World Tour 2023/2024
Concert tour nameWorld Tour 2023/2024
ArtistBlink-182
LocationEurope · North America · Oceania · South America
Start dateMay 4, 2023[a]
End dateNovember 9, 2024
Number of legs4
Number of shows91
Support actsWallows · Turnstile · The Story So Far · Rise Against
Last tourBlink-182 and Lil Wayne Tour
(2019)
This tourWorld Tour 2023/2024
(2023–24)
Next tourOne More Time Tour
(2024)

The World Tour 2023/2024, also known as the Rock Hard Tour,[1][2] was a concert tour by American rock band Blink-182. The tour began on May 4, 2023, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota and ended on November 9, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. The tour marked Blink-182's 30th anniversary and their first run with original member Tom DeLonge in nearly a decade, as well as their first-ever performances in Latin America, including a long-awaited return to Mexico after nearly two decades. The band also made surprise appearances at Coachella in 2023, including a last-minute headline set. The tour was first announced on October 11, 2022.[3][4][5]

Initially launched and billed as a "reunion tour", the band's ninth studio album One More Time... was released shortly before the end of the first North American and European legs. Commercially, the tour was a major success, becoming the band’s highest-grossing outing to date, with hundreds of thousands of tickets sold and strong attendance driven by nostalgia-fueled demand from an older fanbase. Critics were largely positive, praising the band's chemistry, energetic performances, and strong musicianship, while noting their effective stage production and renewed sense of cohesion.

Background

The tour marks the band's thirtieth anniversary,[6] and their first tour with original singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge since 2014.[7] It also marks their first-ever shows in Latin America.[8] The band has not played Mexico in any capacity since 2004.[9] Previous efforts to tour worldwide were complicated by drummer Travis Barker's flight anxiety following his 2008 plane crash. Barker flew for the first time since that incident in 2021,[10] enabling the band to set dates across the globe.[11] On March 1, 2023, DeLonge announced on his Instagram that the Latin American dates would be postponed until 2024 due to Barker sustaining a finger injury that required surgery and rest.[12]

Prior to the start of their tour, the band made a surprise appearance at Coachella on April 14, 2023, marking DeLonge's first appearance with the band in nine years.[13] The band then served as a replacement headliner of the festival's second weekend on April 23 after singer Frank Ocean was forced to back out at the last minute.[14] The tour is variously referred to as the Rock Hard Tour in some promotional materials.[1][2]

As part of the setlist, DeLonge performed two songs recorded during vocalist/guitarist Matt Skiba's time in the band: "Bored to Death" and "Cynical" from California (2016).[15]

Reception

Boxscore

Preceding the tour, Billboard estimated that the tour will earn around $150 million across its four legs.[16] At the conclusion of its inaugural North American leg, the publication estimated that it had thus far generated $85.3 million and sold 564,000 tickets, making it the band's biggest outing yet.[17] It surpassed the trio's previous highest-grossing trek, the 2009 In Concert Tour ($22.5 million), by four and a half times. The tour also set slight highs in terms of attendance, with an average of 15,664 per show. Analysts for Billboard determined that higher ticket prices due to the cost of touring and inflation, as well as controversial policies like dynamic pricing, led to the dramatic increase in gross.[18] The highest-grossing individual show was two nights at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, where the trio grossed $8.8 million and sold 43,600 tickets.[19] Later, the magazine ranked it among the Top 10 Highest-Grossing Rock Tours of 2023, reporting that each show from its first two legs were fully sold-out.[19]

Analysts suggested that the momentum generated by the tour was due to its primary demographic being older and having more disposable income, as well general nostalgia, particularly during an early 2020s mall-punk revival. "Not only is its target demo older (and hopefully wiser and richer), but the band is returning in a more welcoming environment," wrote Eric Frankenberg from Billboard.[18] Bloomberg's Ashley Carman suggested that "the mantle of rock arena stardom is finally being passed on to them from the prior generation of aging rockers."[20]

Critical reviews

The tour has received positive responses from music and entertainment critics. Selena Fragassi at the Chicago Sun-Times praised the band's "innate chemistry" and the fury of Barker's antics,[21] and William Earl at Variety concurred: "The best fireworks were the interplay between the band members. They bounded around the stage, feeling — and acting — like kids again."[22] Chris Riemenschneider of the Star Tribune acclaimed the musicianship: "Blink really [has] its act together, nostalgia act or not."[23] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reviewer Scott Mervis called their performance "triumphant" and praised their set design: "Throwing a middle finger to the typical arena rock setup, Blink arrived on a diamond-shaped stage that was about half the width of the floor. Of course, there's only three of them, and the togetherness, under the circumstances, is a good move."[24] The Seattle Times's Michael Rietmulder observed the band "powering through one pop-punk burner after another, a virtually sold-out Climate Pledge Arena crowd hanging on every cymbal crash and speedball harmony."[25]

