3OH!3 unveil new album/single.

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   Photo Finish recording duo 3OH!3 have announced the release of their eagerly anticipated new album. "OMENS" arrives everywhere this Fall. "OMENS" will be preceded by the new single, "YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS," set to go on sale at all DSPs beginning July 10th. Written and produced by 3OH!3, the single comes hot on the heels of the recently released album track, "DO OR DIE," which is streaming now at Photo Finish's official YouTube channel, located at www.youtube.com/watch?v=mphYTYKoOvA. "OMENS" follows 2010's "STREETS OF GOLD," which made a stunning top 10 entry on the Billboard 200 after its first week of release. The album sees 3OH!3 continuing to push the envelope with their distinctive mash-up of electro, pop, rock, punk, and hip hop. 

3OH!3 will herald their new music -- including the debut airing of "YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS" -- with a live Ustream fan chat, today Monday, July 9th at 3:03pm EDT. For complete details, please see www.3oh3music.com. 

The Boulder, Colorado-based duo has also slated a number of live dates surrounding the album's release. Highlights include a free show at The Toronto Star Bandshell - Bandshell Park on August 28th (presented as part of the upcoming Canadian National Exhibition) and Channel 93.3's Big Gig at their homestate's famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre on September 16th. Furthermore, a major European tour is set for November, with headline shows booked in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.K. A North American itinerary will be unveiled shortly -- please see www.3oh3music.com/tour for up-to-the-minute news and information.

3OH!3 first exploded onto an unsuspecting mainstream with 2008's breakthrough second album, "WANT." Fueled by the 3x RIAA platinum certified, #1 smash hit, "Don't Trust Me" and its platinum certified follow-up, "Starstrukk (Feat. Katy Perry)," the album earned gold certification and cumulative digital track sales in excess of 6.5 million.

The duo returned with a bang in 2010, unleashing yet another platinum certified single in the top 10 hit, "My First Kiss (Feat. Ke$ha)." "STREETS OF GOLD" received an array of critical accolades, with Alternative Press featuring 3OH!3 on the cover and praising the album in a four-out-of-five starred review for "(sweeping) across a broad range of stylistic tones, maintaining levity while dabbling in comparably serious musical pursuits." 

A genuinely stunning live act, 3OH!3 has sold out shows around the world, earning a "Best Tour" nomination at the 2009 mtvU Awards. Other accolades include a pair of prestigious MTV Video Music Awards nods, including "Best New Artist" and "Best Collaboration" (for "My First Kiss").

3OH!3 has also been all over the TV, with appearances on ABC's Live With Regis & Kelly, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and more . In addition, the duo's distinctive music was ever-present in a host of TV shows, including ABC's Dancing With The Stars, The CW's The Vampire Diaries, and MTV's The City, The Hills, The Real World, and The Buried Life. 3OH!3 were even featured in a question on the syndicated game show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. 

3OH!3 is Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte.

For more, see www.3oh3music.com, www.myspace.com/3oh3, www.facebook.com/3oh3music, www.twitter.com/3oh3, and www.photofinishrecords.com.

Alien Ant Farm begin work on fourth album.

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   ALIEN ANT FARM (@alienantfarm) has entered Groovemaster Studios in Chicago, IL to begin work on their fourth album, which will be released early 2013 on the Executive Music Group label.

The Southern California band’s original line-up--Dryden Mitchell (lead vocals), Mike Cosgrove (drums), Terry Corso (guitar), Tye Zamora (bass)--will record new songs together for the first time since 2003 with Grammy® Award nominee Johnny K (Disturbed, Staind, 3 Doors Down), as well as other producers within the next few months. This new approach utilizing various experts in the field will enhance the recording process, capturing ALIEN ANT FARM’s evolving musical direction, growth and creative style.

“The band is extremely fired up about going into this record,” proclaims singer Dryden Mitchell. “We've had the fortune in the past to work with some of the best in the business (Jay Baumgardner, the DeLeo brothers, Jim Wirt, James Murray) in some of the greatest studios (NRG, Conway, Glitter Dungeon). Johnny K is no exception to the batting average, and his studio in Chicago rivals all the greats. We all plan on a ‘newer’ sound for the band, at the same time keeping other Pop-Rock bands in check. This ain't your Soccer Mom's band, but she can come backstage for an hour or two.”

