Young Woman Collapses and Dies at Vans Warped Tour

A crowd during the 2012 Vans Warped Tour

A young woman collapsed and died at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto during the Vans Warped Tour show yesterday, the Toronto Star reports.

According to EMS officials, the woman was found by other concertgoers lying on the grass and not breathing. A 911 call was made around 12:40 pm and witnesses attempted to revive her through CPR. When paramedics arrived the woman did not have a pulse; she was immediately transported to Toronto Western hospital where, according to police, she was pronounced dead.

Following the woman's collapse, the concert area was cleared and moved towards a covered venue. Attendees were told the move was for weather concerns. No official cause has been given, but as MTV points out, police said it was most likely related to a medical condition.

Concert attendees reportedly started tweeting the woman's identity following the incident, though there has been no official confirmation.

The collapse reportedly occurred during a set by hardcore act Chelsea Grin, who tweeted yesterday: "Our hearts go out to the person who died today. We still don't know everything that happened but it's no time for jokes on our page."

The Vans Warped Tour has yet to release an official statement, though on Sunday the tour wrote on Twitter that details would be forthcoming on vanswarpedtour.com.

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Falling in Reverse Frontman Goes from Jail to Warped Main Stage

Ronnie Radke of Falling In Reverse performs at the Vans Warped Tour 2012 kickoff party and press conference at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

Most any young band would jump at the opportunity to play a major tour like Warped, a well-established summer package with a devoted fan base and a history of artists including Bad Religion, No Doubt, Sublime, Blink-182 and Pennywise.

Yet playing the main stage this year may mean more to Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke than anyone can fathom. "My first actual playing [Warped] was 2006, and 2007 was the whole thing. It was in the midst of fighting a case of going to prison, so I [was] flying back to court and back to Warped tour to play. I ended up going to prison anyway," Radke tells Rolling Stone.

The former frontman of Escape the Fate, Radke spent two and a half years in prison. While living in Las Vegas he was present during an altercation in May of 2006 that ultimately led to the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Cook. While Radke didn't fire the gun, he was indicted on battery charges, sentenced to five years probation and sent to jail in 2008 for missing an appointment with his parole officer, a probation violation.

Between his court case, drugs and other issues, Radke admits he was a troublemaker during his early stints on Warped with Escape the Fate. But he was welcomed back last year by Warped founder and promoter Kevin Lyman, who let Radke know that was in the past. "He walked right up to me and he said, 'Congratulations on your first Warped tour,'" Radke recalls. "I said, 'Huh? What do you mean? I've done it before.' 'No, congratulations on your first Warped tour.'" In other words, here's your second chance.

Lyman views himself as a mentor for performers like Radke. "I don't judge what these kids are doing. I think I can guide them a little, help them miss some of the mistakes that maybe killed a few of my friends," he tells Rolling Stone.

For the faith Lyman and others have shown in him, Radke promises he's a new man on tour. "I stick to myself now on tours. I don't go out party, drink, smoke, do drugs. It's a dry bus. No one is allowed to bring drinks on the bus," he says. "That's when you really tend to get in trouble – you're in trouble 'cause you're wasted and you do something stupid. Preventing that, I can think clearly in situations that might be stressful and get me in trouble."

Lyman has been honored in the past by MusiCares for his help to the organization, which is dedicated, among other things, to musicians' sobriety. So Radke should have a good support system in place on Warped. And he's aware there are a lot of sober musicians out there these days. "I think sober is the new black. That's the cool thing now. I'm trying to make it the cool thing," he says. "I used to believe in getting wasted and going on stage. I thought that was cool because my idols did it. But I found out the hard way that is not the way to do it. It's better to have a voice without alcohol in my system from the night before. I want to try to lead by example. I'm not Mr. Goody-Good or anything, but I'm not stupid."

 The graduation to the main stage, where Falling In Reverse will play alongside the Used, Taking Back Sunday, All Time Low, Anti-Flag, Yellowcard and more, culminates a remarkable debut year for the band. Their first album, The Drug In Me Is You, debuted at number 19 on the charts, and they've toured extensively for the last year.

"The album took off, and we're selling out every venue we go to now," Radke says. After all he's been through, it's a comeback even he has a hard time believing. "I got out of prison a year ago. For this to happen – I just bought a new Escalade and a house, all in a year's time," he says. "This is everything I ever wanted, ever."

