Review and photography: JD Garrahy

It’s NOT time to relax. So, boost your Self Esteem, Hit That open road and Come Out Swingin’ to a show of magnificent proportions. This is The Offspring, and they here to dominate the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

So, you think that just having the Orange County punk legends was enough to fill your cup? Oh, hell no! Joining them on this insanely huge tour is early 2000’s emo pop-punk royalty Simple Plan, and let me tell you, these guys came to bring their A-game, and if there was some higher tier of effort in live music, then these guys just absolutely nailed it.

Gracing the stage as the opening crawl music from Star Wars rings out through the PA, and a sea of newly acquired merch with the likes of Scooby Doo, a familiar Delorian, and so many other variations, it’s clear to see that these guys have an absolute blast doing what they do best. Crushing straight off the bat with a trio of I’d Do Anything, Shut Up! and Jump, the Canadians certainly don’t lose any momentum throughout their entire set. If you are so inclined, have a look at the massive setlist these guys had on offer for this tour. It was sure to make even the most casual of SP fans happy.

Toward the end of the set, front man Pierre Bouvier jumps behind the kit while drummer Chuck Comeau attempts to high five everyone in the crowd via an epic crowd surfing feat that left so many fans with a core memory for the night. Now, it would be remiss of me to not mention the amazing cameo from Erin Reus for a phenomenal rendition of Jet Lag. This made the set list extra crispy and left a few fans extremely happy. As the end of the set approaches, Bouvier takes the stage with an acoustic guitar and as the opening riff of Perfect rings out through the Entertainment Centre, the greatest sing-along ensues. Bringing generations of fans together for the greatest experience that shall not be forgotten any time soon. Bravo lads. See you next time you grace our shores.

Booty Cam, blimps and Aussie rock. Just a mere scratch on the visual and audible feast we have on display, and that’s before the OC heroes even take the stage. The fellas certainly know how to keep their audience engaged while they wait, but with 40 years in the game, you know they would have this down to a fine art. The lights go down, the countdown is complete, and its time for the greatest band to take the stage. The atmosphere in BEC is electric right now.

Let me lead off by saying that The Offspring is my favourite band, hands down, no argument. You’ll hear not a negative word from this mouth, ever. The way they shaped my musical tastes over the years and remain consistent album after album, year after year, song after song. They are my band, and I haven’t missed an Aussie tour without solid justification. From the moment that familiar sound of the intro to Come Out And Play hits, I’m transported back to high school and ready to indulge in modern punk rock at its finest. Flowing straight into Original Prankster, not a beat is skipped. The whole crowd is vibing through every song and as soon as they kick off into Want You Bad, I’m already satisfied for the night. Everything else now, is a bonus.

Flawlessly executing the tracks off their latest album Supercharged, with giant electrified skeletons, (not really, just the illusion of concert magic), the crowd laps up every note provided by these incredible musicians. Bad Habit is that song that everyone knows one part to. But as soon as bassist Todd Morse steps into the spotlight and starts that iconic groove, the crowd goes insane and thus the start of the comedic gold starts as the bridge of the song is halted for Dexter and Noodles to throw around as many positive adjectives as possible to describe tonight’s punters and show. As we are asked to throw arounds some curse words with them, the iconic lyrics are shouted from every set of vocal chords in the arena. Blisteringly incredible to be a part of!

Make no mistake here, Noodles can play some of the best classical compositions on a guitar and the fact that he throws that skill behind The Offspring to make them sound even larger, is simply awe-inspiring. So, when he drills straight into In The Hall Of The Mountain King, we get to see a small snippet of what he is capable of on the fret board. Damn I love this band! As the rest of the band joins Noodles upon the stage, they get “right back to the punk” as he so concisely puts it with a cover of The Ramones, Blitzkrieg Bop that would do the punk pioneers proud.

As the lights go down once more, and a grand piano is wheeled out, smoke fills the floor of the stage and Dexter provides us with a moving rendition of Gone Away to which there is everyone’s phone lights to add to the ambiance of such an emotionally driven song. There’s sure to be a few feelings of cut onions throughout the arena. The last section of the set is a collection of their greats, with a special appearance by Bouvier on Why Don’t You Get A Job?, the wind down for the remainder of the set leaves everyone pretty well satisfied that they got to witness this massive stage show on a sold-out night.

An Offspring show is never complete without an encore of 2 of their best. Kicking into The Kids Aren’t Alright and finishing with Self Esteem, if you thought these two songs were not going to make it into the setlist, then you haven’t seen them often enough. They KNOW their fans, and as previously stated, 40 years in the punk rock game has given them the chance to really refine their artform. I honestly get goosebumps every time I get to see them live.

The show is over, merch is acquired, and all that remains is to really solidify those memories deep into the psyche. Now, the puritans will probably whine that there was nothing off Ignition, nothing off The Offspring, but you know what? As a die-hard fan of this band for the last 30+ years, it really wasn’t needed. What the OC lads provided tonight was an epic journey encapsulating their illustrious career, a feat that is not always going to be easy, but tonight, they showed us all exactly how it’s done. I’ll keep saying it, come back real soon guys, Australia needs more Offspring shows. And if all else fails, I think you guys should try heavy metal, ha ha haaa!