10 of the Most Anticipated Bands to See During VANS WARPED TOUR 2017

We’re now a couple weeks into the Vans Warped Tour, with over a month still to go. This year’s lineup is just as monstrously huge as usual, making it difficult to pick and choose between acts. We decided it might be a good idea to highlight the bands that we think deserve your attention at this year’s tour. Here are ten of our most anticipated acts!

10. Alestorm
– Pirate Metal. Need I even say more? Hailing from Scotland, Alestorm‘s music blends folk metal and power metal to hilarious effect, with songs often discussing battling sea monsters and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Check out a track from these salty sea dog’s latest release No Grave But The Sea below!

09. Barb Wire Dolls
– Greek grunge/punk rock band Barb Wire Dolls are probably the best-kept secret on this year’s lineup. They’ve already made a name for themselves in Europe with their explosive live sets, now they’re bringing their brand of loud, gritty rock to Warped. Check out their set, your ears will thank you.

08. Creeper
– Hailing from the UK, Creeper is one of those bands that is just too good to not see. They’re relatively new to the scene stateside, but it’s only a matter of time before these guys blow up. Their melodic brand of horror punk rock evokes comparisons to AFI, The Bouncing Souls, and even Alkaline Trio, but is very much their own sound. Check out “Black Mass” below to get a feel for them and be sure to catch their set!

07. Courage My Love
– Kitchener, Ontario’s power-pop/pop punk band Courage My Love is so infectiously catchy you might need medical attention after their set–but it will feel so worth it. They’ve been making waves recently since dropping their 2017 full-length Synesthesia and are surly only going to gain in notoriety from this tour. Catch them now before they’re too big to be playing such an intimate setting!

06. CKY
– While it’s become less rare for a well-known band to emerge from hiatus and reunite to tour, for that band to put out a new record and then jump on Warped Tour is pretty cool. CKY just dropped Phoenix last month and are out on Warped all summer. Middle school me is very stoked. If for nothing else than the nostalgia, go check out CKY (the new album isn’t too shabby either!).

05. War On Women
– War on Women is a refreshingly in-your-face punk band who write songs that deal with feminist subject matter. They’re really fun live, and manage to walk that line between angry and catchy.

04. GWAR
– Metal’s beloved malevolent space aliens have descended upon Warped Tour this year as probably the most unexpected name on this year’s lineup. With their on-stage theatrics and ridiculous outfits, GWAR‘s set is just as much a visual performance as it is a musical one. Definitely worth seeing them during your day at Warped! Be warned: wear something you don’t mind having drenched in fake blood.

03. Municipal Waste
– Two words: Crossover Thrash. Municipal Waste is a freaking blast and their fusion of hardcore punk and thrash metal is a joy to behold. The band added a guitarist to their ranks on their new record, expanding to a five-piece. Check out “Amateur Sketch” from their latest album, Slime and Punishment to get a feel for what to expect!

02. Too Close To Touch
– When post-hardcore act Too Close To Touch went out on Warped Tour last year, they had a limited, mostly regional following. Since then they’ve exploded onto the scene, helped in part by the release of their 2016 full length Haven’t Been Myself which came out during last year’s tour. They’re sure to draw huge crowds on this year’s tour–be sure you’re among them!

01. Knocked Loose
– Do you like your music crushingly heavy? If so, Knocked Loose is the band for you. Their 2016 release Laugh Tracks is chock full of absurdly heavy songs that are surprisingly anthemic. Expect lots of crowd sing-alongs, pile-ups, and violent mosh pits.

Remaining Warped Tour Dates:

07/01 – Tampa, FL
07/02 – West Palm Beach, FL
07/06 – Charlotte, NC
07/07 – Philadelphia, PA
07/08 – Long Island, NY
07/09 – Hartford, CT
07/10 – Scranton, PA
07/11 – Virginia Beach, VA
07/12 – Boston, MA
07/13 – Buffalo, NY
07/14 – Pittsburgh, PA
07/15 – Holmdel, NJ
07/16 – Washington, DC
07/18 – Cleveland, OH
07/19 – Cincinnati, OH
07/20 – Indianapolis, IN
07/21 – Detroit, MI
07/22 – Chicago, IL
07/23 – Minneapolis, MN
07/24 – Milwaukee, WI
07/26 – St. Louis, MO
07/28 – Dallas, TX
07/29 – San Antonia, TX
07/30 – Houston, TX
08/04 – San Francisco, CA
08/05 – San Diego, CA
08/06 – Los Angeles, CA