Vans Warped Tour closed out its 30th-anniversary celebration with a heavy, gritty, mammoth finale at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
It’s hard to believe it’s already been over a year since the announcement that the Vans Warped Tour would return for three U.S. tour stops to celebrate 30 years of the iconic festival. But here we are—three cities later, across Washington, D.C., Long Beach, CA, and Orlando, FL—where emos and pop-punk fans are now packing away their festival outfits, tucking their newly purchased Vans into the closet, and, for the elder Warped Tour diehards… probably icing a few knees and backs. We are definitely not 20 anymore.
The Vans Warped Tour delivered a wildly successful turnout across all three dates, and Loud Hailer had the honor of covering the very first stop in D.C. back in June. We’ve just returned from Orlando with all the sights and sounds from the two-day fest.
Orlando was significantly larger than the Washington, D.C. stop. The RFK Festival Grounds hosted roughly 40,000 pop-punk and emo fans—singing their lungs out, moshing, crowd-surfing, and living their absolute best life. Orlando, on the other hand, completely dwarfed that number. 80,000 people attended the final show of the year.
So what was the biggest difference between the two? D.C. brought the heavy, no question—but Orlando brought the heavy, and then some.
So let’s break it down, shall we?
We started Saturday at the Vans Left Foot Stage with the Tempe, Arizona-based band The Maine. The pop punk rock emo band hit the scene in 2007 with the six-song EP, Stay Up, Get Down, and quickly followed that up with the full-length album in 2008, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, which featured the single “Girls Do What They Want.” The band is known for giving their fans an authentic experience that is wrapped in a commitment to meet every single one of them after shows for free. It’s truly something that makes The Maine special, and a connection you immediately notice watching the crowd engage with the band.
The set had plenty of standout moments, but one in particular captured the heart of what The Maine is all about. When the band noticed how passionately one fan was singing along to “Right Girl,” they invited him onstage to perform part of the song with them. It was a genuine, joyful moment that spoke volumes about the bond they’ve built with their fans. Not long after, solo artist Charlotte Sands joined the band onstage for “Loved You a Little,” kicking off exactly what the Vans Warped Tour embodies: friends coming together to share music and create unforgettable moments.
Next up was the LA-based band Point North. They are no strangers to Warped Tour, having already delivered explosive sets at both the DC and Long Beach dates. Their return to the stage in Orlando felt like a band hitting their stride, carrying the confidence of a group that knows exactly who they are and what their fans want.
Point North wasted no time dialing up the energy, leaning into their signature blend of pop-punk hooks and modern rock edge. Catchy tracks like “Below the Belt” and “Safe and Sound” blasted across the Beatbox Stage, filling the festival grounds with the kind of energy that makes it impossible not to jump, move, or at least nod along. Their sound translates perfectly in a festival setting – big choruses, tight rhythms, and a charisma that spreads through the crowd like wildfire.
Even in the midst of recording their upcoming LP, which is expected to drop soon, the band showed zero signs of slowing down. Instead, they performed with the urgency of a group ready to level up, treating Orlando to a set that felt like both a celebration of where they’ve been and a preview of what’s coming next.
Knuckle Puck kicked off their Warped Tour set with “No Good,” over on the Ghost stage and instantly lit up the crowd with the kind of explosive energy that has defined them for over a decade. The Chicago-based pop-punk staples wasted no time pulling fans in, delivering each lyric with that signature mix of grit, urgency, and emotional weight.
They kept the momentum surging with “Double Helix” and “Disdain,” both delivered with razor-sharp precision and plenty of bite. “The Tower” added a darker emotional punch to the middle of the set, showcasing the band’s growth and the heavier tones of their more recent work. “Want Me Around” brought a wave of nostalgia as voices from the front barricade to the back field blended into one massive sing-along, while “Gone” hit that perfect balance between melodic and cathartic — a reminder of why it remains one of their most beloved tracks.
The emotional high point came with “Untitled,” a fan-favorite that always lands with impact, slowing the pace just enough for the crowd to collectively breathe before the final burst. They wrapped up with “Pretense,” firing off one last round of fast, raw, crowd-shaking energy that left fans sweaty, shouting, and immediately wishing the set were longer.
