Yesterday (Oct. 18), Warped Tour introduced its 2025 return as a trio of two-day festivals in celebration of its thirtieth anniversary. And followers are complaining about tickets costs and nearly the whole lot else.

So let’s speak about it.

For a two-day competition, Warped Tour tickets are $149.98 and that features all charges.

The three occasions are unfold out between Washington D.C. (June 14-15), Long Beach, California (July 26-27) and Orlando, Florida (Nov. 15-16). This mirrors the strategy taken in 2019 when Warped bid farewell after having fun with its final full-scale touring run in 2018.

About 70-100 bands shall be featured and founder Kevin Lyman tells Rolling Stone, “We’re getting very, very selective in trying to find some unique twists to the lineup.”

The lineup, nonetheless, shall be revealed at a later date, whereas pre-sale tickets shall be out there forward of that announcement.

Below, we’ll take a look at the commonest complaints from followers after which talk about these points additional, exploring whether or not it is a truthful ticket value, why this return is a trio of festivals and extra.

The Biggest Fan Complaints — Ticket Price + Travel

In evaluating the 2025 comeback to the cross-country touring mannequin that existed earlier than, many followers are pissed off.

Nostalgia most likely performs a giant issue right here — larger than it ought to — and any deviation from what followers bear in mind and love could be seen as an issue. Compound new elements comparable to modifications in way of life, maturity for a lot of of Warped Tour’s authentic attendees and all the opposite issues that complicate life make it comprehensible {that a} vacation spot occasion might be perceived as a letdown.

Perspective is the whole lot, which we’ll get into later, however first let’s take what followers are saying into consideration.

READ MORE: Kevin Lyman Reveals What Fans Can Expect at Warped Tour 2025

It’s low-hanging fruit, however accusing anybody of greed as a result of a enterprise have to be worthwhile so as to be sustainable is fairly customary. It’s the “us vs. them” mentality towards huge enterprise.

The Warped Tour of outdated felt extra neighborhood primarily based, with perks for bringing canned items as donations. And the comfort of the tour stopping someplace close to you, perhaps a pair hours away at most.

Below is a sampling that represents ceaselessly noticed gripes about Warped Tour.

Yes, Vans Warped Tour is a model! It might say “Tour” however that does not imply it is a tour. Fans are disillusioned in that, getting hung up on floor degree points.

Pre-sales begin on Oct. 24 and weekly bulletins shall be made, revealing waves of artists earlier than the complete lineup is thought. Some are upset on the concept of making an attempt to purchase a ticket early with out figuring out who all of the bands shall be (everyone knows how chaotic day-of on-sales are for tickets).

Others are upset that the value isn’t within the $50 vary prefer it as soon as was, whilst customary live performance tickets significantly exceed $100.

And there’s all the time those that really feel that they’ll do higher and that organizing a profitable competition is as straightforward because the Wayne’s World 2 adage, “If you book them, they will come.”

READ MORE: The 50 Greatest Pop-Punk Albums of All Time – Ranked

Tickets (Just Tickets) Aren’t Actually That Expensive

No shopper likes to see the value of something go up — we will freely acknowledge this.

However, no person ought to count on the identical costs that existed in 2018 to be the identical. That goes for reside music experiences, too.

The common value of a regular live performance ticket has soared to extraordinary highs (and within the resale market). The U.S. Department of Justice is even trying to dismantle Live Nation/Ticketmaster, branding it a monopoly for antitrust violations associated to “unrivaled control of concert ticket sales.”

But about $150 for 70 to 100 bands is definitely an amazing deal. And, for Lyman, holding that ticket value on the decrease facet was a precedence as he partnered with music occasion and competition promoter Insomniac.

Warped Tour tickets are significantly cheaper than tickets for the like-minded When We Were Young Festival, which solely takes place for sooner or later and options 40 to 50 acts for the beginning value of $325.

The State of the Scene podcast nailed it, arguing that ticket costs are affordable however all the different related prices are what must be the principle supply of ire and frustration.

“Instead of driving an hour to a show I am now paying for flight tickets, hotel rooms and food expenses. That’s why Warped Tour coming to you was so special,” the podcast contends on X.

Is it okay to really feel salty about having to embark on what’s now basically a mini-vacation as a substitute of sooner or later out? It completely is. But, as we clarify additional under, there is a cause Warped Tour is a competition now.

Why Warped Tour Stopped Being a Full Tour

Again, we will not overstate that the 2025 installments of Warped Tour are immediately according to the competition’s 2019 farewell. It’s a totally logical continuation.

The cause that Warped Tour’s final cross-country, multi-month trek was in 2018 was, partially, due to what’s taking place proper now. In 2019, Lyman instructed Kerrang! that the lack of neighborhood was a consider Warped’s diminishing success.

“Some of that was self-inflicted… I thought you addressed the fans that complain on Twitter! I was addressing everyone and tried to keep that conversation going, but you realize that you can’t really negotiate, debate, or educate on social media,” the Warped founder stated on the time.

He additionally stated that bands refused to be on the invoice with different bands some view as controversial and that some feared a stigma of being labeled a “Warped band.”

READ MORE: Why Did Warped Tour End?

Over the final decade specifically, the competition circuit in North America has grown tremendously. That, clearly, can have a damaging impact on months-long competition excursions, negating their want and diluting demand. We’ve seen a rising quantity of huge summer season co-headlining excursions, as nicely.

Not to point out the rise in touring prices for artists, a lot of canceled excursions due to low ticket gross sales, the sheer quantity of excursions taking place at any given time and the excessive ticket costs followers incur for any of these… it is affordable to see why Warped testing the comeback waters as a trio of fests is a safer enterprise transfer.

Lyman additionally cites the bodily toll of a full-scale tour, telling Rolling Stone, “My physique received’t take using round on a tour bus for 40 cities.” He is hopeful, however, that future years of Warped Tour festivals will feature more than three dates.

What We Need to Remember

If it’s Warped Tour as three festival or no Warped Tour at all, the choice is clear.

This comeback puts the emo/pop-punk/alternative/etc. scene back in the hands of the person who is responsible for helping break so many of its most successful and enduring bands.

You may not like the ticket price, but there was a plan to keep it from rising to the level of so many other ticketed music events. That counts for a lot more than just something.

And while Warped won’t be bringing 70 to 100 bands across the continent all summer long, the plan to help give attention to young artists is through those partial lineup announcements. Rather than all eyes fixed on the top parts of the bill, unveiling a limited amount of bands places greater focus on each bunch.

What that means is the smaller bands will inevitably get a bit more attention than if everything was announced at once. It’s on you to go check them out. It’s not hard to do — you don’t have to wait all year for a tour to come near your town to find cool new bands, so get to it and support your scene.