Sad Summer Festival starts today in Dallas and brings all the feelings to Worcester 7/14
Just around the July 4th corner, a long-time anticipated tour hits the road today with the debut year of Sad Summer Fest. It’s not the only festival tour that is striving to fill a void left by Warped Tour, but it’s easily the one that I think is getting fans the most stoked. I mean, how could they not? The tour is co-headlined by State Champs, The Maine, Mayday Parade and The Wonder Years, all long-time Warped Tour veterans as well as featuring Stand Atlantic, Just Friends and Mom Jeans!
In addition to even that insane lineup, the tour is allowing longtime scene kids to see Forever the Sickest Kids come back to playing shows as well as Every Avenue. While their shows are more regional, Worcester will be treated to a performance by longtime MA kings Four Year Strong, and bands like Set It Off, Grayscale and Oh Weatherly will be jumping on for dates as well.
There’s a reason why the four headliners of the tour have maintained their success, and it’s evident on the website for the festival. In clicking around on the site and looking at the “Rules” page, the band titles it “The Rules of Sad Summer Fest (Our Anti Harassment Policy)” which could be found here. A few months ago, a band was removed from the tour immediately when fans came out with allegations on Twitter and from reading the policy, it’s clear there is a zero-tolerance policy for everyone involved, be it fans, press, musicians on tour even.
“Sad Summer Fest staff is committed to making your concert experience fun and safe. Therefore, we pledge to take immediate action – up to and including expulsion from the grounds – against those creating an unsafe space for concertgoers. This policy applies to everyone at Sad Summer Fest, including musicians, speakers, press, staff, volunteers, security, and patrons.”
As well as being a safe space for fans, which all music spaces should be, the festival will feature several fan experiences at each show, as well as giving fans the chance to support the nonprofits the festival is working with. The nonprofits change for each city with Worcester’s being “A Voice for the Innocent,” a community of support for victims of sexual abuse and rape. For more information about how you can get involved with this charity, you can find the website here.
Overall, Sad Summer Festival is an opportunity to see a bunch of your favorite bands in one place. With all four groups in the “headlining positions” spending many a summer on the Warped Tour and all several albums deep, it’s an excellent opportunity for you and all your friends to sing their favorite songs together and remember why we fell in love with music in the first place. In several cities, including Worcester as one of them, you can then continue the party with an official after-party, “Sad Summer Nites” featuring Sad Summer artists I’m sure as the DJ’s as they surely play the songs that influenced them growing up too. The tour kicks off in Dallas today where the fans in attendance will be treated to a sure to be an exceptional performance from longtime Texas kings Forever the Sickest Kids and a great day of all the feels. Find the remaining dates here and see you in Worcester a week from Sunday. Yes, that’s right, this tour is a real quick one only about a month in length, so make sure you don’t miss your date before it goes right past you. See you in the pit!
