Some of the chaos of Vans Warped Tour's early years is gone, but it is no less edgy, according to a longtime tour veteran.

"It's much more organized from where we first started," Less Than Jake drummer and songwriter Vinnie Fiorello said in a phone interview from Amarillo, Texas. "The layout's better. It's a better watching and listening experience for the fans who come."

Mr. Fiorello and his LTJ bandmates are warhorses of the festival circuit, having played shows nationally since the early 1990s.

In fact, the ska/pop punk band has been a staple on the popular summertime concert's lineup for 13 years, including the inaugural 1995 show.

Once known for its dedication to showcasing numerous underground acts from the ska and pop punk scene, Warped Tour has evolved to include music acts of a very different flavor over time, including the likes of current pop princess Katy Perry; Gym Class Heroes, an alternative hip-hop band; and electro-pop outfit 3OH!3 (which returns to the lineup this summer) in recent years.

Despite the obvious shift in genres represented, Mr. Fiorello said he doesn't think the Warped Tour has changed all that much in what it offers.

"There's always a lot of people who are like, 'It's not punk rock.' It's still atuned to popular music," he said. "What people like is what's on the tour."

Although there are arguably some larger and more well-known bands on the docket, such as Grammy Award nominee Paramore, or even his own, Mr. Fiorello insisted that every band on Warped Tour is created equal.

"It's a level playing field, no headliners, everyone plays the same amount of time," he explained. "It's a very socialist way of doing a festival. That's the cool thing about Warped Tour."

Mr. Fiorello admitted one of the limitations of being part of such a big bill -- as opposed to a band headlining its own tour -- is that there are no big stage sets or productions, and it is "a totally different animal," but that doesn't make it any less special.

"It's just playing music in front of a crowd. That's what you're in a band for, to play with your bandmates, which are my best friends," he said. "You can record and that's cool, but nothing beats going up and having that chemistry and energy."

He added that the eclectic mix of music and attractions, which typically include skateboarding half pipes, dozens of merchandise and listening tents, as well as meet-and-greets with performers, make for an experience unlike any other for a young music fan.

"Expect to be overwhelmed by music," Mr. Fiorello advised. "It's a festival atmosphere. It's everything you want it to be.

"As a teenager, you'll see your favorite bands and a bunch of bands you've never heard of, and maybe they'll become your favorite bands a year from now or a few months from now," he said.

First Published: July 21, 2011, 8:00 a.m.