Across the globe, reviews remained positive, though some took issue with the band's humor. After their shows in the U.K., the Guardian's Matt Mills opined: "the stage was set for this show to acknowledge the burdens the band have beaten and celebrate the men they've become – that they instead focus far more on trying to be the kids they once were robs the evening of so much emotional potential."[26] In Sydney, reviewer James Jennings of the Sydney Morning Herald complimented the jokes, and called Barker "surely one of the best rock drummers on the planet."[27]

Set list

This set list is from the concert on May 4, 2023 in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is not intended to represent all shows from the tour.[28]

  1. "Anthem Part Two"
  2. "The Rock Show"
  3. "Family Reunion"
  4. "Man Overboard"
  5. "Feeling This"
  6. "Reckless Abandon"
  7. "Dysentery Gary"
  8. "Up All Night"
  9. "Dumpweed"
  10. "Edging"
  11. "Aliens Exist"
  12. "Cynical"
  13. "Don't Leave Me" / "Not Now" / "Violence"
  14. "Happy Holidays, You Bastard"
  15. "Stay Together for the Kids"
  16. "Always"
  17. "Down"
  18. "Bored to Death"
  19. "I Miss You"
  20. "Adam's Song"
  21. "Ghost on the Dance Floor"
  22. "What's My Age Again?"
  23. "First Date"
  24. "All the Small Things"
  25. "Dammit"

Tour dates

List of 2023 concerts
DateCityCountryVenueOpening acts
April 14, 2023[b]IndioUnited StatesEmpire Polo Clubrowspan="2"
April 23, 2023[b]
May 4, 2023Saint PaulXcel Energy CenterTurnstile
Beauty School Dropout
May 6, 2023ChicagoUnited Center
May 7, 2023
May 9, 2023DetroitLittle Caesars Arena
May 11, 2023TorontoCanadaScotiabank Arena
May 12, 2023MontrealBell Centre
May 15, 2023TorontoScotiabank ArenaBeauty School Dropout
Nobro
May 16, 2023ClevelandUnited StatesRocket Mortgage FieldHouseTurnstile
Beauty School Dropout
May 17, 2023PittsburghPPG Paints Arena
May 19, 2023New York CityMadison Square Garden
May 20, 2023ElmontUBS Arena
May 21, 2023BostonTD GardenTurnstile
White Reaper
May 23, 2023Washington, D.C.Capital One Arena
May 24, 2023BrooklynBarclays Center
May 26, 2023BaltimoreCFG Bank Arena
May 27, 2023HersheyHersheypark Stadium
May 28, 2023[c]Atlantic CityAtlantic City Beach
June 14, 2023PhoenixFootprint CenterTurnstile
Landon Barker
June 16, 2023Los Angelesrowspan="2'| BMO StadiumTurnstile
Destroy Boys
June 17, 2023Turnstile
Landon Barker
June 19, 2023San DiegoPechanga ArenaTurnstile
Destroy Boys
June 20, 2023Turnstile
Landon Barker
June 22, 2023San JoseSAP CenterTurnstile
Destroy Boys
June 23, 2023SacramentoGolden 1 Center
June 25, 2023SeattleClimate Pledge Arena
June 27, 2023VancouverCanadaRogers Arena
June 29, 2023EdmontonRogers Place
June 30, 2023CalgaryScotiabank Saddledome
July 3, 2023DenverUnited StatesBall Arena
July 5, 2023DallasAmerican Airlines Center
July 7, 2023AustinMoody Center
July 8, 2023HoustonToyota CenterTurnstile
KennyHoopla
July 10, 2023TampaAmalie Arena
July 11, 2023SunriseFLA Live Arena
July 13, 2023AtlantaState Farm Arena
July 14, 2023CharlotteSpectrum CenterTurnstile
Landon Barker
July 16, 2023NashvilleBridgestone ArenaTurnstile
KennyHoopla
September 8, 2023AntwerpBelgiumSportpaleisThe Story So Far
September 9, 2023CologneGermanyLanxess Arena
September 12, 2023CopenhagenDenmarkRoyal Arena
September 13, 2023StockholmSwedenAvicii Arena
September 14, 2023OsloNorwayOslo Spektrum
September 16, 2023BerlinGermanyMercedes-Benz Arena
September 17, 2023HamburgBarclays Arena
September 19, 2023PragueCzech RepublicO2 Arena
September 20, 2023ViennaAustriaWiener Stadthalle
October 2, 2023LisbonPortugalAltice Arena
October 3, 2023MadridSpainWiZink Center
October 4, 2023BarcelonaPalau Sant Jordi
October 6, 2023BolognaItalyUnipol Arena
October 8, 2023AmsterdamNetherlandsZiggo Dome
October 9, 2023ParisFranceAccor Arena
October 11, 2023LondonEnglandThe O2 Arena
October 12, 2023
October 14, 2023BirminghamUtilita Arena
October 15, 2023ManchesterAO Arena
October 16, 2023
October 21, 2023[d]Winchester[e]United StatesLas Vegas Fairgroundsrowspan="2"
October 22, 2023[d]
List of 2024 concerts
DateCityCountryVenueOpening acts
February 8, 2024PerthAustraliaRAC ArenaRise Against
February 9, 2024
February 11, 2024AdelaideAdelaide Entertainment Centre
February 13, 2024MelbourneRod Laver Arena
February 14, 2024
February 16, 2024SydneyQudos Bank Arena
February 17, 2024
February 19, 2024BrisbaneBrisbane Entertainment Centre
February 20, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 23, 2024SydneyQudos Bank Arena
February 24, 2024
February 26, 2024MelbourneRod Laver Arena
February 27, 2024
February 29, 2024
March 2, 2024AucklandNew ZealandSpark Arena
March 12, 2024LimaPeruEstadio Universidad San MarcosThe Offspring
6 Voltios
March 15, 2024[f]Buenos AiresArgentinaHipódromo de San Isidrorowspan="6"
March 16, 2024[g]SantiagoChileParque Cerrillos
March 19, 2024[h]LuqueParaguayParque Olímpico
March 22, 2024[i]São PauloBrazilInterlagos Circuit
March 24, 2024[j]BogotáColombiaSimón Bolívar Park
March 30, 2024[k]MonterreyMexicoFundidora Park
April 2, 2024Mexico CityPalacio de los DeportesPetey
August 23, 2024[l]ReadingEnglandLittle John's Farmrowspan="2"
August 24, 2024[m]LeedsBramham Park
August 26, 2024[n]BelfastNorthern IrelandSSE ArenaThe Story So Far
August 27, 2024[o]DublinIrelandRoyal Hospital Kilmainham
August 29, 2024[p]GlasgowScotlandOVO Hydro
August 30, 2024[p]
November 9, 2024Mexico CityMexicoEstadio GNP SegurosPierce The Veil
Petey
Allison

