2002: A time when Tobey Maguire was Peter Parker, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears' breakup was fresh in our minds and The Osbornes were on TV.
2002 also marks the year Simple Plan debuted "No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls." An album that would change the lives of thousands of people. I was seven, struggling to have a relationship with my father and in therapy for my parents’ divorce. I felt alone, stuck in the middle, hoping to go from seven to seventeen to escape from being trapped.
Now, I admit, I should not have been listening to this album at such a young age. But this album would forever change the kind of music I would be drawn to. And fifteen years later, this album stands the test of time. Simple Plan is on tour to celebrate the anniversary, playing every song from the album, from top to bottom at every show. I attended the first show of the tour and it was hands down the best concert I have ever been to.
Simple Plan has had the unique ability to transcend over generations. People who weren’t even alive yet when this album came out were there. Men and women over fifty were fighting to get to the front row. Then there were people like me, who weren’t even old enough to get into a concert when the album came out. All of these generations in the audience, screaming out the lyrics, letting out the pain of whatever bullshit we went through in 2002, together. It was something I have never experienced before, but it was beautiful.
I had the pleasure of being able to see Set It Off, one of my favorite bands, be a part of such an important tour. Their new album, "Upside Down," is different from their previous stuff. It’s more light-hearted and pop-based. I was so excited to see their perform "Diamond Girl," my favorite song from the album, live.
And in an exciting surprise, Patent Pending was the opener for the show! I’ve seen them perform before years ago, but it was super cool to see a band from Long Island, where I grew up, perform on such a big stage. Actually, a few years ago, they wrote a song about Simple Plan, asking them to please take them on tour, so it was cool to see that actually come to fruition.
This concert brought back a lot of feelings for me. Everyone got a little emotional during the set at some point. Reminiscing about all the things we been through, the situations we fought through when we believed we couldn’t. As Simple Plan made their way through their set list, I looked around at all these people I was surrounded by, complete strangers, and realized that I wasn’t alone. This band, this album, brought us here, to this moment, together. After fifteen years, everything had changed for us, but some things never will.
If you haven’t listened to "No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls," what the hell are you waiting for? Let the music videos bring you back to a time when arm bands were cool and spiky hair was everywhere. Check out their remaining tour dates and see them in your city. Trust me, it’ll be a show you’ll never forget.
