It proved tricky to avoid the hardcore masses, head to toe in all things ‘Blink’, as I walked through Manchester prior to the show. An instant self-assessment made me realise that I might not be the stereotypical Blink-182 fan. But what did I expect? Well I knew that for the next two hours I would be watching three middle-aged men bouncing around a stage with the underpinning irony remaining that despite their current stage in life, they would be singing songs with content more suited to their fans generation than their own.
Blink-182 are now old enough to be parents to most of their audience, and let’s face it; no one wants to hear about their Dad’s ‘First Date’, or any other teenage escapades for that matter. In all, I questioned what Blink could still offer in the ever-progressing musical sphere. How wrong I was.
Blink-182 created a masterful atmosphere of energy and tenacity, dispelling any doubt I had of them. Boasting a set list filled with favorites such as ‘Miss You’ and ‘All The Small Things’, Blink proved they still have the desire and tools to move a crowd and make them shout their lyrics right back at them. Though intense electric power chords dominated the night, one of the highlights of the show came when lead men Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus stepped out onto a separate island stage in the crowd to perform two gripping acoustic tracks, leaving the audience hanging on every word. However, this proved to be the metaphorical calm, before the impending storm, as drummer Travis Barker appeared back on the main stage to engross in an epic twenty-minute solo – a true crescendo. The drumming skills of Barker are universally understood, but still, this does not prepare you to witness him trash his set with such raw power and pace.
I was once guilty of looking down on Blink as being egoistic, teen-punk, sellouts – but whilst all bands will have their fans and critics, the Blink trio deserve credit for building an iconic image which has led them to stadium-filling success.