ALIEN ANT FARM started their music career in 2001 with ANThology, which was released on Papa Roach’s New Noize imprint on DreamWorks Records. Thanks to the #1 single, “Smooth Criminal,” the album reached double-Platinum status. 2003’s truANT, produced by Stone Temple Pilots’ Dean and Robert DeLeo, cracked the Top 25 and “Glow” hit #1 on charts outside the U.S. despite the imminent folding of its record label. The band has toured all over the world with Linkin Park, Metallica, 311, and Papa Roach, and has sold over 3.5 million records worldwide.

In October 2011, the band was part of the Michael Forever tribute concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales along with Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo, Smokey Robinson and others. They performed two Michael Jackson songs: their smash hit #1 single, a remake of “Smooth Criminal,” and “PYT (Pretty Young Thing).”

More details about the new album and forthcoming tour plans will be announced in the coming months.

EXECUTIVE MUSIC GROUP (EMG):
Formed in 2004 by Jacob Capricciuolo and managed in conjunction with Jimmy Swan, Executive Music Group (EMG) is an innovative music entertainment company based in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX. EMG does not abide by traditional industry standards, but instead combines the strength of multiple promo teams to tailor fit artist campaigns and develop accordingly. Breaking two Billboard #1 history records, EMG is equipped with a team strong in strategy, integrity, and reality to break the mold of yesterday, create the new foundation for tomorrow, while being relevant to the industry of today.

www.alienantfarm.com
www.facebook.com/alienantfarmband
www.twitter.com/alienantfarm
www.myspace.com/alienantfarm
www.ExecutiveMusic.com

Chiodos announces summer and fall tour dates featuring reunited lineup.

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   Michigan-based post-hardcore outfit Chiodos, featuring a recently reunited lineup of Craig Owens (vocals), Bradley Bell (keyboards), Jason Hale (guitar), Pat McManaman (guitar), Matt Goddard (bass) and Derrick Frost (drums), has announced a multitude of summer and fall tour dates and festival performances.

The upcoming shows will be Chiodos' first time performing with this lineup since 2009.

"Everyone seems really excited to be doing this again, which was something I honestly didn't think I would ever say at one point," explains Bell, one of the band's founding members. "Now it just feels right and we're looking forward to playing shows and making more music together.”

Owens agrees, adding, "It's crazy to think that it's been almost three years...and that in less than one month, we'll all be on the same stage together again. Until then, we are all just preparing for whatever may happen next with an optimistic view on it all; Thankful to be playing music we love, with people we respect."

A new teaser video featuring behind-the-scenes footage of their recent rehearsals has also been released today and can be found on youtube.com/chiodos.

Chiodos originally formed in 2001 and went on to later release two full-length records together with this lineup. Their first full-length album, All's Well That End's Well, was released on July 26, 2005, debuting at #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #164 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Bone Palace Ballet, the band's follow-up full-length, was released on September 4, 2007 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Independent, Alternative, Rock and Hard Rock Charts and #5 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. To date, the two albums combined have sold over 500k units worldwide. The band will be performing songs from both All's Well That End's Well and Bone Palace Ballet at the upcoming shows.

Tickets for the Chiodos' headlining show in Cleveland and for all festival dates, and pre-sale tickets for the remaining headline shows, are on sale now.

VIP packages, which include a ticket, two song acoustic set at soundcheck, meet and greet with the entire band, commemorative laminate and a poster, are available for all headlining shows. For more information regarding tickets, please visit chiodostix.com. All upcoming tour dates can be found below.

Chiodos
Aug 10 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's w/ The Most Dangerous Animal & Bell Histoire
Aug 11 Birch Run, MI @ Birch Run Expo Center - Dirt Fest
Aug 18 Pontiac, MI @ Pontiac Silverdome - Motors & Music

Chiodos w/A Loss For Words, Before Their Eyes, Set It Off
Aug 24 New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
Aug 25 Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Aug 26 Boston, MA @ Royale

Chiodos
Sep 14 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection w/The Word Alive
Sep 15 Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
Sep 16 Chicago, IL @ Humboldt Park - Riot Fest
Oct 13 Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom - Firefest 5

Nothing but MAYHEM!