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Falling in Reverse Frontman Goes from Jail to Warped Main Stage

Ronnie Radke of Falling In Reverse performs at the Vans Warped Tour 2012 kickoff party and press conference at Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

Most any young band would jump at the opportunity to play a major tour like Warped, a well-established summer package with a devoted fan base and a history of artists including Bad Religion, No Doubt, Sublime, Blink-182 and Pennywise.

Yet playing the main stage this year may mean more to Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke than anyone can fathom. "My first actual playing [Warped] was 2006, and 2007 was the whole thing. It was in the midst of fighting a case of going to prison, so I [was] flying back to court and back to Warped tour to play. I ended up going to prison anyway," Radke tells Rolling Stone.

The former frontman of Escape the Fate, Radke spent two and a half years in prison. While living in Las Vegas he was present during an altercation in May of 2006 that ultimately led to the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Cook. While Radke didn't fire the gun, he was indicted on battery charges, sentenced to five years probation and sent to jail in 2008 for missing an appointment with his parole officer, a probation violation.

Between his court case, drugs and other issues, Radke admits he was a troublemaker during his early stints on Warped with Escape the Fate. But he was welcomed back last year by Warped founder and promoter Kevin Lyman, who let Radke know that was in the past. "He walked right up to me and he said, 'Congratulations on your first Warped tour,'" Radke recalls. "I said, 'Huh? What do you mean? I've done it before.' 'No, congratulations on your first Warped tour.'" In other words, here's your second chance.

Lyman views himself as a mentor for performers like Radke. "I don't judge what these kids are doing. I think I can guide them a little, help them miss some of the mistakes that maybe killed a few of my friends," he tells Rolling Stone.

For the faith Lyman and others have shown in him, Radke promises he's a new man on tour. "I stick to myself now on tours. I don't go out party, drink, smoke, do drugs. It's a dry bus. No one is allowed to bring drinks on the bus," he says. "That's when you really tend to get in trouble – you're in trouble 'cause you're wasted and you do something stupid. Preventing that, I can think clearly in situations that might be stressful and get me in trouble."

Lyman has been honored in the past by MusiCares for his help to the organization, which is dedicated, among other things, to musicians' sobriety. So Radke should have a good support system in place on Warped. And he's aware there are a lot of sober musicians out there these days. "I think sober is the new black. That's the cool thing now. I'm trying to make it the cool thing," he says. "I used to believe in getting wasted and going on stage. I thought that was cool because my idols did it. But I found out the hard way that is not the way to do it. It's better to have a voice without alcohol in my system from the night before. I want to try to lead by example. I'm not Mr. Goody-Good or anything, but I'm not stupid."

 The graduation to the main stage, where Falling In Reverse will play alongside the Used, Taking Back Sunday, All Time Low, Anti-Flag, Yellowcard and more, culminates a remarkable debut year for the band. Their first album, The Drug In Me Is You, debuted at number 19 on the charts, and they've toured extensively for the last year.

"The album took off, and we're selling out every venue we go to now," Radke says. After all he's been through, it's a comeback even he has a hard time believing. "I got out of prison a year ago. For this to happen – I just bought a new Escalade and a house, all in a year's time," he says. "This is everything I ever wanted, ever."

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Warped Tour Returns To Its Roots

Kevin Lyman (2nd from left) with members of The Used at the Vans Warped Tour kick off party.

The Warped Tour unveiled its 2012 roster and dates on Thursday night with a press conference and launch party, featuring Falling In Reverse, the Used, Dead Sara, Yellowcard and more at L.A.'s Club Nokia. The 2012 edition of the long-running festival will commence June 16 in Salt Lake City and run through August 5 in Portland, Oregon. In typical Warped fashion, the lineups will often vary city to city, with some acts, like Rise Against, who are doing four shows, only doing select dates.

Also true to Warped tradition, the bill will feature a mix of veteran acts, from the Used, Taking Back Sunday, Newfound Glory and Yellowcard to newbies Cherri Bomb, Dead Sara and Matt Toka.

