The Offspring
Article by: Brittany Ormiston
A night of nostalgia featuring: The Offspring, Jimmy Eat World, and New Found Glory. From the moment New Found Glory hit the stage, the crowd was locked in and the energy soared to new heights. Despite the sweltering heat, the band members and fans around the amphitheater were jumping in sync. Their performance of their most recent single, ‘100%,’ received a positive response from the crowd with its distinct New Found Glory sound at its core, and interwoven with notes of modern pop-punk. ‘Failure’s Not Flattering’ was truly a blast from the past as many reminisced about its release 20 years ago, and downloading it on Limewire. Fists punched the air, t-shirts slingshotted into the crowd, moshing in the pit…a New Found Glory show in true fashion.
Trailblazer and alternative-rock band Jimmy Eat World were up next, and they certainly delivered. They brought the heat from the desert of Arizona with a discography that “targeted the head and the heart,” and maintained a perfect balance. Their stage setup resembled that of a spaceship with large floor lights surrounding the band members, and the visual of a grid with Jimmy Eat World etched in yellow across it. The seamless vocals and instrumentation transported you back to the good old days where everything seemed simple. The guitar riffs and intensive drum loop in ‘Bleed American’ had the crowd riled up. “You came ready to party. I can feel it,” stated Jim Adkins (lead vocals, lead guitar) as he tuned his guitar. The band closed out their set with ‘The Middle,’ and it was just like hearing the track for the very first time again all those years ago.
It was officially intermission, and The Offspring knew just how to get the crowd ready for the main act. A gigantic blimp flew above the crowd with Noblesville in LED green lights detailed across the bottom screen. The camera crew worked overtime to pick out fans during the sing-a-long, kiss cam, headbanging cam, and trivia. A team member in a gorilla mask with Offspring Crew spray painted on the back of his shirt ran through the crowd encouraging everyone to get loud. He sent merch flying through the air with a t-shirt cannon from the stage, and crowdsurfed in the pit. A visual of electricity appeared on screen followed by the band members of The Offspring in sleek black. Everyone from the front of the venue to the back were ready to come out and play.
From the get-go, all instruments were turned up to max volume and utilized at lighting speed. Every beat could be felt to the depths of your soul, the true definition of punk-rock and effortlessly cool. The fans took it all in, and sent back the enthusiasm two-fold. Lead singer Dexter Holland mentioned he could feel the energy coming off the crowd. Headbanging during ‘Looking Out For #1’ followed by wanting to create mischief during ‘Original Prankster’ was quite the thrill to say the least. Witnessing inflatable skeletons come to life on the stage and practically touch the ceiling of the amphitheater was one for the books. As the band performed ‘Hammerhead,’ smoke emitted from the skeleton’s mouths and the lighting bounced back and forth between them to provide more of a jaw-dropping effect. Rock-on signs were scattered throughout the crowd, and glistened in the blue lighting before confetti shot into the air. The Offspring took a moment to honor the late Ozzy Osborne with a cover of ‘Paranoid / Crazy Train.’ The tribute sent a wave of emotions through everyone in attendance, and certainly inspired the next generation of musicians.
The band wrapped up a memorable evening on the Supercharged Tour with two of their oldest and most streamed songs, ‘You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid’ and ‘Self Esteem.’ The last note was played and the band members exited the stage one by one, but the memories from the show will live on for years to come. The songs performed across the three bands this evening certainly were soundtracks to the lives of many back then, and still are to this day. This night of nostalgia was the perfect reminder that everything will be all right.
Jimmy Eat World
New Found Glory
Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN on July 26, 2025
Photos by Everly Ormiston