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The Devil Wears Prada: 

I've seen The Devil Wears Prada roughly six or seven times over the years at various festivals and tours and this was definitely my favorite to date. Vocalist Mike Hranica's voice was a lot better than the last few times I've seen them; a lot more consistency and energy as well. The rest of the band had their usual amount of energy - lackluster at best. I still love hearing "Oh my God...they're everywhere" before the breakdown in "Escape", otherwise - basically the same set you always get from The Devil Wears Prada. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 9
Overall Sound: 8.5
Band Activity: 7
Overall Rating: 9 

Setlist: 

1. Born to Lose
2. Escape
3. Outnumbered
4. Assistant to the Regional Manager
5. Dead Throne
6. Constance
7. Danger: Wildman
8. Dez Moines 

As I Lay Dying: 

I haven't seen As I Lay Dying since 2009's No Fear Energy Music tour with Lamb of God and Children of Bodom. I wasn't a big fan of them then but their music since has definitely gotten my attention. Their set list for this tour was definitely more focused on their older albums - Frail Worlds Collapse and Shadows are Security - which was definitely a treat for me since those are two of my favorite metal albums. The crowd went absolutely insane from the opening riff of "Condemned" and didn't slow down until the final note of "The Sound of Truth". Definitely one of the better sets of the day. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 9
Overall Rating: 9.5                     

Setlist: 

1. Condemned
2. 94 Hours
3. Through Struggle
4. Nothing Left
5. Cauterize
6. Confined
7. The Sound of Truth 

Anthrax: 

Going into Mayhem, Anthrax was definitely my #2 band (behind Slipknot) and it wasn't hard to see why. Singer Joey Belladonna has one of the better sounding voices of singers his age, which definitely helps Anthrax appeal to younger fans. Scott Ian is still the most recognizable member of the band with his signature bald head and long goatee and can shred like none other. It also doesn't hurt to have a guy like bassist Frank Bello who had at least double the energy of every other band member. 

While they unveiled their Mayhem setlist back in May at Rock on the Range, it was still a treat to hear songs like "I Am the Law" and "Antisocial Again". Plus, it never hurts to open a set with "Caught in a Mosh". Anthrax was easily the second best band there and arguably the best by some accounts. They completely blew fellow "Big 4" band Slayer off the stage. 

Vocals: 9.5
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 9.5 

Setlist: 

1. Caught in a Mosh
2. Got the Time [Joe Jackson cover]
3. Fight 'Em Till You Can't
4. Antisocial [Trust cover]
5. Indians
6. Madhouse
7. I Am the Law Asking Alexandria: 

I was expecting The Devil Wears Prada to be the least accepted band on the bill but it turned out that Asking Alexandria would take over that role. While I enjoy Asking Alexandria, the rest of the crowd didn't really seem to. There were definitely some hardcore Asking Alexandria fans in the crowd, but overall playing before Motorhead definitely didn't suit them well. 

Vocalist Danny Worsnop had the least amount of energy from the times that I've seen them and didn't really seem as invested in the show as he usually did. Guitarists Cameron Liddell, Ben Bruce and bassist Sam Bettley tried to make up for his lack of effort, but even they fell short. They were definitely substantially better at last years Warped Tour; though I guess that was more their element - which probably had a lot to do with it. Still, they weren't bad. Just not as good as they've been in times past. 

Vocals: 8
Crowd Response: 7
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 9
Overall Rating: 8.5 

Setlist: 

1. Welcome
2. Closure
3. Breathless
4. A Lesson Never Learned
5. To the Stage
6. Dear Insanity
7. Morte et Dabo 

Motorhead: 

I'm probably going to take a lot of flak for this, but damn Motorhead are boring. Don't get me wrong, I love their music and totally respect what they've done for rock and metal, but good lord are they boring. Much like Scott Ian is for Anthrax, Motorhead singer Lemmy Kilmister is easily the face of the band and one of the most iconic figures in hard rock and metal. His voice is just as solid now as it was when he formed Motorhead in 1975. It was definitely nice to hear songs like "The Chase is Better Than the Catch" and "Ace of Spades". 

Vocals: 7
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 8
Band Activity: 3
Overall Rating: 7 

Setlist: 

1. Bomber
2. Damage Case
3. I Know How to Die
4. Stay Clean
5. Over the Top
6. The Chase is Better Than the Catch
7. The One to Sing the Blues
8. Going to Brazil
9. Killed by Death
10. Ace of Spades
11. Overkill 

Slayer: 

I don't care how good a band sounds, if they're boring live then they're boring live. Slayer might write something amazing tunes and they all translate well live, but if there's no energy to your live performance, it's hard for people to stay tuned in if they're not a huge fan of your band. That's how I've always felt with Slayer.

