How's a band supposed to celebrate their first album's 15 year anniversary? Stop right there - “No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls”, is in fact, 15 years old. When it came out, I was barely an angsty teenager. When I hit 15, it was like a rite of passage. I blasted it in my room – it was my number one defense (and offense) against the world.

It's not an album to look back on with nostalgia, not yet. It's still hip and the guys are still around and kicking. Most bands aren't even together after 15 years. Not only that, but have all founding members still in the band, unharmed. To celebrate their amazing feats, Simple Plan went on tour to give their longtime fans a nostalgic blast from the past.

To this day, I still frequently listen to songs off their album, because why wouldn't I? To actually hear “Welcome To My Life” and “I'd Do Anything" live, well, I had to pinch myself. It was something I never thought I'd have the chance to experience when I was a teenager screaming and crying to their songs in my room behind the closed door. This past weekend I went through this shmorgasborg of emotions outside of my room, in a sold out venue with hundreds of people who feel the same way that I do, including the five guys of Simple Plan.

When the album was conceived over a decade ago, no one could have predicted the impact it would have on an unprecedented amount of people. It goes to show, following your passion and taking a chance will take you on a beautiful journey.

I could go on for 15 years more about how amaze-balls the album is, but I have to point out that this album wasn't the height of their career. In their scene, they're kings. Artists are inspired by them, just as their fans are, and many even have the chance to work with them.

They even transcend the bounds of their own scene. They're able to seamlessly incorporate different elements of sound in to their songs to take an excursion from their usual rock sound, and get comfortable. This allowed them to collaborate with Nelly, Natasha Bedingfield, and Sean Paul, to name a few. Music is a language that speaks to all. To see share songs with unlikely artists, is inspiring and attests to their diverse talents as artists.

They LOVE what they do and don't plan to stop any time soon. What makes this band so special is that nothing has changed since “No Pads, No Helmets..Just Balls” came out. No one's ego is too big to fit through the door and their attitudes are just as positive as they were when they started. No member is the “star” of the band and they'd do anthing for their fans.

They're able to touch people on such a personal level, and they don't take that for granted. At the show, it was surreal to see so many people come alive in their presence. They reflected the same excitement and gratitude and it led their performance. I haven't seen a band look so comfortable and delighted to be on a stage in a long time.

Simple Plan is a band that just makes you feel at home. They don't ignore what you're feeling – they face it with you. Knowing that people feel the same way as you do and having that feeling of connectivity is sometimes that push we need. They want to be there for their fans. That's why they're doing what their doing.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the 30 year anniversary.

BONUS: So who else remembers this?