The Offspring and Bad Religion resurrect the punk spirit of decades past

On Tuesday night, Espaço das Américas in São Paulo was buzzing with fans on one of the hottest nights of the year. With tickets sold out, Rock Station brought two punk rock legends to São Paulo: Bad Religion and The Offspring .

Bad Religion came on first, bringing their rebellious punk sound, coincidentally on a night marked by scandalous revelations in Brazilian politics. Professor Greg Graffin and company not only showcased their greatest hits like "21st Century (Digital Boy)," "You," "Infected," and "Sorrow," but also delivered a comprehensive overview of their career spanning back to the 1980s.

From their new album, Age of Unreason , released this year, the band played “Chaos From Within,” “Do The Paranoid Style,” “End of History,” and “Lose Your Head.” And while guitarist Brett Gurewitz described the album as a big “Fuck you Trump,” the Brazilian audience adapted the insult. During each band break, chants insulting Bolsonaro were sung. So much so that at one point, the band itself danced and joined in the shouts against the president.

The band delivered a cohesive set, without much messing around, and showcased all their skills with fast guitars and powerful drumming. Closing with "American Jesus," Bad Religion had the audience singing along and embracing the punk spirit.

Then it was The Offspring's turn to bring their punk rock closer to pop. The heat was bothersome, but it didn't stop mosh pits from forming throughout the venue. Vocalist Dexter Holland stopped every now and then to drink water (or was it beer?), while guitarist Noodles hyped up the crowd and showed how delighted he was to be in Brazil.

The band prepared some surprises, such as the introduction of "Americana," which opened the show while the members gradually appeared on stage. Following with "All I Want" and "Come Out And Play," the audience was warmed up to enjoy the new additions, like the keyboard that preceded "Want You Bad."

Then came covers of "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones and "Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC , showing how the band also excels when stepping outside their comfort zone. Another highlight was when a piano entered the stage to present new arrangements for "Gone Away," in a ballad style.

In the end, “Why Don't You Get A Job?”, “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” and “The Kids Aren't Alright”, and the encore with “You're Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “Self Esteem” left everyone soaked from jumping so much. Two shows that resurrected the punk spirit of past decades.

Photos by: Gabriella Midon