Carson, CA - Olympic Velodrome
July 8, 1995



Offspring Closes Tour, Entertains Fans Of All Ages

Rock concerts don't usually feel like family picnics, especially when the bands on stage are cranking out high-velocity punk rock. But Offspring has finally made the big time, and that means mass appeal across all ages.

At Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday, July 8, Offspring brought their seemingly unending world tour to a close at the open-air Olympic Velodrome before an audience ranging in age from three to 63. But one particular age group was present in abundance for the band's fourth visit to L.A. in the last year.

The summer date, matinee 6:30 starting time, bargain ticket prices and Offspring's MTV factor all contributed to an audience dominated by teens and pre-teens. The last band with demographics like this was New Kids On the Block.

But even as the pre-pubescent punk rockers pressed toward the stage in anticipation of their rock idols, the wafting clouds of marijuana overhead and trickling puddles of beer underfoot served as powerful reminders that this was no Disney presentation.

Actually, the dominant impression was that of being in a prison yard. The Velodrome's 10-foot concrete oval track loomed like the inescapable walls of San Quentin. And the omnipresent yellow-jacketed security personnel enforced their own private laws in their usual aggressive manner.

When Offspring finally took the stage, what had been unfolding as a mini-festival with an unimpressive sound system and little crowd enthusiasm finally turned into a sonic attack coupled with unbounded fan energy.

As the muscle-bound moshers pushed the acne and braces crowd to higher ground, the restraint and civility of the afternoon gave way to the recklessness and slam dancing so vital to the punk concert experience.

Meanwhile, Offspring was having a little fun with their last performance. Oddball antics ranged from Holland's impersonation of Ethel Merman to the ritualized selection of an audience member to help sing the chorus of "Come Out and Play."

The whole act proved Offspring knows how to captivate a crowd, but the ultimate crowd-pleaser was yet to come. After guitarist Noodles demonstrated his musical savvy with samples from bands ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Weezer, Offspring cranked its own classic "Self Esteem" to the throng of bouncing fans.

By the time Noodles ended the concert with the tried-and-true gimmick of smashing his guitar, Offspring had given everyone exactly what they wanted - a thorough selection of choice hardcore material and the amusing antics of a young band.

By John Sabatini, from UCLA Daily Bruin - July 17, 1995