Relentless rain fails to washout final Vans Warped Tour experience

It’s the morning of July 8 and the rain is steady, but light. My glasses are spotted lightly with raindrops as fans enter the venue with ponchos and other rainwear. Walking into the venue, fans rush to the inflatable schedule which displays the set times for each artist that particular day. The long honored tradition of not releasing schedules until the day of continues for this final cross-country tour.

 

As fans plan their day, they interact with artists at merchandise tents and purchase items from the bands they wish to support. I walk over to Movements’ tent and talk with their frontman Patrick Miranda about how I’m excited about their set but worried about the rain a bit. He expressed similar concern but maintained the hope that the rain would subside.

However, one song into State Champs’s set at the Journey’s Left Foot Stage, the rain becomes intense and blows water onto equipment on stage. The band finished the song and left the stage as crew and security informed guests loudly that evacuation into the NRG Center would begin.

The rain starts to seep into my shoes, socks and backpack. The relentless rain was beginning to threaten everyone’s last Warped Tour Experience. All attendees walked around the Houston Methodist Training Center and across the bridge, passing by NRG Stadium and the Astrodome as we were filtered into the freezing cold NRG Center. Many visited the bathrooms, which had stretching lines of people attempting to dry off and change their clothes.

While guests continuously filtered into the entrance of the NRG Center, I receive a notification from the Vans Warped Tour official social media channels, which all posted the following messages:

 

 

The rain persisted while narrowing down to a drizzle. However, the weather radar promised another discouraging wave of heavy rain to tear through the city at 3:30 p.m. Fans rushed to buy merchandise and experience the tour, fearing for the worst case scenario of the show being postponed or canceled.

Upon re-entering the venue I decided that going to the Movements tent and buying the shirt and hat I wanted needed to happen sooner rather than later, especially considering the oncoming rain. After buying their merch, I used the shirt to wrap my essential belongings such as my wallet and portable battery into in order to protect them from the rain in my flooded backpack.

Around 1:45 p.m. Real Friends took the stage, playing an energetic and buzzing set in the drizzling rain on the Journey’s right foot stage. Singing along to songs old and new was soulfully intoxicating, especially as the rain came down lightly on my humid skin.

Afterward, Houston’s very own Waterparks took the Journey’s Left Foot Stage, performing crowd-bouncing favorites such as “Blonde” and “Stupid for You.” The set was accompanied by enthusiastic locals who were eager to support a homegrown artist on the tour. It was absolutely amazing to see Waterparks for my first time in their element at a hometown show.

While between sets, guests could experience the many different food trucks which frequent the Houston area, including the Waffle Bus and Happy Endings, who also frequent UHCL!

Guests were also free to purchase assorted fashion items from vendors, talk to nonprofits about various causes such as Truth, To Write Love On Her Arms or Headcount. All of the outreach to attendees at Warped Tour helps to inform and support positive ideas like living adrug-freee life, seeking help if you’re having thoughts of suicide or depression or just encouraging young people to register and actively participate in voting.

Pop punk powerhouse Simple Plan took to the Journey’s Right Foot Stage, drawing in one of the largest crowds of the day. Fans sang along loudly as the drizzling rain continued. I cried and cheered along with the hoard of fans as the band closed their emotional set with the words, “I’m sorry I can’t be perfect.”

Warped Tour veterans Every Time I Die took the stage at 4:45 p.m. on the Mutant White Lightning Stage, playing a heavy set which encouraged the circle pit to spin nearly the entire duration of their set. Among members of the pit was one dedicated fan in a shark costume. As the shark exited the pit, I offered and received a high five from the enthusiastic mosher. These moments are what Warped is made of.

At 5:45 p.m. The Used took the Journey’s Left Foot Stage. The rain had subsided, the sun had come out, and frontman Bert McCracken ran and danced onto the stage holding two smoke grenades, one purple and one yellow. The band opened up with “Take it Away,” electrifying the crowd and opening a circle pit around the sound booth. Then the band played select songs from all of their different eras, closing out the show with their hard-hitting early hit “A Box Full of Sharp Objects” fused with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” riff. The crowd absolutely loved it, jumping constantly until the band waved their final goodbye to Houston’s Warped Tour.

Movements played their hard-hitting post-hardcore set which consisted of many songs from their debut album “Feel Something” that was released in October 2017. Earlier that same summer, I saw them for the first time at Warped Tour 2017. I was elated to see the band again on a much bigger stage, witnessing their growth firsthand and being their to support them further. The final bands left to play were Senses Fail and Mayday Parade, both of which played strong sets, closing out the final performances on the final Warped Tour for Houston, Texas.

Ultimately, the show went on despite the ongoing rain and delays. The three o’ clock rain never came, and eventually, the sun persisted and shined onto the pavement for the last several hours of the day. Delays didn’t discourage fans from sticking around, however, as masses were still ushered out after Senses Fail completed their set.

The eagerness and energy of fans, artists, and the crew members made it happen for one last time in Houston on this last cross-country Warped Tour ever. Though this was only my second Warped Tour experience, it was an experience I will forever cherish and never forget.