Blink-182, irreverent as ever, goofs on STDs, Chicago pizza and The Bean: Lollapalooza review

Did Lollapalooza save the best for last? Blink-182 sure thinks so.

“We’re better than The Beatles,” guitarist Tom DeLonge offered in his typical flippant candor as he, bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker closed out the 2024 edition of the festival with a stacked hits setlist, four rounds of fireworks, a couple of covers and an elevated platform from which Barker could unleash his beast on high for a few tracks.

With the OG band lineup still somewhat fresh in their reunion (DeLonge rejoined the group in late 2022 after a seven-year gap), it’s clear they never lost their chemistry — or their boyhood sense of humor. What’s their age again? About 14.

“What’s up you f- - -ing perverts?” DeLonge said to introduce the show, suggesting Lollapalooza booked Blink last in order to “recharge everyone’s sexual energy” as they left the park for the last time.

When there weren’t crass jokes from Hoppus about The Bean sculpture resembling a particular body part on DeLonge’s mom, there were bathroom barbs about UTIs and STDs. Hoppus also just had to get a jab in about our cuisine, of course. “With all the ingenuity you have in Chicago, that’s what you came up with … pizza cakes,” he chided.

Not that anyone took offense — to any of it. If you don’t have fun at a Blink-182 show, then you’re just doing it wrong. The trio has had a whole lifeline built around youthful nostalgia and just plain irreverence for anything serious. We have enough of that to deal with in our daily lives anyway, so why not take 90 minutes off?

There were a few moments of sentimentality in the mix, however. “This next song is about us and everything we’ve been through since 1992,” said Hoppus to introduce “Anthem Part 3.”

With all the jesting, it’s easy to forget that the band has been through the life wringer with cancer, plane crashes, breakups, aliens and Kardashians — and come out of it on the other side. Ending with one of the newer songs, “One More Time,” was also a nice touch, the track symbolizing the strength of the bond between the band of brothers that helped them come back around again.

The entire set list was cobbled together as if in tribute to that history — and also what’s to come. Alongside oldies like “Stay Together for the Kids” and ‘Dammit” were new songs such as “Edging” and even an unreleased number, “Can’t Go Back,” that will be included on a deluxe edition of recent latest album “One More Time…” later this month.

Blink-182 also slipped in two songs from the members' various side project’s: +44’s “When Your Heart Stops Beating” and Box Car Racer’s “There Is.” But the chef’s kiss was adding a few lines of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” in the middle of “Dammit” to really bring the night, the weekend and a great 2024 edition of Lollapalooza full circle.

Blink-182 Lollapalooza set list

• Feeling This
• The Rock Show
• Man Overboard
• Aliens Exist
• Dance With Me
• Bored to Death
• Edging
• Up All Night
• More Than You Know
• Stay Together for the Kids
• Not Now
• Can’t Go Back
• I Miss You
• Down
• When Your Heart Stops Beating (+44 song)
• There Is (Box Car Racer song)
• F- - - Face
• Anthem Part 3
• Always
• What’s My Age Again
• First Date
• All The Small Things
• Dammit
• One More Time

Lollapalooza 2024 in photos