Dylan Novacek
Last updated on August 18th, 2024 at 08:03 am
After kicking off their reunion tour in Saint Paul in May of 2023, pop punk group Blink-182 returned to the Twin Cities for their “One More Time” tour. This time around the trio played to a sold out crowd in the round at the Target Center.
When originally announced, I felt less urgency to come out to this show. After covering them in 2023, I worried it would be essentially the same as their last Minnesota appearance. I was incredibly happy to be proven wrong. Tom, Mark, and Travis delivered the best Blink-182 show I’ve seen to date.
Since they reformed as the original lineup, the band has released their latest record, ‘One More Time’, to widespread success, have seen significant radio play from the album’s title track, and have played some massive festivals including Lollapalooza 2024. The momentum of their reunion has not slowed down – and it became evident when they decided to transform their stage setup to being in the round.
As far as I could tell, the Target Center looked close to sold out. Having this stage setup helped make this arena experience feel more intimate and energetic. Occasional bursts of pyro had my jaw on the floor, and of course we got to see drummer Travis Barker take to the sky as they elevated the drum kit above the stage.
No Blink-182 show would be complete without the immature comedy of Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge, who proudly declared the metro as the “Twin Titties”. A personal favorite joke was when they prepped the crowd for hearing “Stay Together For the Kids”, where they let us know that we were the reason our parents got divorced. Thanks for that guys.
Aside from their top tier stage production and goofy antics, their performance was excellent. Tom DeLonge remarked that he was sick, but didn’t sound like it to me. Unfortunately the band canceled two shows following their run in Milwaukee due to illness. Here is hoping that Tom has a full recovery.
Supporting Blink-182 on this run of shows was Pierce the Veil and Astronoid.
Pierce the Veil was incredible in an arena setting. I attended this show with a friend who has seen them live countless times, including on the Ernie Ball Stage at Vans Warped Tour. While not every Warped band can successfully transition to arena crowds, Pierce the Veil did so flawlessly.
Their raw energy had the entire crowd jumping. A great moment was when they got everyone’s hands up, leading to a photo I felt proud of.
The group looked like they were genuinely having the time of their lives up there. This was my first time seeing them live and I had a great time.
Kicking off the night was Astronoid, a post-metal band from Massachusetts. They did an excellent job setting the tone for the night.
With lengthy and well composed songs, the group performed with excellent stage presence. I particularly appreciated their hair flips. Much like Pierce the Veil, the group seemed happy to be there. One cool thing of note was the fact that Tom DeLonge was sitting at the soundbooth during their set. It was cool to see him supporting the group.
Overall, this was my fourth time seeing Blink-182 and hands down the best time. I absolutely loved their latest album, so hearing those new songs live was awesome. Additionally, we heard a brand new release, and of course fans got to hear classics like “I Miss You”, “All The Small Things”, and “The Rock Show”.
There was something for every Blink-182 fan, both old and new. The show concluded with a photo and video montage set to them playing ‘One More Time’. It was truly a tear jerker that made me want to see Blink 182 one more time…and a few more times after that too.
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