I’ve written it before, and I’ll write it again…Rhymesayers are the ultimate hip hop road dogs. While overhyped swag rappers screw over audiences with drunken lip-synch gigs, and indie rap artists wander around their respective states for a dozen dates and call it a day, the Minneapolis crew perform hundreds of shows a year. And people still act surprised when P.O.S. clocks over 20,000 albums while the media “sleeps.” The proof is in the pudding.

The punk rapper/vocalist continues to support last year’s gem, Never Better. This time around, he’s taking along fellow Doomtree member Dessa, with Astronautalis and Grieves on select dates.

• 2/02: Jackpot, Lawrence, KS (1)
• 2/04: Black Sheep, Colorado Springs, CO (1)
• 2/05: Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO (1)
• 2/06: Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT (1)
• 2/07: Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT (1)
• 2/08: Knitting Factory, Boise, ID (1)
• 2/09: Badlander, Missoula, MT (1)
• 2/11: Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC (1)
• 2/12: Nectar Lounge, Seattle, WA (1)
• 2/13: Berbati’s Pan, Portland, OR (1)
• 2/14: WOW Hall, Eugene, OR (1)
• 2/16: Tonic Lounge, Reno, NV (1)
• 2/18: Bottom Of The Hill, San Francisco, CA (1)
• 2/19: The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA (1)
• 2/20: The Loft, San Diego, CA (1)
• 2/21: The Glass House, Pomona, CA (1)
• 2/22: Chasers, Scottsdale, AZ (1)
• 2/23: Club Congress, Tucson, AZ (1)
• 2/24: Launchpad, Albuquerque, NM (1)
• 2/26: Red 7, Austin, TX (1)
• 2/27: Hailey, Denton, TX (1)
• 2/28: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA (2)
• 3/02: Club Downunder, Tallahassee, FL (2)
• 3/03: Backbooth, Orlando, FL (2)
• 3/04: The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA (2)
• 3/05: Local 506, Chapel Hill, NC (2)
• 3/06: DC9, Washington, DC (2)
• 3/07: First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA (2)
• 3/09: Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY (2)
• 3/10: Middle East, Cambridge, MA (2)
• 3/11: Space, Portland, ME (2)
• 3/12: Higher Ground, Burlington, VT (2)
• 3/13: II motore, Montreal, QC (2)
• 3/14: Sneaky Dee’s, Toronto, ON (2)
• 3/16: Pike Room, Pontiac, MI (2)
• 3/17: Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, OH (2)
• 3/18: Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL (2)
• 3/19: High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI (2)
• 3/20: Turner Hall, Milwaukee, WI (2)

(all dates) w/Dessa
(1) w/Grieves
(2) w/Astronautalis

Photo by Dan Monick.

This year’s crop of hip hop albums was an improvement over last year. But it didn’t come from the artists expected to dominate.

Around this time in 2008, everyone was buzzing about the “new school” of blog-hyped rappers. They injected the medium with an enthusiasm not felt in ages. So far, however, the results of this youth movement are decidedly uneven. Wale’s Attention Deficit drew mixed reviews; even fans of it must concede that it has plenty of decent rhymes, but lacks great songs. By contrast, Kid Cudi landed a few monster singles, particularly the undying “Day ‘N Nite,” but his Man on the Moon: The End of Day seemed monotone and self-indulgent. Blu and the Cool Kids mostly kept silent, and we all know what happened to Charles Hamilton.

With the jury still out on the so-called “freshman class,” the end of the aughts belonged to the veterans. With the notable exception of Nosaj Thing and Dorian Concept, all of the artists on this list are firmly established. Some mounted surprising comebacks after years of mediocre and sub-par work; others made solid follow-ups to classic albums. Unlike 2008 and Flying Lotus’ Los Angeles (and, I would argue, the Cool Kids’ The Bake Sale), these recordings didn’t establish new stylistic tropes. In a year when populism and stubborn class and racial traditions weighed down American culture, these works met expectations and buffered the status quo, whether it was the true-school ethos or the mainstream’s street-rap-as-blues credo.

That’s not to say that 2009 wasn’t an exciting time: it was. But hip hop music thrives on youth movements, and to see blog rap’s most promising rookies disappear in a cloud of weed smoke, meandering mixtapes and incessant corporate-sponsored tours and marketing campaigns was frustrating. It certainly didn’t convince the old heads from continuing to insist that the genre is a dead zombie walking. Of course, next year could be different. But for now, this is where we are.

