Wednesday, July 10th was truly the best day ever. I say that a lot, but this definitely ranked up there for a music lover like me! Warped Tour set up at Merriweather Post Pavilion, featuring over 90 bands on 9 stages. They have every genre, from rap to ska to post-hardcore, and even pop-punk! A constant mob of people runs from stage to stage, as all of the stages play simultaneously. Warped Tour is a traveling circus of sorts, as each day they show up in a different state, setting up and taking down the stages and tents each morning and night.
Warped gives smaller bands the chance to perform in front of tons of people, potentially making thousands of new fans. Bands including Young London, RDGLDGRN, and Set It Off fall into that category. Others join Warped for their fans, such as Black Veil Brides or Sleeping with Sirens. The third category of Warped bands are the promoting bands. These bands follow Warped and walk around all day, trying to get Warped-goers to listen to their demo CDs. Bands like The Picture Perfect walk around tirelessly each day, trying to get new fans.
Two bands in particular that were a joy to see perform were Young London and Set It Off. Young London’s Sarah Graziani and Matt Rhoades sang with incredible energy, instigating the audience and spraying them with water. Their voices worked flawlessly together, and their Electro Pop style had the crowd dancing until the very end. Jason Jepson, the drummer, really poured his heart into playing. He kept a steady, fast beat that the crowd clapped and danced to. John Mellino, the pianist, danced as much as he could while playing, definitely adding to the fun nature of Young London. Young London doesn’t just play music, they put on a show. They’re absolutely a must-watch band.
Set It Off is definitely a band to watch as well. They are comprised of singer Cody Carson, guitarists Zach DeWall and Dan Clemont, bassist Austin Kerr, and drummer Maxx Danziger. Their catchy beats and positive messages brought them to Warped. They’re phenomenal live, every member helped to create an energetic aura that the audience absolutely loved. The members of Set It Off had a very unique chemistry. They were all on the same wavelength, working flawlessly together. Set It Off had the best message for their fans. “Use music or something you love as an outlet instead of self-harm.” They truly care about their fans, using phrases such as “Welcome to the family” to welcome new fans. Set It Off will soon be announcing a tour after they go to Europe for the European leg of Warped Tour. With inspiring songs like Dream Catcher and fun songs such as Partners In Crime, Set It Off is an awesome band to see live.
Eye On Annapolis photographer, Kevin Carroll was on hand as well to capture the excitement of the day!
All images © 2013, Kevin Carroll, A Digital Cure.
