The NIA is a wash of all ages tonight. Young coming together with old to do one just thing, see the mighty Blink 182 (or Blink one eighty two as the American bands keep saying).
Yes they are a little late, (only by about twelve months or so), but they’re one of the most iconic pop punk bands of all time, so we can forgive them for a little bad time-keeping.
The night starts off well enough with the powerful Four Year Strong. Their paradigm of metal crossed with pop punk goes down well, not enough to create circle pits, but enough to be jumping up and down with the band. ‘It Must Really Suck to be Four Year Strong Right Now’ and ‘Wasting Time’ are among their set, they exit the stage, but not before their lead singer asks us to ‘enjoy All American Rejects’, a statement that seems easy, but in reality is not so simple.
There’s a brief moment where you think ‘yeah maybe they’re still good, maybe they can pull this off’ and then All American Rejects break into their new single ‘Beekeepers Daughter’. It brings the mood down completely, and if this wasn’t enough it seems lead singer Tyson Ritter has a something of an ego on him, his voice is whiney as he sings and speaks, you need some arrogance to be a lead singer but his took the biscuit completely.
The All American Rejects (I can see why they’d be rejected from anywhere) continue with ‘Move Along’ and ‘Swing, Swing’ until they come to ‘Gives You Hell’ their most famous song and they are gone, and we are left to wait.
For a lot of people in this audience I’m sure seeing Blink182 is a momentous moment in their lives, the band that altered a million childhoods were about to do what they do best. They would not be disappointed.
Silhouettes behind the curtain, fans began to scream, the curtain drops and Blink 182 are here. Starting with ‘Feeling This’, and then onto their latest single ‘Up All Night’, I begin to think ‘maybe they’ve matured, maybe this is the new grown up Blink 182’, and then Tom Delonge tells everyone how he f***ed Mark Hoppus’ mum last night and I realise they’ll probably never grow up, and that’s just fine.
Videos play in the background, just random imagery not even relating to anything, but at one point there was a graffiti tag of DJAM (Adam Goldstein who Travis recorded with frequently before his death) which was a nice homage.
They play a collection of their greatest hits ‘First Date’ ‘Always’ ‘What’s My Age Again’ and the crowd pleasing ‘All the Small Things’.
Between every song they interact with the audience and abuse each other in equal amounts. Hoppus seems to mention his ‘love’ for Travis Barker a lot of the time (probably from their stint with +44). Either way it’s just amazing to see these guys back on stage with each other.
Travis Barker’s drum solo is insane, I think he’s probably the world’s best drummer, Mark and Tom return and sing ‘Carousel’ before finishing with ‘Dammit’ a legendary song from their back catalogue.
As the last part is played confetti erupts engulfing the stage and the audience. Blink thank the crowd one more time and leave.
An amazing night from a band who’ve only ever needed a bass, an electric guitar and a drum kit. Welcome back to the UK Blink 182 we’ve missed you.