Vans Warped Tour returned for a second day on Sunday, July 26, with lighter crowds than opening day in Long Beach.
“Sleep well? Us neither,” read a mobile notification sent in the Vans Warped Tour app at 10 a.m.
Perhaps it was the glaring sun or the lack of rest that had festivalgoers recovering, but lines to get in for VIP and general admission for the weekend festival were moving quickly Sunday afternoon happening at the Shoreline Waterfront outside the Long Beach Convention Center.
The set times were revealed for all eight stages at the fest with a mix of throwback acts at the top of the bill and new acts riling up the crowds early on.
Papa Roach will close out the Vans Stage at 8:49 p.m., after a performance by Third Eye Blind. The Used will wrap up the neighboring Off the Vans Stage after a performance by Taking Back Sunday at 5:45 p.m. Other notable stage headlining acts include Lagwagon at the Verizon Stage at 9:00 p.m., Hawthorne Heights at 9:19 p.m., Save Ferris at the Rex Stage at 9:00 p.m., and Bad Cop Bad Cop at the Octopus Stage at 9:30 p.m.
One of the earlier, more intense sets of the day began with the Los Angeles-based teen rage of XCOMM at the Octopus Stage. The set led by the five-piece, who incorporate a turntable, carried a raw sound that was on par with the DIY spirit and youth who have made Warped Tour so successful over the decades.
At several points throughout the set, the band shouted out the other hardcore bands such as Haywire and Start Today that went before them and others that performed the day before. Any spectator watching XCOMM can easily tell they have a love and respect for the music they play as part of the new generation carrying the hardcore torch.
And not every crowd gathered around a stage Sunday. Just inside the festival entrance, attendees seeking relief from the heat found Pit Stop, a wellness tent operated by Insomniac’s Oasis team that offers everything from misting fans and beanbag seating to free water, sunscreen and other essentials in a shaded space designed to help festivalgoers recharge before heading back into the crowds.
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“It’s a safe space,” said Anthony Padilla, a Pit Stop team member who also worked this year’s EDC Las Vegas. “The point is for us to help them in that time of need and then send them back out because that’s what they paid for.”
Located immediately to the left after entering the festival grounds, the tent offers a welcome reprieve from the day’s rising temperatures, which felt just as hot — and even more humid — than Saturday. Inside, hanging lanterns and faux greenery transform the space into a calm retreat where festivalgoers could cool off, recharge and regroup before heading back into the crowds.
Padilla said the team works alongside roaming response crews and on-site medical staff to assist attendees experiencing dehydration, separation from friends or other situations where they simply need a quiet place to reset.
“People get overstimulated,” Padilla said. “It is a way for people to come in and reconnect.”
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Padilla said about 16 team members staffed the space throughout the day, working in pairs from opening gates until the festival concluded. Unlike many festival activations, guests were encouraged to stay as long as they needed before returning to enjoy the rest of the event.
Despite another day of triple-digit temperatures, the grounds were once again filled with festivalgoers Sunday. While the second day did not sell out, stages, walkways and shaded areas remained packed as fans continued making the most of Warped Tour’s return to Long Beach.
Fans who didn’t get a chance to attend the festival this year can watch performances at home on the Amazon Music app and the Amazon Music channels on Twitch and Prime Video. Those with Fire TV and Samsung TV Plus can tune in on the Amazon Live Channel.