Blink-182, Lil Wayne Perform in Bangor

Friday night, the members of Blink-182 asked a local waitress what there was to do around Bangor, her response was simple: “There’s going to be a big concert in town tomorrow that might be worth checking out,” and she wasn’t wrong. It was a beautiful summer evening, and the stage at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion was set for an incredible night of music.

Saturday night began with a supporting set from Neck Deep, who got the crowd to their feet with their infectious beats and pop punk vocals. The group, led by singer Ben Barlow, cited Blink-182 as one of their biggest inspirations in starting Neck Deep, and Blink’s influence can easily be seen in their fun loving and deeply relatable songs. Playing a wide variety of their back catalog, including "She’s a God," "In Bloom," and "December," the UK-based band definitely garnered some new fans on their first trip to Maine.

Following Neck Deep, Lil Wayne took the stage. After a slight road bump in Virginia, Lil Wayne seems to back and better than ever, expressing his gratitude to Blink-182, Neck Deep, and most importantly his fans. To say his set was well received would be an understatement, as fans from all across Maine and out of state flocked to Bangor to hear some of their favorites from the Grammy Award winning artist.

Emma Egan
Emma Egan
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Lil Tunechi preformed a hit-filled set, including "Uproar," "Don’t Cry" and “Mona Lisa” from his most recent album Tha Carter V, as well as older hits like "Lollipop" and "A Milli.." Not only did his set include some of his own greatest hits, but also some iconic covers, including "The Motto" by Drake and "No Problems," a track he worked on with Chance the Rapper and 2 Chainz. To finish off his performance, the rapper invited two of his children onto the stage, truly making the night a family affair.

And then there was Blink, and boy oh boy did they put on a show. Blink-182 gave fans new and old everything they could hope for, playing their 1999 album Enema of the State in its entirety as promised, as well as performing newer songs including "Blame It on My Youth," a single from their upcoming album slated to drop this fall. There are few albums that have had the longevity and reception as Enema of the State, and fans were over the moon to hear lesser played tracks like "Going Away to College" and "Wendy Clear." Their energy both physically and musically was unparalleled, and, music aside, the trio were genuinely fun to watch as they hopped and danced around the stage.

What stood out most from the evening was the incredible displays of the band members’ skills. Their set featured acoustic renditions of "Wasting Time" and "Down," where Hoppus and Skiba took audience interaction to the next level, playing in the center of the crowd under their fans’ flashlights. Not to be outdone however, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker took the idea of a "drum solo" and quite literally flipped it on its head, playing along to hip hop hits while upside down in a revolving cage. The group truly put on a next level performance, reminding us once again of why fans have adored the trio for more than 20 years.

With a great stop in Maine, the tour is now headed to Cutahoga, OH for a show this Tuesday, followed by a stop at Darien Lake, NY on Wednesday.

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