BANDS
The Warped Experience
August 5, 2005
What do you get when you throw thousands of hot girls, dozens of punk rock, ska and metal bands, and local skate boarders all in one place? WARPED TOUR 05' baby! Held in the Silverdome's parking lot for the third time in a row, Pontiac boasted the largest crowd on the US Tour this year! The line-up included many newbies, such as Fallout Boy, Halifax , Hawthorne Heights and My Chemical Romance, while sticking true to the veterans and booking bands like The Suicide Machines, Dropkick Murphys, Millencolin and Strung Out.

At around noon , Fallout Boy took the stage, attracting the most beautiful of teenage chicks to all flock together in a massive mosh pit, resulting in the biggest crowd I've ever seen on the Tour in the last 5 years! As the day got hotter the crowds got bigger. Sooner or later clusters of punks turned into angry circle pits, while people in the back crowd surfed their way right up to the barricade, giving them the chance to be only three feet away from their idols. Although the set-up and structure of the show was a little different than the last few years, everything seemed to workout for everyone. Instead of keeping the main stages right next to each other, they were separated far across the parking lot with smaller stages next to each, giving indie bands the exposure they deserve. Between the stages, clothing and food stands stretched across the parking lot, enabling everyone to shop and eat without having to leave the event.

The crowd itself was diverse on all different levels, including folks sporting tattoo's, leather, spikes and gauged ears to young girls wearing Abercrombie shirts and skirts so short any man over 18 would feel like a pedophile. The best part of the show, however, was the bands themselves. During the course of the day I had the pleasure of talking with members of Thrice, Dropkick Murphys, Strung Out and Halifax. After giving the crowd incredible half hour sets, these dudes took the time to have a word and sign autographs with the fans. If you haven't yet made it out to a Warped Tour, don't miss out on the largest punk rock extravaganza next summer.

We at the Smalltown Lowdown would like to thank the fans, bands and directors of Warped Tour, and also the crew at Forplay TV for providing interviews with the bands. Stay tuned for interviews and reviews of local and big time bands in the next few issues!

Warp Tour '05 Gallery here

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