At the Warped Tour, this will happen. Often. (Cory Schwartz / Getty Images)

More: More Warped Tour bands, coverage | Directions, nearby food

Once again, it’s Warped Tour time, so with it being the dead of summer, and the largest number of bands anywhere, it’s time for the second annual pbpulse.com Warped Tour Survival Guide.

Last year, we had help from the tour’s official “pit reporter”, Tiffany Mink. This time, we get some words of wisdom from The Daily Alligator‘s Thomas Nassiff, who wrote a handy guide Thursday for all of the state’s dates — not just Saturday at Cruzan Amphitheatre, but also Friday in St. Petersburg and Sunday in Orlando.

First, Nassiff suggests you pack everything you need the night before, so you’re not rushing around at the last minute and end up in the back of the line, which start forming a couple of hours before the gates open at noon.

Essentials include sunscreen, shorts, sneakers and a jug of either Gatorade or water. The tour will let you bring in one unopened jug of either, and you’ll save quite a bit not having to buy bottle after bottle of water.

The big board: Every Warped fan's likely first stop as they try to find out where their favorite band is playing. (Cory Schwartz / Getty Images)

When you arrive, make sure you get there early. Set times aren’t announced until the day of the show, so you should make sure you’re in so you can find out when the bands you want to see are playing.

Nassiff also suggests you spend the $2 for a schedule: “It will be the best two dollars you have ever spent.”

Who should I see? With upwards of 80 bands (not including local groups), almost any modern rock fan will be able to figure out a good schedule.

Or you can get creative, grouping a bunch of bands together into an itinerary. Let’s say you want to catch the great Warped Tour veterans: Try to see Andrew W.K., Alkaline Trio, Face To Face, Pennywise, Reel Big Fish and The Dillinger Escape Plan.

Florida groups? Try Hey Monday (Wellington), VersaEmerge (Port St. Lucie), Fake Problems (Naples), Automatic Loveletter (Tampa) and Spinlight City (Miami), among others. And don’t forget the Kevin Says Stage, home of more local acts.

Wellington's Hey Monday, among a very lively Florida contingent.

More into star-spotting? Well, there’s Pretty Reckless, with lead singer Taylor Momsen (aka Jenny from Gossip Girl) and After Midnight Project with Jason Evigan (son of B.J. and the Bear‘s Greg, and brother of Briana and Vanessa).

Critics’ choice? Scott Mervis of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette liked Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band. Michael Hamersly of the Miami Herald mentions Bring Me The Horizon and Breathing Carolina. Ryan Cooper of About.com says don’t miss AM Taxi, The Casualties, Far From Finished, The Sparring and Riverboat Gamblers.

Or how about the bands with standout names? You might try Gardening Not Architecture, His Name Was Iron, I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business, iwrestledabearonce, Kelsey and the Chaos and Of Mice and Men.

Finally, who’ve been the bands worth seeing so far? Michael Galucci of the Cleveland Scene says Riverboat Gamblers have an incredibly rowdy show (and he’s not the only one). Meanwhile, the Montreal Gazette‘s Jordan Zivitz says look out for Whitechapel, a Tennessee death-metal band, who “can vaporize carefully sculpted emo haircuts on impact.”