I suppose it was only a matter of time. With the emo nostalgia festival heyday ongoing and a return to form for several 2010s Tumblr-era artists — not to mention Instagram's very Myspace-y new feature — it looks like Warped Tour might be primed for a comeback.
Multiple sources familiar with the matter told Rock Feed that the Kevin Lyman-founded travelling rock festival synonymous with Vans checkerboard shoes, which ran from 1995 to 2019, is poised to make its return in 2025 with a series of festivals celebrating its 30-year anniversary. Lyman is said to be heavily involved, but the festival will reportedly now be overseen by Live Nation, who did not return Rock Feed's request for comment.
For the uninitiated, Warped Tour was instrumental in launching the careers of everyone from blink-182 to Katy Perry; however, the punk-predominant, all-ages summer touring fest also infamously fostered a pretty toxic environment. Numerous choice acts — as well as vendors, including Virginia pro-life organization Rock for Life — were included over the years, with umpteen allegations of predatory behaviour toward attendees (primarily underage girls).
Watch Rock Feed host Brian Storm's report on the news below.