Kevin Lyman remembers well the first time his Warped Tour came to Salt Lake City: "It was at Saltair in 1995. About 800 kids showed up."
Despite its humble beginnings, the annual summer trek of the world's punk bands and extreme-sports athletes has now lived longer than any other rock summer-tour package (Lilith Fair, anyone? Lollapalooza?). And with the possible exception of Ozzfest, Vans Warped Tour is the only one to consistently draw large crowds.
Ticket sales are already up from last year, Lyman said by phone from a tour stop in Kansas City. "We don't mess around too much. People know what to expect."
When the all-day festival rolls into the Utah State Fairpark Saturday, fans can expect low ticket prices, something Lyman credits as part of the ongoing success of the tour. In Salt Lake City, tickets are just $25.
"Salt Lake is always a great stop for us," said the 44-year-old founder of the tour. "It always tends to sell out. We get big numbers every year."
Another key to the tour's success is having a main stage and a second stage. "People are seeing the second stage as the birthplace of the next-big-thing acts." Second-stage alumni include My Chemical Romance and The Used.
In the past, the tour has been credited with boosting the careers of such acts as Blink-182, Green Day, Good Charlotte, No Doubt and Yellowcard.
Although there is a main stage, one of the unique features of the Warped Tour is that there is no so-called "headline" act. The playing order of the bands differs each day. The playing times are posted the morning of each show, Lyman said. "It keeps up the enthusiasm."
The different time slots also help promote camaraderie among the bands, and especially their road crews, who work together breaking down one performer's stage and setting up for the next act.
Two of the biggest names at the Salt Lake City show will be the Offspring and Billy Idol.
Among the other many performers this year will be Simple Plan, Fall Out Boy, Dropkick Murphys, MxPx (which has become like the house band of the tour), and the Transplants, the new band with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker (whose drumming is far more entertaining than his MTV reality show).
Lyman said there are so many people on the road with this tour that he has a hard time keeping up with everyone. "For the first few years I knew everyone on the tour. Now I'm meeting someone new every day."
Those attending this year's festival will get a chance to see for the first time the Las Vegas-based Punk Rock Museum's traveling photo exhibit, which is part of the "500 Greatest Shots in Rock and Roll" collection taken by some of the world's top music photographers.
Lyman said the exhibit is designed to show the roots of punk rock to today's younger generation, those who may not be as familiar with such bands as the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. It also is intended attended to bring attention to New York City's infamous CBGB's, a small club that gave birth to such bands as Blondie, the Ramones and Talking Heads (the club is in danger of closing because of skyrocketing rent).
If you go
What: Vans Warped Tour
Where: Utah State Fairpark
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
How much: $25
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com