THE OFFSPRING // OVO HYDRO, GLASGOW

A NIGHT OF BLIMPS, BEDLAM, AND PURE PUNK ROCK JOY

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

THE OFFSPRING PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S OVO HYDRO
PHOTOCREDIT: FEDERICA BURELLI

Simple Plan hit the OVO Hydro stage with zero hesitation, launching straight into a blistering opening salvo of "I'd Do Anything," "Shut Up!" and "Jump". It’s an electric way to start the set, and the Glasgow crowd responds by matching the bands energy.

The call and response chorus of "Addicted" fills the arena, with frontman Pierre Bouvier grinning his way through every line.

Mid set, the band talk about their Amazon Prime documentary that arrived in July, slipping in the new song "Nothing Changes", which already feels like a fan favourite.

A mass singalong erupts for "Welcome to My Life", before things get playful with "Summer Paradise", as beach balls start flying across the crowd, turning the venue into a pop punk beach party.

Then comes the chaos of "What's New Scooby Doo?" — an already iconic live staple — as a swarm of people in Scooby Doo costumes join the band on stage, including none other than Noodles from The Offspring. The place loses it.

"I'm Just a Kid" hits with equal nostalgia and modern fandom. Crazy to think it dropped 22 years ago, with some fans remembering it from day one while others discovered it when it blew up on TikTok five years back. Mid song, drummer Chuck Comeau emerges from behind the kit wearing a Scotland shirt, prompting cheers before he and Pierre swap places. Chuck crowd surfs across the Hydro, returns to the stage, and launches off the drum riser — pure mayhem in the best way.

With the set nearing its end, Pierre announces time for one more song, only to be met with the classic Glasgow chant of “Here we, here we, here we fucking go!” He laughs, admitting he can’t tell if they’re telling him to get off the stage or play another. Of course, they play another.

They close with "Perfect", Pierre beginning alone on acoustic before the full band crashes back in. Confetti cannons fire, and Simple Plan walk off knowing they’ve set the bar sky high for the night.

A great set and the perfect opener.

The intermission before The Offspring come on feels more like a mini show of its own. A giant blimp floats above the crowd, dropping guitar picks as its “Blimp Cam” streams live on the screens. Random messages flash along its sides, keeping everyone laughing. Then a person in a gorilla costume storms the stage with a t shirt cannon, firing shirts deep into the crowd. A rotating set of crowd cams including celebrity look-alike cam, kiss cam, headbanging cam (to name a few) all keep the place buzzing. It makes you wonder why more bands don’t do this, as it fills the gap between sets perfectly.

Then the lights drop.

The Offspring explode onto the stage with "Come Out and Play", and the energy is instantaneous. Before the crowd can catch a breath, they tear into "Want You Bad", somehow kicking things up another level. A mash-up of "Hit That / Original Prankster" keeps the pace relentless.

A war themed VT rolls, and the band launch into "Hammerhead" as two giant inflatable skull torsos rise on stage. They breathe smoke through the song, towering and menacing, an incredible visual. Confetti blasts across the Hydro for "Make It All Right", and Ozzy Osbourne gets a nod with tight, roaring covers of "Electric Funeral / Paranoid" and "Crazy Train". All of which showcase the brilliant range of frontman Dexter Holland’s vocals.

The gorilla returns, this time holding a placard with the song title for the band's cover of "I Wanna Be Sedated". After "Gotta Get Away", the giant skulls sadly vanish from the stage.

A drum solo from Brandon Pertzborn keeps the energy high before the night takes a turn.

Things slow right down for "Gone Away". Dexter sits at the piano, the stage drenched in fog, creating a genuinely stunning moment. Halfway through, the band rejoin, and giant sparklers fire from the floor and ceiling.

A spirited cover of "Hey Jude" follows, during which the news breaks that Scotland have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 27 years. The Hydro erupts into chants of “No Scotland, No Party!” and “Scotland!”, with the band smiling their way through it.

The party hits full swing again with “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”, accompanied by inflatable arm flailing tube men styled after the original Pretty Fly Guy. The room goes wild. The main set closes with a massive "The Kids Aren't Alright", the outro seeing the blimp coming back to life.

The blimp soars above the crowd once more, the gorilla hyping everyone up before The Offspring return for the encore. It stays in place for "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" and the huge closer "Self Esteem", giving the finale a soaring, celebratory feel.

Tonight marks the last night of the current tour, and what a way for The Offspring to end it. A spectacle, a party, and a perfect Glasgow send off!

REVIEW BY PAUL STORR