Friday, 5/9/97 Offspring smash their way to fans’ hearts at
Palladium Success hasn’t dulled Orange County band’s intense but
accessible brand of punk
By Michael Nazarinia Daily Bruin Contributor What’s a power punk
band from Orange County supposed to do when it has sold over 8
million records? Jump ship from indie label Epitaph to worldwide
powerhouse Columbia and do a followup album and tour, of course. In
support of their latest release, "Ixnay on the Hombre," the
Offspring showed off the resilient stage presence gained by touring
constantly for their previous multiplatinum release, "Smash." The
Offspring took to the Palladium stage Wednesday night, after
openers L7, with the energy of G.I. Joe action heroes breaking into
a Cobra compound in the dead of night. Starting with the driving,
manic "Bad Habit," about a motorist being pushed over the edge, the
Offspring, led by singer/songwriter Dexter Holland, took control
over the mixed crowd of teenagers and adults with bravado and
passion. Taking the best songs off "Smash" and "Ixnay On the
Hombre," Holland and company delivered one combustible song after
another in the one hour-plus show. The Offspring commanded the
Palladium crowd with a confidence usually reserved for sovereignty.
This confidence allowed the Offspring to rise above the lack of
respect given to them by those in the music business and media. Set
to minimal lighting, Holland and the rest of the band commanded
immediate attention by playing crowd favorites right alongside new
tracks from "Ixnay on the Hombre." The Offspring put on a show that
solidifies their standing as a contemporary punk band that does not
fear to broach the intelligent and honest landscape most often
attributed to another Orange County band, Bad Religion. The
Offspring offer a more easily accessible inroad to songs about
personal and societal expectations than Bad Religion and easily
have the power and tenacity to get their message across without
sounding preachy. After the first three songs, the Offspring really
got into the flow of things by playing their hit single "Come Out
and Play (Keep ‘Em Separated)," igniting a Palladium mosh pit. The
band followed this with some of the stronger songs from "Ixnay on
the Hombre" and a couple of intros to Black Sabbath and Guns ‘N’
Roses songs. An intermission followed, with Dead Kennedys vocalist
Jello Biafra doing the spoken word from "Ixnay on the Hombre,"
which led into the "All I Want" single from the album. The
highlights of the evening’s tight set included a ferociously
invasive version of the title track off of "Smash," which had the
crowd bobbing and weaving, and the encore "Gone Away" from "Ixnay
on the Hombre." "Gone Away" shows off the pop songwriting that
Holland has mastered by capturing the feeling of losing a loved one
without being cheesy. Holland’s earnestness and passionate singing
style made the song that much more intense. Drumming was another
strong point for the quartet, with Ron Welty pounding and grooving
to many mainstream rhythms that recalled punk or Jane’s Addiction.
On "Ixnay on the Hombre," the Offspring have loosened up their
songs to let Welty’s prowess on the drums become more apparent, and
this was evident right from the start of the show. L7 had a strong
opening set in support of their new album "Beauty Process Triple
Platinum," which got the night underway by heating up the floor to
right around 100 degrees. The all-female group played a tight set
that met the audience’s vociferous approval. For a band that’s been
around as long as these women have been, it was good to see fans
reacting so positively to one of the last all-female punk bands
around. As the opening leg of the new U.S. tour got underway, it
seemed that the Offspring have come along way from their days as a
punk band on the fringe. Now all that remains is avoiding
overexposure of the new material from "Ixnay on the Hombre."
Columbia Records The Offspring conquered the Palladium on Wednesday
night, proving that they can overcome the hype generated by 1994’s
multiplatinum "Smash." Related Links: Offspring L7 Unofficial
Site