There’s something about walking into the Orion Amphitheater that already feels special. The place has this wide-open, almost festival vibe, and on Monday night it was buzzing with every kind of Blink-182 fan you could imagine, kids in band tees too big for them, parents reliving their Warped Tour days, and plenty of people who looked like they’d stepped out of a 2001 Hot Topic time machine.
Scowl kicked things off and honestly, they were a shot of pure adrenaline. Loud, raw, and not trying to please anyone except themselves, which was exactly what made it fun. They are a little bit punk mixed with a whole lot of hardcore. They got people moving way earlier than most openers do, and you could feel the pit wake up as Kat Moss screamed to the crowd to get it rolling.
Then came Alkaline Trio, who leaned right into their darker, moodier side. They’re tight as hell live, and you could tell the die-hard fans were thrilled. It was a nice change of pace before Blink, like a reminder that pop-punk doesn’t have to mean goofy jokes and singalongs, it can cut deep, too. The exception would be drummer, Atom Willard, who was having the time of his life behind the kit!
When Blink-182 finally came out, the place absolutely erupted. They didn’t ease into it either, they hit right away with “The Rock Show” and “First Date,” and suddenly it was like 2001 again. Mark and Tom were cracking jokes between songs (half of them inappropriate, the other half just plain dumb), and Travis… well, Travis is still Travis. Watching him behind the kit is like watching somebody that has mastered his instrument in a way that is rarely seen on stage. Travis is otherworldly on the drums, and seeing it live gives you a whole new appreciation.
What made the night stand out wasn’t just the hits, though singing “All the Small Things” with thousands of strangers never gets old, it was the curveballs. They pulled out songs like “Turpentine” and “Roller Coaster,” and you could see the older fans freaking out. Then they’d swing into “Stay Together for the Kids” or “I Miss You,” and the whole crowd turned into one massive choir. The funny thing about “I Miss You” was Tom’s rant about how the song was written about his old shirt that fit perfectly.
The finale was pure chaos in the best way. “What’s My Age Again?” into “All the Small Things” into “Dammit” climaxing with canons shooting sperm shaped confetti from the stage and the sound board, leaving the amphitheater covered in paper swimmers. By the end, people were jumping, hugging, spilling beers, and just soaking it all in. And as everyone filed out, they blasted “Sweet Home Alabama” over the speakers, a cheeky little nod to where we were, because of course Blink would end the night like that.
Blink-182’s Missionary Impossible is a perfect nostalgic blast that takes you back to homeroom in high school, blasting the pop-punk anthems of our youth. The trio has not missed a beat and are funnier than ever, giving you a Step Brothersesque show that will have you chuckling weeks in the future as one of Mark’s or Tom’s zingers fills your head. This is a tour must see tour if you are anyway into the genre or just a fun time!
Blink-182’s Missionary Impossible Tour continues through October 19th of 2025. For upcoming shows, visit https://www.blink182.com/pages/tour.
Follow Blink-182, Alkaline Trio, and Scowl on their socials below:
Blink-182: Instagram // Facebook
Alkaline Trio: Instagram // Facebook
Scowl: Instagram // Facebook