Hearing songs like "Disciple", "Jesus Saves" and "Angel of Death" is always good, but I just can't get over how boring they are. 

Vocals: 8
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 8
Band Activity: 6
Overall Rating: 8 

Setlist: 

1. Disciple
2. War Ensemble
3. Die by the Sword
4. Hate Worldwide
5. Mandatory Suicide
6. Altar of Sacrifice
7. Jesus Saves
8. Seasons in the Abyss
9. Hell Awaits
10. Dead Skin Mask
11. Angel of Death 

Encore: 

12. South of Heaven
13. Raining Blood 

Slipknot: 

Slipknot was the reason I wanted to cover Mayhem this year. I've seen Slipknot eight times since 2004 (including twice on this years Mayhem). Sadly I missed covering the 2008 installment of Mayhem (only one I haven't covered) due to a family trip. Then in 2009 I was supposed to shoot their tour with direct support from Trivium and Coheed & Cambria but due to a mix up at the box office, a pass wasn't there. Needless to say when I heard they were denying approximately 90% of photographers for this year's performance, I was pretty disappointed; not to mention frustrated that it was looking like I'd never get to photograph my favorite band. Thankfully, a friend of mine who runs the website Pop Culture Madness was able to get a pass and she let me shoot for their publication. 
On to the actual show review... 

As I've stated, Slipknot's my favorite band. A lot of people question the necessity of having nine members in a band (eight after the passing of bassist Paul Gray in 2010), but if you're a fan of Slipknot, you understand it. Each member has a role in the band. Not just in terms of the music, but their personality as well. Each member brings their own unique take on their music and visual aesthetic to an already over-the-top live show. Sure everyone knows front man (#8) Corey Taylor, drummer (#1) Joey Jordison and guitarist (#4) Jim Root, but a lot of what makes Slipknot shows special are the antics of "smaller" band members like percussionists (#6) - Clown and (#3) Chris Fehn, DJ/sampler tandem (#0) Sid Wilson and (#5) Craig Jones and fellow guitarist (#7) Mick Thomson. 

Even though it'd been a few years since the last time I'd seen them, they were by far at the top of their game. Due to their ages, they're nowhere near as over-the-top live as they used to be, but that doesn't mean they're slouches now. Clown and Sid are still easily the craziest on stage. Clown's drum riser is constantly rising up and down in the air during their set and that's soon followed by Sid leaving his DJ kit to hang and jump off of Clown's riser. It's truly a sight to behold. 

Corey's voice has definitely improved a lot. Not that it was ever below par, but I think his time in Stone Sour has helped the overall quality of his voice helping him move between screaming and singing verses. 

One of the best parts of this show and tour was not just their actions on stage or their stage set up...it was their set list. Since they're not touring in support of an album, they're album to have the freedom to fully choose the setlist they want and I loved it. This set list features 9/14 songs coming from their first two albums including songs like "Disasterpiece", "Gently" and "The Heretic Anthem" which I haven't seen them play in awhile. Obviously there were other fan favorites like "Sulfur" and "Before I Forget", which I could've personally done without, but overall one of the better setlists I've seen them use. I also loved the use of "'Till we Die" as their outro, paying homage to recently deceased bassist Paul Gray. Touching and emotional. 

One of the other perks for me was being able to watch their entire set from the second show I went to - July 29th in Bristow, VA - from the side of the stage (Pictured below). Easily one of the highlights of all the concerts I've been to and a fitting way to end my stint at Mayhem 2012. 

Vocals: 9.5
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 10 

Setlist: 

742617000027 [Intro]
1. (Sic)
2. Eyeless
3. Sulfur
4. Wait and Bleed
5. Before I Forget
6. Disasterpiece
7. Gently
8. Vermillion
9. The Heretic Anthem
10. Psychosocial
11. Duality
12. Spit it Out 

Encore: 

13. People = Shit
14. Surfacing
'Till We Die [Outro] 

Warped Recap.

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All Time Low 

Maryland's-own All Time Low was definitely one of the most popular bands on the main stage this year. It'd been a few years since I last saw All Time Low - I believe it was the 2010 Bamboozle Roadshow - and they've definitely grown on me. Not that I didn't enjoy them before, but I never really gave them a chance after seeing them by listening to their music. I wouldn't consider myself a big fan now, but I definitely enjoy listening to a few songs of theirs now and then. 

