#vwtla2017

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Beau Bokan / Blessthefall

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Microwave | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Tyler Hill / Microwave

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Memphis May Fire | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

More photo galleries from the Vans Warped Tour lineup even are coming, so stay tuned here or at the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

Also check out:

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

Our feature on the lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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The Bokans | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Microwave | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

More goodies from the Vans Warped Tour lineup even are coming, so stay tuned here or at the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

Also check out:

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

Our feature on the lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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Jule Vera | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

We spoke briefly to Jule Vera about their new single, what they have planned for fans and what experiences they’ve had on Warped Tour before.

That interview and many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Fronzilla | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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The Vans Warped Tour 2017 Lineup: Looking toward the past to go forward

On March 22, the 2017 Vans Warped Tour announced its lineup all at once at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida during a live-streamed event – the second year in a row Warped Tour has done this.

“So despite the numerous social media requests that I get each year to retire and let someone that knows how to run a tour have it, you know, and book it, I’m still here,” said Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman in opening statements to reporters before the event.

“I’m still booking the Vans Warped Tour and having fun doing it – really, a lot of fun this year, to be honest,” Lyman said.

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re familiar with the tour and have seen the lineup. It’s a different mood this year – lots of punk rock (Anti-Flag, Strung Out, Stacked Like Pancakes), lots of women in music (Courage My Love, Bad Seed Rising, War On Women, Jule Vera), plus some heavy bands (Hatebreed, Gwar, Blessthefall) and a bunch of other eclectic picks mixed in.

Memphis May Fire at the lineup announcement

The announcement event, which fans and Full Sail University students had the chance to attend, was MC’d by Lyman and featured performances from tour acts Jule Vera, Microwave, Stacked Like Pancakes, Blessthefall and Memphis May Fire.

Announcing all bands at once – a relatively new concept in the way Vans Warped Tour promotes – was a decision made in response to changing culture, brought on by social media.

“I used to think you could announce five bands a week, but I found the culture had changed to like, if you didn't see your one band and get instant gratification, you hated everyone else,” Lyman said.

Lyman reading detractors’ tweets

That same reflection on the hyper-social culture, what Lyman calls the “social media blur,” has led to efforts by Vans Warped Tour to promote in a way that goes “back to the basics,” such as putting up more posters.

Lyman says “you go backwards to move forwards,” and this year’s lineup explores what’s happened in the past. We see GWAR, an older shock rock band known for its gory and wild live show. We see The Alarm, a Welsh band that your parents are likely more familiar with than you are. We see political punks in Anti-Flag, who are long-time Vans Warped Tour alumni.

We also see Hatebreed, who, as Lyman recalls, “it’s been 19 years since they were out on the tour with me. He’s [Jamey Jasta, vocals] grown into a great citizen of the community. 19 years ago I threw him off in the middle of a parking lot with a bunch of cops around, so everyone can change. Everyone can grow.”

Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed

But the tour this year also has something in store for the newer generation: Neck Deep, Attila, New Years Day and Our Last Night are all contemporary favorites. Microwave are a smaller band, but based on the online chatter, they seem to be cultivating a brand new hype.

The lineup, which was slated to go live during the event, was partially leaked a few days earlier.

“I wanted to let that person kind of admit and work through it as a person, and she took no responsibility for it, tried to blame a lot of people and throw them under the bus. And unfortunately, I was going to say keep her – let her work – but the company that she worked for fired her the other day. I didn’t want to see that happen. But hopefully she’ll learn,” Lyman said.

Stacked Like Pancakes

Despite the leak, there was no shortage of enthusiasm at the Full Sail University venue. The performing acts were a good cross-section of the tour’s talent, from the ska antics of Stacked Like Pancakes to the unbridled enthusiasm of Blessthefall to the emotion of Microwave. And if none of those bands are familiar to you, don’t take that as a negative – take it as an opportunity to discover new music. Because despite what detractors have to say, finding new bands through Vans Warped Tour is one of the greatest strengths of the tour. Yeah, you go for the bands you like. But you’re doing a disservice to yourself if you don’t explore some new stuff along the way. But if you hate the lineup, Lyman wants to talk to you – in person, at the gates.

