Unlike the previous installment of the '09 Vans Warped Tour earlier this summer, my list of bands not to miss this time was rather short - Fishbone, D.O.A., The Addicts, UK Subs, and Gallows. And the day could not have worked out better. It was so nice to show up to a show late rather than hours ahead of time, and it was the first show in I don't know how long were I thoroughly enjoyed every band I saw and photographed.
Of course it goes without saying, but just in case you don't know me, I'll tell you that I spent most of the day at the "Punk Rock Legends" stage, where every set I witnessed was a total flashback to my teenage years. Fishbone, D.O.A., The Addicts, and The UK Subs may have all aged a bit, but they still sounded just as good as they did back in the day, and they without a doubt blew away all the sing-songy hipster poser wannabe younger bands that the kids today call "punk-rock".
As with the last show, there was one exception to the "Today's punk rock music sucks" rule, and the exception was Gallows, who put on a 30 minute clinic in hardcore, and gave the kids a lesson in what "punk rock" should sound like. And I don't know that I would have obliged any other lead singer who called out all of the photographers, and tells them do a round in the pit with all their gear, but I wasn't about to back down, and made a few laps with $4k worth of equipment in my hand. Good times. See a complete recap of the day here, as told by Umlaut.
Now that's what I call a Punk Show. Great!
Posted by: Daniel | Tuesday, October 06, 2009 at 03:47 PM