I don’t know if this list is unique from any other, but I suspect there may be a few surprises. Perhaps the most contentious entry is for Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt II. It has topped many lists, but it certainly didn’t top mine. If my summary reads negative, it’s in reaction to the universal acclaim that has greeted it, some of which seems unwarranted. People love their action fantasies, and Raekwon’s triumphant return has some great crime narratives. But I think some consider it the year’s best because it fits stereotypes of what a great hip hop album is supposed to sound like; other entries on this list drew strong reviews, too, but they were often considered something other than “real hip hop.”

I don’t know what that “other” may may be. Maybe “alt-rap,” “backpacker,” or some nefarious micro-genre like “wobbly”? But lists such as the Plug One 50 will continue to be an anomaly until fans stop equating the genre with criminal activity and po-faced lyrical schemes, embrace a more complex universe of sounds, and live up to Afrika Bambaataa’s vision of hip hop as a perspective on the world instead of a region-specific, drug-infested street corner.

Yes, 2009 was a good year. We got consistently great music, but we missed the excitement that made 2008 seem like a promise of better things to come. Hopefully 2010 will combine not only the tried and true, but also the shock of the new.

1. Mos Def, The Ecstatic
Downtown Records

Few albums sound as hard-earned as The Ecstatic. It incorporates everything Mos Def has done up to now, from the scat-rapping to the soulful singjay-ing that is a bedrock of his stunning live performances. Like Erykah Badu on last year’s New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), he turns to cutting-edge producers — namely Madlib, Oh No and Mr. Flash — to create a frission that his past albums lacked. Those older recordings, particularly 2007′s disastrous True Magic, made The Ecstatic a surprising comeback, but it wouldn’t have been possible without those trials and errors. Its hopeful theme, an obvious nod to President Obama’s 2008 election and the ensuing “Life in Marvelous Times,” tells of a hard road to glory.

2. Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Nuclear Evolution: The Age Of Love
Ubiquity Recordings

If Sa-Ra’s first collection of recorded material, The Hollywood Recordings, was a coked-up ode to sex, drugs and nightlife; then Nuclear Evolution showed a way out of the despair and decadence. “Love Czars,” the album’s magnificent centerpiece, rolled out a locked groove as hypnotic as a Theo Parrish track; “Cosmic Ball,” with jazz-fusion master Gary Bartz as guest, was a shambolic dance in the light. Overall, Nuclear Evolution showed the different sides of Sa-Ra with a depth not heard before, justifying their rep as one of the most talented of the new soul era.

3. Nosaj Thing, Drift
Alpha Pup Records

Here’s an excerpt from my interview with Nosaj Thing earlier this year:

The hype surrounding Drift is the inevitable result of a scene gathering media and fan attention. Thankfully, Drift isn’t a summary of beat music clichés, but a haunting suite of songs that resembles Romantic classicism, minimalism/new music theory and old-school “electronica” techniques pioneered by Global Goon and Aphex Twin. (One of Drift’s tracks is titled “1685/Bach,” a nod to the year Johann Sebastian Bach was born.) Marrying his esoteric melodies to subtly dusted beats, Nosaj Thing creates an instrumental journey that leaves an indelible impression.

4. Brother Ali, Us
Rhymesayers Entertainment

Some critics have asked why Brother Ali, with two great albums under his belt, is never ranked among today’s best MCs. Certainly, few artists could convey inner peace and happiness with such clarity. Like Animal Collective, whose Merriweather Post Pavilion used domestic bliss as a source for drama as rich as any emotional conflict, Brother Ali takes marriage and family as a starting point to wonder why the rest of the world is in turmoil. He raps with such passion and moral certitude; he truly is, as Chuck D. calls him, “a soldier of love.”

5. Aceyalone, Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones
Decon

The second in a planned trilogy of tributes to his influences (the first being 2007′s underrated dancehall venture Lightning Strikes), Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones celebrates the big beats of classic Motown and doo-wop. But it’s not just another retro-soul exercise. Aceyalone playfully inhabits Bionik’s tracks, dropping a series of clean, family-friendly rhymes reminiscent of Freestyle Fellowship’s “Inner City Boundaries.” This may not be Aceyalone’s most important album, but it’s joyously fun all the same.

6. Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…Pt. II
Ice H2O Records/EMI

At 22 tracks, this long-awaited sequel to Raekwon’s 1995 masterpiece was full of highs and lows, from the terrific “House Of Flying Daggers” and “Surgical Gloves” to boorish smackdowns like “Broken Safety” (featuring the always predictable Jadakiss). Importantly, this edition focused narrowly on crack dealing, all the way down to the absurd “We Will Rob You” (an interpolation of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”). Save for the anguished “Cold Outside,” it didn’t aspire towards the white-hot hellfire and spiritual redemption of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Here, drug dealing isn’t one’s lot in life, but a familiar role, like a Martin Scorsese gangster flick. The purple tint of the album cover — an allusion to the original’s limited-edition “purple tape” jewel case  — signified business as usual. However, its best songs made for undeniably spectacular mainstream entertainment.

7. Madlib – Beat Konducta, Vol. 5-6: A Tribute To…
Stones Throw

Originally released as two vinyl-only EPs (Vol. 5: Dil Cosby Suite and Vol. 6: Dil Withers Suite), this tribute to Madlib’s friend and collaborator James “J Dilla” Yancey contains real and genuine sorrow. Madlib may have been Dilla’s biggest influence in his final years; you can hear it in his masterwork, Donuts. So the Beat Konducta repays the favor by incorporating samples from Dilla’s best loved tracks, including “The Light.” It’s still quirky and weird…this is a Madlib album, after all. Call it a revival, with plenty of beers, blunts and tears to go around.

8. Serengeti & Polyphonic, Terradactyl
Anticon

Serengeti has worked quietly in Chicago, releasing poorly-distributed albums full of sharply detailed character sketches and odd hooks, which makes him a perfect addition to the left-of-center Anticon. As his official national debut, Terradactyl brings those subterranean elements to light. There is “My Negativity,” which he chants as “My Negga-negga-negga,” drawing an unconscious parallel with a historic epithet. “My Patriotism” turns not to politics but to intimate relations. Meanwhile, Polyphonic the Verbose’s electronic squalls dance around Serengeti’s tales of everyman woe like glowing brain synapses.

9. Tanya Morgan, Brooklynati
Interdependent Media

Brooklynati was a sophomore effort in every way — bigger guests, better production and a concerted effort to translate the rough charms of its debut, 2006′s Moonlighting, to a broader canvas and a wider, blogosphere-primed audience. That the group was mostly successful — the album doesn’t really take off until nearly a third of the way through, during their brilliant “horrorcore” parody “Hardcore Gentlemen” — misses the point. Von Pea, Ilyas, and Donwill continue to grow by leaps and bounds, delivering cipher cuts (“Never 2ndary”) and love jawns (“Never Enough”) with the unique perspective of three admitted rap nerds who are slowly becoming genuine indie-rap heroes.

10. DOOM, Born Like This
Lex Records

If The Ecstatic was Obama’s campaign of hope set to hip hop, then Born Like This was the rabid, red dog populist aftermath. It’s not exactly a fuck-you album on par with Prince and the Revolution’s Around the World In a Day and OutKast’s Idlewild, since DOOM bookended his first solo disc in five years with a gospelly “Thank Yah.” But after enduring rumors of alcoholism, ill health and even his death, prompted by years of eccentric behavior — he hasn’t been seen publicly without his trademark mask since the late 90s — and notorious no-shows at his concerts, DOOM sounds unrepentant. On the Charles Bukowski-quoting “Cellz” and the homophobic “Batty Boys,” among others, he sounds furious, shoving hard rhymes and third-person asides down your throat like Ron Artest. He doesn’t do it consistently enough to make Born Like This a classic, but he still manages to excite and infuriate all at once.

And here’s the rest of the list sans commentary:

11. P.O.S., Never Better
Rhymesayers

12. Finale, A Pipe Dream And A Promise
Interdependent Media

13. Shafiq Husayn, Shafiq ‘En A-Free-Kah
Plug Research

14. Busdriver, Jhelli Beam
Anti-

15. Mike Slott, Lucky 9Teen
LuckyMe

16. Anti-Pop Consortium, Fluorescent Black
Big Dada

17. Willie Isz, Georgiavania
Lex Records

18. Dorian Concept, When Planets Explode
Kindred Spirits

19. Zion-I, The TakeOver
Gold Dust Media

20. Mr. Lif, I Heard It Today
Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises

This premiered on MTV.com yesterday, among other sites. Not really feeling the track, but the video’s suitable for Halloween.

