Transporting back to the late 90s, pop punk energy permeated in Brooklyn, New York, as the “Back for the Attack” Tour came to Brooklyn Steel on Tuesday night, June 28. Co-headliners The Aquabats, Bowling For Soup, and Less Than Jake created an energetic, hilarious, crowd-involved spectacle that left the audience heading home sweaty from dancing, and maybe with a new best friend.
Opening for the tour was Don’t Panic, a pop-punk group based out of the Poconos in Pennsylvania. Don’t Panic built up the energy in the crowd and buckled in everyone for a night of transport to the nostalgia of the past.
First up was The Aquabats. Always identifiable by their matching masks and colorful costumes, this zany group knows how to put on a show. They knew what the audience needed, that of course being to throw a middle schooler off the stage onto an inflatable slice of pizza.
Playing through their hits with giant inflatable sharks, pizzas, beach balls, and an on stage fight with a Yeti, the Aquabats created an electric, fun-forward show that was equal parts set and spectacle.
Headlining up next was the incredibly cheeky and incredibly fun, Bowling For Soup. The crowd was transported from the get-go as the band opened their set with the song “High School Never Ends.” Playing through even more hits like “Almost” and “Theme Song to Phineas and Ferb” the band’s energy was infectious, and their quips between songs erupted smiles and laughs from the whole crowd.
And if anyone was guessing who the middle schooler was projected off the stage by the Aquabats, that question was swiftly answered by Bowling For Soup singer Jaret Reddick… “my son.”
The band’s banter and jokes absolutely added a new level of energy into the crowd. “When life gives you melons, you might be dyslexic…” or you might be at a Bowling For Soup mid-show comedy special. Crowning a new winner every show, the band members told jokes and gauged audience applause to pick the winner.
Playing up next a song off their new album, Pop Drunk Snot Bread, they got the crowd singing along to one titled “I Wanna Be Brad Pitt.” During their set, the group makes you feel like you grew up together; singing, dancing, laughing together…you’re all just here to relive, release, and have a damn good time.
Ending their set with the hit staple, “1985” they delivered a powerful punch to the fun-loving nostalgia built in all of us.
Closing out the night was headliner Less Than Jake with an incredibly energetic, ska-punk set. Feeling the energy of the songs, smiles slapped on their faces, the crowd kept dancing and moving in a mosh-pit that opened at the start of every single song.
These guys know how to have fun and they know how to elicit that energy in their crowds, new and older listeners alike. As the band rocked around the stage, the crowd succumbed (willingly) to their teen spirit and got lost in the groove themselves.
Keeping with the theme of utilizing Jaret Rednick’s son in their sets, Less Than Jake had the kid using a toilet paper leaf blower to stream the tissues into the crowd for what was truly an inventive prank-like spectacle to be seen.
Less Than Jake ended their electric show with “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads.” And as the house lights came on and the crowd trickled into the cool air of the summer night, maybe there were some new friends walking out right next to you, heartbeats still bumping along loudly in tune to the night.
