Cleveland, OH - CSU Convocation Center
February 24, 1999



The Offspring Turn Punk For Arena-Rock Junk

The term "sellout" is usually lobbed by fans who resent a favorite underground rock artist's success and/or artistic growth. But what else do you call it when a band presents it so-called "punk" music in the same package as the arena-rock bands it theoretically opposes?

When the Sex Pistols reunited, Johnny Rotten claimed that becoming the enemy was the ultimate "punk." But I have my doubts.

The Offspring's concert Wednesday night at the Cleveland State Convocation Center demonstrated that, musical differences aside, their current attitude and presentation differs little from that of Poison or Warrant or any of the other lame pop-metal bands that ruled the rock charts 10 years ago.

The show hung on a melodramatic lighting and staging that emphasized the singer as a sort of rock god. It also included a raft of cliched, audience-pandering gestures. The band invited them to rant against an easy "mainstream" pop target (in this case, the Backstreet Boys.) They even got their fans chanting a well-known four-letter word.

How original.

The Southern California band launched its career as an underground act almost a decade ago, finally busting out with the 1994 album, "Smash." In the process, the Offspring helped put punk rock in every mall and suburban rec room in America. That it lost something in the transition is now clearer than ever.

The group's artistic growing pains led them to the U2ish "Gone Away" from 1997's "Ixnay on the Hombre" album, and the frat-punk of last year's "Americana" release, with its novelty breakout single, "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)."

"Pretty Fly" has exposed them to the "Andrew Dice Clay" syndrome; playing alleged satire to fans who take it seriously. The Offspring's audience Wednesday night reacted easily to the big hits, mostly from "Smash," such as the admittedly striking "Come Out and Play," "Self-Esteem" and "Gotta Get Away."

But things went less well when the band played lesser-known, hard-and-fast punk numbers such as the new tune "Walla Walla."

The Offspring's set mostly relied on the standard, buzzsaw pop-punk. They do it well enough, often starting a song with and offbeat something-A metal riff or even a guitar line that sounds slightly Middle Eastern before racing into their neo-Ramones punk. They're undeniably energetic and tight, but they exude a sense of taking the easy way out, and vocalist Dexter Holland too often falls into rock star posturing.

Ozomatli, a nine-man, multicultural band from Los Angeles, opened the show. This original, dynamic band mixes Latin music, funk, hip-hop, and even a little jazz, using a horn section, heavy percussion and raps played off against melodic vocals.

The group entered the arena through the mosh pit on the floor playing percussion instruments. Once they hit the stage, they launched a full-on music and dance attack. Leaping, kicking, freezing in place and shifting instruments, the band was a whirlwind of motion and musical modes. Unfortunately, many of the "fly" white boys in the stands decided immediately that Ozomatli was too strange for them, and started heckling. (Ozomalti SUCKS)

Australian trio the Living End offered a brief opening set of classic-style punk with a few odd touches: more guitar solos than normal, standup bass and a cover of "Tainted Love," best known in its 1982 hit version by synth popster Soft Cell.

By Anastasia Pantsios, from Cleveland Plain Dealer - February 1999