Blink-182 at the Sportpaleis: The Comeback of the Mark, Tom and Travis Show!

In October 2022, punk-rock fans were thrilled as Blink-182 announced Tom DeLonge’s return to the band for a massive world tour and the creation of a new album. To top it off, the band was going to perform its first arena concert in our country. So, in a nearly sold-out Sportpaleis, we found our three favorite immature punk rockers. But would the magic of nostalgia work for the band, which hadn’t performed in our country since 2017, and 2014 for their collaboration with DeLonge?

The Story So Far, a quality foretaste.

To support them, Blink-182 have announced several bands: Turnstile for the USA, Rise Against for Australia, and The Story So Far for Europe. On paper, you might think Europe drew the short straw, but that’s far from the case because TSSF are no strangers! The Californian pop-punk band had 45 minutes to win over their largest audience yet for a concert. So, it was with a setlist essentially based on their hits that the band decided to perform for the Sportpaleis audience. An effective set that won over the crowd, with a few mosh pits created during the band’s most energetic tracks. Adding to our delight, they treated us with a cover of No Cigar by the Swedish band Millencolin, surely a nostalgic treat for fans of the “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2” soundtrack. The Story So Far was the perfect warm-up for the rest of the evening.

The long-awaited return is here!

It’s just under 8.45pm when the Sportpaleis lights fade and the band’s logo gradually appears. The first notes of Anthem Part 2 echo through the arena, Tom’s voice starting the first verse, accompanied by Mark’s bass and Travis powerful drums! Blink-182 is back, and in top form and in the best line-up! As anticipated, the setlist revolves around the band’s three most iconic albums: “Enema of the State,” “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket,” and their self-titled album “blink-182.” The first part of the setlist is packed with the band’s hits, including The Rock Show, Man Overboard, Aliens Exist and Reckless Abandon. Fans in the audience are in full karaoke mode, singing the lyrics to songs they know by heart, and even the band’s latest track, EDGING, is already on the lips of the fans in attendance tonight

On stage, the band play their set interrupted by juvenile jokes. The band members may be well into their 40s, but they are and always will be eternal teenagers, and the friendship between the three is stronger than ever, much to our delight. The band has a blast on stage, and their performance is accompanied by a solid visual set-up. Each song is accompanied by captivating videos projected onto the screen, an array of special effects, playful inflatable balloons, and a thrilling flying stage that provides an optimal view of Travis Barker’s flawless drumming, punctuated by several remarkable drum solos.

What’s My Age Again?

We also had some quieter but equally intense moments with songs that, as Mark reminds us, rocked our emo teenage years back in the day. It’s with great chills and nostalgia that the first notes of Stay Together for the Kids land in our ears. If that song wasn’t the anthem of your emo years, then you had no business being at the Sportpaleis tonight. The band continued to play more mellow songs until they reached one of the most emotional moments of the evening. Just before playing Adam’s Song, Mark Hoppus delivered a moving speech about the battle he won against cancer. The audience gave him a standing ovation.

We’re reaching the end of the set, and it’s the last chance for the audience to let loose. And what a frenzy it is! The crowd goes wild like never before, and the Sportpaleis turns into a giant mosh pit as the band plays What’s My Age Again, First Date, All The Small Things, and Dammit. The set thus ended in euphoria and under a rain of sperm-shaped confetti.

Blink-182 is indeed back with their best lineup, and their first arena concert in Belgium is a total success. The concert can be summed up as 90 minutes of pure nostalgia with our three immature but beloved friends that we love to see again and again.