It was only in February that I last saw Blink 182, I wasn’t expecting much difference, but really I should have guessed as soon as I saw the black Blink smilie flag being waved centre stage that this was not going to be simply Blink 182 the pop-punk band playing a few tunes for the kids. This gig had that little bit extra.
Those first three songs were nowhere near enough time in the pit to take photographs – partly due to Mark and Tom conspiring to fill the entire SECC stage between only the two of them, but mostly because it’s tricky to concentrate on steady camera work when your bouncing along to What’s My Age Again?
The set seemed to swing between new songs and older ones, and only every second tune got a yell of approval as it was recognised. It seems that even amongst the younger fans the old ones are sometimes still the best.
Blink 182 have grown up a lot in the past couple of years and tonight they proved to me that they are deservingly a world class band – even when mucking around the music was still tight, the confidence in themselves to make onstage changes and the interaction with the crowd never failed once. Whether it was leaving exactly the right moments for us to sing along, acknowledging the required walk offstage before the last two songs encore routine, or Mark’s finishing solos on drum and guitar, they look like they are still having a hell of a lot of fun.
While Mark and Tom will always be forefront it was easy to see why Travis has such a following: sitting high on his drum podium his energy alone could have filled the hall. Tommy Lee has finally been beaten as the number one showman drummer in my mind; Travis looked like he could’ve made that kit fly just by hitting it some more – and there will be few standing ticket holders who went home without a drumstick thrown their way!
The memory that will last is of the video screens and light show being put to shame by a simple starfield backdrop – mirrored in the thousand mobile phone screens held aloft at Mark’s command.
This was more than some current fad pop-punk trio playing throwaway tunes, this was a gig that made me feel as though the SECC was hosting a real stadium rock band.
This was a Rock Show worth falling in love with a girl at.
