crash’. He closes his eyes, shakes and sways whilst singing softly, seemingly lost in the words, then as the song’s tension mounts his movements become earnest and fierce till he leans back and releases the full power of his voice in the finale to a roaring crowd. Geoff announces “If you’re in a small town you hate, this one’s for you,” then crashes into ‘Counting 5-4-3-2-1’. The chorus elicits heavy crowd participation as the rabble shouts and counts down with him. The impressive emotional delivery of this artist’s voracious stinging vocals and high guitar riffs layered over heavy bass lines creates an expansive sound that is a privilege to experience live.

On Main Stage Right, which is on the left, the Ska Punk band Less Than Jake seems to attract a greater number of oversized buzz cut locker room lads. Gigwise has to stand on their tip toes to see the stage and makes note not to get near this mosh pit. Warped has just come from Canada and getting 75+ bands past drug sniffing dogs must have been bloody hilarious. Frontman Chris Demakes says “We got through the border without being fingered!” then starts into 'Overrated'. His cheeky unabashed exuberance while performing is met by an enthusiastic audience who is being covered in silly string by a silver masked clown. Chris thanks security for “Not kicking everybody’s ass…” then says “Look what we can do…” and flips the crowd off who in turn gives him the finger back in mass, with both hands. ‘The Ghosts Of Me And You’ almost brings the crowd to seriousness but fails; they are having too much fun.