IT may have been five years since Blink 182 last played in Liverpool but for the 11,000 in attendance, it was a night for nostalgia as well as new memories.

The band’s pop punk has been the soundtrack to many at the arena growing up, myself included.

Now, some of them are bringing their kids along to experience one of their first shows.

As the headliners emerged to the Stranger Things TV theme behind a massive Union Jack, emblazoned with the Blink 182 logo, the audience erupted as a collective to a punching one-two of anthemic tracks, Feeling This, and Rock Show, the latter certainly being one of their best known tracks from a career spanning 25 years. Despite all the members now in their 40s, they can still get a full arena of all ages singing along.

Last year brought the band’s seventh album, California, the first without long standing guitarist Tom DeLonge, who left rather messily (again).

The album went straight to number one, with Matt Skiba stepping into the big shoes, As a huge fan of the Alkaline Trio frontman, it’s a match made in heaven but it’ll take time to be part of the tapestry which makes up this three piece.

Other than the odd compliment to the crowd, Skiba leaves it to the music to reach out to those who are still unsure.

Other than the expletive heavy, Family Reunion, the trio have replaced the toilet humour between tracks, once a staple of their career, with a tour production to rival the best.

Unfortunately it highlights a show without much interaction with the the audience and indeed each other. When bassist and de-facto leader of the band, Mark Hoppus did try to engage with the crowd, it was often more misses than hits.

But the passion he has for the band saw him sing every word, even if it was just to himself as he jumped around the stage.

Indeed, the older tracks seem to gain new life and have never sounded better, and it is sensational drummer, Travis Barker who draws your attention with a high energy performance keeping everything together. The night closed with Travis’s 13-year-old son stepping up into the drum stool for a faultless solo, no doubt inspiring many in the arena.

In Liverpool they bring a little bit of California with them, lets just not make it so long next time round yeah?