Disrupt Festival Stops Near New York: A Review

It's the first summer in over two decades without a cross-country Vans Warped Tour.  The end of an era for fans looking for pop punk, alt rock, metalcore, and more all in one with a lifestyle and festival vibe thrown in.  It's also the first summer featuring the Inaugural Rockstar Disrupt Festival.  Clearly I had to check out the scene and see what it was all about.

The Disrupt Festival made a stop not far from New York last night, at the PNC Bank Arts Center.  Featuring a lineup of bands that I love, including Thrice, The Used, and Memphis May Fire, fans got a fix of new rock and a full day of music.  The only thing missing?  The packed arena of fans that Warped Tour had in recent years.  Sure, it was a little slow to start off.  In the early afternoon, there was a crowd that could maybe fill Upstate Concert Hall.  By late afternoon, a crowd comparable to The Palace.  By night fall, the arena was about two-thirds full.  But not shocking for the first year of a festival.  Overall, the music was great, the sound was great, and my favorite part?  There was no running back and forth from stage-to-stage.  It was just a ton of bands in sequence.  Overall, it was a great time- because come on, it's live music.