Since our fans are always so eager to share with us, we thought that we’d we return the favor, so here’s a little peak at what the BodyCandy staff has been up to. In this delightfully rock-tastic vid you’ll see us hanging out at the Vans Warped Tour and soaking up the sunshine. We got to talk to a host of awesomely pierced and psyched up festival goers, including Joey Biagas, the force behind self-purported one man band “Setting Sunrise.” Here’s what our staffers had to say about it:
Lyndzi says:
When the tour dates for Vans Warped Tour 2012 were released, I spent months counting down to July 15th. It had been four summers since my first and only Warped Tour and I couldn’t wait to go again.
Vans Warped Tour 2012
I went to my first Warped Tour with two of my best friends (at the time), Kelsey and Josh. I got to meet Gym Class Heroes, took part in my first mosh pit, got tackled by a crowd-surfer, and saw two of my favorite bands, All Time Low and Mayday Parade, live for the first time. It was a solid first Warped Tour experience, if I do say so myself. ;]
As I was checking out the bands on the 2012 tour, I practically had a heart attack because Rise Against was listed. Of course, Rise Against is definitely number 1 on my list of top bands! And I’d been trying to see them live for like three years and it never worked out. So obviously, I was dying to get tickets. To add to the excitement, All Time Low and Mayday Parade were also in the line-up. The ingredients for a perfect Warped Tour were just a click and a credit card number away.
And on one of my daily adventures, I was shooting around some ideas at work, and to my friend Cat, I was like, “Hey, Cat! We should totally go to Warped Tour this year and talk to some people about their piercings then make an awesome video about it!”
So Cat was like, “OH MY GOOD GOLLY GOSH, what a terrific idea!”
And that is how Operation Warped Tour: Body Candy Edition was born.
BC staffers Cat (left) and Lyndzi
Bright and early on July 15th, Cat and I hopped up in her whip and made our way to Darien Lake, blaring punk Pandora radio the entire way.
One problem: it was almost 100 degrees. Not exaggerating.
Cat Says:
Even though it was 10 years ago, I remember my first Warped Tour like it was just yesterday. It was 2002, the summer I was 15. I had just pierced my nose and dyed the tips of my hair pink, art camp was over and sophomore year of high school was in my near future. I needed a little punk rock release. Thursday, Andrew WK, NOFX, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Bad Religion, Something Corporate, The Used, Gob, Alkaline Trio, MxPx, Every Time I Die, and Tsunami Bomb were amongst the bands I saw that day. I was not the same after this experience. Referencing my Live Journal (yes, this was even before MySpace) from that night “Holycrap best day ever.” It was the beginning of my personal fashion and lifestyle revolution.
Cat’s awesomely unique style
I remember the music, the sun burn, the endless stickers, the compilation cds, the random t-shirts, lusting over the hot guys with colorful mohawks, the mosh pits, the tattoos, the piercings, the thirst, the ringing in my ears, that PETA video, my filthy Chuck Taylors, and the ravenous need to get a car or stow-away on a tour bus so I could go on tour with them and never stop the party. It was magical. I went to a few Warped Tours over the years, but that one really changed my life. It transformed me from a poser to a true “punk” or so I thought at the time, ha-ha, yeaaa, moving on.
I have been to Warped Tour stops since, but it has been a few years now. This summer I was excited to get the chance to go. I was even more excited when it more-or-less was still the same experience. The hot guys were still there, they were just much younger than I remember. The ridiculous t-shirts now all said YOLO or had a mustache somewhere on them. The music was still amazing. Although I did not see as much hardcore mosh-pit action as I have been used to, this year I did not personally mosh or get kicked in the head by a crowd surfer once, and honestly I was a little disappointed in my self for that. I also did not meet too many bands, Joey Biagas aka Setting Sunrise allowed us to interview him about some of his favorite piercing stories though.
Lyndzi Says:
Problem number two: what should have been a ten minute cruise to Darien Lake turned into a one hour traffic jam, thanks to all those crazy Warped Tour kids. But we made it. So I guess it’s alright.
Once we found a parking spot, it was time to start interviewing. We got lucky and met some guy who has his own band, Setting Sunrise. We listened to his beats (he’s pretty good!) in exchange for some cool piercing stories. And we met a bunch of other cool kids too! You can see it all in our awesome YouTube video.
The Rising Tide playing at Warped Tour
Once the interviewing process was over, it was time for me and Cat to go hard with the bands. We saw Taking Back Sunday acoustic, Blood on the Dance Floor (whatever that is), Senses Fail, and this sorta rockabilly band called The Rising Tide. We took millions of pictures, almost witnessed a girl pass out from dehydration, saw some guys rockin’ pig masks, discovered tons of flip flops without owners, got some free stuff, and got smothered by animal rights’ activists. Way to go, Peta!
Blood on the Dance Floor playing at Warped Tour
We were exhausted, sweaty, and sunburned. And we decided to chill out and look over a schedule. (A two dollar schedule might I add.) We missed Mayday Parade, but we still had a chance to catch All Time Low on the main stage. Then I remembered the reason why I really wanted to go to Warped Tour (psh, like I actually forgot): RISE AGAINST!
Rise Against…nowhere to be found on the schedule. Problem number three.
Cat Says:
I noticed that the trends I have been seeing on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr were out in full force. Large stretched ears, belly rings, snake bites, helix piercing, septum rings, and the Monroe piercing were what I noticed to be the most common accessories for this generation of Warped kids. Ombre hair, both faded pastels and vibrant colored hair, asymmetrical hair cuts (i.e. Skrillex), and the ever classic mohawk and Chelsea hawk were rampant. There was lots of neon clothing and accessories, neon plastic sunglasses, animal prints, fringe, DIY modified t-shirts, loads of chains, spikes, and studs on everything, stacked bracelets, clothing and jewelry for a cause (i.e. I Love Boobies rubber bracelets for breast cancer), 1990’s chic, ironic cool, tie dye cut off jean shorts, inverted crosses, body paint, and lots of band shirts from past and present Warped tour icons. Retro-infused Punk Bohemian, that is what I will call the general style vibe.
the cool alternative style of festival goers at Warped Tour 2012
The musical highlight of the day for me was catching Taking Back Sunday’s acoustic set. Other highlights were a Canadian rockabilly band called Dustin Jones and The Rising Tide (I am a sucker for stand up bass), Every Time I Die, any of the rappers (who’s names I did not catch) at the hip hop tent, and sitting in the general area of New Found Glory (and being like oh man I know who that is!). I am sad to say that I missed Cherri Bomb and that Anti Flag was not at our stop on the tour. All and all it was a fabulous hot summer day though, filled with real fashion, hard music, sexiness, snow cones, and a strong creative energy. I can’t wait to see what Warped Tour 2013 will have in store.
Taking Back Sunday playing acoustic set at Warped Tour
Lyndzi says:
I was so upset that my favorite band wasn’t on the line up. But I got to see All Time Low for the fourth time. Cat and I actually got pretty close to the stage! Not so close that Alex Gaskarth could sweat on me…but it was good enough for me.
All Time Low performs at Warped Tour
So I closed out my second Warped Tour the same way I closed out my first: singing every line to “Dear Maria, Count Me In.” And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
A few Warped Tour pointers? Leave plenty of time for travel, wear lots of sunscreen, eat, stay hydrated, wear shoes with a back, bring a bag to hold your free stuff, and don’t show up without some cash! Oh…and keep an eye out for Peta.
fond memories of a day well spent
