PROFILE: The Founder Of One of America's Great Music Tours
Kevin Lyman might be a new band's best friend. He's at the helm of the Vans Warped Tour and celebrating its 21st summer.
Lyman boasts The Vans Warped Tour is "America's largest touring music festival." The tour makes its final 2015 So-Cal stop in San Diego on Wednesday, August 5th.
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Lyman takes pride in breaking new bands. He rattled off a few names to look for in the near future, Night Riots, The Karma Killers, Moose Blood. Among the names who've graced his stages: Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, Blink 182, Eminem.
The Van's Warped Tour draws the young music fan. Parents are there in plenty too as the tour lets moms and dads in for free.
Lyman admits after twenty years he's in awe he's still at it. He says too many people think you can just throw up a soundstage and call it a festival. At the tour's launch date at the Pomona Fairgrounds on June 19th he had eight stages.
When I met up with Lyman it was in mid concert day. It was hot and dusty in Pomona. He was dressed in a t-shirt and hat to shelter from the sun. The 2015 tour has made its way across the country before a final stop in London.
Lyman feels he's not only giving new bands great exposure, he's grooming staff behind the scenes. They're the ones, like him, who make it all happen.
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