Fever 333 hit the stage like a lightning strike, opening with “BITE BACK” and instantly throwing the Orlando Warped Tour crowd into a frenzy. If there’s one thing this band proves every time they perform, it’s that Fever 333 is a force to be seen, a band whose presence is felt as much as it is heard. Jason Aalon Butler commanded the stage with explosive energy, turning every lyric into a battle cry and every movement into part of the message.
They rolled into a shortened “Prey for Me,” performing only the “3” segment, but the crowd didn’t miss a beat. Fans roared the entire section back at the band, showing just how deeply Fever 333’s mission resonates. “One of Us” followed, landing like a collective rallying cry, with fists in the air and the pit erupting in all directions.
Then came “$WING,” easily one of the most electric moments of the afternoon. The bass hit, the crowd launched, and suddenly the entire Beatbox Stage field felt like it was bouncing in unison. Fever 333 thrives on chaos, the liberating, cathartic kind, and this was them operating at full power. Jason was leaping off speakers, tossing anything within reach, and turning the stage into a battleground of explosive motion. It’s the kind of unfiltered intensity that makes a Fever 333 show unforgettable.
The highlight came during “Burn It,” when Jason unknowingly unplugged his mic cable and performed the entire track without his vocals in the PA. Instead of breaking the moment, the audience elevated it, shouting every lyric until the field sounded like one massive voice. It was raw, organic, and perfectly Warped Tour — an unexpected accident turned instant legend.
They closed with “Hunting Season,” a ferocious finale that left no doubt: Fever 333 doesn’t just play shows. They ignite movements.
Story of the Year brought a wave of early-2000s nostalgia crashing over the Orlando crowd the moment they opened with “And the Hero Will Drown.” The second those opening riffs hit, the Vans Left Foot Stage transformed into a time capsule, but with a modern punch that proved the band hasn’t lost a step. Their signature mix of soaring melodies, razor-sharp hooks, and high-intensity performance immediately had fans shouting every word like no time had passed at all.
They followed with “War,” a song that hits with the weight of everything Story of the Year does best: big choruses, emotional grit, and a performance that feels like a release. “Tear Me to Pieces,” from their more recent material, blended seamlessly into the set, showing the crowd that the band’s new era carries just as much fire as their classic catalog.
The emotional peak came during “Anthem of Our Dying Day,” a track that clearly meant something to everyone packed in front of that stage. Voices rose, arms lifted, and for a few minutes, it felt like a unified chorus of every fan who ever grew up screaming along to that song in a car, a bedroom, or a basement show.
Things kicked back into high gear with “Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)” and the always-ferocious “In the Shadows,” both of which sent the pit into motion and reminded everyone how massive Story of the Year’s sound truly is live. “Is This My Fate?” He Asked Them” brought the heaviest energy of the set — tight, explosive, and delivered with the same intensity that made the band icons of their era.
They closed with the song that defined a generation of Warped Tour kids: “Until the Day I Die.” The crowd erupted, voices cracking as they belted every word back at the band. It was cathartic, loud, nostalgic, and absolutely unforgettable.
Plain White T’s delivered one of the most feel-good, nostalgia-soaked sets of the entire Orlando weekend. They kicked things off with “Would You Even,” easing the crowd in with warm vocals before jumping straight into the sharp bite of “Hate (I Really Don’t Like You).” It didn’t take long for the sing-alongs to start, and honestly, they never stopped.
“1, 2, 3, 4” was one of those festival-wide moments you don’t forget. As you walked anywhere across the grounds — past merch tents, food lines, or toward other stages — you could hear pockets of fans singing the chorus together. It wasn’t just the people at the barricade; it felt like the entire venue became one giant choir. The same thing happened again later with “Hey There Delilah,” a song that might as well be permanently etched into the collective memory of a generation. You could hear it drifting from every direction, voices soft but sure, like a soundtrack floating over Warped Tour.
