It may be hard to believe that a band with top-selling albums titled Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket could be described as “mature,” but over the more than two decades of its existence, Blink-182 has grown from a trio of snotty, immature punks into a trio of thoughtful, mature punks. Singer-songwriter and bassist Mark Hoppus is the one constant throughout all that time, guiding the band through some rough patches (including a breakup for a few years in the ’00s) and into its current strong state, with Matt Skiba of veteran pop-punk band Alkaline Trio joining Hoppus on vocals and guitar.
Longtime drummer Travis Barker rounds out the current trio, which released album California recently. All Music called California “their best in 15 years,” and Rolling Stone agreed, calling it “the catchiest music they’ve made since 2001.” Lead single “Bored to Death” topped Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, proving that even as they mature, Blink still reaches their core audience. They’ll do just that in Vegas, combining the snide hits of the past with a hard-earned musical and personal maturity.
The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, 7:30 p.m. July 23-24, starting at $45 plus tax and fee. 888.929.7849
