Lil Wayne and Blink-182 immerse New York State in an Enema

SPAC’s jam-packed July schedule kicked off Monday night with Blink-182 and Lil Wayne coming into town.  The contrasting styles of the iconic pop-punk band and hip-hop legend, Lil Wayne, made the night all the more interesting, bringing in thousands of fans from each performer. Blink-182 is celebrating the 20 year anniversary of their most notorious album, Enema of the State.

The night kicked off with Welsh punk band Neck Deep.  After their brief, eight song set, there was a 15 minute turn-around before Lil Wayne emerged from the giant Young Money logo at the center of the stage accompanied by a 4-piece rock band. The set was filled with impressive raps with a voice that is identifiable to only as Lil Wayne, solos you wouldn’t see at most hip-hop shows and an audience that was shouting out every bar through the hour long set. However, Lil Wayne never made the night about himself, constantly shouting out his band, fellow rappers and showing love to his loyal fans.

The intermission between Lil Wayne and Blink-182 was cut off when all the house lights came down and the voice of Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) came over the speakers reciting the now iconic Ezekiel 25:17 from Pulp Fiction.  The moment at the end of the passage when the gunshot a fired, the lights shot on and Blink-182 began playing “Dumpweed,” the first song from Enema of the State. The band played the album straight through, as they have at each show throughout this tour. The album is one of the genre’s greatest, including hits such as “All The Small Things,” “What’s My Age Again?,” and “Adam’s Song.” After playing the record in its entirety, Mark Hoppus (bass) came out into the crowd and played a brief acoustic set. Following this, the band paid tribute to Nipsey Hussle, a rapper who tragically passed away earlier this year.

Travis Barker and his drum set were encapsulated by a spherical cage.  Barker proceeded to play a two-minute solo and began spinning and flipping in the sphere, accompanied by a mini light show.  Blink-182 finished off the night with a few more of their hits, including “I Miss You” and “The Rock Show, before finally closing the show with “Dammit.” Blink-182 brought the same energy they’ve been showcasing for over 25 years, the same energy their fans have come to know and love.

Comments are closed.