Warped Tour - 10 Best Live Bands (1st half)

10. Hit The Lights (Triple Crown) - I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of their music but I can't deny their live show. It's energetic, a lot of crowd interaction and the band looks like they love what their doing. I'll come around to being fans of their music. Watch them on the SmartPunk Stage.

9. There For Tomorrow (Hopeless) - I first saw this band play on the Ernie Ball Stage on Warped '07 in Orlando. Two years later, their live show continues to rock. Make sure you check out their 3-part harmonies on their Icebox cover. They have energy, power and great harmonies with their live show. Watch them on the SmartPunk Stage.

8. The White Tie Affair (Epic/Slightly Dangerous) - I've seen this band play on a house patio in Phoenix to Bamboozle and now Warped Tour. Their steady climb of album sales (over 65,000 so far) has the live show to be thankful for. It's easy to get new fans when you can sound like your CD in person. Watch them on the SmartPunk Stage.

7. Gallows (Epitaph) - You can watch this band every single day/night and come out with something different to say. You will also come out of it with a few new one-liners. This band speaks their mind and don't hide anything when it comes to their live show. Frank, the lead singer, always gets in the pit with the mic. He comes out bloody quite often, as well. Stuart, their bass player, gives them extra points for remembering my name after 2 years. Watch them on the Hurley Stage.

6. Alexisonfire (Vagrant) - This band has one of the best live screamers and one of the best singers. The singer is none other than City & Colour's Dallas Green. I didn't know who this band was until Warped '05 when I heard this amazing sounding band ringing out of the ampitheater in Cincinnati. I was a fan ever since. Watch them on the Hurley Stage.

5. Innerpartysystem (Unsigned) - I have to admit that I never watch this band's entire performance at any date because of various reasons. It's hard to have a light show on Warped since most time slots are during the day. But this band, somehow, gets it done. The buzz about this band's live show reminds me of the talk of MuteMath on Warped '07. Watch them on the Skullcandy Stage.

4. The Maine (Warner/Fearless) - Ok ok...I know some of you are going to call me "biased" on this one since I work for the band. But they are very good live and I had several people on Warped tell me they sound like their CD. Just listen to their Def Leppard cover live and you will be won over. These guys have come a long way from their very first live show in January 2007, which I attended. Watch them on the Hurley Stage.

3. A Day To Remember (Victory) - Holy moly. This band is easily in the Top 5 most watched band on Warped '09. I saw one show in which there was easily 3,000 people watching. They are intense, crowd-pleasing, thankful to their fans and fun to watch. If you want to see kids crowd surfing 50 yards from the stage with 10 different mosh pits, this band is for you. Watch them on the Hurley Stage.

2. All Time Low (Hopeless) - Again, some of you might tag me with the "biased" card because of my relationship with them. But they are definitely one of the better live bands on Warped '09. Their harmonies have continued to improve and their songs are just damn catchy. Their antics between songs are hilarious. If you don't like their music, watch them to hear their witty commentary. Watch them on the Main Stage.

1. Underoath (Solid State) - Just when I started to lose interest in this band, I had to see them on Warped Tour. Bam! My interest is back. Their live show is hands down the best on the tour. Their crowd is intense, their set is intense, their musicianship is intense and the show is intense. They sound like their CDs and they look like they love playing every night. They even try not to offend the non-Christians with their love for God. Watch them on the Main Stage.

How did I do?

The Real World Finally Discovers Raining & OK

For those of you who have followed my favorite unsigned bands, you know I have been high on the band Raining & OK since 2007. It's tough being a non-scene band surrounded with scene connections and band friends. You need that break to get to a more mainstream audience. I think they just got it.

Their song Empty Handed got a 50-second spot on the latest The Real World episode. The mainstream crowd is eating it up as the song has sold over 1,000 singles on iTunes in just 5 days. Their new EP Always Will Be has also sold over 100 copies since the airing.

This band was made for movie and TV placement. And they are almost at the point to be on your radio waves.

Make sure you start following this band so you can tell your friends you knew them "....back when....". Hurry, because "the real world" is starting noticed.

Purchase the Empty Handed single for .99 cents----->

Jeffree Star & His Band Posse Dominate Warped News

After being on Warped '09 for my 2nd week long stint, I noticed a big change from the 1st week of the tour - bands are very vocal about their distaste for bands like Jeffree Starr, Brokencyde, Breathe Carolina and Millionaires. At least one band on every stage will tell you how they feel about them. Gallows might be the only band with balls to actually call them out by name, though.

But what gives? Is this just another music trend that the "punk" bands of Warped Tour voice their dislike and move on? Or is this something deeper? Do they really want to stop these bands from playing the tour?

As you can see from the picture above, Jeffree Star draws kids to his shows. And his signing lines run over an hour every time. Is this just a passing fad? I don't think so.

Buddy of Senses Fail started the public demonizing of Brokencyde while he was on tour with them. And since then, it seems everyone has been chiming in, including this New York Times Warped Tour review.

But who's "fault" is it anyway? Is it the fans who keep buying their merch and going to shows? Or is it bands like 3Oh!3 (who seem to never be in these discussions but I guess if Lil' Jon performs with you on the Long Island Warped, you are credible) who give these new electro/dance-bands hope?

Who's fault is it that Warped Tour has to arrange security for Jeffree Star everyday at his tent? He didn't need it at the beginning of the tour. Hmmm....

I want to hear your take on this!