Warped Tour Set To Return In The US: Should It Make An Australian Comeback?
The final Australian Warped Tour took place in 2013, with a line-up that included The Offspring, Parkway Drive, Tonight Alive, and many more.
Warped Tour Australia (Credit: Terry Soo)
Last week, it was reported that the iconic (and problematic) pop-punk festival Warped Tour is set to return to the US in 2025, but should it also return to Australia?
According to the festival’s founder, Kevin Lyman, the return of Warped Tour is in the works. Discussing the potential comeback, he told Pollstar, “We have something cooking for 2025. Details should be ready in a few weeks.”
No details about the line-up, dates, or venues have been revealed at the time of writing. However, 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the inaugural event, so if nothing else happens, we can see a one-off celebration taking place.
The final Warped Tour took place in the US in 2019.
The Warped Tour – often referred to as the Vans Warped Tour given the shoe company's long-standing sponsorship – first took place in 1995 and attempted to establish itself in Australia twice.
It first appeared with events in 1998 and 1999 before a one-off year in 2002. Michael Chugg was the last promoter to tour the event as a local partner.
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
The first Australian leg of Warped Tour, led by Pennywise and 311 and featuring a scrappy blink-182 and energetic The Living End, brought something new to Australia.
The final Australian Warped Tour took place in 2013, with a line-up starring The Offspring, Parkway Drive, Simple Plan, New Found Glory, The Used, Tonight Alive, and stacks more.
But there are some reasons why Warped Tour shouldn’t return, and if it does, it presents a challenge: the whole culture requires a change.
While it’s easy to feel nostalgic for ‘90s and 2000s pop-punk, the actual scene during those years wasn’t always easy to exist in for women enjoying the music or existing within the music scene. Paramore’s Hayley Williams has previously discussed the sexism she faced on Warped Tour.
Kevin Lyman received criticism for claiming that sexual harassment was “part of the culture” of Warped Tour in 2018, and many of the bands who played at the festival were called out for misogynistic lyrics.
More From Our Network
