BODOG/WARPED POKER TOURNAMENT
Story by Joseph Simek and Photos by Justin Borucki

[Clockwise from top left: The Bodog prize table; Jonny Z of Bodog Music hanging with Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman;
2006 Champion Josh Bodwell of Split Fifty (bottom right) shows us his drink; Aaron Tollefson of Kaddisfly (in blue) enjoys a game of cards]

Most musicians will say playing poker and throwing back a drink or two are a crucial part of the after hours traditions that come with being on the road. But it’s not every night that the card games are played on custom poker tables, the drinks are poured by professional bartenders, and a host of expensive prizes are at stake.

That was the scene when record label Bodog Music hosted its second annual poker tournament at the Warped Tour stop in Camden, NJ last month.

Over 80 Warped Tour personalities, including members of Bad Religion, Cute Is What We Aim For, Killswitch Engage, and Meg & Dia, came together for a winner-takes-all Texas Hold’em tournament.           

If it weren’t for the shaggy-haired, tattooed musicians flipping poker chips, someone might think they had stepped into a private room at a Vegas nightclub. The tournament operated like the real deal, using plush poker tables, professional officials, and the scantily clad Bodog Girls greeting players as they walked in the door.

But why would a record label go through all that trouble to throw a poker party?

Well, Bodog Music isn’t exactly a normal record company. The label, home to such artists as Neurosonic, The Vincent Black Shadow, and Overkill, is an extension of Bodog Entertainment which hosts various gambling ventures.

What is an advertising opportunity for Bodog is a kick-ass party for some road-weary musicians, roadies, and other Warped affiliates.


The room was buzzing as the first cards were dealt, and no one wanted to be the first to leave the table, but a member of rock band Circa Survive’s camp was the first to go down. He wouldn’t be the last.

As the forced blind bets grew at a lightning fast pace, player after player took the walk of shame.

It was easy to tell this tournament had some real players and some fierce competition right from the first flop of the cards. A competitive tension came over the tables as the night went on, and players had to keep it together as flashbulbs lit up the room. Fuse TV was also there with guest commentator Rob Kirkham of The Vincent Black Shadow to cover the event for the station’s Warped Wednesdays show.

The five-hour tournament separated the weak from the strong, and the clear-headed from the not-so-sober, as players went from chip leaders to chip-less.

Although 2006 champion and Split Fifty singer/guitarist Josh Bodwell was back to defend his title, he came up short and was let go in the first round.

For Grant, bassist for up-and-comers Allura, it proved to be lucky night. Grant went face to face with Vans Shoes founder Van Doren in the finals, going all-in to win the tournament. It was an unlikely final, but it made for high drama. Youth versus wisdom, newcomer versus seasoned veteran.

As word spread that Grant had made it to the finals, the rest of Allura came to root for him.

A crowd of sweaty, drunk guys and beautiful Bodog Girls gathered at the final table to holler at every card that was turned. With Grant’s winning play, the audience erupted.

“I had played pretty cautious the entire match,” says Grant, “but when I was challenged to go all-in and all the cameras and everyone were surrounding me, I decided that the best way to end the game was on a dicey play. Looking back it was pretty stupid, but it paid off in the end, and I’m glad I sacked up for one play and went for it.”

Grant won with a flush of spades but didn’t get the flush until the river card (the last card) was dealt. “My heart leaped when I saw it,” he says, “I was super stoked.”

Sean Grant of Allura awaits the cards on the final hand

Vans founder Steve Van Doren goes all in at final table

For his gutsy display of card playing, Grant took home an assortment of prizes. But for Grant, whose band was playing on the Warped Tour for the first time, it meant more than just fancy swag.

"The best part was meeting more people on the tour and feeling more a part of the Warped community,” he says. “We were relatively unknown to many people on the tour, and it was awesome getting to know people who we otherwise would probably never meet.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman. “The second Bodog poker tournament was as exciting as the first,” he says. “Though I crashed out early, it was awesome to see Steve Van Doren make it to the finals. But, in true Warped fashion, an underdog prevailed and walked away with the prize.”

The Final Two - Steve Van Doren (left) and Sean Grant (right) claim their prizes

To view more photos of the event, click here

For more info, go to: bodogmusic.com