PunkROC Warped Tour Best of Awards 2010

Warped was the annual sweaty, humid, punk-fest that we have come to know and love year after year. Just like last year, we did the rounds and observed dozens of bands. Below I present my votes for the best of the best of the Warped Tour 2010.

Mr. Congeniality
It was a tie this year between Roc/Syracuse-locals Polar Bear Club and Bouncing Souls. Before PBC got deep into their set on the AP stage, lead singer Jimmy Stadt humbly thanked the huge crowd that had turned out for their support and yielded some serious cheers from their Western NY fanbase. Bouncing Souls on the other hand, though drawing hundreds to their show on the main stage, offered pieces of their time slot to a few smaller acts to get their names out to a bigger audience.

Best West Coast Import
Ok, it has become increasingly obvious that I am crazy in love with this band, so I'll keep it short. Best West Coast Import goes to Set Your Goals of San Francisco, CA.

Most Motivational
Without a doubt in my mind this winner is Buffalo natives Every Time I Die. Though Flatfoot 56 was able to coax an Egyptian-themed circle pit out of only a couple dozen fans, ETID was able to move their hundreds of fans to follow instructions, even in the height of the steamy Darien heat. Although I'm sure their request to acheive the biggest Warped circle pit for The Guinness Book of Records was just a ploy, they sure did rock out the main stage with a vengeance.

Best Bioootch
Ok, so this one is a satirical award this year. The best bitch I saw was Tyson Ritter of All American Rejects. Somewhere along the way between 2005 and present day, I think some exec thought it was a good idea for them to "stay relevant" by emo-ing themselves out in image while maintaining their poppy rock tunes. Ritter looks like he crawled out of his coke den just long enough to put on a white suit (?) and stumble through the songs that made them big years ago. Lamest. Warped. Act. Ever.

Best of Show
I was going to reluctantly settle into watching Suicide Silence, when on a whim I rechecked the schedule of bands. Already pissed I had missed the early showing of The Mighty Regis, I saw that I could catch my other Celtic recommendation, Flatfoot 56 just around the corner. True to their roots, they rocked out with bagpipe and mandolin. In fact, I now want to marry Brandon Good, the mandolin player, based solely on his enthusiasm and stage presence. They stuck to true punk roots with their styling and execution and the fans responded like they were the second coming. Overall in the Celtic-punk arena they are my new favorites and highly suggest that everyone should check them out too.

Warped 2010

In grand PunkROC tradition, it has come time to herald in this year's Warped Tour at Darien Lake with a run down of the must-see acts on our leg of the tour. Just like last year, take a look below and you will see my recommendations:

Roc City locals:
Sirens and Sailors
Polar Bear Club

Bands we already have a love affair with that we'll absolutely be elbowing through the crowd to see:
Alkaline Trio
Anarbor
Andrew WK
Breathe Carolina
Bring Me the Horizon
Eyes Set to Kill
Four Year Strong
Mayday Parade
Motion City Soundtrack
Reel Big Fish
Set Your Goals
The Bouncing Souls
The Casualties
The Swellers
We the Kings

Bands that are new/new-ish to us that we'll throw down with a poseur 15 year-old to get a good look at:
AM Taxi
Far From Finished
Fight Fair
Left Alone
Middle Finger Salute
Of Mice and Men
Suicide Silence
The Flatliners
The Mighty Regis

But, let's be honest, so many awesome acts I saw last year I stumbled upon traveling between stages. Don't forget your closed-toed shoes and a shitload of sunscreen, Warped Tour 2010 is upon us!

100 posts

For my 100th post, I'm celebrating this scorching Rochester summer day with some older summer tunes. I fell in love with a boy at the rock show. No really, Warped Tour 2005: It happened somewhere between MXPX and Fall Out Boy. Now, taste my throwback anthem for impending Warped Tour 2010:

#MusicMonday

Back again to my favorite Twitter day of the week, #MusicMonday. This week, in preparation for Warped Tour which is rapidly approaching, I'm listening to my favorite British thrashers, Bring Me the Horizon. Be sure to keep an eye out for my upcoming epic Warped posts, and check the boys of BMTH out yourself on July 14th at Darien Lake.

