The Offspring sold out all three concerts at New York City's Roseland Ballroom. I went to the Saturday concert, which was superb. The Living End and Ozomatli opened. Ozomatli's mix of jazz, ska, hip-hop and Caribbean music was not, however, appreciated by the audience.
After Ozomatli, the fans impatiently awaited The Offspring. After a half hour, the logo of their new album flashed onto the stage. Drummer Ron Welty, followed by the rest of the band, started the long instrumental introduction of “Americana,” the title track of the new album. By the time lead-singer Dexter Holland cursed at society for the way it directs its victims, the crowd's mosh pits had already intensified.
”Session” followed and was the only song played from an album prior to Offspring's 1994 surge in popularity. “Ignition” and The Offspring's self-titled debut received almost no recognition. Next came “Walla Walla,” another song from “Americana.” About half the songs were played from each of the band's three most recent albums: “Smash,” “Ixnay on the Hombre” and “Americana.” It was during “Walla Walla” that I lost my glasses in a collision in the moshpit.
Despite being blind for most of the concert, I still had a great time. Other highlights included Dexter Holland prefacing “Cool to Hate” with an explanation of his hatred of country music, “Intermission ... Pay the Man ... Staring at the Sun,” “Mota” and the crowd singing along in unison during “Self Esteem,” “Bad Habit” and “Pretty Fly.”
One needs not have his glasses to see that The Offspring were amazing in concert.