“Kevin runs one of the biggest summer camps I know,” said by the sponsor coordinator of Warped Tour. I found that its one of the easiest ways to describe all that is Warped Tour. While 12,000 eager music lovers ran around the Central Florida Fairgrounds on the 29th of July, a group of passionate kids gathered to discuss their futures in the music industry. During the Orlando Earn It Yourself (EIY) meet-up, Mr. Kevin Lyman, along with Chuck Comeau of Simple Plan, both of A Day to Remember’s managers, a Full Sail University rep, and two members of D.R.U.G.S., told of their lives in the music industry and answered questions.

During the discussion Kevin Lyman, the creator and owner of Warped Tour (WT), said that he graduated with a degree in Recreation Administration; and that is exactly what WT is. WT is the day long summer camp that every lover of music dreams of. Even before camp begins, the packing process is immense. The same for WT, packing your backpack the day before: sunscreen, water bottles, snacks, sharpies to make sure you don’t miss your favorite artists autograph, and enough cash to fill the bag with merch. The feeling that you get in the car, the stomach churning, the excitement of seeing old friends and meeting new. Just as every camper waits to be checked in and assigned their bunk, every Warped Tour ticket holder waits anxiously in line to enter and find out set times.

This year’s tour was quite a line up. Being a lover of pop-punk I was interested in seeing many old favorites that I hadn’t seen yet (Simple Plan, The Wonder Years, The Dangerous Summer). I immediately spent the $2 dollars on a map and schedule, sat down and planned my day. Thankfully, not many of the bands I wanted to see were playing simultaneously. As I walked around for the hour between doors and the first mainstage band I ran into many over zealous fans and friends I hadn’t seen in a while. Its always a mystery as to whom you’re going to run into at this camp. After shooting a few bands that I just could not miss, I made my way over to the Shut Up and Deal tent to get a look at the amount of people attending our meet-up.

Unfortunately, the list was short, but I figured it would grow as the day progressed. I then went to catch a couple more bands in between which I spent time with friends who’s visits are few and far apart. Mat Weunch, Stephen Jerzak’s merch guy, and I hassled fans as they walked by the Skullcandy stage and the boys of We Came as Romans were getting pumped up sidestage before their mind blowing set. The tweet of the EIY time was finally received and I was really able to plan my day. After 2pm the heat really started blasting. It was like flame throwers were set up all around WT aimed straight at me.

You could see the heat attacking many attendee’s who were huddled up under every available tree, tent, stage and restroom building. As we were told in the EIY meet-up, you can’t be scared to get to know any and everyone at a show. And that’s exactly what I noticed. Flyers everywhere, fans conversing, photographers giving out cards before a set and band members making fans dreams come true during meet and greets and randomly walking around. WT may be one of the only camps that an idol can be next to their biggest fan every single day.
I raced from stage to stage as my day started getting busier trying to stay hydrated and not loose my touch. Between sets I tried to make it to meet and greets and random sightings to catch a few candids and promos of bands that I otherwise would not have gotten the opportunity to see. WT really is a camp of all camps, some bands that have only toured locally before are given the chance to play for fans that they would have never otherwise been in front of. Bands whom haven’t played in the United States in three years have the opportunity to play for college students that have had their poster since sixth grade.

After being blown away by the Dangerous Summer, whom if I may say so myself sound even better live than recorded, I made my way over to the Shut Up and Deal tent for the EIY meeting. I watched Set It Off’s acoustic set in the Keep a Breast tent before 4:45 rolled around. During no other summer camp do so many non profit organizations get their start and reach the same amount of future leaders. These kids that just see their names will look them up the day after and become the future of these companies. That’s exactly what was discussed in our EIY meeting.

Once in our location we introduced ourselves while Mr.Lyman took care of an issue. There were about ten of us, some new to the industry and some old workers who are coming back. The rest were quite timid and quiet, more there for listening while I took the opportunity whole-hearted and asked as many questions as their were time for. It was almost intimidating sitting within two feet of a man that since I heard of music shows I had been dreaming about meeting. But that’s what its all about isn’t it? The only way to create a new leader is to introduce them to the current one. The only way that a future music prodigy is going to succeed is to meet the one that got them involved in the first place.

Our EIY meeting really proved to me what I had been told all my life. Its all about timing. You could meet the same person twelve times and it won’t be until the thirteenth that they offer you something incredible. This industry is about relationships, kindness, passion and then talent. You could have a real gift but until you show people you’re worth more than just show, you’ll never be given the time of day. Failure happens to everyone, it happened to WT and now its 17 years strong. Not giving up is the key, as Mr.Lyman said, “People think that by 23 they should be on top of the world, that’s not how this industry works, you never know when its going to happen, but one day you wake up and you’ve accomplished your dreams.”

After a long grueling day of heat, exhaustion and dehydration, as the sun is setting behind the last band of the day there comes a point when you look at the sweaty fans shoved into your personal space and you say to yourself, “its all been worth it.” The love of music, seeing a band you’ve been dreaming of for years, new experiences, new merch, learning of ways to help the earth, its all worth the ten hours of sun exposure and sharing it with 12,000 people just like you, indescribable.