Offspring, Bodyjar, SomethingCorporate @ Riverstage,19/06/04

Fri 25th Jun, 2004 in Gig Reviews

Now I realise that Offspring was not the only big band on the Splinter our, hell, put me in a room with Bodyjar backed up with a little Jebediah and I’m the happiest guy alive, but I have a little bit to say about Offspring that I need to get off my chest…

Having been a long standing fan of Offspring since the days of Ignition, I have been disappointed in the majority of their recent ‘sell out’ albums. I think everything started to go downhill for them (or is it for me?) around the release of Americana, with slim pickings for true rock songs about things that made you feel something to be found, as opposed to a large supply of generic pop hits. Sure there were the occasional bursts of the old Offspring we had come to love, like The Kids Are Right and No Brakes, but these bursts were few and far between, and not really worth buying an album for, or a ticket to a concert for that matter. And yes, if I was told by my publicists that singing pop songs would earn me a million dollars a year, I would; but we’re not talking bout me now, are we?  And I guess we, the deep-souled, devoted fans we claim to be (as if you wouldn’t go to the Justin Timberlake concert for free if your girlfriend took you and you could wear a mask) probably expect too much from these mere entertainers. Well good news! The old Offspring is back, and they blew the pants off Brisbane!

I loved the concert! I can’t even remember one cheesy pop hit being played. Ok, Pretty Fly was in there, but tell me you haven’t tapped your foot to that one. I was back to the days of teen heartache and despair, mosh-pits and headbanging. Heaven! The only thought was, “where did all these ‘teenie-boppers’ come from?” and then I realised that I was one of those kids once too, that couldn’t see the band when I was in the mosh-pit because I was too short…

As I mentioned, the concert song choices were great, I even walked passed a few supporting singers, actually, I think they were very drunk old bikies, but enthusiastic participants at least. The light show was pretty engaging as well, I loved it when the fretboard on Greg K’s bass guitar lit up, anyone who knows me knows I like flashing lights…I’m a simple man.

Overall I thought the concert was well-worth it, it was great to see the old Offspring back to their old tricks, they have restored all my faith in them!

Sorry there has been little mention of Bodyjar and Something Corporate in this review, but lets be realistic, it was a Splinter tour. Having said this, both were great, terrific warm up for a freezing cold night! According to friends, Bodyjar’s drummer, Ross Hetherington, has decided to leave the band after ten years and apparently Gordy from Frenzal Rhomb filled in his place.