Interesting report from Warped Tour 2003

[AWD]

Just got back from the Warped Tour (yes, it was awesome), and needed to report this.

There is some MAJOR hatred of Bush coming from the punk rock crowd....REALLY hate this man. The bands, the fans, the road crew....EVERYWHERE there were anti-Bush shirts, signs, comments.

The lead singer of Suicide Machines made an in-between sonds comment about being a registered voter, to which he got mild applause. he then made a comment about getting Bush out of office and the crowd went NUTS. He called upon every registered voter to go vote him out of office, and then challenged the non-registered voters to get off their asses before it's too late.

The lead singer of Bowling For Soup had a guitar with the letters "TX" on it. He later told the crowd that he was proud to come from the same state as Natalie Maines.

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes sold "Not My President" shirts with Bush on them.

Vendetta Red sold Bush shirts with the slogan "The Face Of Terror"

A.F.I. sold shirts that said "why isn't it called terrorism when the United States does it?"

Booths were EVERYWHERE that sold anti-Bush buttons, anti-Bush bumper stickers, anti-Bush hats, etc. More booths were dedicated to anti-war causes than there were beer tents.

"International Terrorist" shirts were on sale in at least two places.

This is a crowd we need to reach out to in a big way next summer. I propose Democratic Underground sets up a booth at the tour next year.

And before any of you say it, the average age was NOT 13...this place was at least 80% people of voting age and above.

It felt VERY good to see all this all day.

Oh, and Rancid kicked ass.

[Doctor_J]

1. Oh, yeah

They are ouit there, in EVERY demographic except the upper- upper-crust (the folks who shouldered the weight of the tax bribe). If we GOTV, and nominate someone great, and our votes are counted, Smirk will be nothing but a skidmark on the toilet bowl.

[morningglory]

2. Oh, thanks for the report.

I have a feeling that all the repug talk about Dean being like McGovern (I was a delegate for McG and it hits a little close to home) and like Dukakis (NNNOOO comparison)because of his 'up east' accent and demeanor. His so called stiff demeanor strikes me as righteous anger and that is what I crave right now. He may be righteously pissed that he has to talk to vacuous shitheads like Tim Russert, who are going to do their darndest to goad him into making a mistake that will take him down, or provide fodder for Rove's attack press minions. I have been so pissed off since shrub got in that I really need psychiatric counselling, but due to being laid off, I have no medical care and have just been chewing papaya enzyme pills for the acid reflux. The biggest difference between now and McG's time and Dukakis' time is the internet. Real information is available that is certainly not going to be forthcoming from our press. Thanks for listening. I feel better.

[oustemnow]

3. Vendetta Red

saw them a few months ago at the Troubador in Los Angeles. the singer Zach (or the bastard spawn of Roger Daltrey, as I prefer to think of him) announced, "We have T-shirts with the words 'Face of Terror' and a picture of your president; what do you think of that?'" Scattered, nervous applause. It was also just after the major aggression in Iraq, and he announced, 'Well, the war's over; let's be glad that bullshit is done with' or words to that effect.

After their show I was heading to my car, and saw some little punker girl being comforted by her friends. She was saying, obviously very upset, "He kept saying all these unpatriotic THINGS!" One of her friends had to assure her that "He loves his country."

Glad to see things are turning around, not saying that she was completely representative of the crowd as a whole. Good band.

[Fixated]

4. ....

Woooo, Warped is Friday for me! Last year Fat Wreck Chords sold their "Not My President" shirt and I got one.

[AWD]

5. Selling them again

I got one too.

Something tells me not to wear it on the campaign trail. Not gonna win over those swing votes.

[Syn_Dem]

6. Man...if only Anti-Flag was there

They are the epitomy of the "Anti-Bush" rhetoric. sadly i couldnt go this year...my vacation cut in *sigh* but next year im going for sure, and ANTI-FLAG SHOULD BE THERE!!!!