Mark Hoppus of Blink 182. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 13th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

One year on from when the three musicians that make up the popular American Rock band Blink 182 should have been on stage at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, Travis Barker, Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus  stepped up from behind the falling blackout curtain and proceeded to give the audience an absolutely thrilling show.

To be fair to Blink 182, such was the excitement in the crowd; that all three of them could have turned up and proceeded to read out Liverpool F.C.’s results from the season and everybody in the audience would have gone wild. Sometimes it seems waiting a little while for something good just adds to the anticipation. Even the most blinkered of cynics, those that had to sit through the waiting game that a well-known singer recently tried to do at the Echo Arena, would have appreciated the fondness and the appetite for the three lad’s music that was unnervingly sang by those in attendance all night.

There is something captivating about Blink 182; they somehow seem able to make a gig go so quickly with so much fun attached to their overall charm that it’s possible to forgive them so many transgressions. The group opened up the evening with Feeling This and Up All Night. The latter, surprisingly being only one of three songs from last year’s Neighborhoods album that made up the first ten songs on the set list. For anybody who may have had inkling that the band might promote Neighborhoods almost in its entirety before going into their classic tracks may have felt elated that songs such as What’s My Age Again?  I Miss You and Down were given very early airings during the show.

There wasn’t much time to breathe during the show, the music kept coming, the crowd got more and more energetic and the sparks soon flowed back and forth between the two factions. The older songs didn’t get their own way all evening, the band dipped in and out of the new stuff with After Midnight, Hearts All Gone and Ghost On The Dance Floor were all gratefully received by the now relentlessly happy audience.

The evening ended in some style as All The Small Things and Josie were followed by the band appearing in the centre of the venue and playing out the final few songs in front of those that may have felt a little left out stuck at the back of the Echo Arena.

Was it worth the year long wait to have these three men perform on stage at the Liverpool Echo Arena? Of course it was, however, for all the fans that packed themselves onto the arena floor, it would be best if they come back a lot sooner next time.

Ian D. Hall