Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine, June 5, 2009

The Orange County punk rock band, The Offspring rocked Friday night.  They played loud, fast and hard to what seemed to be a sold out venue.  They opened with “Stuff is Messed Up” (which isn’t really what he sings) and blasted through about an hour and a half of the radio hits, their classics, “Bad Habit,” “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy),” “Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?,” and “Gone Away” for which a piano was rolled out on stage and Dexter played solo.  That was amazing; he has still got a strong set of pipes!  Noodles jammed on guitar!  He also had the occasional shout out to his home town, “There’s a reason why I live in Orange County, and it’s because they are the sexiest people in the whole world!”

They even delighted the crowd with the kinda dorky but still entertaining “Intermission.”  On the big screen they had a hotdog dancing with an intermission sign and on stage they had someone on a unicycle juggling balls as well as someone throwing huge beach balls into the crowd.

I think the concert would have been better if I would have been in the mosh-pit. Oh, and what’s a concert at Irvine without the fire pits on the lawn that I don’t think were ever put out.  I think the concert was great from pit to lawn!!!

I do have to point out that The Offspring’s fan following is from one extreme to another.  I kid you not, I saw a woman in her late 50’s rocking out to them and just a few seats away a boy that must have been at least 10 years old.  I had my friend tell me that would be me when I get to my late 50’s, and you know what, she is probably right. J

And for those of you that might be interested I’ve added the set list.

The Offspring Set List:

1.                  Stuff is Messed Up

2.         Bad Habit

3.         You’re Gonna Go Far Kid

4.         Come Out and Play (Keep ‘Em Separated)

5.         Walla Walla

6.         Have You Ever

7.         Starring at the Sun

8.         Gone Away (Dexter on Piano)

9.         Kristy, Are You Doing Okay

10.       Got to it Away

11.             Half Truism

12.       Why Don’t You Get a Job?

Intermission

13.       Americana