Live Report: The Offspring deliver a nostalgic performance at Dublin's 3Arena

Wrapping up the European leg of their extensive Supercharged: Worldwide tour, California pop-punk icons The Offspring bring their show to a packed 3Arena in Dublin, delivering an unforgettable night full of catchy hits from the Y2K era.

Dexter Holland leads the band, a licensed pilot with a PhD in molecular science, who also finds time to manage his own hot sauce business. He is backed by lead guitarist Kevin 'Noodles' Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn.

Kicking things off at 7:30 PM sharp are Canadian pop-rock veterans Simple Plan. With hits like 'I’m Just a Kid', 'Perfect', and 'Welcome to My Life', their set is a nostalgia trip straight back to the early 2000s.

One could easily believe that they are the main acts of the night, with the crowd chanting along to every verse and chorus.

The centrepiece of their performance is their once in a lifetime hit 'What's New Scooby-Doo?', the theme song for the TV show of the same name. They are joined by dancers dressed as the members of the Scooby gang, gleefully jumping across the stage in cartoonish manner.

The intermission is a truly American experience. A blimp circles around the venue while unsuspecting fans are picked out for kiss cams or celebrity lookalikes.

As the blimp descends back to its resting place beside the stage, tense synthesiser swells fill the arena. Visuals of a Tesla tower crackling with bright blue lightning appear on stage, leading into The Offspring's first song of the Night, 'Come Out and Play'- a hard hitting punk rock anthem with raging guitar riffs off their 1994 album Smash.

Though The Offspring’s music carries a strong Y2K spirit, its appeal is anything but outdated. The arena is packed with longtime fans reliving the anthems of their teenage years, as well as plenty of younger listeners whose enthusiasm proves the band’s spirit is very much alive.

The band goes on to perform various covers. 'Paranoid' and 'Crazy Train' pay tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with renditions of 'I Wanna Be Sedated' and 'Hey Jude' also thrown in.

About half way through the show, a piano is brought out and Dexter Holland takes a seat. He performs 'Gone Away', a tender song about losing a loved one. He invites the crowd to join him in a moment of remembrance, asking them to raise their phone lights in honour of their own lost loved ones. The original rock elements of the song come back in towards the end, alongside stunning lighting work and well placed pyrotechnics.

Visuals of skeletons and lightnings give way to the cartoon boy from the cover of their iconic 1998 album Americana, signalling that the nostalgia dial is about to be turned up to eleven. The Offspring perform 'Why Don't You Get A Job', 'Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)' and 'The Kids Aren't Alright' - all absolute 90s classics that sound incredible live. This phenomenal run is followed by another one of their biggest songs, 'You're Gonna Go Far, Kid'. The pop punk anthem brims with an unforgettable chorus and lyrics that call out despicable behaviour, exposing how it leads to inevitable downfall.

The show is visually stunning. Many songs feature carefully selected comic-style background visuals, accentuated by phenomenal lighting work and occasional confetti explosions.

Drummer Brandon Pertzborn stands out. He is by far their youngest member, being born in 1994, but his skills showcase a lifetime of experience. Drenched in sweat from the outset, he delivers an array of showstopping drum solos all throughout the night, elevating the bands performance to the upper echelon.

The entire group is in top form. Every bass line and guitar solo lands with razor-sharp precision, and the vocals soar with passion and grit.

They end the night on a high note with the aggressive, fast-paced punk track 'Self Esteem' with soaring vocals and heavy guitar riffs, giving the crowd one last chance to mosh to their hearts content.

With that, a night of pure entertainment comes to an end and the buzzing crowd starts pouring onto the wet Dublin streets. It is clear Offspring may have greyed around the edges, but the youthful spirit of their sound is eternal.

Great show put on by both The Offspring & Simple Plan last night in Dublin#SUPERCHARGED@simpleplan @offspring @TheGnudz pic.twitter.com/OhsKztTVMk

— Matthew Dawson ||-// (@strghtedgematt) November 13, 2025