Here is the third installment of the Warped Tour Rundown. Enjoy.
5:45 P.M. to 6:15 P.M. Katy Perry – Hurley.com Stage
I would be lying if I didn’t confess that I became relatively nervous while making my way to the Hurley.com stage for Katy Perry’s premiere Kansas City performance. PopWreckoning had worked with her several times (Review, Interview) in the past without fail, but following a fairly awful performance on Last Call with Carson Daily , I was somewhat unsure of exactly what type of a show I would be in for. It could honestly swing either way. She could turn out to be an amazingly talented woman with the ability to command a stage and capture the love and attention of the crowd, much like No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani. However, she could also turn out to be a talentless figure head with a pretty face standing in front of a group of world class musicians with the likes of Avril Lavigne. Either way, finding out the answer to these questions seemed like kind of a big deal.
The truth is Katy Perry did not let me down. While she remained a little pitchy and yelled instead of singing more often than she needed to, Katy’s set was pretty damn good. Her stage actions are fairly amusing and her songs are really entertaining. The presence of personality that she brings to the stage is completely responsible for her new found fame. She interacted with the crowd as well as anyone I had seen that day. Bottom line is, Katy Perry won me over. She is the real deal and worth your time.
Grade: B+
5:50 – 6:20 Cobra Starship – Highway One Stage
Rumor is that Cobra Starship is kind of a big deal. Everyone I met at Warped Tour had their name on the tip of their tongue, which says something about the group considering the hype from the movie Snakes on a Plane has long died down.
Instrumentally, the group has a tight set. For being known for providing the song to such a cheesy movie, they surprisingly have really interesting instrumentals, partly thanks to the addition of a keytar player. However, instruments may not be enough to win over the entire audience because you either love or hate lead singer Gabe Saporta’s cocky antics, which range from dancing around the stage to brushing his own shoulder off.
The jury is still out on this group. Those of us here at PopWreckoning can’t decide if we want to give this group two fangs up or down.
Grade: B
6:50 to 7:20 Say Anything – Highway One Stage
PopWreckoning reviewed Say Anything when they passed through Kansas City two weeks prior to Warped, but was left desiring a little more energy and enthusiasm from the group. After getting a second chance to see them, I feel the early assessment was pretty accurate.
Their songs are well-known and loved in Kansas City because of the heavy radio play they get here, but the group’s singer Max Bemis, seems to have lost his enthusiasm for their songs. It is a shame that the quirky lyrics weren’t enough to save this group from delivering a boring set. Although it was fun to see Say Anything joined by all their “friends” like Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta on “Belt.”
Grade: B
7:20 to Apocalypse Gym Class Heroes – Route 66 Stage
Gym Class Heroes, much like their previously reviewed Fueled By Ramen labelmates The Academy Is, Â have greatly improved over the years and they delivered one of the most impressive sets of the day, until it was sadly cut far too short by the apocalyptic thunderstorm that broke out during the Gym Class Heroes’ tour of the Papercut Chronicles.
Actually, the band could have sounded like shit and they still would have been entertaining. Travis McCoy is one of the most entertaining frontmen in the industry with his great crowd interaction and wild facial expressions. Fortunately, the group sounded great, so it was a pleasing experience for both the eyes and ears.
Grade: A
Katy Perry: website | myspace
Cobra Starship: website | myspace
Say Anything: website | myspace
Gym Class Heroes: website | myspace
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