Cancelled dates

List of cancelled concerts
DateCityCountryVenueReason
March 11, 2023[q]TijuanaMexicoMorelos ParkOriginally postponed;[29] festival was later canceled[30]
March 4, 2024ChristchurchNew ZealandChristchurch ArenaUnexpected logistical issues[31]
April 3, 2024Mexico CityMexicoPalacio de los DeportesMark Hoppus illness[32]
April 5, 2024
April 6, 2024

References

Notes

  1. ^ The band performed two dates at Coachella, April 14 and 23, 2023, prior to the start of their tour.[33]
  2. ^ These concerts were a part of Coachella.[33]
  3. ^ This concert was a part of Adjacent Festival.[14]
  4. ^ These concerts were a part of When We Were Young.[34]
  5. ^ Promoted as Las Vegas.
  6. ^ This concert was part of Lollapalooza Argentina.[35]
  7. ^ This concert was part of Lollapalooza Chile.[36]
  8. ^ This concert was part of Asunciónico.[37]
  9. ^ This concert was part of Lollapalooza Brasil.
  10. ^ This concert was part of Festival Estéreo Picnic.[38]
  11. ^ This concert was part of Pal Norte Festival.[38]
  12. ^ This concert is part of the Reading Festival.[39]
  13. ^ This concert is part of the Leeds Festival.[39]
  14. ^ This concert was originally scheduled on September 4, 2023, but was postponed due to an "urgent family matter" involving Barker.[40]
  15. ^ This concert was originally scheduled to be held at 3Arena on September 5, 2023, but was postponed due to an "urgent family matter" involving Barker.[40]
  16. ^ These concerts were originally scheduled on September 1 and 2, 2023, respectively, but were postponed due to an "urgent family matter" involving Barker.[40]
  17. ^ This concert was to be part of the Imperial GNP Festival.

