Three men. Six albums. Nineteen years. And just one number: 182.
On Saturday, October 1st, I had the opportunity to see the original pop-punk band, Blink-182. Their newest album, Neighborhoods, dropped on Tuesday, September 27th. This is the first album the band has released in over eight years. The highly anticipated album has become a new beginning for band members, Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge, and Travis Barker.
There were two opening bands prior to the main event, Matt & Kim and then My Chemical Romance. Matt & Kim were upbeat and punky, a perfect mixture of genres they call “destructive dance punk.” Next came My Chemical Romance. I could tell most of the crowd enjoyed them, but I found them a cheap combination of Blink and Panic! at the Disco. The voice of the lead singer, Gerard Way, was not very interesting or exciting in the least. The songs they played blended together, and didn’t intrigue me in any way. Although I didn’t particularly enjoy their performance, they did a good job of pumping up the crowd for Blink.
After a small intermission, darkness consumed the venue as voices of eager fans echoed throughout the building. Tom Delonge, Mark Hoppus, and Travis Barker stepped out onto stage. The crowd’s cheers were deafening as they started played their opening song, “Feeling This.” The passion from Tom Delonge’s voice boomed through the speakers and into the hearts of everyone in the room. I could immediately tell it was going to be a great show.
Before they played the next song, Mark and Tom welcomed the concert-goers to the show and told a couple of jokes. As they spoke, you could feel the friendship between them. They loved what they were doing, and that is what made the show incredible to watch. Their connection stayed visible when they began the next song, their newest single, Up All Night. While this song is relatively new to attendees of the concert, most fans still new every word, including myself.
The band’s performance continued to be fantastic throughout the night. Tom and Mark’s hilarious and admittedly immature jokes kept a youthful essence throughout the night. The emotional, old songs they played made long-time fans of the band tear up.
The most emotional part of the night for me was watching Travis Barker rip up his drums. I have never seen a more talented, passionate person do what he loves. Despite the fact that I am not an aspiring drummer, I found his playing as an inspiration to work hard so I could create something beautiful with my life, as he has.
Needless to say, I was inspired by the performances of the night. Blink-182 is one of the most influential punk bands of the decade. They’re brilliant new album and incredible live performances will keep them relevant in the music scene for years to come.
wow i just started listening to them and they’re great!
d00d i was at that show!!!