LIVE REVIEW: BLINK-182 // LEEDS ARENA, JULY 2017

The excitement for this gig had been building up for what seems to be a lifetime and I had never properly seen BLINK-182 before (they headlined Leeds Fest in 2014 but due to my ex, I have completely wiped that year from my memory because it was not a good experience). Now, I was going with some of my best friends and I was ready to bawl my eyes out at what would be an incredible night.

We didn't get down to the arena in time to see any of the supports, instead we had standard pub grub and cheap drinks in Wetherspoons before heading across to the venue. 

One thing I will say about the venue is how incredible and strict the security were outside. They wouldn't let me in with the smallest little deodorant aerosol and they scanned every single person down head to toe with scanners. It shouldn't even need to happen but it's nice to see that it is being taken seriously in Leeds. 

Onto the music - oh my gawwwwwd! I literally ended the night completely speechless and just wanting to re-live it over and over.

Opening with one of my favourite tracks, 'Feeling This', the crowd were instantly singing away and moving around on the arena floor, all those up in the seats, on their feet. I literally could have cried all the happy tears then and there during that opening section of the track. I managed to hold myself together though.

The setlist itself was very Tom heavy so it was interesting to see how new addition, Matt Skiba, would handle it. I'm not going to lie, he went down a treat with the crowd and really did make his mark in the Blink-182 line up.

There wasn't really that much of a gap between the first few tracks which included 'The Rock Show', 'Cynical', 'Anthem Part Two' and 'What's My Age Again?'. 

Not long into the show and the typical Yorkshire chants began, which at first they didn't understand. On the first occasion it started, they paused from talking to listen but then moved back into the tracks on the setlist. As the night went on the chants got louder and bless their hearts, they tried to understand but that thick Yorkshire accent wasn't allowing them to understand - so much so that they got a very lucky girl up on the stage just to tell them what we were all chanting. And no, it wasn't 'You're Shit' like every american band seems to think we chant (which is always amusing).

Back to the music, the set continued with old hits such as 'First Date', 'Down' and my favourite 'I Miss You'. Heading back further they even threw out 'Dumpweed' to the crowd which many didn't recognise the track from the 18 year old album, Enema Of The State. In terms of new tracks from 2016's California, they played 'She's Out Of Her Mind', 'Kings of the Weekend' and ended the set (before encore) on 'Los Angeles'. 

The encore itself greeted everyone with confetti cannons and consisted of three tracks including 'All The Small Things' (of course), 'Brohemian Rhapsody' and 'Dammit' before Landon Barker came on stage and performed one hell of a drum solo for a 13 year old. Not a surprise really when your Dad is one of the best drummers in history.

It's safe to say that their old tracks still sound just as incredible with Matt on vocals and the new material was well accepted and fantastic live, particularly for me, 'Bored To Death'.

Everything about the night from the production and performance to the atmosphere, was just incredible. Confetti cannons and the most amazing back drops made Blink-182 and that Leeds date the night it was.

I'm so thankful that I managed to see these guys on this tour and I'm hoping they come back to the UK soon - Download Festival next year would do very nicely!

If you've (miraculously) not listened to them before, check out the links below:

Spotify | Apple Music | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Did anyone get chance to see them on this tour? What were your thoughts?