Nothing can stop the people from getting their music fix, not even 90+ degree heat on black top. This past Thursday, people filled the grounds of Riverbend for the 22nd round of Vans Warped Tour. The walls were lined with tents, stages were placed all around the outside of the pavilion and hundreds filled the negative space catching their favorite bands. With a mix of new and old, Vans Warped Tour was beaming with positive energy and moments to last attendees a lifetime.
Here are my top favorite moments from Vans Warped Tour’s Cincinnati stop.
A favorite of many, New Found Glory rocked the Journey’s stage from Jordan Pundik’s high energy to Ian Grushka’s overt quirkiness. Chad Gilbert even donned a Cincinnati Reds hat sharing that this city holds a special place in his heart. However, the one unforgettable moment during their set was when they guys pulled up a middle aged couple dressed in homemade NFG superhero costumes. These two were decked out, head to toe, in red and yellow suits with capes and NFG emblazoned on the chest. They basked in the moment and sang along with the band.
Although there are signs at every stage that read “No Crowd Surfing”, it doesn’t stop those ready to fully immerse themselves into the crowd. During Real Friends’ performance, a young boy was hoisted on top of the crowd and floated to the front with a big smile across his face the entire time. Security brought him down but he got right back up and did it all over again. A moment of pure joy.
This may be hard to grasp for some, but this was Yellowcard’s last show in Cincinnati. EVER. But hey, how did we get so lucky to land a spot during their final days? The band walked onto the stage with a point to make this performance count and they did not disappoint. At the request of vocalist, Ryan Key, the crowd formed a huge circle pit. It was the most glorious farewell.
For those of us growing up in the 90’s, seeing Good Charlotte on the lineup was gasp worthy. Good Charlotte brought the nostalgia and played their first big hits “Boys Like Girls” and “Lifestyles of the Rich & the Famous”. The band proved that even years later they can still own the stage and showcased some new tracks from their just released album, Youth Authority.
Pool Floaties are all the rage right now. So, it’s no surprise that I See Stars vocalist, Devin Oliver crowd surfed in a blow up boat. Would it have been even more epic if it was a shimmering unicorn floatie? Sure, but still epic nonetheless.
Crowd interaction is something not to be dismissed and both Atreyu and Vanna had this aspect down pat. Atreyu entered the stage with dominance and undying passion. With every scream or guitar riff, their energy was both scene and heard. Vocalist, Alex Varkatzas, got intimate with the crowd for majority of the set, singing at the edge of the crowd and even walking right into it. Atreyu kept us on our toes. Hardcore punk band, Vanna also gave a performance worth noting. Though the crowd wasn’t where it should have been, the band’s energy was at it’s peak. It didn’t matter who was or wasn’t their, Vanna was giving it their all.
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