The Offspring finally arrived in Curitiba on March 9, 2025, with Punk Is Coming , an event to promote their new album Supercharger. Furthermore, they didn't come alone; the "festival" also featured Amyl and The Sniffers , The Warning , The Damned , Rise Against , and Sublime .
First, it's worth mentioning the location chosen for Punk Is Coming , none other than the Paulo Leminski Quarry . As the name suggests, it's a quarry that has been inactive for many decades and has become an area for large-scale festivals and concerts. It can be said that it's a stage amidst nature, surrounded by trees and lakes, making it a unique experience. Plus, it has small stones to prevent excessive mud when it rains – a feature that proved effective during the rain that fell from mid-afternoon to late afternoon.
Full lineup in the capital of Paraná to open for The Offspring.
The day started early for fans in Curitiba; before ten o'clock in the morning, the line was already long in front of the entrance gates. The infrastructure of the services, including firefighters, ambulances, security personnel, and professionals to provide information to the public, was very well organized, and the feeling was one of safety and organization on the part of those responsible for the event.
The gates were slow to open because some bands still needed to do a sound check, considering that they were in São Paulo the previous night, March 8th. This was perfectly understandable, but to everyone's relief, around 10:30, the audience was finally allowed in.
It's worth highlighting the organization's efficiency, as within minutes, the barrier in front of the stage was filled with fans, mostly wearing The Warning band t-shirts and some eager to see the much-talked-about band of the moment, Amyl And The Sniffers.
But the day was only beginning in the capital of Paraná; the punk legends The Damned and the American band Rise Against, much anticipated by the still-arriving crowd, were still to come. In addition, Sublime and The Offspring were set to close the night.
Punk and the attitude of Amyl and the Sniffers
Currently, in a time when political correctness reigns supreme, the Australian group Amyl And The Sniffers emerges to break the rules. It's no surprise that this breath of fresh air comes from the other side of the world, where social wounds and historical injustices remain unresolved.
The vocalist possesses a devastating and provocative stage presence, bringing the spirit of punk back to life. The interaction with the musicians is constant, the stage positioning was excellent, after all it was a stage of considerable size, worthy of major festivals. The audience gave the band a standing ovation, it's a shame that it was a shorter setlist, after all, there were still five bands to take the stage at Pedreira.
The Warning: The band beloved by the crowd.
It was around midday, already in the intense heat, that The Warning took to the stage. The band, composed of Mexican sisters Daniela , Paulina, and Alejandra , arrived full of attitude and charisma, much to the delight of their fans.
Despite the excellent technique in executing their setlist and the attention to detail in their presentation, the artists' stage presence was somewhat compromised. In fact, it was noticeable that something was wrong with the positioning of vocalist and guitarist Daniela's equipment. The distance between her and her sisters was quite visible. But the audience didn't mind and enjoyed every minute of the talent of this new generation of punk, especially since it's made up entirely of women.
The Damned, pioneers of British punk rock.
And who would have thought that Curitiba would have the honor of hosting The Damned, a band formed in 1976, the golden age of the British punk movement? Even before the band took the stage, the growing audience was noticeable. It was also clear that Punk Is Coming managed to cater to all generations, with the presence of children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents – families united in a single festival.
It's worth remembering that the heat in the venue, despite being outdoors, was bordering on unbearable, and the few shady spots were already scarce. Because of this, the band suffered a bit from the high temperatures, but they continued performing their set admirably and interacting a lot with the fans.
The crowd frequently alternated between the barrier and the areas where they could buy food and drinks, mainly water and beer. It's worth noting that the team between the stage and the barrier, the famous photographers' pit, distributed free cups of water throughout the festival; all you had to do was ask. Even during the hottest part of the day, ice was also distributed to those present.
Rise Against: Political and activist punk rock on the scene.
Rise Against was definitely one of the most anticipated bands by most of the audience. This was largely due to the publicity surrounding their excellent performances in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and São Paulo. But also because of their appearance in Brazil at the Lollapalooza in 2023, showing that the band has a legion of fans here.
Rise Against was formed in Chicago in 1999 and remains one of the biggest names in punk today. It's impossible not to praise their stage presence and the choreography between the musicians, so naturally executed as they delivered the best hits of their career. The band consists of vocalist Tim McIlrath , Joe Principe on bass, Zach Blair on guitar, and Brandon Barnes on drums.
The setlist included songs like “Give,” “Satellite,” the new single “Nod,” “Make It Stop,” and the most anticipated and highlight of the show, the wonderful “Savior.” Without a doubt, the band gained another flood of new fans.
However, at this time of day, the clock already showed half past three in the afternoon, the peak of the heat, very atypical for the city of Curitiba. Perhaps for this reason, the production and organization suffered from a lack of tents and green areas for rest and food.
Sublime, expectations, and heavy rain.
Perhaps the moments leading up to the Sublime show, and some moments during the performance, were the most critical regarding the audience's situation. After bravely enduring the heat, they were surprised by a rain shower that started refreshing and became heavy during the band's performance. At this point, people began to take to the various emergency exits of the venue, which had a roof and shelter from the rain.
However, the fire brigade promptly tried to clear a path through the crowd to allow for exits, all amidst public unrest. With nothing to do but stand in the rain and try to enjoy the band, the music performed by Sublime evoked many fond memories for those who lived through the nineties. The festival's energy waned, many went to the bars, which struggled with the demand, and in the rain, who wouldn't be nervous waiting through the entire Sublime show for a glass of soda or beer?
The band, which features the son of the original vocalist (who passed away before seeing the success of his compositions) on vocals, performed all their biggest hits, such as "Santeria," "What I Got," and "Wrong Way." Unfortunately, the audience lost interest, even when the vocalist asked if they wanted to hear more; the response was silence and weariness from those present.
After all, it was a long day, and the main band was still to come, a fact that was quite apparent during Sublime's show. But it must be said, dancing and singing "Santeria" in the rain was a divine moment.
The Offspring: The well-deserved 'grand finale'
Finally, the long-awaited moment of the day was arriving: The Offspring's performance. The rain let up briefly, the fans' spirits lifted, and everything pointed to a happy ending for Punk Is Coming .
And it was with AC/DC and the beautiful sunset over the Paulo Leminski Quarry that The Offspring's show began. Furthermore, many people waited to enter the venue a little before the main act, which gave the impression of maximum capacity.
Without further ado, around 6:10 PM, the band kicked off with "All I Want," followed by the classic "Come Out and Play" with total energy, driving everyone wild. Next came "Want You Bad," and to the general delight, the new song "Come to Brazil" from the album Supercharger .
There was no shortage of fireworks, giant balloons, a shower of confetti—in short, everything the fans had hoped for. A highlight was the shower of elongated, colorful confetti, which made for unforgettable photos and a spectacular show.
These were unique moments with friends, couples, and families, all singing together the hits of their lives, such as "Why Don't You Get a Job" and "Pretty Fly," among others. But in the end, the best came with "The Kids Aren't Alright," and closing the night with "Self Esteem."
The band, consisting of Dexter Holland , Todd Morse , Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman , and Brandon Pretzborn, put on a show of great friendliness. They even thanked everyone for coming, despite the adverse weather conditions, and praised the venue highly.
You could say that "punk was here" with The Offspring & Co.
It was a tough day, with its ups and downs, but it was typical of Hollywood movies. It was all worth it for the longed-for happy ending! May there be more events like this!
Check out the photos from the shows taken by Vladimir Silverio :
