The Vans Warped Tour returned to Northeast Ohio Wednesday, July 20, this time at a new venue. Now on its 17th year, the annual punk oriented roadshow made its debut at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls.
The idyllic summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra was packed with some 13,000 young music lovers, who attended the event to enjoy more than eight hours of sonic mayhem from dozens of musical acts despite the stifling heat wave. The pavilion’s stage was divided in half, and multiple temporary stages were set up in the lot usually reserved for VIP parking. Bands played simultaneously on the different stages while vendors hawked the latest in indie rock fashion and hosted band meet and greets.
Some of the bands that drew in the biggest crowds were Peelander-Z, the Devil Wears Prada, Relient K, Black Veil Brides, and the Cleveland band the Missing.
The event’s headliner, Paramore, attracted a massive audience that rocked out to its energetic pop punk set. Lead singer Hayley Williams worked the crowd into a frenzy with new song “Monster,” as well as older favorites such as “That’s What You Get” and “Ignorance.” She thanked fans for their continuing support of the band despite recent drama, saying, “We love you just as much. Probably more,” before ending their performance with a spirited rendition of their hit single “Misery Business.”
