The Vans Warped Tour 2026 Interviews – Acceptance
The Vans Warped Tour 2026 Interviews – Acceptance
Returning to the Vans Warped Tour stage in Long Beach for the first time in more than two decades, Acceptance found themselves reflecting on a career that has continued to resonate with fans well beyond the band’s early days. From revisiting Phantoms with an all-star cast of guest vocalists to the upcoming tenth anniversary of Colliding By Design, Acceptance have discovered that their music continues to connect with listeners old and new. At Vans Warped Tour Long Beach, I caught up with vocalist Jason Vena and guitarist Christian McAlhaney to discuss memorable days at Chain Reaction, the impact of major-label success, the enduring popularity of “So Contagious,” and what may lie ahead for the band.
So you guys just got off the stage here at the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach. How did the show go, and what were some of the highlights?
Jason Vena: It was awesome. We had a ton of fun. We were fortunate enough to have some friends who were playing today. William from The Academy Is…, Ken from The Starting Line, and Alex from The Cab all came out and sang songs with us. We had some great guest appearances during the set, and we’d never even practiced the songs together beforehand. We just winged it, and it was a ton of fun.
How many times has Acceptance played Warped Tour?
Christian McAlhaney: Acceptance played Warped Tour once at The Gorge as a one-off show, and then in 2005 I think we did two or three weeks of the actual tour. This is the first time we’ve played it since 2005, so it’s been over twenty years.
The first time I interviewed you was at Chain Reaction, which recently closed. What are your memories of playing that iconic venue?
Jason: Some of my fondest memories come from that era. One that stands out the most was when somebody told us that Acceptance was being played over the speakers at Chain Reaction. This was before we’d been signed and when we had only made our own EP. I think the song was “Permanent.” I thought that was the craziest thing. Sure enough, we came back to Anaheim and played Chain Reaction. It ended up being one of the first sold-out shows of our career. Everybody was singing along.
Back then, we grew up around the West Coast hardcore scene. We’d play Chain Reaction and have people crowd walking and doing all kinds of crazy stuff. Those shows were some of the wildest shows of our lives. So I have really great memories of Chain Reaction.
Christian: Yeah, it was a home away from home for us for pretty much our entire career. Some of our first big California shows were at Chain Reaction, so it’s a special place with a lot of great memories attached to it.
What was it like to do Phantoms 2.0 and revisit all those songs with the guest artists?
Jason: There were a lot of logistics we had to figure out. Everybody had to sing their parts, get the recordings to us, and somehow make it all happen. I still look at it and wonder how it even came together. There are so many great singers on the record, and they all contributed so much. It was an amazing opportunity for us, and we’re really happy with how it turned out.
The original Phantoms was released on a major label. What was it like going the major-label route at that time?
Christian: It wasn’t bad. Obviously, we had a lot of opportunities that probably wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t been on a major label. We were able to do things like the AOL Sessions and other opportunities that came our way. That said, there were definitely some hiccups along the way. We’ve talked about those things in interviews over the years. It’s a tough industry. Overall, though, I think they did a good job for the most part.
Jason: I think the experience kind of warped our minds a little bit. In hindsight, maybe we just needed to continue our process and give ourselves more time to realize what was happening. Clearly, people ended up enjoying the record, but we never really got to understand that because of the bubble we were living in at the time. That’s one of the reasons coming back and doing all of this now has been so rewarding.
“So Contagious” has 21 million streams on Spotify. What does a number like that mean to you?
Jason: My son makes videos on YouTube where he edits cartoons together and creates little stories. He’ll get a thousand views and come tell me, “Dad, I got a thousand views.”
And I’ll say, “Okay, when you get to twenty-one million, then we’ll start talking.” (Laughs) But honestly, it’s crazy to me. Seeing those kinds of numbers is unbelievable. Then you add the version with Teddy Swims, which has also reached a lot of listeners. We’re just really fortunate. It’s amazing.
Christian: Every artist wants people to listen to their music, so seeing that many people connect with it is very fulfilling.
Next year marks the tenth anniversary of Colliding By Design. When you look back on that album and the fact that it’s been nearly ten years now, what do you think of it in retrospect?
Christian: I’m incredibly proud of Colliding By Design. When we reunited for the tenth anniversary of Phantoms, we originally just wanted to play a few shows. There was no long-term plan. Then we wrote “Take You Away,” and it felt natural to create music together again, which led to the album. What makes me most proud is that we accomplished it without a roadmap and while balancing jobs, families, and everyday responsibilities. Coordinating everything is difficult, especially since we only play a handful of shows each year, so the album is really a testament to everyone’s commitment and dedication to creating something together.
Jason: It’s the best-sounding record we have.
We’re going to go back 25 years to Lost for Words. When you look back on that album, what do you think of it now in retrospect?
Jason: That’s kind of a lost album, no pun intended. I don’t really listen to it anymore, so for me it’s more of a memory of a bunch of young kids trying to find our way. We put that together ourselves. I’ve always felt like we were just a hard-working band. We practiced five days a week, toured constantly, paid for tours ourselves, paid for gas out of our own pockets, and just grinded it out. That record is really the result of all that hard work. I remember making it in my basement, which is kind of crazy to think about now.
Christian: I wasn’t in the band yet, but I was around. We were friends. I was really close with their drummer at the time. I think that record is a testament to the fact that nobody trips and falls into success. It’s a long process. It’s almost like working out. You become a better songwriter by writing more songs. To me, Lost for Words represents Acceptance slowly honing their craft.
Do you have any new Acceptance music on the horizon?
Jason: Yeah, we’ve talked about it, and we’ve written some things. We’re kind of of the mindset that if we decide we’re going to do it, we’ll do it. And honestly, it’s usually a lot of fun. We’re always excited about the music we write. There’s nothing specific to announce right now, but we’re going to be out playing a few shows in 2027, so it would make sense to create some new music. We’ll see.
Do you have any messages for Acceptance fans who are reading this now?
Jason: We’re just thankful. We have great fans. They make us feel appreciated. It’s crazy. They validate everything we’ve ever done. It’s wild.
Christian: We’re very grateful. Honestly, if you had told us in our twenties that we’d still be doing this in our forties, we’d have said you were crazy. To still be here, playing something like Warped Tour again, is incredibly surreal. All those factors combine to give us a tremendous sense of gratitude. We’re thankful just to be here right now, even having this interview.
(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Vivian Ortega of So Finch Photography)
