To start off-I have to say, I’m quite excited about this JFH Blog. My personal blog actually is what got me working for JFH and writing reviews in the first place! So everything has come full circle in a way.
So it is the summer again! Or at least down in Florida it is full gear! And that means the annual summer festivals and tours are about to start up and make their way across the nation. If you have any chance to check out at least one of these events- I highly recommed you do so. In my opinion, there’s not a better time to catch an amazing lineup of artists than in the middle of a stress-free, summer vacation!
Between Cornerstone, Alive, Creation, Purple Door, and the Warped Tour, the opportunities are endless. Just checking out some of the lineups for these shows has got me speechless. I, personally, am attending Warped Tour for the first time this year as a substitute for Cornerstone Florida, which saw its demise earlier this year. This event is huge and seems to get bigger each year! This year’s lineup includes an impressive list of rock artists commonly found in the Christian scene (As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Between the Trees, Classic Crime, The Devil Wears Prada, Family Force 5, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Norma Jean, Paramore…). Anberlin is one of the headliners and with their new release in August, co-headling the Warped Tour is the most ideal way to promote their new songs and their talent to a new, yet familiar, audience. I’m extremely looking forward to hearing some of the new material (even though I’m not very hopeful for the new album as a whole. But more on that later…). Maybe it’ll change my view on this new direction (and record label) they’ve taken?
Even though Warped tends to carry the whole ‘mainstream punk’ attitude, it really is a lot more than a punk-rock showcase tour. It is a host to many amazing non-profit organizations and is becoming an extremely active member in these hopeful and helpful communities, which is really encouraging to see brought together in such an atmosphere. It’s a great way to enjoy some amazing live performances while playing an active role in your local and/or national community.
All in all, it’s going to be a busy summer! I’m pulling out all of my summertime soundtracks, so I’ll be sure to share those with you very soon!
Enjoy the rest of your week!
-Lindsay Wiseman