We have seen good, bad and ugly on our many adventures at dozens of different rock shows and festivals, but Street Scene made us proud to call ourselves San Diego natives! We knew it was going to be a good day when right when we got out of our car we were approached by a group of girls in tank-tops that read, “Ask me about the dryhump special,” who then handed us orange jello-shots. Although we must admit that with the lack of people at the venue around 3 o’clock, the light rain storm and newcomer Carina Round doing high kicks in a gaudy, overly-full purple skirt, we were a bit skeptical at first.

Street Scene is a two day San Diego tradition that used to literally take place on the streets of San Diego in Pacific Beach. Due to resident complaints it was moved to Qualcomm Stadium and this year, to Coors Amphitheater in Chula Vista (which as you may recall, was also the site of our hellacious Projekt Revolution experience and of San Diego’s Warped Tour). This year’s Street Scene boasted the largest variety of acts that we’ve seen! From Muse to T.I, from Panic! At the Disco to T-Pain - there was something for everyone to be excited about!

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OH Fresno - what a Warped Tour you were! Although one of the least populated dates of the tour, there was nothing (but the 98-degree temperature!) to complain about! First of all, we were just SO thrilled to be back on the road!! Driving into the Selland Arena parking lot, all we could do was smile and say, “Look! We’re home!” It’s true, we really feel at HOME at Warped! So in celebration, we hooked up with some of our favorite acts of the tour, saw some incredible sets from the newest editions to Warped’s lineup (two words: The Matches) and then partied the night away!!

Sitting in bright orange chairs inside the main arena, we talked with pop-punk’s musical wonder Bryce Avery of The Rocket Summer. His new album “Do You Feel,” which he gave us copies of (Thanks again, Bryce!), is his BEST yet! Giant hooks and instrumental originality keep each track new and exciting. Roll down the windows, let the sunshine in and “Do You Feel” will make you feel like summer never ends!

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When listening to hardcore, UK-punk outfit Gallows for the first time, the two things that came to mind were, “Who are they!?” and “Why haven’t we heard them sooner!?”

Gallows’ music is a giant breath of fresh punk air at this summer’s Warped Tour.

Sitting on their cushiony, air-conditioned tour bus, the Watford-shipped quintet was nothing (much to our initial disappointment) like how music mags like to portray them. So basically, they weren’t at all the arrogant, self-righteous, my music is better than yours so go f*** yourselves rock stars we anticipated. In fact, every member, including their illustriously badass frontman Frank Carter, was devilishly charming, witty and oh so attractive - but, we have to admit - they’re still pretty badass.

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Love, Death, Drugs, Rock, Sex, Suicide, God and ABBA. Yes, we asked about and covered all the essentials! Not only did Placebo bassist Stefan Olsdal genuinely answer everything we dared throw his way, but he surprised us with some of the most personal information we’ve ever received, especially from a band of Placebo’s caliber!

In our 25-minute interview, the enchanting Olsdal openly spoke (with that gorgeous UK accent!) about what it means to truly hit rock bottom and suffer for your art, the MOST addictive drug he’s ever experienced and how Queens of the Stone Age gave him an inferiority complex. From a subway stop in London to present day, Olsdal allowed us, and now you, a unique look into the med-hazed journey of Placebo.

“Can you hear when listening to Placebo that there’s GAY people in the band?” Olsdal, wearing a white shirt, tight black pants and black sunglasses, rhetorically and sarcastically asked us when the topic of being a homosexual and a rock-star came into play.

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Taking a vacation is supposed to be fun… but there is NOTHING fun about taking a break from Warped Tour! The music, the energy, the crowds, the bands, the love! We are going through major withdrawals! A day at a summer concert tour is pure musical bliss… that is, unless that summer concert tour is called Projekt Revolution. Yah know, the tour Linkin Park put together so even more people could be suffocated by the band’s ego? Yah, that one.

Anyways, regardless of how we feel about Linkin Park, the Projekt Revolution lineup is pretty freaking impressive. Taking Back Sunday, Madina Lake, HIM, Placebo AND My Chemical Romance all in one night! Seriously! So of course we jumped at the chance to attend… oh if only we had known!

We arrived at Coors Amphitheatre in sunny San Diego, CA right when the doors opened to meet up with Newport-produced alt-rock band Saosin on their tour bus. Saosin gets a lot of hype, and in the past, a whole lot of crap. Anyone recall that little lead singer switcheroo a couple years back? Well, that “little” lineup change from original vocalist Anthony Green (now of Circa Survive) to today’s Cove Reber is really the ONLY thing we, and most people, actually know or talk about when it comes to Saosin. But we were out to change all that…

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As 1/3 of the trio that is Reggae/Punk/Pop band Pepper, bass player/vocalist Bret Bollinger is honest and outspoken, vocalizing his distaste for those who ride the emo-scene wave, and the mainstream media that embraces them. But he is also genuine and charismatic, sharing with us about growing up in Hawaii, the things that REALLY turn him on, his take on Angelina Jolie movies and even his steel-proof tip for enjoying life. Get ready for some dirty, hot sex-education about a band that is truly one of a kind!