Guitarist Jack Barakat was a lot of fun to photograph. At one point he came over to me and pointed at my Ravens t-shirt and started screaming "FUCK YEAH!" (pictured below). Vocalist Alex Gaskarth has a really catchy voice that's perfect for their style of music. 

Their crowd, mostly consisting of teenage girls, was so packed that I almost missed shooting their set because I couldn't get through them fast enough. Clearly I underestimated the power of pop/rock. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 9.5 

Setlist: 

1. Damned if I Do Ya (Damned if I Don't)
2. Lost in Stereo
3. Heroes
4. Time-Bomb
5. The Reckless and the Brave
6. Jasey Rae
7. Weightless
8. Dear Maria, Count Me In 

Anti-Flag 

Sadly Anti-Flag and The Used were not participating in the full tour so I chose the Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh) date so I'd be able to see both of them. The last time I saw Anti-Flag was at Warped Tour 2004. One of my biggest complaints about their set back then - and my biggest for seeing them again - was whether they were going to spend 2/3 of their set bitching about politics rather than playing their music. 

I understand that Anti-Flag are overtly political so to a point you should know what you're getting when you see them, but frankly I wanted to see them play music rather than standing on their soapbox for twenty minutes. Thankfully they did play a long set with very little bantering. 

Charging through ten songs spanning their career including classics like "Fuck Policy Brutality" and "Die for the Government", they played one of the best sets at Warped and it was a damn shame that people going to the remainder of the tour weren't able to catch them. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 9
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 9
Overall Rating: 9 

Setlist: 

1. Fuck Police Brutality
2. This is the End
3. This is the New Sound
4. The Press Corpse
5. Death of a Nation
6. Turncoat
7. 1 Trillion Dollar$
8. Die for the Government
9. Cities Burn
10. Power to the Peaceful 

Blessthefall 

Blessthefall was definitely one of my standout bands. I've never really been a big fan of theirs over the years, but damn did they step it up in a big way for Warped. Vocalist Beau Bokan had phenomenal energy and stage presence, leaving the stage several times to jump into the crowd. 

The rest of the band - especially guitarists Elliott Gruenberg and Eric Lambert - were jumping around constantly and screaming at the crowd to keep them psyched. While I'm still not a big fan of BTF, I would gladly see them again and recommend them to anyone that's a fan of post-hardcore and metalcore. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 9
Overall Sound: 8.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 9 

Setlist: 

1. 2.0
2. What's Left of Me
3. Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad
4. I'm Bad News, in the Best Way
5. The Reign
6. Bottomfeeder
7. Hey Baby, Here's That Song You Wanted
8. Promised Ones 



Every Time I Die 

Much like Blessthefall, I'm not a big fan of Every Time I Die but I love them live - especially to photograph. Vocalist Keith Buckley and his brother - guitarist Jordan Buckley - are awesome to photograph and their energy on stage is unparalleled. 

I loved hearing favorites like "Floater" and "Ebolarama". 

Vocals: 8
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 9 

Setlist: 

1. Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space
2. Holy Book of Dilemma
3. Floater
4. No Son of Mine
5. She's My Rushmore
6. Kill the Music
7. Bored Stiff
8. We'rewolf
9. Ebolarama 

Falling in Reverse 

After catching their awesome (albeit short) set at Rock on the Range I was definitely stoked to see Falling in Reverse again. Thankfully I was able to catch them at all three shows I covered, but this show was definitely my favorite. 

For those who are unfamiliar with Falling in Reverse, they were formed by ex-Escape the Fate singer Ronnie Radke who was kicked out of ETF in 2008. Several of their songs feature lyrics aimed at ETF for kicking him out of the band. There's been a huge feud between fans of ETF circa Radke and those who like the band with former Blessthefall singer Craig Mabbitt. Personally I find Radke's voice and music style to be infectious. I rarely find new bands that I enjoy anymore so the discovery of Falling in Reverse has been a real pleasure for me. Their debut album, The Drug in Me is You is a really solid album from start to finish and the songs all sound great live. Their opening song "I'm Not a Vampire" is especially great for crowd participation. 

If you've never seen Falling in Reverse, I strongly recommend you do if you ever have the opportunity. Radke is here to stay. 

Vocals: 9.5
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 9.5
Overall Rating: 10 

Setlist: 

1. I'm Not a Vampire
2. Tragic Magic
3. Sink or Swim
4. Raised by Wolves
5. Goodbye Graceful
6. Good Girls Bad Guys
7. The Drug in Me is You 

Four Year Strong 

I've never really gotten into Four Year Strong. I've always liked them live, but they don't really bring anything overly exciting to the table in either their music or their live shows. 

