BIGGER THAN YOU THINK: SIMPLE PLAN'S BIGGEST PHOENIX SHOW YET

The Arizona Financial Theatre became a time capsule of pure pop-punk joy last August 14th as Simple Plan rolled through with the Bigger Than You Think tour for their 25th anniversary. Backed by openers 3OH!3, Bowling For Soup and LØLØ, the evening was packed with equal parts of nostalgia trip, high-energy party, and heartfelt thank-you to the fans who have stuck by the Canadian punks for two and a half decades.

The night opened with LØLØ, a rising alt-pop talent with confessional lyrics and unpolished sincerity. She leaned heavily on tracks from her debut album, including “faceplant,” a song born from personal hardship but delivered with grit and charm. Her high-spirited performance connected with early arrivals with tracks like “u turn me on,” “hot girls in hell,” and “the devil wears converse,” reminding the crowd that pop-punk’s heart has always been about vulnerability.

Next came Bowling for Soup, whose set was part rock show, part comedy routine. Known for their tongue-in-cheek lyrics and not taking themselves too seriously, Jaret Reddick and company packed some crowd favorites like “1985” and “Girl All the Bad Guys Want.” Their playful banter had the crowd laughing as much as cheering. One highlight of their set was when Jaret started playing one of their hits, which was the opening soundtrack of the popular cartoon Phineas and Ferb, and started making fun of himself as he playfully switched some of the chords. They proved once again that pop-punk doesn’t have to grow up to stay relevant.

If Bowling for Soup kept things cheeky, 3OH!3 turned the energy dial to eleven. Rocking their Canadian tuxedo for the night, their electro-pop anthems like “DONTTRUSTME” and “My First Kiss” got the floor bouncing with their hands in the air forming their infamous hand-sign logo. Their high-voltage set leaned into fun over nostalgia, creating the perfect segue into the night’s main event.

When Simple Plan finally hit the stage, the roar and anticipation from the sold-out show were undeniably loud. Opening with the song “I’d Do Anything,” the band dove into a career-spanning setlist that defined their 25 years of career. Some hits like “I’m Just A Kid,” “Addicted,” and “Summer Paradise,” with deep cuts and heartfelt staples like “Astronaut” and “This Song Saved My Life,” were performed with their hearts out. They also added a playful medley of “All Star,” “Sk8er Boi,” and “Mr. Brightside,” which was a stroke of genius, a nod to the early 2000s soundtrack that shaped a generation.

Fans were treated with lots of surprises. One of which was when Pierre, the band’s frontman, appeared in the middle of the crowd with a piano to perform the song Untitled. It was an instant singalong while all the lights were out, making the entire venue look like stars in the sky. The surprise never ended there because after the song, a couple was pulled by the singer to the spotlight and handed his mic to them. Everybody in the audience felt the love as the guy proposed in front of five thousand people, which made it memorable as they both are the biggest Simple Plan fans.

One of the night’s most unexpected highlights came when they performed “What’s New Scooby Doo,” a soundtrack from the animated mystery show. All fans from the crowd who’s wearing Scooby outfits were brought on stage to jam with the band as they sang the OST. It was a delight to see all the die-hard fans enjoy while rocking with the four members.

There was a surprise switch-up towards the end of the show as the band performed “Welcome To My Life” halfway through the song. The band’s drummer, Chuck Comeau, stood from his seat and started crowd surfing as their singer took his role at the drums. They brought out Jaret from Bowling For Soup to sing the rest of the song while Chuck was having the best night of his life, giving high fives while being tossed around by their fans that were standing on the floor.

By the time the band ended the show with their emotionally nostalgic song “Perfect,” fans were left with more than just a reminder of their teenage years. We experienced a night of pure celebration of a band that got us through our teenage years.