The band mixed in newer material like “Happy” and “Feeling (More Like) Myself,” both of which landed warmly with fans, before diving into essentials like “All That We Needed,” which they led the crowd in a competition sing-along. In a fun twist, they threw in a lively cover of Fall Out Boy’s “Dance, Dance,”
“Rhythm of Love” brought a sweet, breezy moment to the set, and of course, “Hey There Delilah” turned the entire festival into a calm, glowing hum. They closed with the upbeat punch of “Our Time Now,” followed by a short but heartfelt tribute to My Chemical Romance with a brief outro of “Helena,” two nods to emo royalty that the crowd devoured.
Slaughter to Prevail came out the only way Slaughter to Prevail possibly could, in a way that instantly made every other entrance that day feel small. Alex Terrible stormed onto the stage in his signature mask, riding in on a motorcycle as the engine growled through the festival grounds. The crowd erupted before a single note even hit.
Behind the drum kit towered a massive grizzly bear prop, visually tying into their brand-new album, Grizzly, and giving the stage an almost mythic, apocalyptic presence. It was dramatic, imposing, and unmistakably Slaughter to Prevail, a perfect fusion of theatrics and brutality.
When they launched into their first song, the pit exploded instantly. Bodies moved like a tidal wave as fans collided, climbed on top of one another, and screamed every lyric back at the band. Alex’s guttural roars were absolutely punishing live, the kind of low-end vocal power that shakes your ribcage whether you want it to or not. His ability to switch from demonic growls to sharp, shouted intensity is something you can’t fully appreciate until you’re standing in front of it.
What stood out most, aside from the sheer force of the performance, was how tight and precise the band sounded. The riffs were razor-sharp, the drumming thunderous, and every breakdown hit like a controlled detonation. But just as powerful as the music itself was the immense sense of gratitude Alex brought to the stage. Between songs, he took moments to thank the crowd with genuine emotion — not performative hype, but real appreciation for the support, the energy, and the chance to do what he loves. It created a striking contrast: a frontman capable of unleashing some of the most punishing vocals in metal, yet grounded by an unmistakable humility that resonated just as strongly as the music.
letlive. delivered one of the most explosive, emotionally charged, and unpredictable sets of the entire Warped Tour Orlando weekend.
From the moment they hit the stage, it was clear this wouldn’t be a standard festival set. Jason, a vortex of movement and emotion, launched into the first song, “At a Ten.” Within seconds he was crowd-surfing across a sea of fans, scaling the stage scaffolding with fearlessness, and incorporating buckets and multiple microphones into the chaos. One second, he was hanging from the rigging, the next, he was balancing on those buckets while screaming into whatever mic he hadn’t already tossed. It was unpredictable, wild, and unmistakably letlive.
The band behind him matched that intensity with razor-sharp precision. Guitars sliced through the air, basslines shook the ground, and the drums anchored the entire whirlwind with pounding force. Amid the chaos, letlive.’s signature blend of aggression, soul, and melody shone through, the exact formula that made them stand out in the 2010s wave of post-hardcore.
Between the whirlwind moments, Jason paused to speak about community, healing, and the power of connection, something he has always woven into letlive.’s DNA. Those brief moments of sincerity cut through the noise, grounding the performance in something deeper than spectacle. It’s Jason’s ability to put every ounce of himself into his music that truly sets letlive. apart from others. You can see the effort he puts into every single note and action.
Crown the Empire hit the Warped Tour Orlando stage with a cinematic punch, opening their set with “Zero” — a track that immediately set the tone with its polished heaviness and soaring, anthemic energy. The crowd responded instantly, hands in the air and voices echoing across the festival grounds as the band launched into a tight, high-impact performance.
They kept the momentum rolling with “In Another Life,” a song that blends metalcore bite with sweeping melody, showcasing how effortlessly Crown the Empire shifts between aggression and atmosphere. The chemistry onstage was undeniable – sharp riffs, a pounding rhythm section, and vocals that cut through the chaos with precision.
One of the most surprising and crowd-pleasing moments came with their “Clint Eastwood/Superstar” mashup, a Gorillaz cover that transformed the Beatbox Stage into a massive sing-along. It was playful, unexpected, and the perfect breather before diving back into the heavier moments of the set, with black and white beach balls bouncing all over the crowd to the groove.
