Look, I don't know if it was intentional, but if it was, whoever was responsible for scheduling the first show of The Offspring 's Supercharged with guests for Ash Wednesday deserves a round of applause, you know?
Think about it. For people who love rock 'n' roll but can't resist a street party, what better way to detox from the carnival frenzy than a collective catharsis? The mix of joy and fury provided by a good punk rock show (or two) on the day of rebirth after all the revelry?
On the other hand, I'm sure that the people can't stand the cultural monopoly of the carnival festivities. And that's why they were eagerly waiting for something like this "supercharged" tour to banish the electric trios from their ears.
The charismatic presence of Amy Taylor from Amyl and the Sniffers
This successful kick-off took place in Belo Horizonte, at BeFly Hall , and the opening act for the veterans of The Offspring was the Australian band Amyl and the Sniffers .
Definitely one of the coolest things to emerge in the punk world in recent years. These newcomers to Brazil are still relatively unknown here. But I'd bet the fortune I don't have that, after this series of shows with The Offspring and other bands, and a sold-out solo show at Cine Jóia the following day in São Paulo , the next time they come, it will be with their own tour and a lot of people knowing all the songs by heart.
Being the opening act for a band with such a long history and a loyal following here as The Offspring is a very clever way to introduce your music to a wider audience. On the other hand, this opening act position carries some limiting factors.
No stage dive this time.
I went to the pit, that space in front of the stage, to photograph Amyl and the Sniffers hoping to fulfill my dream of capturing the absurdly charismatic vocalist Amy Taylor diving headfirst into the crowd in the front row, as she does from time to time. But because of the structure set up in front of the stage to launch confetti and things like that during The Offspring's show, it was immediately clear that this more "roots" by Amy would be unfeasible.
So this time in Belo Horizonte we were treated to the "opening band" version of Amyl and the Sniffers. Which was already a big deal, for sure. Even without any stage diving, it's hard to take your eyes off Amy Taylor. The vocalist doesn't stand still for a second. Surrounded by the stoic, unwavering presence of the trio that completes the band: Declan Mehrtens , Gus Romer and Bryce Wilson .
The Offspring is guaranteed fun.
On the other hand, The Offspring brought a little bit of everything to guarantee great entertainment for their audience. There were those cannons firing confetti. There was a great arsenal of videos constantly
playing behind the band and on two other screens. Huge inflatable balls for the crowd to play with. And there were even two giant inflatable figures "dancing" wildly, one on each side of the stage.
All this, without even getting into the most important thing, of course, which is the music. The entire classic hit parade of the Californians was there. “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)” and “Why Don't You Get a Job?” among many other hits, were present. And as expected, the new (and a little too much of a cheesy song for my taste) “Come to Brazil” was also there. And then, the lack of weight in the audience's chorus, which still characterized the opening show, disappeared. It became very clear who most people really came to see.
The Offspring delivers everything the audience expected.
The Offspring did a great job of bringing rock fans back to life after Ash Wednesday. They interacted with the audience, especially guitarist Noodles , and playfully covered classic rock intros like "Iron Man," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and even an entire "Blitzkrieg Bop."
Between cover songs like these and performances of the band's own hits, the audience in Belo Horizonte rarely stopped singing along. The sound quality was excellent. Dexter Holland is in top vocal form, and the band seemed visibly happy to be back in Brazil. So I think a little bit of "fanboyism" is acceptable. However, at the band's request, the photos from this part of the night are only from a distance. Just to be clear, the lack of close-ups isn't an editorial decision, okay?
They're now touring Brazil in the coming days for a few more shows, with São Paulo and Curitiba hosting the full lineup in a mini-festival featuring 6 bands. Carnival is over! It's punk rock time, even though the giant inflatable figures at gas stations gave me a quick Carnival déjà vu…
Text and photos by Rodrigo Beck
READ ALSO : Former Offspring member Pete Parada reveals new details about his departure from the band.
