MANSFIELD – This article is about the geometry of Tom Delonge’s penis. Okay, not really but if you didn’t find that funny then I am going to guess the long awaited Blink-182 reunion doesn’t mean that much to you.

Last night the legendary trio – guitarist Tom Delonge, bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker – played the Boston date of their reunion summer amphitheater tour to a sold out crowd of 20,000 people. Hoppus announced before the second to last song of the set that it was the second largest crowd Blink had ever played in front of.

Opening acts for this particular date of the tour were Chester French, Panic! At the Disco (with a new line up), and Fall Out Boy. Other opening acts for various dates on the tour include Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and All American Rejects. While all the participating bands of the tour put on solid performances – it was clear that the vast majority of the crowd was there for Blink and Blink only.

The most notable difference about the Blink performance at Mansfield’s Comcast Center was the severe clean up of their stage banter. Delonge and Hoppus bounced back and forth between each other in an attempt to cover up some obvious lingering bitterness over Delonge’s initial decision to leave Blink to pursue Angels and Airwaves, but fans were not greeted with the same level of perverted sillyness that was a staple of Blink-182 shows in the past (for reference, please get yourself a copy of “The Mark, Tom and Travis Show” and you’ll understand what I mean). Though certainly humorous and entertaining, there was a noticeable absence of banter about licking balls and songs like “Blow Job”, which was a slight disappoint to all of the older fans who are used to the Blink patented potty mouth humor.

The hour and a half set included songs every album – from “Buddha”and “Cheshire Cat” to the self-titled album the band released before taking their hiatus in 2005. While the crowd erupted for “What’s My Age Again” – the song that broke the boys into the mainstream – and you could hear the thunder of 20,000 people singing along to “All The Small Things”, there was an appreciation by all the old school Blink fans when they went into “Josie” – one of the pre-MTV hits that made Blink-182 a gateway punk band for so many in the mid 1990s. The most touching moment of the show may have been the sea of lighters and cell phones alike that rose in the air when the band went into “Adam’s Song”, the “Enema of the State” anthem speaking out about teen suicide.

There was no greater applause though then drummer Travis Barker’s kick-off of the band’s two song encore. It was an appropriate tribute to Barker, whose near death plane crash in 2008 inspired the band to start speaking to each other again and thus re-unite. Barker began with a drum solo, only for his drum kit to begin rising off the stage. For more than five minutes, Barker banged on his drums as his kit swung in the air from one side of the stage to the other. At one point Barker was turned 180 degrees so that when he looked straight ahead he was looking at the floor of the stage, to the rabid approval of all 20,000 fans screaming in adoration. “He’s moving so fast! He looks like an octopus,” said a fan in the crowd as Barker banged away.

Hoppus and Delonge joined him afterward to finish out the night with “Carousel”and “Dammit”. By the end of it, Blink was on stage for over an hour and 40 minutes, playing songs that appealed to the palettes of the wide variety of fans in attendance – from the now early 20 somethings whose first chords on their electric guitars in middle school were Blink songs to the entirely new generation just discovering “Dude Ranch” for the first time. Blink-182 united a crowd of extreme variance last night and gave them all a show to remember.

The success of the tour will help the boys decide if they will continue together to record a new full length LP in the fall. If the caliber of the Comcast Center show is any indication – it’s good to see you back, Blink-182.

About The Author

Megan Vick is a Blast editor-at-large

6 Responses

  1. Katie

    That show was the best night of my life. I hope Blink stays around for a while!

    Reply
  2. Christy Gilmore

    Travis, You are so lucky !!!! Your kids are so lucky. Yeah ,I had a grandpa I never met ; at times I wish I could have met him. Kinda sad !!! Keep rockin’. You are AWESOME MAN !!!! I love your guy’s music !!!! Can’t wait to see u guys !!!!!! Christy

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth

    i was at this show and it was amazing!!! i also went to the show in connecticut last night and it was still good but i felt bad that they had to perform right after dj am died…they were so sad!!

    Reply

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