The Sands Bethlehem Event Center might not be Madison Square Garden or the Hollywood Bowl, but on a warm September night in 2013, it might as well have been the center of the pop-punk universe. Blink-182 brought their reunion-era fire to Pennsylvania, and for a band that thrives on a perfect mix of nostalgia, chaos, and a little juvenile humor, this was a night that checked every box. The trio—Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker—were in top form, tearing through a high-octane set that perfectly balanced old-school favorites, deep cuts, and newer material from their then-recent Dogs Eating Dogs EP.
The energy was palpable from the moment the lights dimmed and the familiar, fractured riff of “Feeling This” shot through the speakers. The crowd erupted, arms raised, voices unified in the chorus as Mark and Tom’s call-and-response vocals bounced off one another like the 2001 versions of themselves never left. It was the kind of opener that reminded everyone why Blink-182 shows are so electric — fast, funny, and a little bit filthy.
The Heartbeat of the Set: The Classics and the Chaos
After the surge of “Feeling This,” the band dove straight into “Up All Night,” one of the heaviest tracks from their 2011 comeback album Neighborhoods. The lighting rig pulsed red and blue in sync with Travis Barker’s relentless drumming, his arms a blur behind the kit. Barker was, as always, a spectacle unto himself — a machine that added both precision and fury to every song.
By the time “The Rock Show” hit, the crowd was in full motion. Fans screamed the lyrics back with the kind of reckless abandon that defines Blink’s audience — a mix of late-’90s devotees and new fans who discovered the band through streaming or nostalgia-driven playlists. Tom DeLonge’s voice was in good form, still carrying that slightly nasal, melodic snarl that made him one of pop-punk’s most instantly recognizable singers.
“What’s My Age Again?” followed, and it was pure pop-punk catharsis. Hearing thousands of people belt “Nobody likes you when you’re 23” in unison was a reminder that Blink-182’s humor and heartache are timeless. Between songs, Mark and Tom traded sarcastic jabs, joking about who was “too old for this stuff” and who still “looked like a Hot Topic mannequin.” It was classic Blink — self-aware, hilarious, and surprisingly warm.
The Deep Cuts and New Energy
Midway through the show, the band shifted gears into “Dogs Eating Dogs,” the title track from their then-new EP. It was raw and muscular live, with Barker’s pounding rhythm and Tom’s echoing guitar filling the venue with a darker, more experimental edge. Blink-182 wasn’t just reliving their past—they were evolving, and this song proved it.
“Down” and “I Miss You” brought a wave of emotional energy to the room. “Down” had fans swaying and singing softly, while “I Miss You” drew out phone lights across the crowd, transforming the venue into a sea of stars. DeLonge’s haunting vocal delivery, paired with Hoppus’s grounding bassline, made it one of the most moving moments of the night.
“Wishing Well” and “Disaster” from Neighborhoods continued to showcase how the band had matured musically. The layered textures and complex arrangements worked surprisingly well in the intimate confines of the Sands. Even so, Blink’s chemistry made these songs feel immediate, visceral, and alive — they weren’t just performing; they were reclaiming their sound.
The Energy Peaks
When the band launched into “Dumpweed,” the crowd’s energy spiked again. The opening riff instantly sent everyone into motion, and as Mark shouted the chorus, the floor seemed to move as one bouncing organism. “Always” followed, and while it might have leaned more into the emotional side of their catalog, the fans embraced it wholeheartedly, singing along word for word.
Then came “Violence” and “After Midnight,” two songs that proved the band could still deliver aggression and atmosphere in equal measure. The balance between Barker’s machine-gun fills and the hypnotic melodies was a reminder of just how far the band had come since their early days.
“First Date” was a pure shot of teenage joy. The band leaned into it hard—Mark grinning as he played, Tom exaggerating his delivery, the whole crowd turning into a singalong choir. “Heart’s All Gone” and “Man Overboard” followed, hitting that sweet spot between energy and emotion. “Man Overboard” in particular was a standout, its lyrics about loss and regret carried a special weight when delivered by a band that had famously fallen apart and reunited.
The Final Stretch
As the set neared its end, Blink unleashed “Ghost on the Dance Floor,” a song that sounded tailor-made for this setting — shimmering, anthemic, and filled with bittersweet beauty. Then, like a 1-2 punch of nostalgia, “All the Small Things” exploded from the stage. The entire venue lost it. The lights went up, and suddenly everyone was part of the show. Fans were jumping, arms around friends, shouting every word as if it were the first time they’d ever heard it.
“Josie” closed the main set, its fast-paced rhythm sending one final jolt of adrenaline through the room. For a moment, it felt like 1999 again — the energy, the humor, the sense that Blink-182 was the heartbeat of pop-punk itself.
Encore: Pure Blink Magic
The band returned for a three-song encore that summed up the night perfectly. “Carousel” kicked things off — an early fan favorite that transported everyone back to Blink’s raw beginnings. The bassline was thick and gritty, Mark’s vocals passionate and nostalgic.
Then came “Dammit,” arguably the band’s defining song. The crowd knew it, the band knew it — this was the Blink-182 anthem. As Mark shouted “Well, I guess this is growing up!”, the audience roared it right back, drowning out even the PA system. It was the perfect encapsulation of the night: funny, self-aware, loud, and cathartic.
They wrapped things up with “Family Reunion,” the infamous and hilariously profane closer that reminded everyone that even after all these years, Blink-182 hadn’t lost their sense of humor. Fans laughed, cheered, and threw their hands in the air as the band left the stage.
Legacy in the Moment
Walking out of the Sands that night, you could feel the buzz in the air. Blink-182 wasn’t just a nostalgic act on the road to cash in on old hits — they were a living, breathing force that still connected with their audience. The mix of classics and newer songs proved that their evolution hadn’t dulled their spark.
For a band that had weathered breakups, side projects, and stylistic shifts, this 2013 show was proof that the chemistry between Mark, Tom, and Travis still burned bright. The jokes were crude, the songs were tight, and the energy was contagious.
At its core, the night was about connection — between band and fans, between the past and present, between chaos and catharsis. Blink-182 turned a modest venue in Bethlehem into an arena of laughter, nostalgia, and punk-fueled joy.
Setlist
-
Feeling This
-
Up All Night
-
The Rock Show
-
What’s My Age Again?
-
Dogs Eating Dogs
-
Down
-
I Miss You
-
Wishing Well
-
Disaster
-
Dumpweed
-
Always
-
Violence
-
After Midnight
-
First Date
-
Heart’s All Gone
-
Man Overboard
-
Ghost on the Dance Floor
-
All the Small Things
-
Josie
Encore:
20. Carousel
21. Dammit
22. Family Reunion
Grade: B+
Blink-182 at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center wasn’t just a concert — it was a full-circle celebration of everything that made the band special. Equal parts chaos and charm, it captured their essence perfectly: forever young, forever honest, and forever loud.