Avril Lavigne and opening acts girlfriends and Simple Plan put on an electrifying show at Darien Lake Amphitheater this past Tuesday, August 20 for old and new fans showing that the emo genre is here to stay wasn’t just a phase.
Kicking off the night were girlfriends who brought an intense and energetic performance with Travis, Nick, and the rest of the band maintaining a high level of energy from start to finish.
Performing hits such as “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” “I Thought About You While I Was Taking a Shower,” and ” California” from their recent albums (e)motion sickness (2022) as well as self-titled debut album girlfriends (2020), the band was in true warm up form, channeling the headliner in their angst.
Following girlfriends was the pop-punk legend Simple Plan. They continued the high energy set by girlfriends and took it to the next level. Pierre Bouvier’s crowd interaction was outstanding, and the band’s attention to detail in engaging the crowd was truly remarkable.
Throughout their set, the audience enthusiastically sang along with the band, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. The night was filled with iconic songs such as “I’d Do Anything,” “Welcome to My Life,” “Summer Paradise.” They also sang favorites like the Scooby-Doo theme song, during which they invited fans dressed as Scooby-Doo to join them on stage, and the timeless anthem “I’m Just a Kid.”
At last the iconic princess, or rather the queen of the early 2000s pop-punk era, Avril Lavigne, took the stage. Her entrance featured her past album covers, early interviews, and clips from her early career, all leading up to her grand appearance on stage. When she emerged, the crowd went wild, and she kicked off with the song “Girlfriend.”
Throughout the night, Avril had the audience in the palm of her hand, taking them on the ride of their lives. Her audience was one of the loudest of my concert season, and you could truly feel the love that her fans have for her, as well as her gratitude for every single one of them that night.
She followed up with the songs “What the Hell” and “Complicated.” During her set, she brought out Simple Plan, and they sang Simple Plan’s “Addicted” together. Avril ended the night with the iconic song “I’m With You,” and she had everyone singing along with her. She’ll be back in New York on August 27 in Wantagh at Jones Beach Theater.
Avril Lavigne Setlist: Girlfriend, What the Hell, Complicated, Here’s to Never Growing Up, Smile, My Happy Ending, Addicted (with Simple Plan), Losing Grip, Hot, Bite Me, Love It When You Hate Me, When You’re Gone, Don’t Tell Me, He Wasn’t, Sk8er Boi
Encore: Head Above Water, I’m With You
Comments are closed.