This was a “first date” interview done in Camden, NJ at Warped 2009 with guitarist/singer, Tatiana DeMaria, and bassist/singer, Nick Kent.

1. Have you noticed any changes between Warped last year and this year? Is it the same experience? Do you feel more prepared?
Tatiana: I don’t know if more prepared or unprepared. I think that the preparation, it was really hard to prepare ‘cause we were between tours and trying to get the second album ready and trying to do all sorts of things. We started our own label so it’s hard to run things at the same time. We have a major distribution and we just put out an album. We did a tour with Pennywise and a headline tour sort of just before Warped Tour. So in terms of getting new merch design, we’re in the process of doing that as we go. We probably should have to say we are less prepared than we’d probably like to be. But in terms of knowing what to expect on Warped Tour, jamming, I mean you know, this is our third time doing it so I think we’re in good stead. And you know, we’re finally on a really awesome stage. A really big stage. We’ve always been on the DIY stages and this year we’re on the Hurley stage which is fantastic.

2. What’s one thing you’d change about Warped Tour?
Nick: You know, it’s evolved over the years and it works otherwise it wouldn’t still be going. You can moan about there not being enough showers or…
Tatiana: Oh, you know what I will…you just made me think. It’s not for us because like Nick was saying, there’s not much to change. But there is like for the kids who come in Pheonix, water is seven dollars. That’s disgusting.
Nick: Yeah, it is.
Tatiana: The people who own those venues, the people who, the vendors, you know what vendors, FUCK YOU. Seriously. Fuck you up the ass with a fat fucking dildo. ‘Cause that’s not cool. Kids who come to a concert, you charge them seven dollars for a bottle of water. Do you know how hot it is? It’s a 110 degrees. And you’ve got these kids who are there pouring out their money to come see their favorite bands and a basic necessity that’s basically stripping them of their cash, they can’t buy a shirt by their favorite bands. They can’t buy the album. They can’t do anything. It hurts bands. It hurts everyone. Why? Because some cunt instead of making 2 dollars on a bottle of water wants to make six. Fuck them.
Nick: They sell beer for 12 bucks. Fine, that’s a luxury. Water’s a necessity.
Tatiana: Unfortunately Vans Warped Tour can’t do anything about it because the vendors are tied into the venues. So Vans Warped Tour, there’s nothing I would change about the actual set up or the tour. Kevin Lyman’s a phenomenal guy. He’s brilliant. We’re on the tour thanks to him. The crew are amazing. The caterers are amazing. I have nothing to complain about. The only thing I would say is the vendors at those venues and the venues who allow them to sell at that price are disgusting. If there are any vendors who are going to read this…
Nick: Fuck you.

3. What’s one thing you wish more tours had that are like Warped Tour?
Nick: Hm, I don’t know. I’ve never been to another festival in the US. What I love about this tour is everyone’s on a different day. I’m sorry, everyone’s on a different time every day. More bands get a chance for people to check them out. Everyone comes in the morning , they don’t know what time the bands are playing they want to see. So someone who wants to see 3OH!3 get here thinking “they might be first, I can’t miss them.” Then they pass these stages. You know, that’s how we kind of managed to get our backing in 2006 and last year because people came to see their bands and passed our stage. If they like us, they stick around and that’s a fan. In the UK we kind of have 3 day festivals where you have the big headliners. But [Warped Tour has] a really good format.

4. If you could rename Warped Tour, what would you call it?
Tatiana: I don’t know, Summer Camp for Bands. [laughs] I don’t know, call it The Experience. I don’t know what I would call it. I think “Warped” is very much appropriate. It’s funny ‘cause it’s hard for a lot of people to understand and say. They don’t know the Warped Tour. In an English accent you say “the Warped Tour” and Americans think you’re saying “what, the Wap tour? Wup, warp?” You have to say the Warp-ed tour. And people don’t know that it’s w-a-r-p-e-d. They think it’s “w-a-r-p.” It’s like TAT the band name. It’s a bit of a mess when you first hear it. Especially if you’re speaking to Brits. You’re like TAT, and they’re like “What the fuck is that? That was just an expression.” I think it’s just a great experience. It is pretty warped. It’s so hot. By the end of it you’re just miserable when it’s over. It really is like summer camp. It definitely is. It just rocks. All these bands, I mean they’re all kids. You see us, all of us, sitting there like chanting along to everybody else, we go side stage, and watch our favorite bands. Enjoy it. It’s a community. You play silly pranks on each other. It’s really, really wonderful. And there’s a lot of camaraderie which is great.

5. Anything you’d like to close with?
Nick: We sell our album, our debut album Soho Lights, that people can get on iTunes [or] buy it on our store. Or at shows if you come see us at a show.
Tatiana: Yeah, come to Warped Tour. Check it out.
Nick: Our myspace is myspace.com/tat. We’re on all the other ones, Facebook, Twitter. Tat Band on twitter so yeah.
Tatiana: And if you do hear it and you do like it come check us out with Social Distortion in the Fall. We’ll be on tour with them for 2 months.