Ex-Blink Men Debut +44 in L.A.
As +44, the new band featuring Blink-182 band mates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, made their live debut before a sold-out crowd at L.A.'s Roxy last night, perhaps no one was more excited than Hoppus himself.
"It's been almost exactly two years since I've been onstage," he informed the lucky few packed into the sweaty venue for the "secret" show.
His unbridled enthusiasm fit well with the often explosive music. Joined by Craig Fairbaugh and Shane Gallagher, the foursome played a 50-minute set of material from their forthcoming debut. And it is not Blink revisited.
Having grown as both songwriters and musicians, the quartet traded in the straight-ahead energy of Blink for much more subtle, yet equally effective, tension on songs like '155' and 'Baby, Come On.' On 'Weatherman,' the band showed themselves to be a finely-tuned unit, throwing in a sophisticated interlude followed by a Rush-esque intro.
Those wanting high-octane energy were satiated by 'When Your Heart Stops Beating,' a track that blended a Ramones-like intro with a Chuck Berry feel, and 'Make You Smile,' the song closest to Blink in sound. As the band wrapped shortly after 10:30, Hoppus was still feeling good.
"We're really, really happy to be out here tonight for the first show we ever played," he said.
- Steve Baltin (AOLMusicNewsBlog.com)
"It's been almost exactly two years since I've been onstage," he informed the lucky few packed into the sweaty venue for the "secret" show.
His unbridled enthusiasm fit well with the often explosive music. Joined by Craig Fairbaugh and Shane Gallagher, the foursome played a 50-minute set of material from their forthcoming debut. And it is not Blink revisited.
Having grown as both songwriters and musicians, the quartet traded in the straight-ahead energy of Blink for much more subtle, yet equally effective, tension on songs like '155' and 'Baby, Come On.' On 'Weatherman,' the band showed themselves to be a finely-tuned unit, throwing in a sophisticated interlude followed by a Rush-esque intro.
Those wanting high-octane energy were satiated by 'When Your Heart Stops Beating,' a track that blended a Ramones-like intro with a Chuck Berry feel, and 'Make You Smile,' the song closest to Blink in sound. As the band wrapped shortly after 10:30, Hoppus was still feeling good.
"We're really, really happy to be out here tonight for the first show we ever played," he said.
- Steve Baltin (AOLMusicNewsBlog.com)