Some Warped Tour acts worth braving summer heat, others offer time to cool off

Think of a sausage on a griddle.

The parking lot of the Plaza downtown is the griddle.

And you're the sausage.

Get ready to empathize with broiled breakfast meats when the Warped Tour returns to Vegas today.

More than three dozen punk, metal, pop, emo, hip-hop and hardcore bands playing on asphalt beneath the skin-liquefying summer sun?

Sound like fun?

Of course it does.

But while some bands are worth braving the heat for, others offer a good opportunity to find some shade and cop a squat.

Let's examine which bands are worth a sunburn and which will leave you just feeling burnt.

Against Me!

The Clash + Woody Guthrie + Fugazi = one of the best bands on the tour.

Lucero

These alt-country whiskey chuggers have some great drinking songs to play for the three or four Warped attendees over 21.

The Acacia Strain

You'll strain plenty of neck meat bangin' your dome to these metalcore brutes.

MC Lars

Lampoons indie rap and emo while doing both better than most.

Street Dogs

Working class Boston punks fronted by former Dropkick Murphys singer. These Dogs bite.

The Aggrolites

Reggae revivalists keep it real -- as in real baked.

Lionize

From Black Sabbath to Black Uhuru, these dudes map the terrain from stoner rock to reggae with Clutch guitarist Tim Sult.

Winds of Plague

What does wind do? It blows.

Simple Plan

We have a simple plan: Get a beer, take a leak, while this band plays.

Asking Alexandria

Misogynist Brits who diss girls, though we doubt they've ever gotten with any that they didn't have to inflate first.

The Devil Prada

Pios metalcore troupe smashes faces for Jesus. We call it holy sh!@.

Black Veil Brides

Ugh. Run from the altar.