Hard Features

Teenage Rampage

by Dominic Toogood

Blink 182, Hammersmith Apollo, London. 12th February, 2004.

First time I have ever seen parents picking up their teenagers after a concert I have attended makes me feel very old tonight! However, there is certainly a little less pubescent angst and a little more steel to the latest Blink 182 self titled album which the guys are showcasing tonight.

Five albums old and these boys have certainly not lost any enthusiasm for the game albeit they're playing to almost stadium size audiences now. They do still make you feel like you'd want to hang out with them at school though with their flamboyant antics onstage and childish, albeit witty, quips between songs.

However, you know times are changing when instead of asking for lighters to be held up in the air bassist Mark Hoppus asks everyone to hold up their mobile phones!

Back to the music then and almost entirely left behind on this album are the songs of teenage love and losing but being a staple of the last 4 albums they could not evaporate completely and we don't we want them to when the results are such wonderfully catchy new tunes such as 'Go' and 'Feeling This' which are wheeled out tonight. The old favourites are sprinkled in also of course keeping the sing along and fist pumping going, 'First Date' and of course 'Rock Show' probably getting the best receptions this evening.

Strangely moving was a fantastic version of 'Stay Together For The Kids' which for the size of the venue was played very intimately with an instrumental break leaving you just enough time to make sure none of the youngsters around you could see you choking up! Tales of dysfunctional families have always been a strength of this trio but they can still push down on the punk pop pedal when they want to and show their, (baby?), teeth with crowd pleasing 'What's My Age Again' and new song 'Violence'.

In the end you come away knowing that even the skater boys have to grow up, leave school and get a job. There are a lot worse ways of maturing though than tuning in to the regenerated Blink 182, buying the new album and maybe even start shaving!

'Sh*t, I wish we could stay longer' says guitarist Tom DeLonge. So do we Tom but I fear that for half the audience they are already up way past their bedtime!