The emo-pop-punk revival is real. For the last 4 years, we are back in the good old-school vibes: Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, The Offspring… or Simple Plan. Tonight, they were finally back in Belgium for a show in Antwerp soldout in a couple of hours. The hype is real. The excitement is here. Was it worth it?! Yes, 100%!
To get ready to sing along to all the hits from the famous Canadian pop-punk band, we got 3 nice acts: Air Yel, State Champs and Mayday Parade. The first one is a one-woman show without any musicians and only backtracks. When we arrived in the beautiful De Roma – the first time we discovered this insane place -, she was singing a Paramore cover and we were thinking it was a cover act but not at all: she’s singing her own songs the rest of the time. It’s catchy, in the vibes for tonight but alone in an half-empty venue and without real reaction from the crowd, it’s very difficult. It would be interesting to see her again but in a small venue and with a full band: the energy should be really different.
Second artist of the evening and first real band: State Champs. They might have 10+ years of experience, they still feel young to us and fresh. Even if you don’t know them, it’s easy to get in the mood and dance to their very catchy pop-punk! Their first show in Belgium was 10 years ago in a tiny venue in Tessenderlo, they came many times since then but tonight is only their first one since 2019: no thanks Covid-19… Anyway, they are back and ready to give us the best warm-up possible for Simple Plan.
It took a few songs to warm-up but then song after song the crowd became more interested. Focused on their latest album Kings Of The New Age released on Pure Noise Records with 5 songs on 10 played tonight, they have been able to see the Belgian audience liked it but that’s the oldest songs that got the best reaction. The final trio ‘Elevated/Faked/Everybody But You’ got the crowd active and even saw the first crowd surfers of the evening. Their pop-punk may have obvious influences but still sounds fresh and was the perfect warm-up for Simple Plan!
Set-list:Just Sound, Frozen, Mine Is Cold, Act Like That, Outta My Head, All You Are Is History, Fake It, Elevated, Secrets, Everybody But You.
Full gallery HERE
Main support on this tour, old but gold like we say, Mayday Parade were supposed to make the link between the fresh pop-punk of State Champs and the legendary hits from Simple Plan. Sadly, it took them time to have a great reaction from the crowd. Only the old classics that all the kids here have already heard put some energy in the beautiful De Roma. From the 9 songs played tonight, they kept 4 from their classic A Lesson In Romantics released 17 years ago… Feel old yet?! These songs have been in the playlist of every kid back then and as the average in the crowd tonight is 30-35 years old, not a surprise they still know it.
Set-list: Oh Well Oh Well, More Like A Crash, Anywhere But Here, I’d Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About, Piece Of Your Heart, Black Cat, Kids In Love, Jersey, Jamie All Over.
Full gallery HERE
It’s 9:45pm and finally the wait is over: get the tissues ready, we all gonna need it! Especially with the almost perfect set-list Simple Plan prepared for this tour! Starting on a Star Wars introduction, the quatuor started right away with 2 bangers: ‘I’d To Anything’ and ‘Shut Up’. The 2 opening tracks of their 2 first legendary albums, 2 albums all the kids have listened to 20 years ago. They didn’t need more to get the audience crazy for the rest of the evening. Well, at least, for the singalong part. Because, for any movements, the old fans of Simple Plan are not in the mood anymore to start any small mosh pits. Jumping a bit but not too much, yes. Moving in small friendly pits, hell no. Too bad. But in the end, it’s just a detail. We were here to party in a huge, nostalgic and emotive karaoke and that’s what we got.
Song after song, hit after hit, classic after classic, Simple Plan gave us more old-school stuff than expected. We got 12 full songs from the first 3 albums: 4 for each. We can always be sad because one or two songs are missing (‘Me Against The World’, ‘When I’m Gone’) but it was already a great surprise to have so many old songs. And we insisted on the “full songs” because they dropped us some meddleys during the encore with short versions of other sick oldies : ‘This Song Save My Life’, ‘Perfect World’, ‘Crazy’ and ‘Save You’.
The only down moment during their 90 minutes show is the duo of new songs ‘Million Pictures Of You + Wake Me Up’. Songs that the major part of the crowd didn’t really know. But for some of us, it was great to also have a slower time in this energetic show. Especially as we were near the end of it. Followed by the meddley of covers they enjoy to do (including Avril Lavigne and The Killers songs) that put Forest National on fire 2 years ago when they supported Sum 41, then their version of the Scooby-Doo song with fans dressed up coming on stage and then their recent song ‘Where I Belong’ with the featuring of State Champs and Mayday Parade’ singer. A great moment to confirm that Simple Plan are there to have fun, to make sure everyone have fun and to not forget to support the bands they bring on tour with them. A lovely moment shared as well on stage than in the crowd.
But every good thing has sadly an end, including the Simple Plan shows like tonight. Fortunately, the encore is not a short one: 4 songs including 2 featuring and one medley. A show in the show. From ‘Jet Lag’ singed with AirXYel to the last chorus of Perfect, we also had time to see Pierre behind the drums, Chuck crowd-surfing, Ryan from State Champs singing on ‘I’m Just A Kid’ the get the medley of old songs we talked about earlier.
Full gallery HERE
During 1h30, Simple Plan proved how important they were and still are for a whole generation of kids that became adults now. But also to youngest fans with some great new songs and through the youngest generation of pop-punk like State Champs. Tonight was a day 30’s-35’s old emo kids will remember for a while!