Vocals were almost impossible to understand at most points in their set and none of the members really had any energy. At one point vocalist and guitarist Dan O'Connor jumped down from the stage to sing to the crowd from the barricade, but that was about the only entertaining moment. 

Vocals: 5
Crowd Response: 8.5
Overall Sound: 7
Band Activity: 5
Overall Rating: 6 

Setlist: 

1. Tonight We Feel Alive (On Saturday)
2. Stuck in the Middle
3. What the Hell is a Gigawatt?
4. Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
5. Heaven Wasn't Built to Hold Me
6. Maniac (R.O.D.)
7. It Must Really Suck to be Four Year Strong Right Now
8. Wasting Time (Eternal Summer) 

Lostprophets 

The first time I saw Lostprophets they were headlining the final day of Download Festival 2008 in England in front of roughly 50,000 people. For my second (and first of 3x on this years Warped Tour) time seeing them they were playing their first date on the tour (and first show in the States in quite some time) in front of a few thousand packed onto a hillside. 

I wasn't really too familiar with the band when I saw them in England so I wasn't able to fully appreciate their talent then. Sadly in the US we're much more fixated on where the next great single will be and once hits like "Last Train Home" and "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" passed, we were onto the next band. With a few years to build up my fandom I was definitely the most excited for their set throughout the entirety of Warped Tour. They definitely didn't disappoint. 

This set was definitely my favorite of the three that I saw, but they were phenomenal at each stop. Each show I noticed more and more people remembering who they were and that was great to see. Vocalist Ian Watkins and bassist Stuart Richardson were all over the place from the start of their set to the end. Sadly due to some technical difficulties they were forced to cut "Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)" from their set list at this show but were able to get all issues under control for later dates. 

Lostprophets will be back to the States later this year for a brief headlining tour. I strongly recommend you see them if you're able. You won't regret it. 

Vocals: 9.5
Crowd Response: 8
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 10 

Setlist (out of order): 

1. Burn Burn
2. Bring 'Em Down
3. To Hell We Ride
4. Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)
5. We Bring An Arsenal
6. Last Train Home
7. Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja 


New Found Glory  

I can't remember the last time I saw New Found Glory. It was probably at a previous Warped Tour since I missed their last few headlining tours, but it was definitely nice to see them again since they were one of my favorite bands on the bill. The whole band had matching basketball uniforms and from the very start of their set they were definitely there to put on one of the best shows of the day. 

Vocalist Jordan Pundik spent a good portion of their set out amongst the crowd while the rest of the band screamed along to the words and jumped around merrily. The highlight of their set - and arguably Warped Tour in general - was their amazing cover of Green Day's "Basket Case". One of the best covers I've ever seen a band do. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 10 

Setlist: 

1. Hit or Miss
2. Understatement
3. Truck Stop Blues
4. All Downhill From Here
5. Something I Call Personality
6. Anthem for the Unwanted
7. Truth of My Youth
8. Basket Case [Green Day cover]
9. My Friends Over You 

Senses Fail 

Senses Fail was by far my favorite band on the bill. While I've been a casual fan of theirs for around eight to nine years, it wasn't until the last year or two that I truly discovered my love for them. Over that time I feel like I've rarely listened to anything but them. Supporting the release of their first greatest hits CD (that also includes five brand new songs) the band was definitely one of the biggest draws of the tour. 

During day one I was forced to skip them to cover Anti-Flag, day two I was only able to photograph their first three songs and then leave to cover someone else but I vowed to stay for their entire set at this date. Finally being able to hear "War Paint" - one of the new songs on their greatest hits and one of my favorite Senses Fail songs - was definitely one of their highlights as well as hearing such classics as "Buried a Lie" and "Bite to Break Skin". 

Vocals: 7
Crowd Response: 8
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 9
Overall Rating: 8.5 

Setlist: 

1. Rum is For Drinking, Not for Burning
2. Bonecrusher
3. Calling All Cars
4. War Paint
5. Buried a Lie
6. Can't be Saved
7. Bite to Break Skin 

Taking Back Sunday 

Oh how the mighty have fallen. TBS used to be one of my favorite bands and helped shape my taste in music for years. Sadly, they have sounded absolutely terrible the last few times I've seen them. I was hoping after reuniting with the line up from their amazing Tell All Your Friends years that it'd be a return to form for them. Sadly I was mistaken. 

