Another day, another concert! For once it was in Winterthur and not in Zurich. The Offspring opened their “Let The Bad Times Roll” tour in little Switzerland… And this was a sold-out show!

On this tour, there are two supporting acts to make sure the crowd is all warmed up and ready for The Offspring. First up was Trash Boat – a British punk rock band. Their high-energy performance and catchy melodies set the tone for the evening. The audience was already pumped up for the main event. 

Concert Pictures: Trash Boat @ Zielbau Arena, Winterthur 

Four Year Strong, a pop-punk/hardcore band from Massachusetts, was up next. There was lots of headbanging in their set already, so the energy is going the right way 😀 While Four Year Strong was playing, the venue started to get really packed. Most people now made their way inside. It got warm quite fast. There was a strategically placed wind machine that kept things from getting too hot on stage. Pretty sure the lead singer was happy about that.

Concert Pictures: Four Year Strong @ Zielbau Arena, Winterthur 

Feeling Young Again: The Offspring Brings the Energy to Winterthur

The Zielbau Arena in Winterthur was packed by the time The Offspring got on stage. During the stage set up, a small blimp flew over the audience’s heads – the blimp cam was making its way through the venue. Sometimes dropping little cards (I, unfortunately, didn’t find out what exactly they were – can anyone fill me in?).

Despite there being some drunk and rowdy people, the overall mood seemed to be happy, people are excited to see what The Offspring had in store for us. The punk rockers from California kicked off their tour in Winterthur, and despite the sweltering heat, they brought the audience to totally rock out.

Mosh Pits Galore: The Offspring Brings the Energy

I know, it’s part of a proper punk rock show… The mosh pits. But they freaking scare the shit out of me. I was glad to have a spot on the balcony and watch the countless moshpits form from above. But nevertheless, I understand that some find mosh pits amazing. And the music does call for some explosive bursts of energy. I have to admit that back in the day, I wasn’t a huge fan and only knew the band’s radio hits, but the energy in the room was contagious, and I somehow was still impressed (and terrified) with all the jumping and moshing.

Pretty Fly for… A Solo Piano Ballad

Of course, the band brought all their hits to Winterthur. While I was impatiently waiting for “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)”, I was pleasantly surprised halfway through the show. The band left the stage, the lights turned off for a second and suddenly there was a grand piano standing there. And then there was Dexter Holland sitting at the piano, all by himself, and singing “Gone Away”. I certainly didn’t see that coming. 

More Mosh Pits and Huge Balloons

Before the big hits were brought out, the crew threw some oversized balloons into the crowd – it’s funny how something so “small” and simple, can make for such a cool sight and atmosphere. The balloons were all over the place when The Offspring started performing “Why Don’t You Get A Job”. Aaaaaand, more mosh pits. 

All in all, it was an enjoyable show, and despite the heat, it seemed like most people got their money’s worth. I was gonna tell you to make sure to get tickets to one of their shows if you want to feel like a teenager again – but ALL of their EU shows are sold out. I guess we all needed this throwback. 

Fun fact: It was refreshing to not be the oldest person in the room for once – I seem to choose to go to concerts that mainly have younger audiences. So thanks to The Offspring for making me feel young again 👏

Concert Pictures: The Offspring @ Zielbau Arena, Winterthur