Directed by Isaac Gayle. Taken from Never Better.

P.O.S. has been touring across the States all year, ever since his third album Never Better dropped in February. And it looks like he’ll perform shows right up to Christmas break. He’s currently on a Midwest run with Rhymesayers label mates Eyedea & Abilities; when that ends, he’ll jump on the PacSun PacTour, an alt-metal package with Saosin as the headliner.

• 10/23: Pizza Luce, Duluth, MN (1)
• 10/25: The Aquarium, Fargo, ND (early all ages show) (1)
• 10/25: The Aquarium, Fargo, ND (late 21+ show) (1)
• 10/26: What’s Up Lounge, Mankato, MN (1)
• 10/27: Nutty’s North, Sioux Falls, SD (1)
• 10/28: The Waiting Room, Omaha, NE (1)
• 11/06: House of Blues, Hollywood, Hollywood, CA (2)
• 11/07: Senator Theater, Chico, CA (2)
• 11/08: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA (2)
• 11/10: Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR (2)
• 11/11: El Corazon, Seattle, WA (2)
• 11/13: Murray Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT (2)
• 11/14: Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO (2)
• 11/15: Beaumont Club, Kansas City, MO (2)
• 11/17: Peoples Court, Des Moines, IA (2)
• 11/18: The Rave, Milwaukee, WI (2)
• 11/19: House Of Blues, Chicago, IL (2)
• 11/20: Orbit Room, Grand Rapids, MI (2)
• 11/21: St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI (2)
• 11/22: Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH (2)
• 11/24: Irving Plaza, New York, NY (2)
• 11/25: Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA (2)
• 11/27: Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ (2)
• 11/28: Toad’s Place, New Haven, CT (2)
• 11/29: The Altar Bar, Pittsburgh, PA (2)
• 12/01: House Of Blues, Boston, MA (2)
• 12/02: Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State, University Park, PA (2)
• 12/03: Crocodile Rock Cafe, Allentown, PA (2)
• 12/04: 9:30 Club, Washington, DC (2)
• 12/05: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN (3)
• 12/06: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA (2)
• 12/08: Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL (2)
• 12/09: State Theatre, St. Petersburg, FL (2)
• 12/10: House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL (2)
• 12/12: The Door, Dallas, TX (2)
• 12/13: Meridian, Houston, TX (2)
• 12/14: Las Palmas Race Park, Mission, TX (4)
• 12/15: White Rabbit, San Antonio, TX (2)
• 12/17: The Rock, Tucson, AZ (2)
• 12/18: Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ (2)
• 12/19: SOMA, San Diego, CA (2)
• 12/20: House of Blues Anaheim, Anaheim, CA (2)

(1) w/Eyedea & Abilities
(2) w/Saosin, Innerpartysystem, Eye Alaska
(3) w/Doomtree
(4) w/Saosin, Underoath, August Emery

Photo by Ivor Karabatkovic.

So yeah, I slept on the Vans Warped Tour. But that’s only because the hip hop offerings are so anemic in comparison to last year. In fact, the only two dudes worth mentioning on the bill are Shad (more on him later) and P.O.S. The latter is having a breakout year thanks to Never Better, which landed in the Billboard top 100 upon its release last February.

There’s still about a month and a half left in the tour. After that, he’ll support Bad Brains on a few dates; those have yet to be announced, but I’ll add them once they become available. (August 12 update: Added!)

