"I was a teenager when I went to the show. I wanted to be Tom DeLonge and I wanted to marry Gwen Stefani. I'll never forget how awesome it was to see both bands on stage together!"
Blink 182 and No Doubt teamed up for a summer tour in 2004, where they played at major venues in the United States. Due to a busy solo schedule for Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, the bands only played 13 dates, but they were dates no one would forget. Some thought at first that the pairing was unusual, with one critic saying,
"The Blink 182/No Doubt pairing might seem like trying to fit two pieces from different puzzles together, but the energy that both bands generated made the connection obvious."
Tom DeLonge said of the tour,
'This is a great opportunity to see two bands from Southern California that have a history spanning a decade. We're honoured to be sharing a stage with them again like we did 10 years ago."
USA
The first date seen the bands travel to New Jersey. Blink played a great set, bringing in both new songs and older ones for the fans to enjoy. With ten years of albums and playing gigs under their belt, the band were more than happy to play to the crowd and involve all of the fans in their playful banter. Having No Doubt on the bill also gave them an opportunity to speak personally of their friendship with the co-headliners. Tom spoke on stage of the bond between the bands and let slip his love for Gwen Stefani by saying,
"Oh, up there she is close to a perfect 10. If not, really close to it."
Not only did the tour bring together two amazing bands, but it also gave them a chance to promote their new albums. These were the self-titled, fifth studio album from Blink-182, and No Doubt's The Singles 1992-2003, which celebrated their career and marked the start of a hiatus for the band. Both bands were successful and one fan commented,
"You kinda forget that Blink 182 was as big as, and sometimes bigger than, Gwen and Co. It was worth the price of admission alone just for Travis' extended drum solo atop a riser above the crowd. Gwen's back flips certainly added value, too!"
This was a show that seen two legendary bands take the stage, creating unforgettable memories for all who managed to get a ticket. As the bands were only playing a select few dates together, the pressure for fans to get a ticket to see them was immense. Sales went through the roof and all of the dates on the tour were sold out quickly.
The band then went on to play 4 dates in California, breaking it up with a show in Phoenix, Arizona. It was important for both bands to play California, as they both originated from there a decade before, and wanted to play to their local fans. The headliners were supported by Australian band, The Living End.
Some critics said that, although Blink 182 played well, No Doubt played better. Joe D'Angelo wrote,
"The audience here was wholly under [Gwen's] spell, given that on this particular night, No Doubt were the best show in town, even if Blink played one hell of a concert."
Tom was oblivious to any bad comments and highly rated his performance over anyone else's! He released a comment about the tour saying,
"The shows are really cool. I think all the people coming to the shows have fun because the shows are so good. And I think more than anything, though, is that my performance has been spectacular."
Who are we to argue with Tom DeLonge? There may have been some controversy about who played best, but with two of the best bands to come out of California playing, the fans were just ecstatic to witness the event!