Warped Tour 2018 @ Tinley Park, IL [PHOTOS]
It is with a heavy heart and mixed feelings that I sit here and write about my last ever Warped Tour experience. It feels weird just typing that. As I sit here writing this, Warped is in Atlanta, and by now most of the country has said farewell to the infamous "punk rock summer camp". Warped Tour was a huge part of my life growing up. It was the one thing I looked forward to more than anything. I first went in 2004, which at the time was my first concert, and that day changed everything. The first concert I ever shot was Warped Tour 2012 in Milwaukee. Hell, the whole idea for this website came from hanging out in my parents basement on the couch with my friends, showing each other music and talking about Warped. When I think back on it, I've shared some of the best times of my life there. To some it's just another nostalgia trip of a certain time in their life, but to me and so many others, it transcends that. It created a whole community that I felt a part of. To be honest, it still doesn't feel like its coming to an end. It seems like only yesterday I was listening to the 2003 compilation record and begging my parents to let me go the next year. It's been 14 years since I first went, and this year was as much fun as I was expecting it to. Sure it's changed over the years, but fundamentally, it's still the same. And this year it felt so familiar, and so welcoming. I got to see my all-time favorite band, Every Time I Die, I got to check out some bands I've seen at warped throughout the years, and most importantly, I got to check out some bands I've never see before and discover great music. It was a perfect send off, and while I'm sad to see it go, I'll cherish the memories of Warped 'til the day I die. Check out the photos below and in the gallery.
