Against the ruined husk of RFK Stadium, more than 90 bands performed in celebration of the Warped Tour’s 30th anniversary on a rainy June weekend.
Walking the long trial around the stadium ruins felt like a passage into another world from nondescript surroundings to a colorful world of punk, metal, ska, and more. Sponsored by the VANS shoe company, Warped Tour 2025 hosted seven stages ranging from grand prosceniums to black boxes as revelers poured into the sold-out spaces to recall pop giants of the ’90s and also to discover new acts following in their footsteps.
At the end of June 14, All Time Low heralded the end of the first day’s proceedings from VANS Right Foot — one of the massive two main stages (and companion to VANS Left Foot of course). They began the show as a big production backed by DC’s Different Drummers with flag bearers and cheerleaders as if the band were an entire parade all by themselves. They performed their new single “Suckerpunch” as the first full song of the set after wading into the concert with an instrumental covers medley that included “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes.
Watch the official music video for “Suckerpunch” by All Time Low on YouTube:
All Time Low soon dug into their early albums, giving the crowd doses of So Wrong, It’s Right (2007) and Nothing Personal (2009). They closed their set with “Masters” from Wake Up Sunshine (2020), and they were joined by Four Year Strong, the stomping melodic hardcore band that played their own set the next day.
For the last song of their set, All Time Low were joined by Derek Sanders for “Dear Maria, Count Me In” from So Wrong, It’s Right” to close on a triumphant note.
Don’t miss All Time Low when they return to DC for a headlining gig at The Anthem on Wednesday, Nov. 26. They are brining Four Year Strong along with them as one of the openers!
Buy tix to see All Time Low at The Anthem!
On June 15, Beauty School Dropout was one of the young new bands that performed in the afternoon. They banged out six songs from the Arrow Stage in a section of the festival dedicated to young acts. Formed in 2020 in Los Angeles and apparently named for a song in the musical Grease, Beauty School Dropout have had a busy release schedule, and the band favored their 2022 studio album, We Made Plans & God Laughed, at Warped Tour. They opened with their catchy new song “Fever,” a very upbeat and optimistic song, and soon leapt into the title track of We Made Plans & God Laughed, which was full of the kind of dramatic angst sure to reintroduce familiar anxiety to any ’90s emo kid.
Watch the official music video for “Fever” by Beauty School Dropout on YouTube — cool new song!
The second day of Warped Tour 2025 Washington DC featured some giants of the ’90s including California punks Pennywise. Pennywise dominated the VANS Left Foot main stage with a 13-song set that got the audience amped! The quartet gave a lot of love to their debut record, Pennywise (1991), and fifth album, Straight Ahead (1999).
The Epitaph stalwarts played title track “Pennywise” in the second half of their set and closed the show with that album’s “Bro Hymn.” They filled the first half of the concert with four selections from Straight Ahead, including that particular album’s title track. They didn’t leave of course without their fan-favorite cover of “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King.
Avril Lavigne took revelers into the dark as night fell. Avril was one of the most highly anticipated acts not just of Warped Tour but of any festival this year, and she’s now on the road with her 2025 Greatest Hits Tour with final US dates in Pennsylvania and New York this week.
Opening her show with “Girlfriend” from The Best Damn Thing (2007), Avril played the hits but also presented a set chocked full of surprises. Early in her 13-song set, she played “Complicated” from 2002 debut album Let Go and closed her set on that record’s enduring “Sk8er Boi” — must-haves for Avril diehards.
But Avril totally surprised with a cover of Sum 41’s “In Too Deep” with Sum 41 frontman and former husband Deryck Whibley. She also played a new song — “Young & Dumb” — which is a collaboration between her and Simple Plan, and Simple Plan joined her on stage for the number!
Watch the official music video for “Young & Dumb” by Avril Lavigne featuring Simple Plan on YouTube:
Avril’s voice was strong and clear, and the persistent rain could not dim the enthusiasm of the masses that thronged the stage to catch a glimpse of her in person.
By the end of the weekend, 40,000 fans of pop-punk, emo, and alternative metal had flooded the well-organized Warped Tour grounds — largely to relive their collective youth and escape the outside world for a day or two. Mad props to All Time Low and Avril Lavigne for making it happen.
In 2026, VANS Warped Tour returns to the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington DC on June 13-14, and a presale has begun.
Buy presale tickets for Warped Tour DC 2026!
Here are some photos of Warped Tour 2025 at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington DC on June 14-15, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg. These photos are in no particular order, delivered as packaged by our awesome photographer!
Crowd and skateboarding
Games We Play
Less Than Jake
Sweet Pill
Honey Revenge
Beauty School Dropout
Pennywise
Fever 333
Mayday Parade
Chiodos
Slaughter to Prevail
More Skateboarding
Sublime
All Time Low
Machine Gun Kelly
Spray Allen
Sophie Powers
Jakobs Castle
Hawthorne Heights
Skateboarding!
Cliffdiver
Simple Plan
Avril Lavigne
Mod Sun
Aquabats!
Ice Nine Kills
Skateboarding