Citations

  1. ^ "blink-182: Rock Hard Tour". Rogers Arena. April 19, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "blink-182 with Rise Against". Live Nation Australia. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  3. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 11, 2022). "Blink-182 Reunite With Tom DeLonge, Announce 2023 Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  4. ^ Pisani, Joseph (October 11, 2022). "Blink-182 Is Reuniting for a New Album and Tour". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  5. ^ Lonsdale, John (October 11, 2022). "First (New Tour) Dates: Here's Where You Can Find Blink-182's 2023 Reunion Concert Tickets Online". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  6. ^ "Blink-182's 30th Anniversary Plans Convince Fans A Tom Reunion Is Near". iHeart. July 28, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  7. ^ Kaufman, Gil (October 11, 2022). "Blink-182 Reuniting Classic Lineup With Tom DeLonge For 2023 World Tour, New Single". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  8. ^ Evans, Greg (October 11, 2022). "Blink-182 Announces Worldwide Reunion Tour, New Music; See Complete Tour Roster". Deadline. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Hernandez, Jeanette (October 12, 2022). "Wait, Did the Presale for Blink-182's Mexico City Date Sell Out in Minutes?". Remezcla. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  10. ^ Gayomali, Chris (December 2, 2021). "Mark Hoppus Is Growing Up". GQ. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  11. ^ Brisco, Elise (October 11, 2022). "Travis Barker, Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge reunite for Blink-182 tour, new album". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  12. ^ "Official Tom DeLonge on Instagram"
  13. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 13, 2023). "Reunited Classic Blink-182 Lineup Last-Minute Addition to 2023 Coachella". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  14. ^ Hudak, Joseph (October 25, 2022). "Blink-182 and Paramore Will Be Next to Each Other at New 'Adjacent Music Festival'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  15. ^ "Blink-182 Kick off Reunion Tour, Tom DeLonge Sings Matt Skiba Songs". May 5, 2023.
  16. ^ Brooks, Dave (October 12, 2022). "Blink-182 Tour Will Cash In on Pop-Punk Nostalgia: Here's How Much It Could Earn". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "blink-182's U.S. reunion tour with Tom DeLonge is their…". Kerrang!. July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  18. ^ Frankenberg, Eric (July 19, 2023). "Blink-182's Reunion Tour Earned More Than $85 Million in North America". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Frankenberg, Eric (December 8, 2023). "Top 10 Highest-Grossing Rock Tours of 2023". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  20. ^ Carman, Ashley (July 31, 2023). "Blink-182's Global Tour Leads the Aughts-Rock Revival". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  21. ^ "Blink-182 at United Center: Hitmaking lineup reunites, older but no more mature". Chicago Sun-Times. May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  22. ^ Earl, William (May 20, 2023). "Blink-182's Reunion Tour Proves That Ageless Punk Rockers Can Make Fans Feel Like Kids Again: Concert Review". Variety. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  23. ^ Riemenschneider, Chris (May 5, 2023). "Review: Blink-182 returns to old shenanigans in St. Paul reunion tour kickoff". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  24. ^ Mervis, Scott (May 17, 2023). "Review: Just like old times, Blink-182 thrills at PPG Paints Arena". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Rietmulder, Michael (June 26, 2023). "for better and worse". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  26. ^ Mills, Matt (October 12, 2023). "Blink-182 review – foul-mouthed arena antics are fitfully fun". the Guardian. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  27. ^ Jennings, James (February 17, 2024). "Blink-182 review at Qudos Arena". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  28. ^ Williams, Aaron (May 5, 2023). "What Is Blink-182's Setlist Of Songs For Their 2023 World Tour?". UPROXX. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  29. ^ Varga, George (March 1, 2023). "Blink-182 postpones Tijuana gig and Latin American reunion tour due to drummer Travis Barker's finger surgery". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  30. ^ "Festival de música". IMPERIAL GNP. Archived March 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  31. ^ "'Devastated, angry': Blink-182 cancel Christchurch show two weeks out". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  32. ^ González, Alexandra (5 April 2024). "¡No se logró! Blink-182 CANCELA sus últimos conciertos en el Palacio de los Deportes" [It didn't happen! Blink-182 CANCELLS their last concerts at the Palacio de los Deportes] (in Spanish). Milenio. Grupo Multimedios. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  33. ^ Miller, Jeff (April 15, 2023). "Blink-182 Brings Rock Back to Coachella in a Big Way With Late-Breaking Set". Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  34. ^ Rowley, Glenn (October 11, 2022). "Reunited Blink-182 & Green Day to Headline 2023 When We Were Young Festival". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  35. ^ "Lollapalooza Argentina 2024 | 15, 16 y 17 de marzo en el Hipódromo de San Isidro" (in es-ar). www.lollapaloozaar.com. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  36. ^ "Lollapalooza Chile – 15, 16 y 17 de Marzo 2024 | Parque Cerrillos" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  37. ^ "Asuncionico 2024 – 19, 20 y 21 de Marzo". Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  38. ^ "Festival Estéreo Picnic 2025". www.festivalestereopicnic.com
  39. ^ "Here's which days blink-182 are headlining Reading & Leeds 2024". Kerrang!. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  40. ^ Kaufman, Gil (September 1, 2023). "Blink-182 Postpone Three European Shows Due to Travis Barker's 'Urgent Family Matter'". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2024.