That Buzzing Sound: Showcase: 2012 Vans Warped Tour Kick Off Party @ Club Nokia (03/29/12)

We ended March crashing a rock show like no other, #afterthebreak…

Vans Warp Tour 2012 Kick Off Party @ Club Nokia (03/29/2012)
Featuring:
Forever Came Calling, Matt Toka, Yellowcard, Dead Sara, The Used, & Falling in Reverse

(re-edited: 11/11/2023)

Concert Review:

Even though you are reading this someday on Sunday, in fact it these words came to life Saturday night during a quiet drunken phase. Just got home from the bar and was feeling like my old writer self. Liquor, in all it’s heavenly forms, usually equals inspiration for me. The music helps too.

What I experienced Thursday at Club Nokia was spur of the moment and full of surprises. Heard about a smaller show at the House of Blues that morning and asked the ‘Master of Picksysticks‘ if I could tag along. He welcomed my request, but before the end of my shift he told me he was going to this Vans Warp Tour Kick Off Party. For he was formally invited by The Warp Tour to cover the party, seeing how he was a press regular. I thought…even better! We tend to see girly / hipster bands and need a bit more rock ‘n’ roll in our life. Purchased my ticket, threw on my black, pieced my ears, dyed my hair red, got a tat of a naked 1950s pin up girl on my back, and we were ready!

Overall, the whole showcase was quite cool. Picksysticks treated me well, even though I wasn’t V.I.P. status this time around. I arrived halfway through the Vans Warp Tour official short film chronicling their epic tour from 2010. What I took away from it was the community didn’t like ‘Hollywood’ Mike Posner. He was boo’d during multiple sections of the film. What I really loved was all the many stories told to us from the lovable Vans Warp Tour characters who live the life of carnies for a good month. Seeing their struggles and hearing their nuggets of joy, really fleshed out a concert event that I never really took the time to learn & experience. Now, no excuse. I get it too. I’ve lived on the road for months, and totally know the need for a home shower.

Halfway through the screening Picksysticks snuck me into the VIP area, where all the bands were networking and getting drunk. Yes, very rock ‘n’ roll of me as I kept my right hand behind my back during the duration of my stay. No one seem to question me though. Think it was my camera, seeing how we were surrounded by bloggers & photographers. Picksysticks got full coverage of the Press Conference…will reblog it when it goes live in a few days. Rolling Stone got amazing coverage as well, check theirs out too!

After a beer, I was introduced to a Picksysticks favorite — The Dollyrots. They absolutely love them! We chatted for a bit but I was more focused on not getting caught. Probably came off mousey and dull with nothing to say. They didn’t seem to mind. We still had fun, ending in a photo session in a tent area. Promised I would see them live, so expect that showcase soon! We headed down after that as the film was wrapping up.

Warp Tour founder Kevin Lyman was the host for the night’s entertainment acting as MC in between each performance. He was very proud of all the groups featured at the party, seeing how they represent the eclectic mix of artists found probably on the biggest festivals of the summer. It’s not just about punk, heavy metal, rap, acoustic…it’s all good music. It’s a roster with legends to fresh rookies looking to make a name before the masses. Warp Tour is just one of the events that needs to be experienced in all it’s raw flavor because you never know what you might find.

One of the feature characters showcased in the film was the night’s opening act — Forever Came Calling. The battle worn Cali-based ‘Dudes in a Band‘ specialized in pop punk fusion that was influenced by the likes of Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, At The Drive In, etc. They weren’t what I was expecting really. Sounded like a young Blink-182 with their hard hitting rifts with poppy lyrics. The crowd was really vibing them. One guy, most likely their friend, knew every lyric while singing it back to them.

The up and comer right after, Matt Toka, was what I expected. He was like a punk offspring of The Offspring and Good Charlotte. That’s a compliment by the way. With songs like “Get Money” & “666“, you kind of know what you’re getting. Might sound cliché, but his energy takes all his sounds to a high res level. His set was fueled by energy. Thought his green hair was monster energy drink being pumped directly into his head. Like Bane but of punk.

After two pumped up performances, the night’s first special guest took the stage. To my surprise, it was B4M Favorite & Warp Tour Alum — Yellowcard. Strange enough, we first saw Ryan Key perform back in January as Cassadee Pope‘s special guest. Lightning does strike twice as Yellowcard was in the cards this whole time. The trio only performed two songs acoustically — “Sing For Me” & “Ocean Avenue“. There songs sound better acoustically, I think. One of the heavier fans threw a piece of paper at Ryan, which he responded like it has happened before. He wasn’t afraid. Quite badass.

What followed blew my fucking socks off & melted my face…their name was “Dead Sara“. Picksysticks had seen them three times up until this night and I still didn’t know what to expect. Happy to report, what I experienced was sure unbridal awesomeness that was delivered with such power. Dead Sara’s lead singer — Emily Armstrong — has the voice of what I imagine the mythological siren exuded in her fury. Their sound is very Joplin-Hendricks with hints of Rage Against The Machine building in the beat. It worked perfectly and all I really wanted to do was rage…yet, paralyzed by her amazing voice. By the end of their set, Club Nokia had witnessed pure rock ‘n’ rock at it’s finest and I was left saying to myself, “holy fuck”.

And it only got better as The Used took the stage.

Heard whispers that they were the special guests, but didn’t believe it until I saw it for myself. I was smitten. They hit a few notes from Smells like Teen Spirit as they broke into their epic set…book ending two new tracks from Vulnerable with two classics labeled as the best songs ever written. We chanted for an encore but Kevin said they weren’t ‘prepped’. If we had it our way, they would’ve closed the night. It was a stand-out performance from the Warp Tour Vets as they prepare to make another run with the longest running festival after their 10 year hiatus. We wish them all the best!

The showcase was headlined by new comers Falling In Reverse but I wasn’t really feeling their glam / post-hardcore rock sound. That doesn’t mean they didn’t put on a show. Lead singer Ronnie Radke spun his mic in a whirlwind, and at one point it landed in the crowd. Hopefully no one got hurt. Plus, the elevated wooden stages for each band member gave them something to play on. Like animals. Which is a good analogy for their performances with big high notes & all the hopping. The crowd was into them though, majorly. Maybe I was just out of the loop. Nothing really wrong with it…just didn’t get it. We left after three songs, seeing how Picksysticks had to be in the office early. I, on the other hand, had the full day to recover.

2012’s Vans Warp Tour is set to be another classic and with band like the one’s we saw Thursday night at Club Nokia…I have no doubt you will not be disappointed this summer. Thanks for letting us crash the party! Sorry for typos and grammar mistakes. Enjoy all our guerrilla pictures below!!

~~Warp Tour Dates:~~