Over the last 27 years Blink-182 has arguably been one of the most influential bands in the pop punk scene, and it was very evident last night at Budweiser Stage that they are still on top of the game.
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of their 3rd studio album, Enema of the State, Blink kicked off the night by playing the album from start to finish. After that they treated fans to a set list made up of fan favourites such as ‘I Miss You’, ‘Bored To Death’, and ‘First Date’. It wouldn’t have been a true Blink show if the band didn’t have a couple tricks up their sleeves and they definitely came through. To kick off the second half of the set, bassist Mark Hoppus, and guitarist Matt Skiba appeared in the crowd to perform ‘Down’ and ‘Wasting Time’ acoustically, while drummer Travis Barker got prepared for one of his famous drum solos. Barker’s solos are always one of the most memorable things from the show and this time was no different. Not only does he never miss a beat but this time around his kit spun inside a metal ball, which at times had him performing upside-down. All of this paired with their stage production, which featured pyro and massive led screens shaped as speakers, really brought the show together and kept everyone engaged throughout the night.
Looking around, the crowd was very diverse as fans both young and old packed in at the venue to sing and mosh to all of their favourite songs. When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense as to why Blink’s fan base is continually changing and growing. Not only are they reinventing themselves with every album but both openers, Simple Plan and Neck Deep, has cited Blink as one of their major influences growing up and Hoppus has been featured in songs by both bands ( I’d Do Anything, 2002 + December (again), 2015 ). I personally thought it was neat to see how the majority of the crowd showed up early and was singing along to the openers as well. It truly shows how Blink continues to have an impact on the music scene today.
