Warped Hot American Summer

For one June weekend, millennials came back to life—with a little help from their friends. Moshing to the Plain White T's. (Photo via James Scimecca) Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. “How’s about we form a good old-fashioned Warped Tour circle pit?” Cory Castro bellows into the mic, calling the few thousand fans to morning attention. Then, for just a second, Castro betrays himself and takes a weary breath. “It’s early as sh-t.” It’s just before noon on a Saturday, and the blacktop at RFK Stadium’s “festival grounds”—which is just a nicer way of saying “parking lot”—is already reflecting 90-plus degree heat into the crowd. James Scimecca is the audience engagement editor at The Dispatch, and is based in Hoboken, N.J. Prior to joining the company in 2023, he served as the director of communications at the Empire Center for Public Policy. When James is not busy generating shareholder revenue, he can usually be found running along the Hudson River, cooking up a new recipe, or scoping out a new karaoke bar. More on Music