The Offspring Come Out and Play in Charlotte

Let The Bad Times Roll Tour Stops at PNC Music Pavilion

Punk legends The Offspring are letting the good times roll this summer with the Let The Bad Times Roll Tour. This throwback tour features The Offspring and pop-punk favorites Sum 41 and Simple Plan. Recently, the tour hit up the Queen City and brought their action-packed show to PNC Music Pavilion playing to a capacity crowd that was amped up and ready to rock.

Opening the show were the Candian rockers of Sum 41. Now if you ever went to Vans Warped Tour or a major rock festival, chances are you’ve seen Sum 41. And if you haven’t, you’re probably familiar with some of their hit songs like “In Too Deep” and “Fat Lip” which have been used in television and movies and have become an integral part of early 2000’s pop culture.

Led by frontman Deryck Whibley, Sum 41 hit the stage running and the energy never stopped til the end of their set. Guitarists Dave Baksh and Tom Thacker brought all the catchy riffs while the rhythm section of Jason McCaslin on bass and Frank Zummo on drums kept a driving pace. Of course, Whibley was in complete control of the stage and the crowd as he crouched, pointed, and wielded his mic stand like the seasoned pro he is.

Despite the blazing sun bathing the stage and the incessant heat, his vocals were on point as he had the crowd on their feet and singing along. It was a great way to open the evening and get everyone pumped up for what was to come. Sadly, early this spring, the band announced that their next album and headlining tour would be their last. I’m sure they will go out with a bang, bringing an end to an iconic era of music.

After a short break, it was time for No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls as Simple Plan put on a thrilling set filled with jumps, cryo cannons, and a set full of memories. Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Simple Plan has been a main figure on the pop-punk scene since their eponymous debut album No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls was released back in 2002. And you know what? The band sounds just as good as they did back then. Frontman Pierre Bouvier was on fire with vocals that carried across the ampitheatre matched with an outstanding stage presence.

He had the crowd eating out of his hand from the very first note as he jumped, spun, twisted, popped his fist in the air, and engaged the fans both down in front and way out back on the lawn. Drummer Chuck Comeau was an absolute beast behind his kit, pulverizing his drumheads throughout the set and leading the charge. Simple Plan can still deliver the goods and prove it with a set that is a pure adrenaline rush.

After Simple Plan’s spirited set, it was finally time for the main attraction as The Offspring was about to come out and play. The fun started well before the band took the stage as they had a lot going on to keep concert-goers entertained. The Offspring’s team did a fantastic job of getting the fans hyped up in anticipation of the performance. We had The Offspring trivia on a large screen as well as different cams that focused on the audience including a kiss cam and a booty cam. We also had a gorilla running around the crowd as people participated in the onscreen challenges as well as a small blimp floating around the venue.

“You gotta keep ’em separated…”

By the time the lights dimmed everyone was already in full-on party mode and it didn’t take but a second or two before The Offspring took things to another level opening up the set with “Come Out and Play.” From that point on, the party didn’t stop as Dexter Holland and Noodles put on one hell of a show. The stage setup was simple but cool with the large circular screen at the rear of the stage changing images throughout the night and a variety of lighting options displayed throughout.

The sound quality was top-notch and the band sounded amazing. One of the highlights of the evening was a Noodles solo section during which he played a medley of rock and roll classics including bits of “Iron Man” and “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Everyone was bouncing around to the Ramone’s “Blitzkrieg Bop” and screaming along to “Gotta Get Away.” This led into a beautiful moment and definitely a highlight of the set as Dexter took his place center stage behind a grand piano taking a moment to talk about those we’ve lost before giving us a wonderful acoustic piano-driven version of “Gone Away” as white lights twinkled around him bathing him in a surreal glow.

After a few moments of soul-searching and musical healing, it was time to restart the party as we all got fly with a bunch of white guys with colorful streamers flying all around us before closing out the set with “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” The band returned for a three-song encore including a super-amped-up celebration with streamers descending upon us again during “Self-Esteem.”

This tour may have been called the Let The Bad Times Roll Tour, but it was the complete opposite. It was one of the most fun shows of the summer season and a good time was indeed had by all.

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