Blink-182 / Pierce the Veil / Live Without @ Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, TX

Special contribution by Jose Serrato

It’s just before 6PM and it’s still over 100 degrees on this Tuesday evening. Die-hard fans are lined up outside the Dickies Arena doors waiting for them to open with sweat dripping down their faces. The heat is brutal and somehow the Jaybirds, a Fort Worth-based band, are able to perform outside overlooking the crowd making their way into the venue. As I wait for my credentials, I can see the crowd of all ages make their way from their cars ready to see what will become an unforgettable rock show by San Diego’s finest.

“What the fuck is up, Denny’s?” will live in my mind for the rest of my life thanks to Live Without. The band that famously rocked a Denny’s dining room a decade ago are now opening the One More Time Tour with Blink-182. The Houston boys brought their hardcore metal to the pop punk crowd with no apology. No fancy light show or stage setup was needed for these guys. Live Without made an arena feel like a small smokey club that every band starts in. The Blink fans that showed up early ate it up and many likely picked up a shirt with the infamous line that the band made themselves.

According to the Blink boys, Pierce the Veil are San Diego’s second best band. Well, Blink’s fellow San Diegan’s put on a show that would make that a very close second at the very least. As the lights cut out, an unexpected song was blasted for their entrance. “El Rey” by Vicente Fernandez filled the arena and was met by a mixture of fans signing along and fans that had no idea what they were listing to. I, for one, was signing along as this is a song I grew up listening to. The horns of a mariachi faded out and rock guitars replaced them as the Veil boys lead in with “Death of an Executioner,” the opening track from their latest release, The Jaws Of Life. The arena was at near full capacity by now and lead singer/guitarist, Vic Fuentes, had the attention of just about every person in there. For those that may not have been fully engaged yet, their heads were definitely turned with the band went into their cover of Radiohead’s “Karma Police” that they released this last April. Mixed with a high energy stage performance, there is no doubt they made many more fans that will make sure to catch them next time they make their way through DFW.

The sold out crowd is completely packed in now and the anticipation is building. With bells ringing, a very bright light is shining through a tunnel with smoke filling the space as Mark, Tom and Travis make their way to the circular stage that was placed about 1/3 of the way in. The opening track on 2003’s self-titled album, “Feeling This,” seemed to be the perfect song to start the show off with.

“This song is fucking great. You’re welcome!” Tom DeLonge made sure the audience knew they were getting the best tonight. Three decades worth of material was funneled down to 26 tracks to fill the 90 minute set and if you know anything about Blink then you know lots of funny and ridiculous things were said between songs. Things like, “Your parents didn’t love you enough to stay together,” as they led into playing “Stay Together for the Kids.” Or what about Mark saying, “You know what’s disappointing about Fort Worth, TX? There are no extra small condoms in any store.” It was that kind of night and the crowd loved it.

The flawless rock show by a band that claims to be better than The Beatles is nearing the end, so it was time for all the big hits. Songs like “Dammit” and “First Date” closed the show to the delight of fans that have been around for 30 years and those that have only recently listened to Blink. The sperm cutout confetti has blown across the arena and we’re walking out as George Strait’s song, “All My Ex’s Live In Texas,” is playing us out. It’s still hot outside, but after a memorable show, no one notices. Well, we notice, but it’s okay.

Photos of the show are below:

Pierce the Veil