Blink 182 (O2 Arena, 19.7.17)
The Front Bottoms opened the show. I'm a big fan and they've been one of the scene's success stories in recent years. It's a bit surprising therefore that there isn't more recognition from the crowd during their set. If I were them I would have played a few more of their big hitting tracks ("Laugh Til I Cry" seems a particularly large omission) but their main issue tonight is that their well crafted indie punk tunes suffer in a space as vast as the O2. They gradually hit their stride though and "Twin Size Mattress" provides an appropriately big finish to the set.
It's strange to see Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls play second fiddle to anyone at this stage and indeed Turner makes very few concessions to his support act status, picking the show up by the scruff of the neck as though it was his own. Unlike TFB, the band's setlist choice is pretty much spot on. Songs like "The Next Storm", "Recovery" and "If Ever I Stray" are upbeat nuggets of positivity that bring a initially reticent crowd onside. It's another fine show to add to the catalogue, as the band once again light up the "soulless corporate circus top".
I like Blink 182, but they've never been an unmissable live act and their start seemed underpowered here. The first few songs are dragged along by the undying devotion of the crowd, who seem to sing louder than the band at times. The highlights of the gig for me were the punchy renditions of "Bored To Death" and "Sober" from last year's "California" record. It's not why most of the crowd are there, of course, as the band rattle through the hits from their late 90s/early 2000s heyday. It's impossible to deny the potency of "All The Small Things" as a singalong classic, although the teen angst of "Dumpweed" and "Dysentery Gary" has aged a little less well.
This is the first UK tour since Tom Delonge was replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba and he is a marked improvement. My much more guitar minded friend Bobby told me that Skiba didn't miss a note in the entire show. It's a solid professional performance but not an awful lot more and the 75 minute set length was far too short given the ticket price. If I did stars, this would be a 3.
It's strange to see Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls play second fiddle to anyone at this stage and indeed Turner makes very few concessions to his support act status, picking the show up by the scruff of the neck as though it was his own. Unlike TFB, the band's setlist choice is pretty much spot on. Songs like "The Next Storm", "Recovery" and "If Ever I Stray" are upbeat nuggets of positivity that bring a initially reticent crowd onside. It's another fine show to add to the catalogue, as the band once again light up the "soulless corporate circus top".
I like Blink 182, but they've never been an unmissable live act and their start seemed underpowered here. The first few songs are dragged along by the undying devotion of the crowd, who seem to sing louder than the band at times. The highlights of the gig for me were the punchy renditions of "Bored To Death" and "Sober" from last year's "California" record. It's not why most of the crowd are there, of course, as the band rattle through the hits from their late 90s/early 2000s heyday. It's impossible to deny the potency of "All The Small Things" as a singalong classic, although the teen angst of "Dumpweed" and "Dysentery Gary" has aged a little less well.
This is the first UK tour since Tom Delonge was replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba and he is a marked improvement. My much more guitar minded friend Bobby told me that Skiba didn't miss a note in the entire show. It's a solid professional performance but not an awful lot more and the 75 minute set length was far too short given the ticket price. If I did stars, this would be a 3.
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