While Rock Feed said Lyman would be heavily involved in the tour, Live Nation would oversee the event. This did not particularly pique fans’ interests, knowing Live Nation’s infamous business practices. The entertainment conglomerate was recently targeted in an antitrust lawsuit alongside its ticketing subsidiary Ticketmaster over their alleged monopolistic practices, including the use of “Dynamic Pricing” and anti-competitive behaviors.
Warped fans are worried that Live Nation’s involvement would lead to expensive tickets, pricing-out longtime concertgoers. One of the main appeals of Warped Tour was their affordable $40 tickets — no matter the location.
Already, the festival announced that two-day presale passes start at $149.98 — fees included. Tickets head on sale on October 24 at 12 p.m. EST / 9 a.m. PST.
Warped tour, which launched in 1995, helped punk and rock bands rise to stardom like Paramore, Bring Me The Horizon, A Day to Remember, Simple Plan, and Sleeping With Sirens, while also bringing-in big-name acts like Less Than Jake, Green Day, Blink-182, and Reel Big Fish. Additionally, hip-hop and pop stars graced the stage periodically, bringing-in stars like Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, The Black Eyed Peas, Eminem, Riff Raff, and more.
In 2018, the festival celebrated its final full-scale year, featuring Warped veterans like Falling In Reverse, The Amity Affliction, Four Year Strong, The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, We The Kings, Sum 41, Mayday Parade, and All Time Low. At the time, Lyman shared he was “happy to get the chance to travel around the country one more time” and “bring you another best day ever.”
Then, to celebrate Warped Tour’s 25th anniversary, three celebratory events were held in Cleveland, Atlantic City, and Mountain View. The shows also marked the return of the All-American Rejects, who hadn’t released a record since 2012, and fans had the chance to experience motocross sports as “an exhibit of art that has come out of the tour’s history.”
While several traveling rock festivals have popped-up over the years, including the DISRUPT Festival, Sad Summer Fest, Summer School, and Is For Lovers Fest — as well as the two-day emo revival festival When We Were Young in Las Vegas — nothing has been able to replicate the true nostalgic nature of Warped Tour.
