Simple Plan Proves It Was Never Just A Phase at The America First Field

Pop/Punk and emo were never just a phase and on Saturday, August 16th, Simple Plan reminded us all of that along with LØLØ, 3OH!3, Bowling for Soup and a capacity crowd on a windy rainy evening at the America First Field in Sandy, Utah. 

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LØLØ opened the show but unfortunately, we missed her set but the buzz around the venue made it clear that her performance was one to remember.  Performing through the pouring rain and gusts of wind fans said it gave her performance more energy.

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Next up was 3OH!3 who wasted no time taking us all back to the mid 2000’s with their blend of pop/punk, humor and hooks.  Fans sang along to favorites and new hits including the recently released “Slushie.” Closing out the set they performed their smash hit “Don’t Trust Me” with a giant sing-along from the crowd. 

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After a break Bowling for Soup carried that momentum and energy forward with anthems that hooked us all.  Jaret Reddick and Rob Felicetti worked the stage with perfect chemistry and engaging the crowd.  Fans sang along to hits like “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” and “Ohio (Come Back to Texas).”  At one point in the show Jaret poked fun at their age and songs remarking “we are a bunch of guys in our 40’s singing about being teenagers from songs we wrote in our 20’s and you probably heard in grade school,” to the laughter of the fans before closing out the set with the smash single “1985.”

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Finally, the main event of the night arrived as Simple Plan took the stage to the cheers of the fans.  Their set leaned heavier into the emo side of pop/punk pulling in more emotions than the humor fueled sets before.  Songs like “Welcome to My Life” and “Perfect” pulled all our emotions to the forefront resonating just as deeply as they did the first time that we heard them. 

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In what was perhaps the night’s most memorable moment, vocalist Pierre Bouvier spotted a kid holding a sign and asked to read it.  When it was revealed, it was the kid’s 10th birthday Pierre asked his name and when he replied “Zack” Pierre asked the crowd to sing Zack Happy Birthday.  As everyone, including the band sang him happy birthday Zack was overcome with emotions, and the moment has since been posted to the band’s social media. 

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For the encore the band performed the angst filled anthem “I’m Just a Kid” but with a twist.  Pierre and drummer, Chuck Comeau switched places seemingly but then Comeau went into the crowd and was replaced by Bowling for Soup vocalist Jaret Reddick who performed vocals.  Before the switch though Pierre said the song was for everyone who ever felt out of place, or anyone who was different and was told the phrase “It’s just a phase” saying that we all were proving now and forever that it was never just a phase.  Everyone sang along, letting their inner teenagers out remembering what it felt like when we were all just kids.

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To close out the show Pierre and company performed “Perfect” which was the best way possible to close the show.  The song pulled at all of our angsts and feelings just as much now as it did when they wrote that song that spoke for a generation.