It's the end of an era. Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman has announced that after 24 years, the punk rock festival mainstay, where bands like Rancid, Blink-182, Sublime, No Doubt, and more came to prominence, will be put rest after its 2018 run.
In an interview with Billboard, Lyman explained declining ticket sales and a smaller number of bands joining the tour are to blame for its demise.
“Today, with many mixed feelings, I am here to announce that next year will be the final, full cross-country run of the Vans Warped Tour,” Lyman said in a statement. “I sit here reflecting on the tour’s incredible history, what the final run means for our community, and look forward to what’s to come as we commemorate the tour’s historic 25th anniversary in 2019.
"The long hot days that ended around a BBQ with food, drink and more music are some of the best times. I witnessed lifelong friendships being made, sparks of romance that led to ‘Warped weddings,’ and unfortunately now, more notices of passings where a proper good bye was not able to be said."
Speaking to Billboard, Lyman said part of the reason the tour was ending was that he was "just tired" due to the challenge of keeping the festival profitable in the crowded music festival landscape. He also cites the demographic of the tour getting older as part of the blame. "Well…to be honest, this past summer, the 14- to 17-year-olds disappeared. I kept thinking, ‘Is it the Warped Tour? Is it the bands I booked?’ Well no, I booked all the bands that should become the next Sleeping With Sirens or Pierce the Veil. I booked Neck Deep and Knocked Loose and I Prevail and Beartooth — all doing really well as bands," he explained. "But when our demo jumped, our average age jumped almost three years last year, up to 19. So then you’re sitting there at night on the bus going, 'Where are the kids?’”
The 2018 Warped Tour kicks off June 21 in California and runs until Aug. 5 in Florida. The only Canadian date is July 17 in Toronto.
Original article by Sam Valorose at iHeartRadio