By Rachael Ullinskey This summer’s schedule is packed full of concerts and the 2010 Vans Warped Tour is a must-see on your to-do list. Each year, over 1 million Warped fans pack summer concert venues and brave the extreme heat in order to see their favorite punk and emo bands. The Warped Tour is the brainchild of Kevin Lyman, who in 1994 thought it would be a genius idea to pair live music with extreme sports like BMX and skate boarding. Vans jumped on the band wagon and this concert event has grown exponentially over the years.  The Warped Tour travels all over the country from the west to east coast, even stopping in Montreal for a night to show its love to the Canadians. Warped Tour comes to Cleveland’s Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre at Tower City on July 8^th and the long list of bands performing range from All American Rejects to Sum 41, We the Kings, Mayday Parade, and dozens more. In addition to eight stages featuring top bands from both Punk, emo, and the underground, the Warped Tour offers plenty of additional attractions for concert goers. The Warped Tour isn’t simply a concert with a bunch of bands—it’s more like a raging punk flea market with countless merch tents and attractions for concert-goers. It’s only natural that they have a Vans ramp for skateboarders to rip while surrounded by their favorite bands. Monster Energy Drink also gets a piece of the action by offering a VIP Area for people to “juice up” along with band members.  Energy Drink enthusiasts can also swing by the Monster tent and sample their new nitrous oxide-injected beverages. You can also stop by the solar powered Kia Motors: Kevin Says Stage and Soul Lounge for an autograph session with bands like Hey Monday and Never Shout Never.

Concert goers have hundreds of opportunities to win free clothes, sporting gear, concert tickets, and other awesome freebies courtesy of Vans and Warped tour sponsors like Amethyst Truck and even Trojan Condoms. Those that like to mix business and pleasure can visit the NPO tent where tons of do-gooder organizations offer information to people looking to learn more about non-profit organizations such as Warped Eco Initiative, Action for Animals, and cancer and aids awareness groups. Despite its countless attractions, Warped Tour is essentially about the music. In its original years, this concert featured hardcore-punk bands such as Anti-Flag and The Casualties. However, as the tour has grown, so have its musical tastes to feature more pop-punk, emo, and occasional hip hop artists. It’s highly recommended that you purchase tickets ahead of time because they usually sell like hotcakes.  You can buy tickets online at www.livenation.com and the cost of admission is $47.25 (this includes Live Nation’s $10 “convenience charge”).   Bring plenty of water and sunscreen—doors open at 11 a.m. and this concert rages until night time.  Make sure to check out the tour’s schedule by the Ernie Ball Stage once you get there—times and locations of band performances vary from one venue to another. Be on the lookout for Buzzbin Magazine—let’s get Warped!