Vans Warped Tour – Mountain View CA – July 20th 2019

The Warped Tour is done, no it’s not, yes it is, or maybe.  After calling last years multi city tour the last tour, Founder Kevin Lyman announced three BIG shows.  One in Cleveland to celebrate an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a couple two day festivals.  One in New Jersey in June, and last weekend at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA.
Day one featured featured more than 30 bands on five stages, including longtime tour favorites The Offspring, The Vandals, We The Kings, Bad Religion and the “winner” as they announced on stage, Less Than Jake, who has played the more Warped Tour shows, more than 400.
Hard to review everyone, but some highlights for me were…..
Simple Plan always gets the crowd going at Warped Tour.
The Aquabats, who closed out one of the small stages with blown up Sharks and Pizza in the crowd.
Doll Skin won the “best set by a band I had not heard of a month ago” award for me.   A Female rock band a lot like Paramore, but with guitar inspired by Iron Maiden.  I bought a good amount of shirts and trinkets, but theirs was the only vinyl I left with during the weekend.
Anti-Flag controlled the crowd on the mainstage in the hot afternoon sun.
Fishbone were one I was looking forward too, and they did not disappoint.  Front-man Angelo Moore, dressed colorful with a Fishbone tie, ended up in the crowd at the end of the set.
The Monster Energy stage hosted a lot of great metal bands with intense sets, including Silverstein, August Burns Red and Set It Off
Ozomalti brought the party on stage, and through the crowd, with the entire band doing a victory lap and out the top of the amphitheater.
Japanese Pop Rock band One OK Rock was a surprise I stumbled on waiting for the next band, but they are one I am going to search out more of.
Goldfinger came in as a last few days replacement for Good Charlotte, who had a unknown band tragedy.  They fit right in, covering “99 Luft Balloons” in a great 40 minutes set
Finally vets Bad Religion and The Offspring finished out the main stages night, including The Offspring playing probably the last song you expected at Warped Tour, AC/DC’s Whole Lotta Rosie.  Both bands sounded like they would 20 years ago.
If Warped Tour is done forever (which was the subject of many running jokes from the stage), I will miss it.   But at this point, I still had day two to attend!  More to come.
Review and photos by Brian Curski