“The Indians did it, why can’t we!?” proclaimed Bollinger matter-of-factly as we sat down cross-legged in a circle on the grass in the bus lot of Arizona’s Warped Tour.

Bare-chested, tan, and heavily bearded, Bollinger looked like a surfer version of that Spartan warrior dude in the movie “300.” Except war is pretty much the farthest thing from his mind. And if war is the farthest, sex is the closest.

“You know, you could send a herd of naked chicks into the war right now and it would stop it,” theorized Bollinger with a coy smile. “Seriously!”

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“At the count of 3, let’s educate all those who don’t know what the name of the new album is,” orders Paramore’s pint-sized singer Hayley Williams into her microphone. 1…2…3… “RIOT!!!” screams the crowd in unison. “RIOT!!!”

Appropriately titled, a riot is literally the only way to describe the complete fandemonium experienced at every one of Paramore’s Warped Tour sets. Their new album has caused quite a raucous on music charts as well, reaching an impressive 20 on the US Hot 200, while the album’s first single and ultimate revenge anthem “Misery Business” is at a current position of 75 (and rising!) on the US Hot 100 and 31 on the UK Singles Chart! Their 2005 LP “All We Know is Falling” never found a home on any US chart, further showing how quickly this Tennessee 4-some are achieving stardom and inevitable initiation into the pop-punk hall of fame.

Right beside pioneers New Found Glory, Paramore has found impressive company as one of this year’s Warped Tour headliners. And although they are the youngest band on the tour, you best believe they are holding their own… and doing it in S-T-Y-L-E!

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We have mentioned California-born post-hardcore quintet (now 5 with the newest edition of guitarist Kevin Roddy), Lorene Drive in almost every one of our blogs! What can we say, we just love our songs in the key of sex (get it!?) and no one does that better than these guys! We thought it was about time to give them their own spot-light. From working on their new album to some serious brotherly-love ink, Lorene Drive gave us (and now you!) the dish on being one of punk-rock’s finest.

Lorene Drive started gaining attention back in ’05 with the release of their debut LP Romantic Wealth, containing fan favorites such as “Lip Service,” “Let It Go” and the band’s personal favorite song to play live, “A Song In the Key of Sex” (get it now!?).

Influenced by The Beatles, Blindside and of all people, The Wu-Tang Clan, Lorene Drive has certified a sound that is sexy, arrogant and just plain rock.

The band is now in the studio once again working on their Sophomore LP. After leaving Lobster Records earlier this year, although the music may be ready for audiences come fall, the band still hasn’t settled on which label will be releasing it.

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Going into New Mexico is a lot like entering a scene from one of those corny horror movies where the 4 girls go on a road trip, end up staying the night in a seedy motel and then getting hacked to pieces by a psycho axe-murderer. No joke.

Never in our lives did we ever want to visit New Mexico, and now we know why!

The Warped Tour was held at New Mexico State University. Drive 294 miles into the middle of freaking nowhere, pass a few dozen cow farms and the most giant Wal-Mart Superstore you’ve ever seen, take a right, and that’s where we were. No joke.

The day started a lot smoother than in Arizona, plus the weather was a bearable 89-degrees when we arrived. Thank god! Plus, today we were on a mission to see every band we missed in California and Arizona, which meant running around to 4 different stages to see 5 sets in 3 hours! Here we go!

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It was 109-degrees outside. We were in hell. Well, not exactly, but Phoenix, AZ is close enough. It was officially the HOTTEST day of Warped Tour so far and we are all stoked that today is over - although we aren’t sure tomorrow’s weather will be any better. Hey! We are spoiled California girls. We like our perfect 75-degree summers. Anyways, tonight we will be driving into the wee hours of the morning to New Mexico. But, before we hit the road again, we wanted to fill you in on some of the highlights of today - and OH what a day it was!

THE RECAP:

First thing we learned about people who live in Arizona: No one likes to know where they are - and we don’t blame them!

It began just like every other Warped Tour day. We parked our car and then walked to the main entrance to get our passes. But instead of signing us in there like usual, we were told that the booth we needed to go to was on the opposite side - to which, we were given the MOST ridiculous directions imaginable, that took us on a complete, curse-filled circle around the ENTIRE venue! We were sweaty and annoyed and when we finally reached the other side… we were told to go back to where we were! We ended up talking our way inside and finally, 45 minutes after parking our car, got our freaking wrist bands!

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