It’s hard to believe that it’s been 14 years since Kevin Lyman mentioned to Fran Richards that he would like to name his rock tour something similar to one of the magazines Fran was selling ads in (Warp). The magazine is long, long forgotten, but the tour continues to rock the nation of kids that are about as old as it is.
Label Networks‘ Kathleen Gasperini checked in with Kevin as the tour kicked off on June 20, 2008 in Pamona, California with a sold-out show of 20,000 and Angels and Airwaves, Say Anything, Cobra Starship, Shwayze, The Maine, and Family Force 5 (plus more) on the bill.
Many people account for the tour’s success to the founder and director, Kevin Lyman, who has an uncanny ability to select a mix of up-and-coming bands, along with older bands re-instating their careers, which continue to draw a youthful audience. In a live interview on site at Pomona, Kevin explained to Label Networks TV that there are several new things to expect from the new crop of up-and-coming bands and tour this summer. “It’s the first day so there are things to work out, but it’s great to see 2,000 kids run over to see Oreska band play, then Beat Union. I think the Aggrolites are going to be interesting to watch this summer, among many others. Once we hit Phoenix, I should have more time to be out in the crowd and check out more bands.”
Check it out, because reading Kathleen’s story is much more comfortable than standing all day under the hot sun in a parking lot full of sweaty teen consumers. Trust us. We know.
[Link: Label Networks]
