(Report Update)

Written by: Ginny Gaines  

The Vans Warped Tour returned for its 30th anniversary with mini-festivals in three cities: Washington, D.C. in June, Long Beach, CA in July, Orlando, FL, that is coming this November. Each festival lasts two days, and tickets are reasonably priced at about $150 for the weekend for the first 2 events. It used to be a huge summer tour across the country but ended in 2019. Tickets sold out fast in some places, especially Washington, D.C. and Long Beach, so they even added a second D.C. event for 2026. Orlando tickets are still available, but they’re more expensive now, around $250 for general admission, and $470 for VIP.

Warped Tour brought back many fan-favorite bands and added new faces. In total, there are about 70 to 100 bands at each city’s show that include, old-school favorites like 311, Pennywise, Bowling for Soup, Dropkick Murphys, and Simple Plan, popular rock acts like Falling in Reverse, Asking Alexandria, Ice Nine Kills, and Black Veil Brides, and fresh talent like Charlotte Sands, Vended, Speed of Light, Hanabie (from Japan), and even Avril Lavigne and Body Count (Ice-T’s metal band).

Sublime returned with Jakob Nowell (Bradley Nowell’s son) singing in Long Beach, a touching tribute and Ronnie Radke (Falling in Reverse) poked fun at his past by swinging around a giant inflatable mic stand. Comic books and art installations were part of the show, thanks to a collab with Z2 Comics. They released a Warped Tour guide, kind of like a magazine, with interviews from MGK, Avril, and All Time Low. They gave out over 250,000 mini-zines, and even hosted food and blood drives to support local causes. The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands is back, giving smaller bands a chance to perform on the big stage.

You can catch replays and livestreams on YouTube and Twitch via Warped Tour’s official channels. The Long Beach shows aired live on July 26–27. Jakob Nowell played his set right after losing his cat Creature, he still performed, and shared the emotional story with fans. Warped Tour isn’t just music, it’s where people fall in love, discover new bands, share real connections, and have a blast! Many younger fans are coming for the first time, keeping the spirit alive.

That's a wrap for my update on The Vans Warped Tour...In closing, please just know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you the rock music report! Please consider supporting me and the crew by purchasing a Soundwave shirt or hat and support our sponsors! Rock On! Until next time...🤘

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