Warped Consider Age Restrictions Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Following harrowing allegations from this year's Vans Warped Tour in the US, where both Slaves' singer Jonny Craig and Front Porch Step's Jake McElfresh were dealt with sexual misconduct allegations, Warped founder and festival producer Kevin Lyman has suggested he may be bringing in age limits for next year's travelling rock summer camp. 

In an interview with The Stranger, Lyman, who has taken Warped Tour on the road since 1995, said he's considering stricter measures to ensure a safer environment at Warped Tour 2016.

"Next year we're going to have no kids on this tour. It’s going to be really tough if you want to be on this tour and are 21 and under. Whether it's the artist, crew… anyone."

Lyman clarified the sentiment on his Twitter, where he said the restrictions would not be imposed on attendees of the 50+ date tour.

Lyman also added, "I'm already working on Warped Tour for next year. And you know what? There are things that need to be fixed. [The community] needs to fix what due process is, what judicial systems are, and [we] have to stop putting false information on the internet."

Earlier on the tour, Front Porch Step's McElfresh was accused of inappropriate and explicit text messaging and social media relationships with "at least half a dozen teenage girls" according to NY Times. McElfresh was consequently dropped from the tour, but played an unannounced set on the Basement stage at the Nashville date, which was met with much protest from the crowd, despite Lyman at the time offering that it would help in McElfresh's rehabilitation. Later in the month, allegations were made against Jonny Craig of Slaves that he had allegedly sexually harassed a merch girl. Following a "town hall vote" of all crew and performers, Slaves were dropped from the tour, their booking agency and tour dates for the rest of the year.