The Offspring headlined the SEMA FEST, closing out the annual convention with a night of punk rock, cars, and more.
The SEMA Convention has always been one of the biggest, most successful conventions in Las Vegas, and this year was no exception. A few years ago, they added SEMA FEST, a concert and car show to close out the event, and this year’s festival was one of the biggest, playing to a sold-out crowd. This was no ordinary music festival; there were cars on display, the globe of death motorcycle show, and even cars racing on a track, so there was plenty for the fans to do in between bands.
Jimmy Eat World is one of those bands that has been around for a long time, and when you listen to their set, you remember all their hits. They opened the set strong with “Pain,” “Something Loud,” and “Sweetness.” The fans were up against the railing, singing along. Not only does this band have an established legacy, but they are unique since Jim Adkins, Tom Linton, and Zach Lind have been there since the beginning, with Rick Burch joining only two years after their formation. They played the emotional ballad “Hear You Me” next, and the crowd was loving every minute of it. The 16-song set concluded with “The Middle,” which really got the crowd moving and pumped up.
The set continued with “Bad Habit” before transitioning into the cover song portion of the set with hits from Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne. They performed a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” which was billed as the most punk rock version of a Taylor Swift song ever, and it was. The crowd loved it. There was a large video screen with colorful graphics, streamer cannons, and two giant skeletons that blew smoke during their 17-song set. All of their hits were played before closing with an encore of “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” and “Self Esteem.” It was a high-energy performance that perfectly fit this festival. The sold-out crowd stayed until the last note was played and the last bit of confetti fell.
THE OFFSPRING
Website Facebook X
