- The Warped Tour, sponsored by skater foot-wear Van's, has been an ongoing punk/rock/alt festival since 1994. It has been looked at as primarily a God-send for kids - both fans and performers alike - to have place to meet en masse and enjoy music of all genres. From its beginnings, the festival has tried to keep prices down, and affordable for kids, as well as offering flea-market styled areas where bands can meet fans and sell merchandise relatively inexpensively. The show itself really has covered a wide-range of music over the years, especially considering there being up to 100 bands per show at times. One can find punk, rock, ska, hardcore, metal, swing, alternative, emo, lounge, and an assortment of other genres. More than a few occasions featured such extremes of bands as Cherry Popping Daddy's along with a Japanese Iron Maiden cover band to some classic old-school punk bands. Although there have been criticisms of commercialism and some pompous "rock star" attitudes with some newer bands, overall the Warped Tour is still one of the best bets for outdoor music festivals. It's almost a continuing Woodstock of the newest generations, and definitely the longest running.
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