As the drum kicks, the guitar wails, and the singer screams, you can hear the music starting again. On September 9th, punk rockers of all ages will gather at The JunkYard in Denver to celebrate some of the best bands from the Warped Tour days, with some new school bands that carry the sound into the future.
The Warped Tour was a traveling festival that would frequent college campuses every year from 1995-2019. It was organized by Vans as a way of presenting the ever-changing culture that surrounded punk rock. The 1234Fest will give you a taste of what that time was really like with a stacked lineup playing for one night only.
First is Rise Against, who have been rocking and traveling for what seems like a nonstop 20-year tour since I saw them as one of the headliners of the Warped Tour. Not content with slowing down or just playing their greatest hits, Rise Against had success with their song “Savior” recently, showing their sound is only evolving and improving.
Co-headlining is the legendary California punk rock band known only as Rancid. They were beloved for years, not just for their unique and powerful sound but also for their commitment to the authentic, original punk rock aesthetic.
Rancid is the kind of band you see coming when you’re walking down the street, and when you hear their sound, you will remember what it feels like to be young and under the red hot sun again.
Included with these two headliners is a stacked lineup of some of the best bands out there, with Jawbreaker, Joyce Manor, Dillinger Four, and another legendary California band, the Descendants, who are still the definition and standard for punk rock from the West Coast.
Also on the bill is a band that doesn’t just play music but also challenges tyrants. The revolutionary feminist Russian band Pussy Riot round out the lineup and give this festival that sense of rebellion all punk shows should have.
Punk rock is about challenging authority and expressing our anger and disillusionment over the world we live in with the sounds of loud guitars and screaming voices. No band represents that idea more than Pussy Riot, once imprisoned in their homeland of Russia for doing what they do onstage. Pussy Riot are as punk rock as it gets. They live the deviance many only project outward. You don’t want to miss this band.
On September 9th, our chance to relive the glory days of the Warped Tour returns, but with some extra punk rock power. Punk rock, in all its forms, represents that moment when we wanted to be a part of the change instead of the machine. For one night only at The JunkYard, 1234 Fest will give you that feeling again with a great lineup and an open-air environment in the city.
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster at $129 plus fees. No discounts for Mohawks, though.
