Christmas Come Early

There are many tours that happen annually throughout the year but nothing compares to the the Van's Warped Tour. Why do you say? Well unfortunately we do not live in a city like Chicago or New York City where huge summer music festivals happen, i.e. Bamboozle Fest, Bayfest or even the infamous Lollapalooza. And unlike those other music festivals, Van's Warped Tour passes throughout those small towns that don't get recognition and typically are passed through for huge tours.

Besides the location element, the green is always a factor. $300 is what I paid last year to get a three-day pass to see over 100 national acts in Grant Park for Lollapalooza, but $35 is the ticket price for punk-rock acts and tons of emo kids. (It's true.) $300, which is my rent or $35, which can't even buy you a bottle of Patron? You choose.

Albuquerque, which is biggest city in New Mexico, unfortunately is not the stop on Warped Tour. But caravan with a grip of your friends to our fellow Juarez city, Las Cruces and you enjoy the 105 degree sun, plus heat stroke and some of the best and electic artists on a tour.

We are roughly 4 months away, and yet the angst is high. The 2009 Van's Warped Tour will be hitting Las Cruces, NM July 1, and here is the lineup below...

3OH!3
A Day to Remember
A Skylit Drive
Alexisonfire
Anti-Flag
Attack Attack
Bad Religion
Bayside
Big D and the Kids Table
Black Tide
Bouncing Souls
Breathe Carolina
Brokencyde
Cash Cash
Chiodos
Dance Gavin Dance
Dear and the Headlights
Dirty Heads
Escape the Fate
Every Avenue
Flogging Molly
Forever The Sickest Kids
Gallows
Hit the Lights
I Set My Friends on Fire
In This Moment
Innerpartysystem
Jeffree Star
Less Than Jake
Lights
Longway
LoveHateHero
Madina Lake
Meg & Dia
Millionaires
NOFX
Outernational
P.O.S.
Saosin
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Senses Fail
Shad
Silverstein
Sing it Loud
Streetlight Manifesto
Tat
The A.K.A.s
The Architects
The Ataris
The Devil Wears Prada
The Maine
The White Tie Affair
There for Tomorrow
Therefore I Am
Thrice
TV/TV
Underoath
Valencia
Westbound Train

Veterans and Noteables: Bad Religion, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Thrice and Underoath. Those bands have shaped the way punk/rock music is seen and heard today.

Promising and Potentially Unforgetable Sets:

• 3OH!3 - Yep, they tagged the line "Don't trust a ho." http://www.mtv.com/videos/3oh3/289945/dont-trust-me.jhtml#artist=3068464


• Brokenyde - Albuquerque bred, the guys are trying to NM on the map. Word to wise, their music is a mix of screamo, electronica and gimmicks with mascots. You be the judge. http://myspace.com/brokencyde


• Escape the Fate - past controversial events of former lead singer's Ronnie Radke left the band screwed when he was sentenced to jail for three years. Replacement, Craig Mabbit of Blessthefall has big shoes to fill.


• Jeffree Star - A man dressed in drag with glam accompaniment. Who would have know the Ru Paul of 2009 would be on Warped Tour.


• Saosin - one kick ass acoustic cover of Pinback's "Penelope" could be one primary reason to change stages throughout the day.


• There for Tomorrow - these 19-year-old Floridians know how to rock out and incorp a funny Punk Goes Crunk cover of Omarion's "Icebox." http://myspace.com/therefortomorrow
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Superbowl Sunday

Ah another sunday funday is past and gone, but this time around we had the delight of something more entertaining... The Superbowl XLIII. And for many of us, the commercials were the highlight to the game.

As music trends come and go, many artists are left broke and jobless. Many turn to the inevitable reality TV scene produced by VH1 (cough cough, Rock of Love Tour Bus?) where they are looking for the next big thing by trying to salvage their careers.

Or on the other hand, you could end up doing commercials during Superbowl 2009. Cash4gold is a real company; but by the way this commercial was presented, I thought it was a joke...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHC5JQQMkVI

I guess MC Hammer really is "Too Legit to Quit."