Why Warped Tour Is More Important Than Ever in 2026 | 11 Exclusive Band Interviews

What does Vans Warped Tour mean in 2026? At Vans Warped Tour Montreal, OurSpace spoke with 11 bands from the emo, pop-punk, punk, post-hardcore and metalcore scenes to see why Warped Tour remains such an important part of alternative music culture. Veterans including Taking Back Sunday, Atreyu, Hawthorne Heights, Cartel, Escape The Fate and The Devil Wears Prada look back on Warped Tour’s role in their careers and what it feels like to return years later as a new generation experiences it for the first time. Meanwhile, Chase Petra, Suddenwaves, Origami Angel and Good Sleepy share what it means to step onto a Warped Tour stage, connect with new listeners and become part of a festival they once viewed from the outside.  Boston Manor also discusses bringing the different eras of the band together, revisiting Be Nothing. and creating a festival set that works for longtime fans and first-time listeners. Beyond Warped Tour memories, the artists talk about songwriting, new music, evolving without abandoning their roots and balancing nostalgia with what comes next.  The Devil Wears Prada also explains why metalcore may be bigger than ever, while Taking Back Sunday reflects on discovering punk rock at an early Warped Tour and how the festival changed the direction of their life. Whether you attended Warped Tour in the ’90s or 2000s or Montreal was your first experience this episode is about the past, present and future of the scene. Who was your favourite band at Vans Warped Tour Montreal, and what does Warped Tour mean to you? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to OurSpace for more artist interviews, festival coverage and conversations from across the alternative music scene. Interviews: 00:00 Introduction 02:30 Chase Petra 10:25 Boston Manor 18:39 Taking Back Sunday 27:04 Atreyu 33:11 Escape The Fate 40:36 Hawthorne Heights 59:56 Cartel 1:05:24 Suddenwaves 1:10:27 Origami Angel 1:19:05 Good Sleepy 1:23:23 The Devil Wears Prada   Vans Warped Tour 2026, Warped Tour Montreal, Vans Warped Tour Montreal 2026, Warped Tour interviews, Taking Back Sunday interview, Atreyu interview, The Devil Wears Prada interview, Hawthorne Heights interview, Escape The Fate interview, Boston Manor interview, Cartel interview, Origami Angel interview, Chase Petra interview, Suddenwaves interview, Good Sleepy interview, emo interviews, pop punk interviews, metalcore interviews, alternative music podcast, OurSpace, Warped Tour Canada