Vans Warped Tour [ tickets ] founder Kevin Lyman's dream for this year's edition of the outing was to bring the festival back to 1995, when kids seemed more open-minded about the acts on the bill. Midway through this summer's jaunt, he feels he has succeeded.

"We were just talking about how the kids are checking out all the bands and how kids are open-minded toward all sorts of music right now," Lyman said in an interview with LiveDaily. "There's no dominant scene in music. It's like, kids are into punk bands, ska bands, hip-hop bands. It's fun to see kids run around with Chiodos [ tickets ] shirts watching k-os and being stoked on it. And then you walk by Big D [and the Kids Table] and it's ska. Then you see a lot of kids with Killswitch [Engage] shirts checking them out."

That type of camaraderie is what Lyman was looking for, an idea he shared in statements to the press before the tour began in June.

"I know I went public and said if you're not open-minded and going to see some diverse music, stay home. Some people said I was kind of crying the blues or whatever. But I was very serious about trying to take this back to what it was in 1995. I can't take it back to the size of 1995. But take a look at the first line-up--it had everyone from Sublime to Quicksand to L7 to No Use for a Name. That was a diverse line-up for that day and age. That's what the Warped Tour's been, and that's what it needs to stand for."

The Warped Tour has also been known as the launching pad for several top acts, including Fall Out Boy [ tickets ] and My Chemical Romance [ tickets ]. Lyman sees this year's roster as no different.

"I said this from the beginning when I booked them last year: Paramore [ tickets ] will be the breakthrough act. The crowds are growing by the day. I also think little bands like Bayside [ tickets ] and The Dear and Departed [will do well]. You walk by and the crowds are starting to get bigger and bigger. That definitely comes from the power of the 'net and kids talking to each other, 'You have to check out this band. You have to check out that band.'"

Straylight Run [ tickets ] toured with Paramore in the band's infancy. Straylight's drummer, Will Noon, said Paramore's star power was palpable.

"It was just amazing to see Hayley [Williams, lead singer] on stage and Zack [Farro] behind the drum kit," Noon said. "[Farro] was 16 at the time. He was playing to a click track, he was solid every night. He landed all of his fills. The vibe was right."

"Going back to Hayley: she's got more charisma than anyone I know," Noon continued. "For a 17-year-old girl, it's pretty impressive. I've been touring for years, and as far as a singer and an entertainer, in both categories, she surpasses anyone I've toured with. You might not like their band. Everyone has varied opinions. As far as technical ability, her talent is undeniable. You can't say she's not a great singer. You see her interact with her audience, [and] it's amazing."

Williams told LiveDaily she was thrilled that Lyman spoke so highly of her.

"It's a pretty awesome feeling to know that someone that influential said something like that," she said. "It's cool to know he believes in us and supports us that much. We watched him say My Chem was the breakout band, and we all know what they're doing now. I really think he had a big hand in a lot of bigger bands' success today. I'm a glad that he's a part of our lives and our career."

Lyman said the Warped Tour, which wraps up Aug. 25 in Los Angeles, has at least one more year to go.

"The future of the Warped Tour? I think I'm gong to do it next summer. We shouldn't be around this long. It's been 13 years. I've already started looking at the Warped Tour next year--the kind of bands that I'd like to see, things that are working good and try to work in that direction."