Christmas come early

As if preparing this girl's Christmas list early, Warped Tour pit reporter, Tiffany Mink, dropped a vlog post today that brings the official announcement of the Warped Tour acts for 2010. This year, the tour is coming to Darien Lake July 14th, and here's a breakdown of what and who we're looking forward to this summer:

The Casualties
Eyes Set to Kill
Polar Bear Club (Roc City WHAT?)
Sum 41
Set Your Goals
Reel Big Fish (Ska love)
Motion City Soundtrack
You Me at Six
Andrew W.K. (Classically trained)
Fight Fair
Bring Me the Horizon (UK amazing)
Call the Cops

At 6:00 We Go Live

Pop-punk rockers, Hit the Lights, are coming to Mohawk Place in Buffalo this Sunday, SUNDAY, Sunday. Ordinarily, we love a good 'ol pop punk show, but this band earns one better because two of HTL's members are none other than Rochester natives.

The ROC kids, guitarist Kevin Mahoney and drummer Nate Van Dame, helped bring the noise this summer at Warped Tour in Darien Lake. Even though the temperature was rising and that lovely Western New York humidity was making the day predictably unbearable, seeing Kevin bust out his KKBB shorts made the show.

We love their enthusiasm and showmanship, while turning out tracks that are lyrically relatable and laid over poppy, upbeat guitars and rock-solid drums. Even though the weather is getting cold in this section of the world, their tunes are pure summer.

Time: 6:30 PM at Mohawk Place (featuring There For Tomorrow, Vinnie Caruana, Sparks the Rescue, & Oh No Not Stereo)
Damage: $13

punkROC Warped Tour Best of Awards 2009

Well, we did the paces, walked the fairgrounds and observed dozens of bands. Now, we present our votes for the best of the best of the Warped Tour.

Mr. Congeniality
The Architects earned the spot of Mr. Congeniality for their honest and truthful songs. Ok, so really the lead singer announced "We write songs about two topics: drugs and law enforcement." But, this gritty cross between Bad Religion and Lit really knows how to tear up the guitar solo.

Best West Coast Import
Brokencyde is the proof that not far under their pallid skin and band tee, every punker has a dirty, dirty need for hip hop. As I crested the hill at Darien leaving the lawn behind me, the crowd to see them spoke loud and clear-this band is on the brink of doing big things. Their emphatic MCs and infectious T-Pain-esque tracks satisfies the same need that Travis Barker drumming over Soulja Boi did. We can't wait for more!

Most Motivational
With song after song of "untitled" tunes (Lead singer Craig claimed them to be nameless, only known as "Crowd participation song 1-5"), Chiodos had the massive, undulating, moshing crowd obeying at their every whim. Particularly when they asked for us to beat the record of 73+ crowd surfers simultaneously.

Best Bioootch
British rockers, Tat, won the coveted Best Bioootch spot with their shrewd but sexy female lead, Tatiana DeMaria. Particularly when she zeroed in on the one guy who knew the words in the crowd, fan Shane, and brought him up to duet on their smash Bloodstain. Tat blended ska riffs and power guitar solos, all while DeMaria rocked out smashing-ly.

Next Big Thing/Best of Show
Our favorite neighbor to the north, Toronto, provided us the opportunity to the international award category with our new loves, Down With Webster. Canada's answer to the Gym Class Heroes, septet Webster acts out whole story lines in their theatrical rock/hip hop set. The fact that one of their several MCs sounded oddly like Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys adds to the entertainment.

punkROC Warped Tour Best of Awards 2009

Our winners:

Mr. Congeniality: The Architects

Next Big Thing/Best of Show: Down with Webster

Most Motivational: Chiodos

Best Bioootch: Tat

Best West Coast Import: BrokenCYDE

Warped '09

We finally sat down, went through the set list and boiled it down to our favorite acts for Warped Tour 2009 at Darien Lake. Here are our recommendations:

Bands we already have a love affair with that we'll absolutely be elbowing through the crowd to see:

Alexisonfire
Anti-flag
Bad Religion
Big D & the Kids Table
Chiodos
Dear & the Headlights
Flogging Molly
Hit the Lights
Kelsey & the Chaos
Less than Jake
NOFX
Streetlight Manifesto
The Devil Wears Prada
The Maine
The White Tie affair
TV/TV

Bands that are new/new-ish to us that we'll throw down with a poseur 15 year-old to get a good look at:

A Rocket To The Moon
Breathe Carolina
brokeNCYDE
Down With Webster
Gallows
I Set My Friends On Fire
ivy league
Monty Are I
Westbound Train