THE OFFSPRING brought pure punk adrenaline to Helsinki’s Jäähalli on October 7th, 2025, turning a chilly autumn evening into a full-blown sing-along. The legendary California punk band took over the Ice Hall with support from pop punk favorites SIMPLE PLAN, delivering a night packed with nostalgia, energy, and crowd-shaking anthems, as part of their Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 tour promoting their latest album “Supercharged.” From the opening riffs to the final encore, both bands proved that the spirit of early 2000s punk still hits as hard and feels as fresh as ever.
The “Star Wars” intro blared through the arena speakers as SIMPLE PLAN hit the stage, kicking off with an explosion of energy that instantly lifted the crowd. The familiar orchestral swell from the galaxy far, far away built tension and excitement until it melted perfectly into the opening chords of “I’d Do Anything.” Lights burst to life, and Jäähalli erupted as fans jumped, shouted, and sang along to every word. The sudden shift from cinematic grandeur to pop-punk chaos was electric, and from the very first note, Pierre Bouvier and the crew had the crowd eating out of their hands, dancing and singing like it was 2005 all over again.
SIMPLE PLAN powered through an electrifying set, framed by a vibrant backdrop screen flashing bold graphics and colors that amplified every beat. “Are you guys still with us?” Pierre grinned before diving straight into “Welcome to My Life”, hands raised high, voices echoed across the Ice Hall. The pop punk veterans filled the room with nostalgia and pure joy, each song landing like a time capsule. During “Summer Paradise,” giant beach balls rolled and bounced through the crowd, turning Helsinki into a mid-October beach party. Between songs, Pierre joked that Canada and Finland were “the same, but better here,” earning huge cheers from fans who hadn’t seen them live since before the pandemic.
Just when it seemed the energy couldn’t go higher, the band surprised everyone with “What’s New Scooby-Doo?,” and the place went wild. Fans in Scooby costumes jumped around the pit, laughter and dancing, spread like wildfire. They wrapped up with “Perfect,” their timeless closer, as a sea of glowing phone lights waved across the darkened hall. It was a beautiful, nostalgic finish, a perfect hand-off to the main event, THE OFFSPRING.
Before the headliners took the stage, THE OFFSPRING treated the crowd to about 30 minutes of pre-show entertainment, a mix of rock classics, tongue-in-cheek videos, and playful on-screen visuals that kept everyone buzzing while the crew prepared the stage. Fans clapped, sang along, and laughed at the irreverent clips flashing across the backdrop, the perfect warm-up to what was coming next.
The lights dropped, and a booming countdown began as AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blasted through the arena. The massive clock on the screen ticked down second by second; the tension was real. Then, with the final beat, THE OFFSPRING stormed the stage and ripped straight into “Come Out and Play.” The crowd went wild. Instantly, Jäähalli was on fire, fans were jumping, shouting, and singing like it was the late ‘90s all over again. Those opening chords hit like a time machine, proof that THE OFFSPRING’s music hasn’t lost a single ounce of its punch.
The band tore through “All I Want,” “Want You Bad,” “Staring at the Sun,” and “Hammerhead,” unleashing a relentless burst of energy that had a small circle pit forming near the front. Every drumbeat and guitar riff landed perfectly, sharp, tight, and loud enough to rattle your bones. Between songs, the band kept the momentum going, promising a mix of old favorites, new material, and a few unexpected twists along the way. The energy never dipped, the crowd only grew louder, hungry for whatever came next as the band drove straight into another wave of punk-fueled chaos.
Then came the visual streamers fired into the crowd as “Looking Out for #1” bled into “Original Prankster.” Pyros flared, inflatable skeletons danced across the screen, and blue lights washed over the hall. Midway through, the band broke into a wild cover medley, “Electric Funeral / Paranoid,” “Crazy Train,” “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” and “I Wanna Be Sedated,” a pure, joyful mayhem that the crowd devoured.
The chaos gave way to calm as smoke filled the stage and a white piano appeared. Dexter Holland sat down for a haunting version of “Gone Away,” the hall fell silent before the full band returned to finish in classic style. From there, “Why Don’t You Get a Job?,” “Spare Me the Details,” and “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)” reignited the party, before “The Kids Aren’t Alright” closed the main set with a cathartic punch.
For the encore, “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “Self Esteem” sent the night out in a blur of punk energy and gratitude. As the final notes rang out, the sweaty, smiling crowd sang every word, the perfect ending to an unforgettable Wednesday in Helsinki. Everyone left buzzing, satisfied, and just a little bit louder than when they arrived.
Written by Peter Jerman
Setlist
- Come Out and Play
- All I Want
- Want You Bad
- Looking Out for #1
- Staring at the Sun
- Hammerhead
- Original Prankster
- Hit That
- Make It All Right
- Bad Habit
- Electric Funeral/Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover)
- Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
- In the Hall of the Mountain King (Edvard Grieg cover)
- I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones cover)
- Gotta Get Away
- Drum Solo
- Gone Away (Piano version)
- Why Don’t You Get a Job?
- Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
- The Kids Aren’t Alright
- You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid (Encore)
- Self Esteem (Encore)