• 6/26: Pomona Fairplex, Pomona, CA (1)
• 6/27: Pier 30/32, San Francisco, CA (1)
• 6/28: Seaside Park, Ventura, CA (1)
• 6/30: Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ (1)
• 7/01: NMSU Practice Field, Las Cruces, NM (1)
• 7/02: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX (1)
• 7/03: The Showgrounds @ Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, TX (1)
• 7/05: Superpages.com Center, Dallas, TX (1)
• 7/07: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Indianapolis, IN (1)
• 7/08: Post Gazette Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA (1)
• 7/09: Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre, Cleveland, OH (1)
• 7/10: Arrow Hall, Toronto, ON (1)
• 7/11: Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal, QC (1)
• 7/12: New England Dodge Music Center, Hartford, CT (1)
• 7/14: Merriweather Post Pavilion, Washington, DC (1)
• 7/15: Toyota Pavilion, Scranton, PA (1)
• 7/16: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY (1)
• 7/17: Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, NJ (1)
• 7/18: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (1)
• 7/19: Monmouth Park Racetrack, Oceanport, NJ (1)
• 7/21: Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts, Boston, MA (1)
• 7/22: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Virginia Beach, VA (1)
• 7/23: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC (1)
• 7/24: Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando, FL (1)
• 7/25: Cruzan Amphitheatre, Miami, FL (1)
• 7/26: Vinoy Park, Tampa, FL (1)
• 7/28: Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA (1)
• 7/29: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH (1)
• 7/30: Marcus Amphitheatre, Milwaukee, WI (1)
• 7/31: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI (1)
• 8/01: First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL (1)
• 8/02: Canterbury Park, Minneapolis, MN (1)
• 8/03: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO (1)
• 8/04: Sandstone Amphitheatre, Kansas City, MO (1)
• 8/07: Idaho Center Amphitheatre, Boise, ID (1)
• 8/08: Utah State Fairgrounds, Salt Lake City, UT (1)
• 8/09: Invesco Field, Denver, CO (1)
• 8/12: Race City Speedway, Calgary, AB (1)
• 8/14: Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver, BC (1)
• 8/15: Gorge Amphitheatre, Seattle, WA (1)
• 8/16: Washington County Fairgrounds, Portland, OR (1)
• 8/19: Save Mart Center, Fresno, CA (1)
• 8/20: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (1)
• 8/21: Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Sacramento, CA (1)
• 8/22: Cricket Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA (1)
• 8/23: Home Depot Center, Los Angeles, CA (1)
• 9/15: Slim’s, San Francisco, CA (2)
• 9/16: Slim’s, San Francisco, CA (2)
• 9/18: Roseland, Portland, OR (2)
• 9/19: El Corazon, Seattle, WA (2)

(1) Vans Warped Tour
(2) w/Bad Brains

P.O.S. has announced the first of what will undoubtedly be many tours in 2009. The concerts, in support of his upcoming album Never Better, take place in February and feature several comrades from his Doomtree crew, including Sims, Mictlan, Lazerbeak and Hand Over Fist.

• 2/05: The Badlander, Missoula, MT
• 2/06: Nectar Lounge, Seattle, WA
• 2/07: Satyricon, Portland, OR
• 2/09: Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
• 2/10: Knitting Factory, Los Angeles, CA
• 2/11: Clubhouse, Phoenix, AZ
• 2/13: Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT
• 2/14: Marquis Theater, Denver, CO
• 2/15: Slowdown Jr., Omaha, NE
• 2/16: High Noon, Madison, WI
• 2/17: Reggie’s Music Club, Chicago, IL
• 2/18: Skully’s Music Diner, Columbus, OH
• 2/20: Rock and Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
• 2/21: Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
• 2/22: Harper’s Ferry, Boston, MA
• 2/23: Higher Ground, Burlington, VT
• 2/25: Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH
• 2/26: Canopy, Champaign, IL
• 2/27: Stones Throw Bar, Eau Claire, WI
• 2/28: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN

2/05-2/28: w/Sims, Mictlan, Lazerbeak, Hand Over Fist

Download: P.O.S., “Goodbye”

Photo by Dan Monick.

On February 3, Rhymesayers will release Minneapolis rapper P.O.S.’ third album, Never Better. Here’s a section from the press release:

P.O.S. himself made more than half of the beats on Never Better, and the production bears his unmistakable signature. The album enters a room like bombshell with a black eye-badass, noisy, impossible to ignore. Feedback and relentless drum rolls are only occasionally tempered by sung choruses and clean, chiming guitar lines. Some critics will be eager to categorize the album as a hybrid-some kind of crossover project. But it’s probably not. P.O.S is a rapper with range, he’s a real musician and an unstoppable performer. For him, genres are as they ever were: permeable.

