Simple Plan @ Hollywood Palladium
Three iconic bands join forces in a adrenaline rushed show at the Hollywood Palladium
Simple Plan, State Champs, and We The Kings — what a treat to see them all in one night as these three bands that have formed a great friendship embark on tour together to play their music all over North America. Fans gathered at Hollywood Palladium on a Friday night, ready to crowd surf and start a mosh pit. With Simple Plan being the oldest band out of the three and headlining the tour, many had arrived to experience a night of nostalgia and was itching to rock out to their favorite tunes from these bands.
We The Kings
After the opening act Northbound set the atmosphere for the night, We The Kings stepped on stage with their first song "Skyway Avenue." The lead singer Travis Clark engaged with the audience who sang along to their set which included "Sad Song", "I Feel Alive", and "Say You Like Me." They entertained us with a cover of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" sang by their guitarist Coley O’Toole which filled the room with both laughter and voices singing along. Included in their set was a surprise guest performance by Machine Gun Kelly who joined them on stage to cover Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle." Continuing on in their momentum, We The Kings closed with "Check Yes Juliet," leaving the crowd with excitement and anticipation of the next two bands.
State Champs
At the show, many fans were spotted wearing State Champs’s t-shirts as they rolled into the venue. As soon as they took on the stage with their first song "Mine Is Gold", the crowd exploded with energy and immediately started crowd surfing. One after another, flailing bodies made their way up to the barricade while the lead singer Derek DiScanio rocked out to their set which included "All You Are Is History" and "Lightning." Before singing "Criminal", Derek told the audience, "I want a pit open!" and voila, there was a mosh pit in the middle of the crowd. The pit had so much energy that some were getting nose bleeds. Nevertheless, it was a true sign that they were having the best time of their lives at this show.
Simple Plan
Playlist that played between State Champs and Simple Plan’s set included throwback emo music such as “Sugar, We’re Going Down”, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”, and “Ocean Avenue,” which surely set the stage for Simple Plan. As soon as the music stopped, the crowd knew that it was time. The band greeted the roaring crowd, starting off their set with “I’d Do Anything” and “Jump.” Genuine happiness showed across the entire band as they performed for their dear friends, family, and fans in a city which now they call home. The band and the crowd fed off of each other's energy as they jumped and danced around to the beat of the song. Throwing it back to their earlier years, Simple Plan sang some of their greatest hits “Welcome to My Life”, “Addicted”, and “Your Love Is A Lie.”
Most people know that Simple Plan is the band who sings Scooby Doo’s theme song, “What’s New Scooby Doo.” After performing the song, lead singer Pierre Bouvier proudly announced, “That’s right, we’re the ‘What’s New Scooby Doo’ band!” as if this song was their one claim to fame. During their performance of “Summer Paradise,” beach balls were thrown into the crowd which reminded us of warm California summer vibes. However, this beachy tune did not stop the crowd from creating a mosh pit to the next track “Thank You.” The crowd immediately opened up the pit as the first melody of the song started. The level of excitement in the audience was at a maximum high as we saw the crowd screaming to the song and jumping from one wall to the other.
Simple Plan is not only a great rock band, but it turns out that they are also amazing magicians! Pierre appeared out of nowhere at the sound booth for their performance of “Crazy.” The entire room shifted towards the back to catch his performance up close and personal. When Pierre returned on stage, State Champs and We The Kings joined them as they sang their newest single “Where I Belong.” What an amazing moment to see these three bands perform live on stage at the same time! To close out the night, the band performed “Shut Up”, “I’m Just A Kid,” and “Perfect” for their encore, leaving the audience with a spirit of enthusiasm.
Seeing Simple Plan, State Champs, and We The Kings on that day was an experience that these fans will remember for the rest of their lives. Its energy, atmosphere, and intensity was something that could have only been felt at a live show. Having witnessed these three bands’ friendship, we hope that they continue to create music together and hope that this was not the last time to see them tour together! Thank you Simple Plan, State Champs, and We The Kings for an amazing tour!
(4.5 / 5)
Review and photos by Shion Uza
