Despite the sweltering wrath of the hot Florida sun, this Saturday’s Warped stop in West Palm Beach, Florida bought in flocks of fans and music lovers. All kinds of people made their way through the gates, ready for their Warped experience.

Upon making my way into the gates, I was greeted with the smooth sounds of EIY’s band of the day, Every You. They played an excellent set, and in doing so, they caught the eyes and ears of many. Their hit ‘Piece Of My Mind’ got everyone pumped to start their day. There was nothing but good vibrations between Every You and the crowd they brought out.

Occasionally throughout the day, you might find yourself with quite a bit of down time. Have no fear! There were so many ways to spend time in between sets. Lots of tents had different interesting things to offer. The Truth truck usually has some fun activities you and other concert goers can participate in. Usually, they’d even hand out prizes to winners! The Nintendo 3DS tent is definitely up your alley if your into video games. Walking past a few tents, they’ll even give out certain things like posters and small bracelets. Heck, I was able to get a VIP Box pass from the Kia Soul tent! Vans also set up a half pipe with skaters shredding it up throughout the day. It’s also an excellent idea to walk around and check out bands you’ve never seen or heard playing at the other stages.

After a small break, it was time for me to experience more of what I came for — the music. Dance Gavin Dance, Gym Class Heroes, August Burns Red, Asking Alexandria, Enter Shikari, and D.R.U.G.S were at the top my list that day. First, I took to the Nintendo DS stage and saw what I could of Dance Gavin Dance before going to the EIY meetup. Despite the heat, Jonny Craig’s vocals packed more soul than a record store filled with R&B albums and Will Swan’s guitar skill’s were amazing. Gym Class Heroes has gotten me through some rough days and Disashi has inspired my guitar playing, so it was definitely an honor being able to see them live.

EIY’s backstage meet up was certainly a treat, but more so informative. Kevin Lyman spoke to us about getting into the industry and how you want to bring a different attribute to the table that other candidates don’t have. Further more, we chatted about college level music industry education and how great it might be to have if you can afford a steep tuition. Alas, Kevin Lyman is a busy man, as you could imagine, and had to leave a little earlier than anticipated, but he was still very open with us coming back and asking questions. We also discussed with Selena, our host that day, how life on the road is for some and not others. Some people spend up to ten months out of the year on the road! We also had the oppurtunity to talk with Chuck Comeau, drummer of Simple Plan, and French Fry, the assistant tour manager for The Devil Wears Prada. Both of them made great points about how touring works and what it’s really like being a musician on the road and on the rise.

As the day wore on, I began noticing something startling. There was a bunch of people passing out due to the heat and lack of hydration. People were being taken off the grounds in stretchers and ambulances, even golf carts to be treated. Plus, people would get into the pits and get banged up pretty badly. Passing by the first aid tent, noticed a fellow concert goer who took a not-so nice hit to the head in a pit. That being said, things like this can be easily avoided. When walking into a pit, make sure you’re well aware of what you’re getting yourself into. Heck, they can be a ton of fun! But there is also a risk that comes with it. Water intake is of the utmost importance at any Warped date, especially West Palm Beach’s. The temperatures soared into the high 90’s. So people! Keep yourselves cool in the shade from time to time and drink plenty of water, even if it might be three bucks a bottle!

To close out the day, I found myself with a tough choice. Do I want to see The Devil Wears Prada, or walk over to the Advent Stage and see Of Mice and Men? I went with the latter and chose Of Mice and Men. They played an awesome set and closed with probably one of their most notable songs, ‘Second and Sebring’. The crowd went insane. When their set was over, I was lucky enought to walk over to the main stage and still see The Devil Wears Prada play a few songs.

All in all, it was a great day! I only wish I had went to a few signings and met more band members. But hey, there’s always next summer!