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Entertainment
The Battalion
Page 3A • Tuesday, May 4, 2004
Vans Warned Tour 2004
Come this summer, neo punk rockers
around the country will strap on their multicol
ored wristbands and add an extra dabbling of
mascara to their lashes in preparation to see
some of the hottest rock and punk rock acts
from the United States, Canada and the United
Kingdom. The Van’s Warped Tour will make
this new-age music euphoria possible by criss
crossing the nation, bringing the bands and
anthems of this generation, as moshing and
crowd surfing acts release hate of school and
parents.
Tour veteran Sugarcult, which recently cel
ebrated its latest release, “Power Trees and
Powerlines,” is looking forward to orchestrat
ing the madness this year.
“Warped Tour rules because it is just like
summer camp,” said the band's lead singer
Tim Pagnotta. “You meet new friends, you
hang out with old friends from last summer
and it seems like everyone is there. For the per-
formers, it’s also great to play music for so
many fans.”
Pagnotta said everyone who attends the tour
will find the main problem is the relentless summer heat.
“It's like this huge traveling party,” Pagnotta said. “This
will be our third year to play the tour, and I always love see
ing Rancid. I miss the days that Green Day was on the tour. 1
also went (to see the tour) as a spectator and I remember what
it was like. Great music, but really hot. And just for the
record, it’s just a little more fun to be on stage as opposed to
sweating it out among thousands of people.”
Pagnotta said he is looking forward to the tour’s Texas
venues for several reasons.
“I can’t wait to be in Texas,” he said. “Not only do 1 love
the people and craziness of the state, I love getting away and
doing a little fishing."
It is difficult to imagine the black-haired, converse-wear
ing punk rocker sitting on the banks of the Brazos River try
ing to score a small-mouthed bass, but don’t forget that rock
stars are real people too.
Sponsored by the shoemakers, Van’s, the Warped Tour is
the largest traveling punk rock festival in the world. When it
was started in the early 1990s, original headliners included
the likes of mega-superstars Blink 182.
This year’s festival will also be a highlight for Texas as
Dallas-bred Minority will take the stage. The band will be
joining the tour for the Texas leg. Minority was featured at
the Northgate Music Festival where the rockers, who range in
ages from 12 to 15, held the attention of a college crowd.
Come this summer, the group will be sharing the stage with
TOURS
headliners:
Yellowcard, Sugarcult, Good
Charlotte and Simple Plan
Texas venues
and dates:
FBI - 6/25 - Houston
Reliant Center
SAT - 6/26 - Dallas
Smirnoff Music Center Lot
SUN - 6/27 - San Antonio
The Verizon Wireless
Amphitheatre
prices:
Vary by venue
Alternative rock band Sugarcult is among the
the tour to promote their latest album ‘‘Power
bands such as
New Found
Glory,
Yellowcard and
the Vandals.
Lead singer
Joel Russell
said Minority’s
involvement in the tour required some networking.
“We know someone who is friends with the tour founder,”
Russell said. “She told him about our band, and he agreed
that he wanted us on the lineup.”
Although Russell said the band is excited about its per-
formances at the Warped Tour, the members simply see it as
a way to do what they love.
“We don’t really know what it means for our career, but
we do know that we’re living our dream,” Russell said. “We
just like to play music, especially in front of big crowds. To
be able to play on the same bill as these bands is totally awe
some! It just keeps getting better!”
These youngsters will have stars in their eyes when they
get to hang backstage with the heroes who have inspired their
music. When asked who they are looking forward to meeting,
the band said basically every band on the tour, but Russell
was able to whittle the list down a bit.
“There are a lot of great bands, but we would have to say
Good Charlotte, Autopilot Off, New Found Glory, Rufio,
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUGARCULT.COM
headliners for this year’s Van’s Warped Tour. The band will join
Trees and Powerlines,’’
Senses Fail, Simple Plan, Story of the Year, Sugarcult and
Yellowcard are the bands we are the most excited about see
ing,” Russell said. ,
The Warped Tour is a time to catch a large gauntlet of
bands that would cost a fortune to see individually. Aggies are
well accounted for at the Warped Tour and have experienced
some interesting things.
“I went to the Warped Tour when I was still in high
school,” said junior management major Flip Simms. “It
was wild because it was the dead of summer, everyone was
in bathing suits and it was probably the most moshing I’d
ever seen. I just couldn’t believe how people were jump
ing and yelling in over 100-degree weather. It was easily
the most fun 1 have had at a concert.”
With an immense number of bands that each play a
short set, every ADD-ridden rock fan will have no problem
focusing on his or her favorite band. Hot, steamy and loud,
there is no better way to waste a few hours of the summer.
- Daniel Chapman
headliners;
P.O.D., Switchfoot
when and
where;
From July 1-4
in Marietta III.
prices;
vary by date
Cornerstone Music Festival 2004
As the summer is fast approaching, the concert season is
kicking off w ith all the usual popular summer festivals such as
Woodstock, Lollapalooza, Ozzfest, Bonnaroo — and
Cornerstone? The annual faith-based concert is a relative new
comer to the summer stadium tour scene. The event, which
started in 1984 in Illinois, might not be on many people’s
radars. But with attendance numbers going into the ranges of
25,(KH) attendees, this five-day event is starting to garner serious
attention and continues to grow.
John Herrin, the festival’s director, said the event entails
more than just concerts.
“It is almost a Christian Woodstock. There are over 300
bands,” Herrin said. “This is the 21st year of our main festival.”