Warped promoter Kevin Lyman told Rolling Stone that he turned to the tour's illustrious history to book this year's talent. "I looked at the 1995 tour, that was a pretty eclectic lineup – Sublime, No Doubt, L7, those are all different sounds," he said. "This year I put it all in there. I think we’ve entered a new time of music, it’s closer to 1995 than ever. You leave your iPod on shuffle and you can go from Taylor Swift to Mumford & Sons to Kanye West to Falling In Reverse."

Taking the festival back to its roots was important for Lyman, who admits he had grown weary of doing the tour a few years ago, to the point he thought it might be nearing its end. "Three years ago, I was actually getting kind of bored. I was probably listening to too many other people. So two years ago I just went back and listened to music again," he says. "I said, 'I’m gonna book an eclectic show and if kids don’t come, okay, it’s maybe time to end this thing.'”

While Warped is known as a punk tour, a vehicle for acts like Bad Religion, NOFX and Pennywise, as well as alternative bands such as My Chemical Romance, it's also been a launch pad for several pop successes, including Gym Class Heroes, Paramore and Katy Perry. Lyman holds a special place in his heart for Perry.

"When this is all over I’m gonna be really proud of hearing one song of Katy Perry and it wasn’t 'I Kissed A Girl.' It was 'Ur So Gay' on a tape and I went, 'I want her on Warped tour,'" he says. "And she came out there and learned how to be a live performer. I’m gonna be very proud that I was part of that start for her in some small way."

This year’s lineup features several returning acts, including the Used coming back a decade after their debut. Lyman would welcome Perry's return, and it wouldn't have to be as a performer. "’I'd love Katy to come back," he says. "I don’t know if it makes sense for her, but I’d love for her to come to a barbecue one night."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Read more »

Warped Tour Returns To Its Roots

Kevin Lyman (2nd from left) with members of The Used at the Vans Warped Tour kick off party.

The Warped Tour unveiled its 2012 roster and dates on Thursday night with a press conference and launch party, featuring Falling In Reverse, the Used, Dead Sara, Yellowcard and more at L.A.'s Club Nokia. The 2012 edition of the long-running festival will commence June 16 in Salt Lake City and run through August 5 in Portland, Oregon. In typical Warped fashion, the lineups will often vary city to city, with some acts, like Rise Against, who are doing four shows, only doing select dates.

Also true to Warped tradition, the bill will feature a mix of veteran acts, from the Used, Taking Back Sunday, Newfound Glory and Yellowcard to newbies Cherri Bomb, Dead Sara and Matt Toka.

Warped promoter Kevin Lyman told Rolling Stone that he turned to the tour's illustrious history to book this year's talent. "I looked at the 1995 tour, that was a pretty eclectic lineup – Sublime, No Doubt, L7, those are all different sounds," he said. "This year I put it all in there. I think we’ve entered a new time of music, it’s closer to 1995 than ever. You leave your iPod on shuffle and you can go from Taylor Swift to Mumford & Sons to Kanye West to Falling In Reverse."

Taking the festival back to its roots was important for Lyman, who admits he had grown weary of doing the tour a few years ago, to the point he thought it might be nearing its end. "Three years ago, I was actually getting kind of bored. I was probably listening to too many other people. So two years ago I just went back and listened to music again," he says. "I said, 'I’m gonna book an eclectic show and if kids don’t come, okay, it’s maybe time to end this thing.'”

While Warped is known as a punk tour, a vehicle for acts like Bad Religion, NOFX and Pennywise, as well as alternative bands such as My Chemical Romance, it's also been a launch pad for several pop successes, including Gym Class Heroes, Paramore and Katy Perry. Lyman holds a special place in his heart for Perry.

"When this is all over I’m gonna be really proud of hearing one song of Katy Perry and it wasn’t 'I Kissed A Girl.' It was 'Ur So Gay' on a tape and I went, 'I want her on Warped tour,'" he says. "And she came out there and learned how to be a live performer. I’m gonna be very proud that I was part of that start for her in some small way."

This year’s lineup features several returning acts, including the Used coming back a decade after their debut. Lyman would welcome Perry's return, and it wouldn't have to be as a performer. "’I'd love Katy to come back," he says. "I don’t know if it makes sense for her, but I’d love for her to come to a barbecue one night."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon Music and MP3 Center

Read more »