I think it's pretty clear that vocalist Adam Lazzara either doesn't have his voice anymore or chooses not to use it. His vocals sounded so sloppy that it bordered on pathetic. With that said, hearing the classic line up playing songs like "Timberwolves at New Jersey" and "You're So Last Summer" was definitely a treat for the old version of me. I just hope that they either have that return to form or throw in the towel because what they're doing to their former glory now is just depressing. 

Vocals: 6
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 7
Band Activity: 7
Overall Rating: 7 

Setlist: 

1. El Paso
2. Error: Operator
3. Timberwolves at New Jersey
4. Liar (It Takes One to Know One)
5. What's it Feel Like to be a Ghost?
6. A Decade Under the Influence
7. You're So Last Summer
8. Faith (When I Let You Down)
9. Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From the Team)
10. MakeDamnSure 

Tonight Alive 

Per a friend's recommendation, I decided to check out Tonight Alive. I'm not the biggest fan of bands with female singers but Tonight Alive genuinely impressed me. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Tonight Alive is fronted by feisty front woman Jenna McDougal. McDougall has an amazing voice and her stage presence is even better. With bands like Paramore taking up most of the mainstream, it's great to see more bands like them popping up. Tonight Alive has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see them again. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 8
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 8
Overall Rating: 8.5 

Setlist: 

1. Breaking and Entering
2. Starlight
3. Wasting Away
4. Revenge and Its Thrills
5. Little Lion Man [Mumford and Sons cover] 

The Used 

Like I said for Anti-Flag, The Used was one of the two bands that were playing the Burgettstown, PA show and nowhere else near us so I had to make the five hour trip if I wanted to see them. Of course after the long and exhausting day The Used was the final band, but that didn't stop them from putting on a solid show. 

I saw them on their headlining tour this past May and it was the best they'd ever sounded. While I wasn't the biggest fan of their newest album, all of those songs translated well to a live environment and vocalist Bert McCracken always sounds solid live. 

Of course due to the short set lengths that come with playing Warped they were only able to play eight songs. I would've preferred one or two more "obscure" songs in their set list vs. all hits, but it's understandable. Despite the short sets, they were definitely one of the highlights of Warped. 

Vocals: 9
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9.5
Band Activity: 9.5
Overall Rating: 9.5 

Setlist: 

1. Take it Away
2. The Bird and the Worm
3. Listening
4. Put Me Out
5. The Taste of Ink
6. All That I've Got
7. Pretty Handsome Awkward
8. A Box Full of Sharp Objects 



We the Kings  

I still don't understand the massive draw that We the Kings had, but they were alright. A band that was a lot more pop than rock, We the Kings had a huge following every time I heard them on the tour. Unlike bands like All Time Low, WTK didn't really add any sort of excitement to their set. While sounding good is definitely a big piece of a good live show, just standing there doing nothing, isn't. 

Their song "Secret Valentine" was ridiculously catchy though. Sigh. 

Vocals: 8.5
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 9
Band Activity: 6
Overall Rating: 8 

Setlist: 

1. Skyway Avenue
2. She Takes Me High
3. What You Do to Me
4. Party, Fun, Love and Radio
5. Say You Like Me
6. Secret Valentine
7. The Middle [Jimmy Eat World cover]
8. Check Yes Juliet 

Yellowcard  

I was never a big fan of Yellowcard until their last album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Ye. That album was amazing. Hearing songs like "For You, and Your Denial" and "With You Around", coupled with the likes of "Ocean Avenue" and "Breathing" it's not hard to imagine Yellowcard having one of the best sets of the tour. 

I had a bad experience meeting Ryan Key at my very first Warped Tour back in 2004 so that always put a bad taste in my mouth when I tried to listen to Yellowcard after that. Apparently enough time had passed and I was absolutely ecstatic for the opportunity to see Yellowcard again. They didn't disappoint. While I only listened and watched their set in Burgettstown, I got to fully appreciate their set in Columbia and they were a fitting end to my 2012 Warped Tour experience. 

Vocals: 9.5
Crowd Response: 10
Overall Sound: 10
Band Activity: 10
Overall Rating: 10 

Setlist: 

1. Breathing
2. For You, and Your Denial
3. Five Becomes Four
4. Always Summer
5. Lights and Sounds
6. With You Around
7. Only One
8. Ocean Avenue