At Warped, reveling in the post-punk aura

Now in its 11th year, the Vans Warped Tour, which blared from Cal State Long Beach’s campus parking lot Friday (and moves to Pomona Fairplex on Wednesday), continues to attract throngs of tattooed and pierced youths who seem as enamored of the lifestyle the tour represents as with the music itself.

Indeed, Warped has marketed its chaotic blend of rebellion, alternative fashion and extreme sports so well, it’s been able to thrive even when the bill lacks major chart-toppers. Though this year’s headliners -- My Chemical Romance, the Offspring and the Transplants (featuring Rancid’s Tim Armstrong and MTV star Travis Barker) -- all enjoy mainstream success, the bulk of this year’s Warped bands are still basically below the radar.

These lesser-known acts got a golden opportunity Friday as the lineup and set times (always announced day of the event) slated most of the bigger names before 3 p.m., giving up-and-comers a chance to show off their thrashing chops in prime-time slots.

Though many in the procession of spiky-haired screamers were indiscernible from one another, standouts on the main stages included the aggressive, infectious anthems of Boston’s the Explosion; punchy, heartfelt melodies from Pennsylvania’s the Starting Line; and the exuberant clamor of locals Strung Out.

Orange County’s black-clad Avenged Sevenfold turned in one of the most arresting sets of the day with its dramatic blend of metallic rhythm and hammering punk tempos. Like AFI before them, Avenged proved to have the goods to be rock’s next superstar gloom-sters.

Smaller stages showcased some notable talents as well, including the surfy bombast of the Diffs and the garage-y grind rock of Hidden in Plain View as well as the unruly percussion of the Street Drum Corps and an array of strong female acts on the Shira Girl stage.

Unfortunately, Long Beach’s confined layout sometimes resulted in one group’s sound blasts bleeding into another’s. Still, being rough around the edges seems to be what it’s all about.

The bands may not all really be “punk” anymore, but Warped continues to have an uncontrived wild vibe that’s as close as you can get.

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Vans Warped Tour

Where: Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona

When: Noon Wednesday

Price: $29.50

Contact: (909) 623-3111