“The Fallout” landed with the weight of a fan-favorite, the entire pit erupted, screaming every word like a collective release. From there, new-era tracks like “DOGMA” and “BLURRY (Out of Place)” showed just how far the band has evolved. The electronics hit harder, the breakdowns felt sharper, and the overall sound struck a perfect balance between modern metalcore and theatrical rock.
“Dancing with the Dead” kept the intensity high, driving the crowd into another round of movement before they closed with “Makeshift Chemistry,” a nostalgic punch for longtime fans.
Black Veil Brides brought full-scale spectacle to Warped Tour Orlando, turning the Vans Left Foot stage into a gothic cathedral of fire and theatrics. Their set opened with the dramatic swell of Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor,” fog rolling across the stage as red lights pulsed in time. When the band finally burst through the haze, pyro shot into the air, and the crowd erupted like the start of a rock-and-roll opera.
From there, they delivered a high-impact, flame-soaked performance packed with fan favorites and dramatic flair. Fire cannons blasted with every chorus, smoke rolled across the stage, and Andy Biersack commanded the crowd with a preacher-like presence — pacing, towering, and feeding off every scream thrown back at him.
Massive sing-alongs broke out during their biggest anthems, and the combination of strobes, fog, and pyro gave the entire set an almost theatrical, cinematic weight. It was polished, powerful, and larger than life — everything fans expect from a Black Veil Brides show.
From Ashes to New brought a surge of modern rock intensity to the Ghost Stage, delivering a set that blended heavy emotion, razor-sharp vocals, and that signature rap-rock edge the band has become known for. They opened with “New Disease,” instantly kicking the energy into overdrive as the crowd pushed forward, singing along before the first chorus even hit.
“Nightmare” and “Heartache” kept the adrenaline high, tight, punchy, and packed with the kind of melodic hooks that translate perfectly in a festival setting. The band sounded locked-in, each member feeding off the crowd’s energy as the pit began to swell and bodies moved in rhythm.
One of the standout moments came with “Barely Breathing,” a track that hit with a heavy emotional weight. Fans shouted every word back at the band, turning the entire Ghost Stage into a unified wall of voices. That momentum carried straight into “Dead to Me” and “Through It All,” where the band’s mix of aggression and vulnerability really came to life.
They closed with “Panic,” a final eruption of energy that had the entire crowd jumping and shouting, a cathartic release that wrapped the set on a high.
There is something quietly powerful about catching a band like Yellowcard, a band whose emotional flag has always flown proudly on the mast of pop-punk-with-a-violin — in the middle of the massive, chaotic sea that is a reimagined Warped Tour. Their Orlando set felt like an island of connection amid the beautiful mayhem of the festival.
Before they even launched into their catalog, Yellowcard opened with the Top Gun Anthem — dramatic, cinematic, and completely unexpected. The moment those iconic notes hit, thousands of fans snapped to attention, cheering before the band even played their first real song. It was the perfect way to set the stage for a performance rooted in both nostalgia and reinvention.
The first true eruption came with “Only One.” Instantly, the energy shifted. Hands shot into the air, voices rose in a massive wave. From there, the band tore through a setlist that balanced anthems like “Lights and Sounds,” “Way Away,” “For You, and Your Denial,” and “Light Up the Sky” with deeper cuts and newer material like “honestly i” and “Bedroom Posters.” Sean Mackin’s violin soared across the festival grounds, adding that unmistakable emotional texture that no other band in the genre can replicate. Each song felt like flipping through a scrapbook, memories stitched together with melodies that shaped an entire generation of Warped Tour kids.
“Better Days” brought a softer emotional punch, the crowd swaying as Ryan Key leaned into every lyric with conviction and a heart-on-sleeve sincerity that’s only become more potent with time. And then, of course, came “Ocean Avenue.” The second those opening chords rang out, the entire field erupted, phones in the air, people on shoulders, voices cracking from singing too hard and not caring one bit. It was pure magic, a defining moment of the Orlando stop.
Yellowcard has been extensively touring with Warped Tour headliner A Day To Remember, and it shows — the band is tight, confident, and performing with a renewed passion that feels both seasoned and freshly energized.
