(The title of this post is a reference to "Moving On" by Good Charlotte.)
Virginia Beach to Syracuse, New York was probably the longest overnight drive of the tour. We had an early bus call, but with over 500 miles between stops, we didn't reach Syracuse till after 9am. This meant getting ready while the bus is still moving- putting my contacts in while we were rolling was quite the feat!
Because we got there so late, as soon as we reached the venue it was time to "hit the lines". We walked out to a decent line of kids (Warped Tour had never been to Syracuse, so these kids were probably very excited!) and as we made our way down the line, passing out free wristbands and stickers as they activated with our campaign, the line grew longer and longer.
(The title of this post is a reference to "To Be Free" by Tonight Alive.)
After we finished training, it was time to begin the 1400 mile trek from Los Angeles to Dallas. You might be wondering how we managed to fit a 20-by-30 foot tent, all of our gear, ten activists and all of their luggage in to one 15 passenger van and one smaller car. The answer is a real life game of Tetris, with the longest tent poles slid under the seats of the van, boxes and gear and luggage piled on top of that (a few suitcases stayed under our feet!). We left Los Angeles on June 19, and drove to Flagstaff, Ariz. that day, where we had dinner at Red Curry Vegan Kitchen.
(The title of this post is a reference to "Life Changes" by Good Charlotte.)
Once upon a time, I made it a goal to myself to get a job on the Vans Warped Tour. Six years ago I made the promise to myself that when I got a job on Warped, I would dye my hair pink again, at least for the summer.
Last year, I drove around to several dates to photograph the show (more photos and a blog about my experiences here); in 2011, 2012, and 2014, I volunteered at and photographed several different dates. This March, I got the confirmation that I'd be on the first half of Warped Tour (from June 24 to July 16) with peta2; two weeks ago, I dyed my hair pink (using a mix of Virgin Pink and Purple Rain from Arctic Fox).
(The title of this post is a reference to the song "Forever a Piper Pirate" by Stickup Kid, a band that I always find myself listening to when I'm in California.)
As soon as we got to Santa Cruz, I walked down to the beach to take in the view of the ocean, but the town is so much more than that: the next day we set up at the University of California, Santa Cruz right in the middle of the woods! It was nice to be in the shade, but even nicer to feel like we were in a little wooded oasis all day. We were joined by several student activists from Banana Slugs for Animals ("B.S.A." for short)- I loved hearing about the other events they do on campus to promote animal rights and veganism.
(The title of this post is a reference to the song "Slam" by Southern California indie-rock band The Gromble. I saw them open for Parade of Lights in Los Angeles back in January.)
After a relaxing weekend off, we headed to the University of Illinois- Chicago to set up. We ended up spending most of the day leafleting; while it was unfortunate to not have the display up, it was pretty cool to know we handed out literature and info to over 700 people! After grabbing takeout from The Chicago Diner (vegan buffalo wings and poutine loaded with vegan bacon? Yes, please- and better wash it down with a chocolate peanut butter milkshake!), we headed to Madison, Wisconsin.
(The title of this post is a reference to the song of the same name by Walk The Moon. It's also a reference to the blog We Are The Kids, which was dedicated to inspiring young adults hoping to work in the music industry).
Just after my last post went live, I was able to finally see and photograph an artist I've been trying to see for the past year, Rachel Platten, at the Cheyenne Saloon in Downtown Orlando. In a city that's so centered around the theme parks, downtown isn't the main attraction for most. There wasn't a lot to do downtown- it was mostly office buildings- but it was really cool to explore for a bit, knowing the city will never be "mine" but I'll be on to the next one soon... so in a way, I guess, the whole wide world is mine.
(The title of this post is a reference to "Head Up, Kid" by Major League. It's one of my favorite songs to listen to while I'm on the road; they were one of my favorite bands to photograph, and I'm sad to see them part ways.)
The weird thing about Austin is the lights. On our second day in Austin, we woke up early and headed to Whole Foods before going to the University of Texas. It was wild driving down 6th Street at 8am and seeing bars and clubs with lit-up signs!
(The title of this post is a reference to the album of the same name by Vance Joy. Dream Your Life Away is one of my favorite albums to listen to while driving, editing photos, writing, relaxing, enjoying the view of a gorgeous sunset... truth be told, Vance Joy is one of my favorite musicians.)
After a successful two days at California State University- Long Beach, we set up our display at the Black College Expo in Los Angeles. I had no idea what to expect from the event, but I was overwhelmed by the positive response our display received! In addition to high school students preparing to go to college, I talked to a lot of parents, grandparents, and younger siblings eager to learn about veganism, and excited about how easy it is.
It's about a week in to tour, and I feel very much at peace. I always feel peaceful when I'm flying. Aside from the stale air, seeing the expanse of the entire country from 35 thousand feet makes me feel calm and able to take it all on- from above, the Rocky mountains could be a wrinkled blanket- it's rather exhilarating.
It's like riding a bike. I toured for six months straight in 2013, from the beginning of June through the end of November. I was on the road with Circus Smirkus from June till mid-August as their Tour PR intern, then peta2 from mid-August till November on their Concert Tour Crew. I've done a lot of travelling since then, but it's been over two years since I was last on tour.
I was- and still am- a little nervous, but touring, I think, is just like riding a bike. Soon enough, I'll be right back in the swing of things of living on the road.
