Vans Warped Tour takes Scranton, PA by storm

July 9, 2014

Scranton, PA

Montage Mountain in Scranton PA was full of thriving fans jumping up and down with excitement as they anxiously awaited the gates to open. I could count on nearly 2 hands, the amount of accidents just on the way up the mountain. I guess maybe you could say there’s such a thing as being a little too excited… Luckily all involved seemed to make it out okay, though I couldn’t say the same for some of their vehicles… Vans Warped Tour lineup was stacked with incredible talent and genres from all across the globe. Finally it was time for this legendary festival to start rockin’ socks. The weather kept you on your toes most of the day, alternating between rain clouds and sprinkles to hot summer sun. The venue was packed with faithful fans making their way to front row and center for their favorite bands.

Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time in the day to catch every act so fans really had to pick and choose their agenda for the day. Breathe Carolina was a blast; The band hosted a huge dance party utilizing oversized self-titled beach balls, water guns etc. At one point in the band’s set, the members lounged on rafts, surfing out into the crowd. The band definitely put on one of the most entertaining sets of the day. Speaking of entertaining, Bowling For Soup was a riot! At one point in the band’s set, the lead vocalist references ‘latest youtube sensation’Aaron Lewis of Staind and his voiced opinion on a young girl crowd surfing saying ‘There’s a lot of female crowd surfers out there! Good thing Aaron’s not here”. Then among other obnoxiously comical commentary, he proceeds to tell the crowd that it’s Chris’s birthday and all he wants is a blow job. As the band continues their set they really display talent, comedy, and great crowd interaction all in one. The guitarist does a rad move, flicking his guitar pic up and then catching it while playing. They played a great set of fun songs including Stacey’s Mom.
On the heavier side of things, you have The Ghost Inside. This band is just, insane. Their personality and appreciation for their fans is remarkable and accents their incredible sound and talent they produce. With a positive, meaningful, and bold message behind every lyric, that just about anyone can relate to, you just can’t get enough. With kids from every angle jumping on each others shoulders, and screaming the lyrics into the microphone at the top of their lungs, these guys put on one hell of a show! As per usual, they picked a great set, opening up with The Great Unknown, and playing fan favorites such as Between The Lines, andFaith or Forgiveness; continuing with Unspoken; Outlive; Test The Limits; 33; and Dark Horse, closing out their set with Engine 45. The guys put on one of the best sets of the day, hands down.
Scranton, PA was the last date of Vans Warped Tour 2014 for Candy Hearts. The 4 piece played on the smaller, more intimate “Shiragirl Stage.” It was a pleasure being able to experience part of their performance. For some bands, unfortunately it was time to say goodbye to Warped this summer, but don’t be too sad just yet, because that might quite possibly mean another talent is joining! That’s right! It was time for London based, ENTER SHIKARI to hop on board. This band is known for their outlandish, entertaining performances which of course they made sure to live up to again in Scranton. Many people were extremely pleased to find the band joining the tour. They put on a killer show! Parkway Drive is definitely one of the heaviest if not THE heaviest band on the tour. You’ll rarely find any other frontman of a band as heavy as Parkway cheesin’ as hard or loving life as much as Winston McCall while performing on stage. It was genuinely a refreshing sight to see someone so passionate and in love with what they do. These guys never seize to amaze. Their set is sure to blow you away. This talented Australian “Metalcore” 5 piece will melt your face off. Both The Devil Wears Prada and Of Mice & Men also put on great performances as did Motionless In White. Motionless undoubtedly drew one of the largest crowds of the day. It was a special stop on Warped for the band as in was in their hometown. This is another band who constantly displays their genuine appreciation towards their fans with lead vocalist Chris Motionless, stating that the band wouldn’t be on that stage if it wasn’t for their fans. Chris seems overwhelmed with happiness as he expressed the extreme noticeable progression of the size of the crowd of Motionless In White fans. They played an array of great songs and dedicated one of their older songs Abigail to their loyal fans who have stuck by them since their last record. The band’s performance was killer, making it hard to top.
It was a long but exciting day full of talent on Vans Warped Tour In Scranton PA. If you haven’t been able to make it out, check out the remaining dates and be sure to stop out! You’ll have the time of your life.