See Dillinger Escape Plan Play Bonkers "Hot For Teacher" Cover in 2008 | Revolver

See Dillinger Escape Plan Play Bonkers "Hot For Teacher" Cover in 2008

A high-intensity mathcore version of Van Halen's 1984 hit

Dillinger Escape Plan are veterans of the long-running Warped Tour festival, and in 2008 the group made their third Warped appearance. One of the heaviest bands on the lineup that year, Dillinger played alongside bands such as Paramore, Against Me!, The Bronx and Pierce the Veil. But on at least one stop of their week with Warped Tour, Dillinger Escape Plan delivered a special surprise — a cover of Van Halen's campy 1984 hit, "Hot For Teacher". 

Naturally, Dillinger Escape Plan play it just that much faster and with a little more mathcore intensity, but without breaking from the righteous hard rock appeal of Van Halen's original. Still, even on a fan-captured video, it's easy to see just how ridiculous the group's musicianship is here, from Benjamin Weinman's lightning riffs to Gil Sharone's thunderous drumwork. 

Just before the band breaks into the hard rock anthem, vocalist Greg Puciato asks the crowd, "How many of you have actually heard this song before?" As the audience lets out an enthusiastic roar, he responds, "Oh shit!" And while the more punk-loving audience of Warped Tour might seem like an unusual choice to drop such a cover, the crowd is super into it, shouting along as Puciato sings the chorus, "Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad!" It's an extremely fun moment in festival history. Watch their performance above.