Movies

Vans Warped Tour, the original punk rock circus, returns to Long Beach

BBG News

One unforgettable experience Bud Gaugh, the drummer of Sublime, had at the inaugural Warped Tour in 1995 was when he fractured his ribs while riding a BMX bike on a half-pipe during their Houston stop. This incident, as he recalls, eventually resulted in his arrest in Florida.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast might put it, “I found myself handcuffed due to Kevin Lyman’s refusal to grant me medical leave. I was struggling to breathe, my sleepless nights were endless. At our Orlando performance, I stumbled upon a girl whose mom happened to be a nurse. She graciously took me home and we rummaged through their medicine cabinet, finding some Vicodin and other sleep aids. Unfortunately, in zero-tolerant Florida, my return with those medications led to my arrest in the parking lot.

After spending two weeks on the road with injured ribs, Gaugh eventually got appropriate care in Massachusetts, where he had been granted bail.

“That was an amazing memory,” he says.

This month, Gaugh is back at the Vans Warped Tour alongside Sublime, celebrating the festival’s 30th anniversary. They’ll be performing with Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob on vocals. It was just announced that Sublime is one of the mystery bands scheduled to play shows in their home city of Long Beach. Long Beach will get to hear their new song, “Ensenada,” live before many others.

Thirty years on, I find myself astounded by the fact – it still feels surreal to say it – that now, we’re going to embark on this journey with Jakob. This is absolutely mind-blowing! I can hardly contain my excitement for him to be part of it, as we’ll share not only our own emotions but also live vicariously through his, creating an extraordinary experience for all of us. It’s a truly incredible feeling to be a proud uncle in this moment.

Following a break of six years, the Vans festival is making its comeback in collaboration with event production company Insomniac for a three-city tour spanning Washington D.C., Long Beach, and Orlando. The Long Beach shows will be held at the Shoreline Waterfront on July 26 and 27, showcasing a diverse lineup of prominent artists like Pennywise, Sublime, 311, Ice-T, Fishbone, All-American Rejects, the Vandals, and others. The festival will also reprise its popular extreme sports event featuring skateboarding and BMX exhibitions, in addition to art installations, vendors, a dedicated lounge for female musicians called “Gritty Garage”, and a temporary Vans Warped Tour Museum celebrating the festival’s 30-year heritage.

The Warped Tour holds a special place in me, as I’ve worked with numerous brands associated with it. I had Mayhem, Taste of Chaos, and around forty other branded ventures, most of which were more business-oriented. If I were to return at my age now (64), having been in the music industry for 45 years since the Goldenvoice days, I would do something that comes from the heart.

Lyman, who holds the position of associate professor at USC, was eager to resurrect the Warped Tour, with a significant push coming from Insomniac’s founder and CEO, Pasquale Rotella. Over time, Rotella persistently urged Lyman to consider the idea, and despite Insomniac having chances before to organize other rock events, Pasquale had his focus set on Warped Tour.

I stepped outside to consult with Kevin because I was aware of the immense enthusiasm surrounding our event, Warped Tour. People are eager to participate in something unique like this, and it perfectly aligns with our mission. Not only is there a significant overlap between attendees, but our company thrives on community-oriented events. I’m confident that few other brands, including those Kevin has collaborated with before, can boast such a dedicated community.

Instead of being primarily recognized for organizing electronic dance music festivals like Electric Daisy Music Carnival, Hard Summer Music Festival, and Beyond Wonderland, among others, Rotella also has ties to the punk rock world associated with Warped Tour. As a youngster, he was deeply involved in the skateboard and surf communities in L.A., which were teeming with punk rock enthusiasts. For him, participating in Warped Tour is like revisiting a scene and community that has always been an integral part of his upbringing.

In various circles, I’ve been an active participant – graffiti, skateboarding, surfing to name a few. I admire such a wide range of artistic expressions. What captivates me the most is the spirit and camaraderie within these unique subcultures. It’s rewarding to break down barriers and unite people, introduce them to new experiences, and create enjoyable moments. I believe Warped Tour excels at this task.

In 1995, Lyman launched the Warped Tour after spending years as a promoter and organizer in Los Angeles. His early career involved working under Gary Tovar, the founder of Goldenvoice – a company known for hosting events like Coachella, Cruel World, and Stagecoach. The idea for Warped Tour emerged from the eclectic shows Lyman was putting together nightly in L.A., with the inaugural festival showcasing bands such as No Doubt, Sublime, L7, Deftones, Face to Face, and numerous other ska, punk, indie, and alternative acts.

1995 marked the year when I was working tirelessly at clubs for approximately 320 nights, consistently listening to various bands each night. I was managing establishments such as Roxy, Whisky, Palace, Palladium, and numerous others that no longer exist. As I observed the audiences and reflected upon their differences, a thought occurred to me: ‘Why are we categorizing them into distinct groups? I believe there’s a great deal more common ground here.’ This is what Lyman expressed.

Although Warped Tour encompasses a range of musical genres, it has consistently been recognized as primarily a punk rock festival. As stated by Pennywise’s guitarist Fletcher Dragge, when his band debuted at Warped Tour in 1996, the lineup predominantly featured punk rock bands. On that same tour, Pennywise shared the stage with like-minded groups such as Rancid, Descendents, Bad Religion, and Social Distortion.

In essence, Dragge described it as a summer camp for rebellious punk rock enthusiasts, if you get my drift. We’d already participated in various festivals and tours, but nothing compared to this: here we were, surrounded by our friends, sharing meals, grilling, drinking beers, socializing, playing games like dice and poker, and even backing each other up on stage. It was an extraordinary experience that I had never encountered before. Although I never attended a summer camp myself, I can only imagine this one to have been the wildest summer camp ever.

According to Dragge, although Pennywise is performing alongside a variety of younger bands representing multiple genres this year – something he describes as different from the traditional setup at Vans festivals in the past – Dragge remains thrilled about encountering and exploring new acts within the music scene. He’s eagerly looking forward to checking out the promising new talent slated for this year’s Warped Tour.

He finds it uplifting. It gives him the sense that punk rock has a future and maintains its presence, it’s here to stay,” he expresses.

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Warped Tour transform from a small-scale event into one of the longest-running music festivals globally. As an ardent fan, I can confidently say that this tour truly deserves the utmost admiration of any festival on Earth. Its groundbreaking concept to roll a festival across the nation has left an indelible mark in the history of live music events, serving as the foundation for numerous other festivals today. In my opinion, it’s impressive how its innovative idea has been emulated by countless others in the industry.

I’m sharing credit for this incredible feat to Kevin. His exceptional skills will undoubtedly earn him a place in history as the most remarkable mastermind behind the largest, wildest punk rock spectacle ever to tour the world, according to Dragge.

Read More

2025-07-21 13:31

Previous post David Tennant and Michael Sheen’s “riotous” and “endearing” British series finds new UK streaming home
Next post What Love Island’s Harrison Solomon REALLY thinks of Women’s Aid ‘misogyny’ and ‘sexism’ claims and feelings over having sex with Lauren Wood on TV