After some waiting right in front of the stage, it was time for Simple Plan. The band is known for their pop punk hits, which usually all appear in they setlist. Think about tik tok hit I’m Just a Kid, Scooby Doo title track What’s New Scooby Doo?, Shut Up!, I’ll Do Anything, … those are just a few big hitters that we all got to hear tonight. During What’s New Scooby Doo?, Simple Plan either gets their Scoobies (people dressed up as Scooby Doo) from the crowd right there and then or they come from the back stage. This time, it was the latter. I don’t know if they scout them before the show starts, or if they just have a crew of Scoobies. Either way, it’s great fun. Next to all the classical hits, there was also some change in the setlist. We got to hear ‘Nothing Changes‘, their new song that appears in their documentary about the band called ‘The kids in the Crowd‘. Personally, it’s one of my favourites, so I was very happy to hear that. Another song that wasn’t in my playlist was Can’t Keep My Hands Off You. The song is from the same album as radio hit Summer Paradise that released in 2011, but for me one I haven’t heard before. Another welcome surprise was their song that they wrote together with State Champs called Where I Belong. One lyric in the song is: ‘Sing our lungs out to our favourite song, cause this is where i belong‘. Which felt very fitting for the situation.

Simple Plan delivered their absolute best performance. Things we know and love, combined with some new and or different touches for people who have seen them more often. I had a blast!

Then it was time for Intermission, a song on The Offspring’s fourth album Ixnay on the Hombre, but also a literal intermission between the two bands playing. In a very American style, there was a kiss cam, a head bang cam, a look alike cam, and so on. Me and my boyfriend got to be on the headbang cam, which was very cool. There was also a blimp flying around dropping guitar picks. Again, very American, but also very entertaining.

Then it was time for The Offspring to start their show, after their count down, the first notes of the very recognizable Come Out and Play sounded. From the start, the crowd went wild and it was amazing. The Offspring have the habit of playing the same songs in their shows, which is a shame because they have so many good songs. So, I was happy that this time, they added some new and different songs like Looking Out for #1 and Make it All Right from their latest album Supercharged that came out in 2024. There were also covers like I Wanna be Sedated from the Ramones. I loved to hear that one live since it’s also in the movie Idle Hands where The Offspring are the band playing at a Halloween party. Since it’s a comedy horror and Halloween was not too long ago, it was great to hear. They honoured Ozzy by playing Crazy Train and Paranoid, played a beautiful version of Hey Jude by The Beatles that got the whole crowd singing along, and guitarist Noodles played in the hall of the mountain king, that appears on their Let the Bad Times Roll album.

Lead singer Dexter played a beautiful version of Gone Away on the piano. Everybody got their phone lights out and it was truly beautiful and emotional. We rocked out to all the classics like Pretty Fly for a White Guy, Hit That, Original Prankster, All I Want and of course; closer Self Esteem. All of the songs were accompanied with matching visuals; either something that fitted the album art or song art, or the crowd showed up behind the band on screen. During Pretty Fly, they had those wind tunnels where air blows through so they move around, looking like Guy Cohen who plays the lead character in the video for the song. When the songs from Supercharged were played, this huge skeleton that’s seen on the album cover rose on stage.

Next to all the hits that we know and love, this show did have some different things to enjoy for somebody like me who almost sees them every year. Dexter’s voice sounded better than it normally does, since he sometimes sings a little out of tune. He didn’t this time. Maybe because he recently got his PhD in molecular biology and is now officially doctor Dexter Holland. Who is also a pilot that has flown himself across the world and has his own hot sauce brand. The man must be feeling good. Anyway, we rocked and partied all night in this crazy hot arena, and it was totally worth it. Security was handing out water to the front row, and I managed to get a guitar pick and a picture taken. It was a great show, and I’m happy to be able to tell you that The Offspring will play Graspop 2026! So yeah, I will see them again, will I see you there?