MGK delivered one of the most visually striking and emotionally charged sets of the entire Orlando weekend. His stage looked like a 1950s gas station dipped in bright bubblegum pink and splashed with graffiti — a chaotic, colorful backdrop that matched the energy he brought the moment he climbed on top of the makeshift building to start the show. It was theatrical, loud, and unmistakably MGK.
From there, the night unfolded like a celebration of friends, family, and the journey he’s taken to get here. One of the first standout moments came when Mod Sun joined him during “Bloody Valentine,” sending the crowd into a frenzy and bringing a jolt of pure pop-punk energy to the field.
A completely different kind of magic followed when Julia Wolf stepped onstage to duet “Iris.” Their cover of the Goo Goo Dolls classic was tender, emotional, and one of the rare moments in the night where everything felt still — thousands of fans singing along to every word.
But nothing topped the moment MGK brought out his daughter to sing Halsey’s part during “forget me too.” It was raw, genuine, and easily one of the most heartwarming surprises of the entire festival. The crowd roared, phones shot into the air, and you could feel how much the moment meant to him.
Between the high-energy hits, the stripped-down acoustic breaks, and the deeply personal moments woven throughout the set, MGK’s performance felt like more than a concert — it felt like a family gathering wrapped in chaos, catharsis, and neon pink nostalgia. He didn’t just play Warped Tour Orlando… he made it feel like home.
Falling in Reverse took the stage at 9:45 PM, closing out Saturday with a set that felt part concert, part movie, and part controlled chaos. Before anyone even saw Ronnie Radke in person, the giant screens lit up with a live backstage feed of the band hanging out, joking around, and making their way toward the stage as “Black and Yellow” blasted over the PA. The crowd’s anticipation built with every step they took down the hallway until they finally emerged in real time.
As Radke walked onstage, the intro gave way to the familiar bass line of “Prequel.” The field dropped into darkness, and a single spotlight locked onto Ronnie’s face as he began to sing, pulling thousands of people into the moment all at once. From there, they slammed straight into “Zombified” sending the pit into instant chaos.
“God Is a Weapon” showed just how far Radke has pushed his sound, weaving melody and menace together in a way that felt tailor-made for a massive festival stage. Later, “I’m Not a Vampire” flipped the mood entirely, turning into a full-on dance moment complete with spirit fingers — a tongue-in-cheek bit of choreography that somehow fit perfectly in the middle of all the intensity.
The set leaned into every side of Falling in Reverse’s catalog: the swagger of “Losing My Mind,” the venom of “F**k You and All Your Friends,” the nostalgia hit of “The Drug in Me Is You,” and the surprise throwback of “Situations,” a nod to Radke’s Escape the Fate days that longtime fans absolutely lost their minds for. Throughout the night, he tossed inflatable mic stands into the crowd, adding a playful, absurd edge to an otherwise high-stakes production.
For all the spectacle, Radke kept a close eye on the crowd, stopping the show when fans went down and refusing to continue until everyone was safe. He even took a moment to wish a nine-year-old girl in the audience a happy birthday, turning the massive festival into something that briefly felt small and personal.
One of the most unique bits of the night came during “NO FEAR,” where Ronnie and DL sang most of the song backstage into the cameras, continuing that live-feed concept and blurring the line between behind-the-scenes and onstage performance. After that, the band charged into a crushing final run with “All My Life,” “Popular Monster,” and “Voices in My Head,” each one landing like an anthem.
They saved the biggest explosion for “Watch the World Burn.” The final breakdown was played three times, each pass heavier than the last, as pyro and a massive fireworks display lit up the sky behind the stage — a full sensory overload that felt like a grand finale to the entire day. As the dust settled, “We Are the Champions” rang out, a perfectly over-the-top coda to a set built on drama, self-awareness, and pure chaos.
And the wildest part? This was only day one of the fest. If Saturday felt like a punch of nostalgia, adrenaline, and community all at once, day two took everything we thought we knew about Warped Tour and cranked it even higher. More bands, more surprises, more moments that reminded us exactly why this festival meant so much to so many for so long.
So buckle up, because day two brought its own chaos, its own emotion, and its own unforgettable memories. And we’re just getting started.
Be sure to check out our coverage of Warped Tour in Washington, DC, day one and day two.
