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I have been crying out to the universe that I wanted to see blink-182 for well over 15 years.
I was too young to attend their shows when they were in their prime, and serendipity ruined my chances of seeing Matt Skiba front the band over the past few years.
That first reunion with Tom DeLonge received some (socially, anecdotally) bad reviews, so finally getting tickets to see blink-182 on October 12, 2023, was bittersweet. Was Tom going to be able to pull off his live performance? Would his chemistry with the emotionally bruised Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker still be intact? Could it ever be as entertaining as their legendary “The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show” live record?
Whether it was my nostalgia, the bucket-list tick-off, or the sheer power of their presence at London’s O2 Arena… I really think this live show demonstrated that this comeback is the best version of blink-182 yet.
Running onto the stage like a trio of giddy school kids, Mark Tom and Travis opened with Anthem Part Two, reigniting the fervorous joy exalted from their 2001 opus Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.
The Rock Show followed, foretelling just how much fun everyone was about to have over the next two hours.
And the lads were pitch-perfect. Tom’s infamous live performances of the past are now the stuff of long-forgotten memories. He’s either trying harder or has been working on his voice; either way, you couldn’t fault him. The 47-year-old sounded almost as good as his 20-year-old self from the Self-Titled album era.
Mark, naturally, was sublime. The bassist of all bassists. Making the most mundane basslines exciting with his constant moving, jumping, and gyrating. Despite the fact he’s had a tough couple of years, you’d never know he was unwell in any way.
The crowning glory of blink-182, as always, was Travis Barker: The World’s Greatest Drummer.
blink-182 super fans would have noticed him throwing in extra trills, fills, and blast-beats in some of their age-old tracks, injecting them with a much-needed dose of might for the arena.
And even though newcomers to blink may have missed his extra additions to the songs, he was eventually given his moment to shine. Held aloft above 20,000 people, his drumkit spun overheard as he delivered a Tommy Lee-esque solo that left his adoring fans both stunned and screaming.
The banter between the three artists was as fresh as ever, as well. With genitalia jokes, quips about one another’s mothers, and general jovial put-downs, I felt like I was back in secondary school being lovingly scolded by my pals once again (whether that’s a good thing or not, you can decide).
And everyone had their moment. Aliens Exist’s backdrop was plastered with “TOM WAS RIGHT”, referencing his work to oust the USA’s extra-terrestrial information. Later, a giant inflatable caricature of the band’s bunny mascot drifted above their performance throughout the latter half of their set.