by Dan Fernandez
I know that I’ve said Punk’s not Dead here countless times, but hey, neither is Pop Punk! Nowhere was that more evident than at The Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on Saturday night July 12 when the venue was transformed into a pop punk paradise as three of the genre’s most iconic bands graced the stage; New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, and, your headliners, The Offspring. Each band brought their own flavored approach to the stage celebrating the genre’s rich history. Let’s dive in to the night…
Kicking off the show was New Found Glory hailing from the semi-local Coral Springs, Florida. Known for their rowdy melodies and dynamic performances, NFG all but immediately found success with their self-titled major label debut “New Found Glory” as the album reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and spent 21 weeks on the Billboard top 200 chart. Their follow up album, 2002’s “Sticks and Stones” sprung NFG into another stratosphere, becoming a mainstream giant with the release of their most well-known song to date “My Friends Over You”.
Saturday’s lineup featured Jordan Pundik on vocals, Ian Grushka on bass, Cyrus Bolooki on drums, Dan O’Connor of “Four Year Strong” on lead guitar, and Zach Comtois of “Motion City Soundtrack” on rhythm guitar. Their set, while short, was jam packed with hits featuring eight songs from five of their 12 studio albums. New Found Glory wasted no time engaging the crowd and showing their penchant for connecting with their audiences. NFG led off with “Understatement”, “All Downhill from Here” and “Hit or Miss” before Pundik leapt off the stage to join fans for an interactive sing-along, strolling through the crowd and sharing the mic with some beyond amped fans. It wasn’t just the front man who could work a crowd though, as the stage presence of the entire band proved infectious, with the musicians rarely remaining stationary, creating a ripple of energy that resonated throughout the crowd as they finished strong.
Next up was “Jimmy Eat World”, who brought a more indie rock vibe to the lineup. (They also happen to share the distinction of being the first concert that I was kicked out of during their 2002 Pop Disaster Tour featuring Blink 182 and Green Day but that’s a story for another day.) Formed in 1993, the Mesa, Arizona the band had some notable singles early on in their career but picked up full steam with the release of Bleed American in 2001 which featured some of the bands most popular songs including “The Middle” “Sweetness” and its title track “Bleed American”. This success was immediately followed by the critically acclaimed album “Futures” which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The lineup, featuring lead vocalist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind, delivered a polished performance that spanned six of their 10 studio albums. Their set, balanced their pop punk riffs with softer indie touches, reminding the audience of their unique approach to the genre.
Now, the time we were all waiting for as The Offspring prepared to take the stage. Formed in 1984 in Garden Grove, California (also my favorite Sublime Song) The Offspring remain ready to deliver a high-octane performance at the drop of a hat. Led by the charismatic Bryan “Dexter” Holland and his bandmates Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, Todd Morse, Jonah Nimoy, and Brandon Pertzborn, The Offspring have long been recognized as pioneers of the pop punk revival in the mid-1990s. During their 41-year career, the band has released eleven studio albums and sold more than 40 million records, making them one of the best-selling pop punk bands in history.
After gaining a solid local following in their hometown scene, The Offspring signed with one of the top independent labels at the time, Epitaph Records, where they struck mainstream success with their album “Smash” containing their first major hit “Come Out and Play”. “Smash” remains one of the best-selling albums released on an indie label with over 11 million copies sold worldwide. After leaving Epitaph the band signed with Columbia Records, which brought them far reaching commercial success including multiple gold and platinum certifications over their tenure. Soon after signing to Columbia the band released arguably their most memorable album titled “Americana” featuring songs “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy”, “Why Don’t You Get a Job” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” The Offspring’s eighth studio album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (2008), secured their charge back on the strength of its second single “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid”, which topped the Billboard rock charts for eleven weeks and obtained platinum status. Their latest album “Supercharged” was recently released in October of 2024.
As for Saturday night it was clear that this show was going to be special, complete with a vibrant light show, pyrotechnics, a mini blimp donning the bands logo, multiple giant inflatable arm men, and their Guerilla masked hype man waving his sign and crowd surfing. The bandmates were absolute masters of connecting with the crowd whether it was fun, humorous asides between songs or full-on divergences from the show to see which section of the crowd could sing along loudest. The Offspring brought their A-game playing a 21song set that was nothing short of a pilgrimage through their discography. As if their own hits were not enough, the band switched it up mid set with a montage that paid homage to the heavy metal and punk acts that came before them, including Black Sabbath, Kiss and the Ramones to name a few.
Although The Offspring are known for their high octane, energy fueled shows, in my humble opinion, the standout moment of the night was when Holland told the crowd that he wanted to do something a little differently, taking his position at the piano on stage for a pared down rendition of “Gone Away,” which he dedicated to everyone in the crowd who have lost loved ones and yearn for their presence. I’m not going to lie; it had me tearing up like I was chopping the most potent of onions and I most certainly was not alone. After that beautiful, intimate performance the encore was nothing short of explosive. Kicking off with the anthemic “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and followed by the signature hit “Self Esteem” The Offspring had the entire venue on their feet for the duration. Saturday night made it clear that The Offspring coming to your town is not just a concert, it’s a visceral experience that shouldn’t be missed.
