Following the release of their sixth studio album, LIFEFORMS, Angels & Airwaves celebrated when they brought their new tour to Marathon Music Works.
Before the headliner took the stage, 1990nowhere opened the evening’s festivities. According to the band, the Nashville show was just their 11th ever performance as a group. While they are still young in their career as a band, the California-based rockers have an ample amount of show experience, from their solo careers or while they were members of other groups.
Some youthful moments also made for some funny interactions during the opener’s 30-minute set. Included in those was when guitarist and singer Chris Blair used a T-Rex water gun to shoot alcohol into the mouth of Bryan Sammis, who also plays guitar and sings. Sammis was slated to guess what type of alcohol was being shot at him every night of this tour run. Unfortunately, he was incorrect with his guess this time.
Fans didn’t have to wait long for the next band as Bad Suns took the stage just 20 minutes later. It was evident that the audience was excited for the alternative rockers’ set as many crowd members were singing along with their set.The last time that Bad Suns performed in Nashville was in 2019. On Wednesday, the band promised that a return wouldn’t take so long, as they announced plans to return to Music City in early 2022. Even with that upcoming tour stop scheduled, it was clear the band was grateful to be playing again in Nashville. “To be back here, it means the world to us,” said lead singer Christo Bowman said. “Thank you for being here, Nashville. Ladies and gentlemen, live music is back!”
During their 45-minute set, Bad Suns played some newer songs from their upcoming record, Apocalypse Whenever. The Los Angeles-based band concluded their set with fan-favorite “Cardiac Arrest,” which had the crowd singing and jumping along.
Early into Angels & Airwaves‘ set, the band made it clear that much of the setlist would be from their newer album. However, the group did mix in several of their hits, which received the most reaction from fans. After leading off with tracks from their sixth album, Angels & Airwaves began to open up their discography. Five songs into their performance, the audience roared with approval, and a large number of phones were held up in the air, recording as the opening notes of “The Adventure” came through the speakers.Former Blink-182 guitarist Tom Delonge formed angels & Airwaves in 2006. As the band turned 15 years old, there was a sense of nostalgia for some in the audience. While on stage, there were moments during the night where DeLonge embraced his goofy, playful side, one that fans became familiar with during his Blink-182 days. There were also other occurrences where he took a more serious approach, providing insight into the background of some of the band’s tracks.
DeLonge left Blink-182, but it’s still clear that he and the members are still friends and communicate often. Earlier this year, Blink bassist Mark Hoppus announced that he was battling cancer. After chemotherapy treatments, Hoppus stated that the disease is in remission. “Guess what, motherf***ers? He beat it and is cured!” DeLonge exclaimed during the show, celebrating with the Nashville crowd. That statement came as DeLonge told the audience about how he came to write the track “Rite of Spring.” The tune details his teenage years and gives a brief description of how Blink-182 formed. “On this particular song, I didn’t want to be poetic,’ DeLonge said. “I wanted to say the sh*t as matter of fact as it is and as real it could be.”
Before performing “Tunnels,” from 2014’s The Dream Walker, DeLonge shared a story about the night that his dad died. Rather than focus on the sadness, Angels & Airwaves changed his outlook and saw the positive side, knowing that his father was heading toward a better place. “If you get anything else from this story is that it’s all going to be ok, you’re going to be ok,” DeLonge said. “All of that [bad] stuff is only life lessons, and at the end, you cross that finish line, and it’s f**king great.”
It was clear early into the show that several audience members brought their kids along to Marathon Music Works. It was a fun sight as it is evident that those crowd members wanted to pass on the music they enjoyed with their children.
Angels & Airwaves will continue touring the United States through November, and a complete list of tour dates can be seen on the band’s website.ANGELS & AIRWAVES
Website Facebook Twitter
BAD SUNS
Website Facebook Twitter