Herrin said Cornerstone is a festival in the truest sense of
the word - providing an art show, lectures, discussion groups
and even an independent film festival to its attendees on the
festivals exclusive 450-plus acre ranch.
“(Cornerstone) is a national gathering of independent Christian artists,” Herrin said.
“Tons of creative artists that are people of faith but not necessarily in the so-called
‘Christian Industry,’ come to Cornerstone — people who have a touchstone with a
Christian faith. People like P.O.D. and MxPx feel comfortable coming to Cornerstone to
have fun and to entertain. We are the bridge between mainstream music festivals and
Christian music festivals.”
Curtis Joseph, a senior business major, said he is stirred by the idea of such a large gath
ering of Christian artists, the music festivals and the camping, biking and outdoor activities
that accompany Cornerstone.
“I think music festivals are a great way to see a lot of bands of a similar genre with only
having to make one trip,” Joseph said. “It’s definitely a draw to be sunounded by people
that have the same tastes in music and will appreciate the music, not just there to hang out
or get high.”
Some attendees, such as Megan Barrett, are excited by the opportunity available in the
Cornerstone Festival, as well as the entertain
ment value provided by the 10 stages and myr
iad attractions.
“Cornerstone is something different,”
said Barett, a sophomore marketing major.
“It is something that people can go and
learn about another side of themselves that
they normally mask.”
Herrin said the staff is excited about how
this year’s festival is shaping up.
“We are looking at like 25,000 kids - peo
ple of all ages,” Herrin said. “The crowd
should be made up of high school to college
age kids, but we have parents that come with
their kids and even some old fogies
like me who have been involved with
the festival for years. “
While the prospect of a Christian
music festival might not be the most
engaging summer plans for some,
Herrin said Cornerstone is aimed at
just that crowd.
“I feel sometimes that the church
is asleep at the wheel, as far as cul
ture goes, but I can applaud some
youth group leaders who bring their
group to see a lot of good bands and
art as well as faith, altogether,”
Herrin said. “Cornerstone is the
black sheep of the Christian Music
Festival family, and we get kids that
are more punk and the artsy crowd
— at least more than some other
areas.
Photo Courtesy of • SWITCHFOOT.COM
- Will Knous
This year’s Cornerstone Music Festival headlining performers will be faith-based rockers
P.O.D.(above) and California based alternative rock band Switchfoot (below).
BOMMTOO BOOM
The Dead, Dave Matthews, Damien Rice and Bob Dylan make up the tiniest tip of the
artists playing at the 2004 Bonnaroo Festival, which will be held in Manchester, Tenn., from
June 11 to 13. The full lineup will bring a tear to many music fans’ eyes as a large majority
of the most exciting, explosive and revered musical acts will convene for one weekend and
tingle the eardrums of eager barefoot listeners.
Sophomore accounting major Blair Phillips is a multiple-year attendee of the Bonnaroo
Festival and said the event has its own interesting entertainment.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but honestly it was absolutely amazing,” Phillips said.
“What made it so great was the atmosphere of everyone taking care of each other and hav
ing a good time. It was nice to see everyone dancing and enjoying the music. They also had
a midnight nude parade which I didn't participate in, but was an avid spectator of.”
Not only does the Bonnaroo performance bill have arguably some of the most talented
and explosive acts, it holds activities that will keep those needing a break from dancing and
singing just as entertained as they would be at the feet of Dave Matthews. Event coordina
tor Juliette Kim said the festival will include a 24-hour movie tent that will play current
and classic films, a “Brooers” Festival that will feature craft beers from around the world,
Yoga class taught every morning before the music starts, swings, slides and monkey bars
of a playground, a “Shop and Splash” 20-foot lighted fountain and baseball batting cages.
Senior finance major Tara Simon attended the festival last year and said these extra activ
ities were what sold her on the event.
“Last year I really enjoyed the music, but also there were a lot of vendors selling all sorts
of interesting crafts,” Simon said. “There is good food and lots of things to do besides fight
ing the crowds all day trying to see Bob Dylan. The ‘extras’ give even those who get burnt
out the fuel to keep going.”
Texas is also well represented at the festival, with three of the greatest musicians to come
out of this great state since Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top, performing. Sophomore educa
tion major Karen Moor said that although Texas has much to be proud of, the representation
of the state in these fine acts is surely a testament to the richness of music in the heart of lone-
star state.
“I have seen both Robert Earl Keen and the Los Lonely boys, both which are in a league
of their own, and I cannot wait to catch Willie Nelson,” Moor said. “I can’t believe that I have
been alive 21 years and still have not experienced Nelson and I wish 1 could see him in Texas,
but I’m sure it will be great to see him at Bonnaroo.”
A few other bands that will light the night air on
fire are Maroon 5, Leftover Salmon, Soulive,
Grandaddy, Glister, Yonder Mountain String Band,
Ani DiFranco and many more.
The Bonnaroo Festival is an opportunity to take a
road trip to a large field in Tennessee, throw on a tie-
dyed shirt and pretend to hate the materialistic world
we live in. To create a memory that will not be soon
forgotten, fill up your tank and throw a sleeping bag
in the back of your car. Enjoy!
- Daniel Chapman
Festivals
■ Bob Dylan, Maroon 5, Kings of
Leon, String Cheese Incident
wlieti cartel
wli-ercsu
June 11-13 in
Manchester, Tennessee
Photo Courtesy of • EPIC RECORDS Photo Courtesy of • MAROON 5
Music legend Bob Dylan (left) and pop-rock quintet Maroon 5 (right) are among this year’s
headliners for the Bonnaroo Music Festival.