“I think communication is really important still. I put my name on something … I’m willing to take the heat. But you know what? You sit down and talk to me, and if you still hate me, not everyone’s going to like me. That’s OK. But actually have that discussion with someone,” Lyman said.

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In case you missed the lineup, you can see the whole thing here. You can re-watch the live stream here. Are you going to Vans Warped Tour 2017? Who are you excited to see? Let us know below!

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Article and photos by sonder editor Andrew Friedgen. Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

Also check out:

Photos from Set Your Goals’ Mutiny! anniversary show in St. Petersburg

Photos from Less Than Jake’s co-headlining tour with Pepper

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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Memphis May Fire | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Blessthefall | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Stacked Like Pancakes | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

More photo galleries from the Vans Warped Tour lineup even are coming, so stay tuned here or at the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

Also check out:

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

Our feature on the lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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Stacked Like Pancakes | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

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Jule Vera buckles down with new music and a second Vans Warped Tour

Jule Vera, one of bands at the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement, are at the edge of a new chapter in music.

The five-piece from Opelika, Alabama, who sonder has featured before during their late 2015 run on Against the Current’s Gravity tour, have released a new song, “Lifeline,” and are preparing for their second full-tour stint on the Vans Warped Tour.

The 2015 Vans Warped Tour was actually the band’s first ever tour, which they were in the middle of when they released their debut album, Friendly Enemies.

“We basically learned how to tour on that, so I think we’ll know more of the ropes going into it this year,” vocalist Ansley Newman said about their 2015 run.

Newman at the 2017 Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

“Lifeline” is awash in melodies that flutter through your ears and is a slight change to the sometimes theatric and gothic flourishes of Friendly Enemies.

“I think it’s a good bit different than what our EP was, but at the same time, I don’t think it’s so left field that people are going to be like, ‘Whoa, this isn’t the same thing.’ I think it’s just a more toned, defined sound,” drummer Kyle “Hogarth” Horvath said about stylistic changes.

“Lifeline” is part of an upcoming record, which hasn’t had a release date set yet, but guitarist Jake Roland says “There’s a good mix of stuff on there. I think there’s something for everyone.”

William Stacey, bass

Jule Vera played “Lifeline” and “Chemical Machine” at the lineup announcement. It’s by no means music for those looking for hectic, shredding punk songs, but it’s a good representation of the variety you’ll hear throughout the summer at Vans Warped Tour venues. Even more exciting for the band is their placement on the Journeys Left Foot main stage, a considerable uptick from 2015’s Kevin Says stage. The 2017 Vans Warped Tour will be the first tour for the band in months.

“We were really working on this record for a long time. So it’s exciting to get back on the road and play some new music,” Horvath says.

Horvath, Stacey and guitarist Chase Haws

And with Jule Vera going right into the trenches by touring on Vans Warped Tour as their first tour, Horvath offered this piece of advice for newbie bands on the tour: “You kind of have to expect the worst thing to happen every day, and that’s just like life. And it’s OK.”

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Have you heard Jule Vera’s new song “Lifeline”? Will you be seeing them at Vans Warped Tour 2017? Let us know!

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Article and photos by sonder editor Andrew Friedgen. Enjoy this? Sonder is an independent music, travel and photography feature journal published at sonderlife.com. Give us a follow here or at our Twitter, Instagram or Facebook if you like in-depth talk about music, travel, photography and lots more.

Also check out:

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

Our previous feature on Jule Vera

Our feature on the lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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Blessthefall | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

More photo galleries from the Vans Warped Tour lineup even are coming, so stay tuned here or at the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.

Also check out:

All photos from the Vans Warped Tour lineup announcement

Our feature on the lineup announcement

All photos from past Vans Warped Tours

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Bad Seed Rising (with Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman) | 2017 Vans Warped Tour Lineup Announcement at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Fla. | 3/22/2017

Many more goodies from the Warped Tour lineup announcement are coming, so give us a follow on here or on the sonder Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see it all.