Blink 182 concert - Tinley Park IL (8-15-09)

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated! It's the last week of summer before I go away for school again so it's been kind of crazy. Anyway, last Saturday I was lucky enough to attend the sold out Blink 182 concert in Tinley Park. Considering Blink 182 has been my all-time favorite band since about 4th grade...it was definitely the best highlight of my summer.

For those of you who are interested, I thought I would share each band's set list and a nice little blurb about it. (Note: I did not include Chester French's set list...I was out buying a tour t-shirt during their set, but I think I overheard them playing a cover of Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight"...so kudos for that!)

Panic! At The Disco

SET LIST
1. Time To Dance
2. But It's Better If You Do
3. The Only Difference Between Martyrdom And Suicide Is Press Coverage
4. That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)
5. Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off
6. Camisado
7. New Perspective
8. Nine In The Afternoon
9. I Write Sings Not Tragedies

The 'new and improved' Panic! At The Disco (sans guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker) put on an overall great opening band performance. Thanks to front-man Brendan Urie's spot-on vocal riffs and high energy (and several shout-outs to Blink...and 'f*cking'), Panic successfully kept the anxious crowd entertained.

Fall Out Boy

SET LIST
1. Sugar, We're Going Down
2. Thriller
3. A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More 'Touch Me'
4. Grand Theft Autumn (Where Is Your Boy)
5. Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown
6. This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race
7. I Don't Care
8. I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me
9. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
10. Don't Stop Believin' (Journey Cover)
11. Dance Dance
12. Saturday

The boys are back in town! After seeing Fall Out Boy in concert about 5 times now, I pretty much knew what to expect. But unlike the previous times I've seen them, they weren't the headlining band. Typically they would play like a 20 song set allowing them to play some of their older fan favorites...but as a band opening for Blink-182, Fall Out Boy limited their set to mainly their big radio friendly hits and even a cover of a popular Journey song that EVERYONE can (and did) sing along to. Although it was great to see Fall Out Boy elated to be rocking out in their hometown again, it was also bittersweet...as Pete Wentz subtly announced that this would be the last time they'd play in Chicago for a "really really long time."

Blink-182

SET LIST
1. Dumpweed
2. Feeling This
3. The Rock Show
4. What's My Age Again?
5. Violence
6. I Miss You
7. Stay Together For The Kids
8. Down
9. Always
10. Stockholm Syndrome
11. First Date
12. Man Overboard
13. Don't Leave Me
14. Not Now
15. Adam's Song
16. All The Small Things
17. Reckless Abandon
18. Josie
19. Anthem Pt. 2

Encore
Travis - Drum Solo
Carousel
Dammit

I don't think I have ever been so anxious for a headlining band to hit the stage in my life. From the moment the guys struck the opening chord to 'Dumpweed' to the last ringing note of 'Dammit', I was jumping around and screaming like a little girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. Mark, Tom, and Travis delivered a 22 song set that included all their big hits, several songs for their self-titled album, a few lesser known gems for all the die hard fans (i.e. 'Not Now' and 'Josie'), a mind-blowing drum solo, and of course some off-color banter in between songs about gay sex, hand jobs, blow jobs, etc. (as well as some hilariously profane 'lyrical enhancements' by Tom DeLonge). They performed with such great energy and chemistry that it was hard to believe they had been on 'hiatus' for over 4 years. Although they still ran around and goofed off like the old Blink, there were a few changes that stood out to me including extended intros/outro and swapping vocal parts. Two great moments that I loved was the way Tom told the story of how Blink was formed before playing 'Reckless Abandon' and of course the adorable 'group hug' between Tom, Mark, and Travis in the middle of their set. They made it clear that they are back and that they are here to stay...which was more than good news to hear for me and the 30,000 other Blink fans in attendance on Saturday night.