
Vans Warped Tour (VWT) is a summer camp on wheels where music, athletes
and lifestyles co-mingle and thrive in an atmosphere dedicated to music
fans who are interested in punk, alternative, hip-hop, ska and reggae,
as well as action sports. Now entering its tenth year ,
the VWT has become America's longest running festival concert tour, responsible
for introducing music fans to such artists as No Doubt, Blink 182,
Eminem, Papa Roach, Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit , as well as creating
the blueprint for concert tour sponsorship integration, which includes
partnerships with corporations such as Target, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Pepsi,
Samsung, Cingular and Sony Electronics as well as maintaining street credibility
with “core” sponsors including Hurley International, Volcom, Epitaph Records,
Fat Wreck Chords and Title sponsor Vans, Inc.
Created and produced by Kevin Lyman and 4 Fini, Inc., the Vans Warped
Tour showcases over 50 bands a day on six stages, for 48 dates throughout
the U.S. and Canada . The tour also offers lifestyle attractions including Girlz
Garage (focused on female athletes, musicians and issues), Reverse
Day Care (an area where moshers can check-in their parents), Take Action
Area (local and national charity organizations), Ernie
Ball Battle of the Bands (live music competition in each market), Code
of the Cuts (hip hop and graffiti area), sponsor displays/booths
and grassroots merchandise booths. The tour is also unique in its support
of action sports, featuring skateboarding and freestyle bmx half-pipe demonstrations,
all featuring the world's best professional and amateur athletes.
Ticket prices are kept low (around $25), giving VWT the reputation of
being the best bargain in the industry. After nine years on the road the
tour continues to thrive, as evidenced by the 2003 tour, which saw an increase
in attendance from previous years (505,924 tickets sold) in a summer in
which the concert industry as a whole struggled to attract consumers.
www.warpedtour.com