The Warped Effect

Kevin Lyman is a dreamer. He’s also a professor, a philanthropist, and music ambassador to several generations of artists all over the world. In 1995, he co-founded the Warped Tour traveling circus of up-and-coming punk rock bands, bringing skateboarding, music, and culture to the mainstream. The longest-running North American festival concert tour saw bands like Green Day, No Doubt, Blink 182, and Simple Plan expand from the sweaty dive bars of Anytown, USA, to an audience of 750,000 annually.

Warped Tour ran each summer from 1995 to 2018, finally slowing down for a 25-year anniversary run of three shows in 2019. Lyman then shifted to teaching the next generation of industry visionaries when he accepted a position at the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music. As associate professor, he gets to bounce ideas off the future of music industry professionals and keep his ear close to the ground.

“I still want to get people hooked on music,” Lyman said. “Whether in the classroom or out at the festivals.”

The Vans Warped Tour is back this summer with three dates scheduled for the 30th anniversary in Washington, D.C., June 14-15; Long Beach, California, July 26-27; and Orlando, Florida, November 15-16, 2025. The goal remains the same: make all genres of music accessible to as many people as possible.

One of the reasons Lyman started Warped Tour was to bring live music to every corner of North America and beyond. He also wanted to create value in seeing live music with a $149.99 price point. “I didn’t like how much it cost to see music,” Lyman said. “The price was making it prohibitive to get out and see shows.”

Lyman always wanted to encourage people to make live music a priority, while also helping to give back to the music community that gave him so much. His philanthropic work was built into Warped Tour from the outset, from bringing the festival to smaller cities who might not have had a chance to see this many bands over one weekend, to sponsoring a battle of the bands to get the next generation of musicians up on stage.

The Warped Tour even offered support services for mental health and substance abuse to fans and band members, and supported animal rights and suicide awareness groups across the U.S. and Canada. In addition, Lyman had a huge influence on bands that didn’t have a place to play before Warped Tour.

Chuck Comeau, drummer and co-founder of the band Simple Plan, and his friends played in a high school punk band called Reset in Montreal. They grew up on Warped Tour bands and, as fans, found a special place in the welcoming and encouraging culture of the festival.

The annual event helped the Reset band members see other bands and fans similar to them coming together and creating their own scene. “Warped Tour had a huge influence on us; it helped make what we were doing legitimate,” Comeau said. “It was big, important, and it mattered to us to see the tour coming to Eastern Canada.”

The Warped Tour invited Simple Plan to play at the 2001 show. The band was still unsigned and didn’t have a record out yet, but the musicians wanted to show they could play and find their niche among some of punk’s most established artists.

They learned how to act, how to tour, and what it takes to be professional musicians. It also taught them how to be humble and respectful to other bands, the fans, and the process. “Warped Tour was a great school for us; it was a great place to learn,” Comeau said. “We learned quick we weren’t better than anyone else; everybody was equal in this environment.”

Each night on the tour, a few bands were chosen to barbecue backstage for the musicians, sponsors, and crew. They were responsible for cooking and helping to create a sense of community and camaraderie. After the meal, they were allowed to play a small set onstage to introduce their music and get to know other bands playing on the multiple stages.

Simple Plan continued to play the Warped Tour over the years, as they began to break into markets worldwide. With the rise of alternative and punk music receiving well-earned airtime on the radio and MTV, the band was getting popular, selling more than 10 million records.

The Simple Plan bandmates began feeling pressure from punk rock purists spouting the ethos “Are you punk rock enough?” They had doubts about fitting in with the new lineups until their heroes, the musicians of Rancid, a punk rock staple who played right before them most nights, came out on stage all wearing Simple Plan shirts. “They helped legitimize us with a whole new generation of fans,” Comeau said. “They made us proud to be a part of the whole Warped Tour scene.”

Professional skateboarder, industry legend, and founder of Zero Skateboards and Warsaw Footwear, Jamie Thomas, known in the skate world as “The Chief” for his relentless pursuit and determination, moved to California in 1992 to pursue a career in skateboarding. He saw the rise of punk rock and skateboarding starting in the 1980s and watched it grow through the 90s. “Warped Tour gave skateboarding and music a lot of exposure,” Thomas said. “It helped bring the subculture to a broader audience.”

Skateboard demos were a huge part of the Warped Tour experience and helped unite those with an alternative view of sports with others around North America. This was fueled by the increase in popularity from bands like Nirvana and Green Day, being respected as a bona fide genre and lifestyle.

Thomas started Zero Skateboards in 1996 and saw the residual effects growing with the rise of Warped Tour. The collaboration of bands, skateboard companies, and record labels helped showcase an underground movement that started in the 70s. The use of punk music in skateboard videos, advertising, and promotions within the industry created a place for those on the outside to come together.

“It made skateboarding and punk look cool,” Thomas said. “There’s no such thing as bad exposure in the beginning.”

Thomas thinks it’s a good time for Warped Tour’s return. He sees the whole industry needing a revamp after 30 years and hopes the new tour will help bring new people in. “Anytime the fringe becomes the mainstream, it doesn’t hurt to prune it back,” he said. “It allows new growth for bands and skating and creates a new appetite and appreciation.”

Lyman agrees. His vision is still the same as it always was ­— making live music of all genres more accessible to everyone. He wants the scene to grow again, and the bands, skaters, and industry to be part of the next wave of Warped Tour.

He wants the past to reflect the future and people to discover their next favorite bands in D.C., Long Beach, and Orlando this summer for the third decade of Vans Warped Tour.

He’s excited to see multiple generations of fans come again to relive the past and experience new music, and for the first-timers to see what it’s like to dream, make a difference, and create a scene worth holding on to for another 30 years.

“I want this summer’s festival to pay homage to the past, while looking toward the future,” Lyman said. “I hope it’s a place where everyone can get excited about live music again and what’s possible with a little ambition.”

The 30 Anniversary of Warped Tour will combine classic punk bands with new up-and-comers, including Avril Lavigne, Fishbone, Pennywise, Black Veil Brides, and Simple Plan.

The festival will also see the return of the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, where unsigned musicians will play on the Vans Warped Tour main stage along with their favorite bands.

Bound to be nostalgic for some and formative for others, the three events will bring together thousands of live music enthusiasts looking for their next favorite band, new brand, and early origins of counterculture in a time where music has yet to decide its new relevance among digital societies.

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Smarten Up Your Skate Wear

Skateboarding icon Jamie Thomas has a new venture: War Saw Ltd., a skate-inspired men’s apparel and footwear brand that focuses on comfort and durability. Selections are minimalistic but land solidly with skateboarders, musicians, and artists looking for comfort and practicality for their wardrobes.

Monochromatic shades envelop the collection, with comfortable and relaxed-fitting tees, sweatshirts, and chinos in the mix. Made with cotton and French terry, War Saw’s hooded Unknown Pullover sweatshirts are sleek and cozy, with “War Saw” softly embroidered across the chest.

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