Out of 68 scheduled acts to perform at the Van’s Warped Tour on July 14, only one is a Scranton-based band. Motionless In White, a hardcore metal band that is signed to Fearless Records in Orlando, Fla., has had major success in the music scene around the country headlining tours and festivals over the past five years. MIW — singer Chris Cerulli, keyboardist Joshua Balz, lead guitar Richard Olson and drummer Angelo Parente — will play on the Ernie Ball stage on the east coast leg of this year’s festival. Cerulli, who phoned in right before leaving for the tour, said he has mixed feelings about going out for their longest string of Warped dates. “It’s definitely the hardest tour ever,” he explained. “It makes me disgusted when bands that have a bus complain about Warped Tour because all they have to do is come out of their air conditioning for 30 minutes and play a set, then maybe do one signing. “While on the other hand, we’re always walking around meeting people, and really connecting with as many fans as we possibly can. We have done it in a van, without a driver and without a production crew. We’ve driven through the entire night and been through hell. But nothing good comes easy, so I guess to play in front of that many people, you have to pay your dues.” The band’s hard work has recently paid off. Their latest album, “Creatures,” debuted on the Billboard 200 charts, and is still climbing. MIW has been a common name on other festival bills, too, most recently earning a slot on Bamboozle at Giant’s Stadium in May 2011. Cerulli could not be happier with the December release. “This is the first group of music we are truly excited about,” he said. “All of the other music we were happy about, but it just wasn’t quite there yet. This record is finally what we wanted to be doing and what we’ve always wanted to accomplish as a band. It’s all dark and scary, and everything we want.” For as difficult as it may be to survive Warped Tour, the band could not be happier to be considered for this year’s tour. “It’s just a matter of reaching as many people as we can,” explained Cerulli. “You always have to compete with other bands playing at the same time at the other stages. We just want people to walk by and notice us and at the same time connect with our current fans. “Warped has always been about showing the best possible bands at that time. At times it was punk rock. This year it’s leaning towards metal and hip-hop, but it’s still always the best current acts in the ‘underground’ scene, if you will. And that just makes us basically honored to be able to continue to play it.” All of the fame and opportunities have not changed the Scranton boys’ attitudes either. They’re still grounded and remember why they play music. “We don’t want to see a million records; it’s just about playing honest music we believe in and finding people who believe in it, too. I think there are a lot of people out there who believe the same things that I do, and I think without music, none of us would be able to deal with them. That’s the sole reason I do what I do - to give people something to relate to.”