• 1. “Let It Rattle”
• 2. “Drumroll (We’re All Thirsty)”
• 3. “Savion Glover”
• 4. “Purexed”
• 5. “Graves (We Wrote The Book)”
• 6. “Goodbye”
• 7. “Get Smokes”
• 8. “Been Afraid”
• 9. “Low Light Low Life”
• 10. “The Basics (Alright)”
• 11. “Out of Category”
• 12. “Optimist (We Are Not For Them)”
• 13. “Terrorish”
• 14. “Never Better”
• 15. “The Brave and the Snake”

For the next week or so, P.O.S. will be doing the token-rapper thing as an undercard to metal band Underoath. But why hate? If it worked for Gym Class Heroes, then it may work for him.

• 10/15: House of Blues, Lake Buena, FL
• 10/16: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
• 10/17: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
• 10/18: Amos Southend, Charlotte, NC
• 10/19: The National, Richmond, VA
• 10/22: Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
• 10/23: Webster Theater, Hartford, CT
• 10/24: Palladium, Worcester, MA

10/15-10/24: w/Underoath, Saosin, the Devil Wears Prada

Photo by Dan Monick.

For the past twelve years, the Vans Warped Tour has spread across America, bringing a mixture of mainstream punk bands eager to sell out and corporate sponsors eager to reach our nation’s impressionable youth. And each installment includes a few token rappers eager to expand their reach beyond the backpack nerds who normally attend their concerts. It’s like back in the 60s, when rock festival promoters would salve their liberal consciences by adding a few black artists to the bill.

As sucky as Warped Tour has become can — a tour that once prided itself on carrying one major sponsor (Vans shoes) is now backed by AT&T, for chrissakes — it can have a major effect on artists’ careers. Atmosphere, the Alkaholiks and many others can thank Warped Tour for ballooning their fan base. And we all know what Warped did for Gym Class Heroes.

This year, the 13th edition of Warped Tour will include Canadian musician K-os and Rhymesayers prospect P.O.S. (shown in photo) along with Adult Swim alum MC Chris on select East Coast dates among the hordes of emo nincompoops. (Okay, not all of the rock bands suck: Coheed & Cambria, Fishbone and Bad Religion will be there, too.) Tour dates are below.

• 6/29: Pomona Fairgrounds, Pomona, CA
• 6/30: Seaside Park, Ventura, CA
• 7/01: Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
• 7/03: Thunderbird Stadium at UBC, Vancouver, BC
• 7/05: Race City Speedway, Calgary, AB
• 7/07: Utah State Fairpark, Salt Lake City, UT
• 7/08: Invesco Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
• 7/11: Cricket Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ
• 7/12: NMSU Practice Field, Las Cruces, NM
• 7/13: Amphitheater Lot, San Antonio, TX
• 7/14: Smirnoff Centre, Dallas, TX
• 7/15: Reliant Center, Houston, TX
• 7/18: HiFi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA
• 7/19: Reynolds Park Yatch Center, Jacksonville, FL
• 7/20: Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg, FL
• 7/21: Bicentennial Park, Miami, FL
• 7/22: Tinker Field, Orlando, FL
• 7/23: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, NC
• 7/24: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Virginia Beach, VA
• 7/25: Merriweather Post Pavillion, Washington, DC
• 7/26: Montage Mountain Amphitheatre, Scranton, PA
• 7/27: Comerica Park and Street, Detroit, MI
• 7/28: First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL
• 7/29: Metrodome Parking Lot, Minneapolis, MN
• 7/31: Marcus Amphitheatre, Milwaukee, WI
• 8/01: Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
• 8/02: Tower City Amphitheater, Cleveland, OH
• 8/03: Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Philadelphia, PA
• 8/04: Nassau Coliseum, New York, NY
• 8/05: Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ
• 8/07: Verizon Wireless Music Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 8/08: Post Gazette Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA
• 8/09: Tweeter Center, Boston, MA
• 8/10: Darien Lakes Fields, Buffalo, NY
• 8/11: Park Place, Barrie, ON
• 8/12: Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal, QC
• 8/14: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO
• 8/15: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Kansas City, KS
• 8/17: Idaho Center, Boise, ID
• 8/18: The Gorge Amphitheatre, Seattle, WA
• 8/19: Columbia Meadows, Portland, OR
• 8/22: Selland Arena, Fresno, CA
• 8/23: Sleep Train Amphitheater, Sacramento, CA
• 8/24: Coors Amphitheatre, San Diego, CA
• 8/25: Home Depot Center, Los Angeles, CA

www.warpedtour.com