As bands develop, their sound changes, their members change and multiply, relationships grow weaker and stronger… One thing has not changed: Blink 182 still has the same sound, the same three members, and onstage appear just as fun and crazy as they were back in 1992 when Cheshire Cat was recorded. Although my love for Blink has always been strong, their lack of touring over their hiatus made it impossible to see them live. When the reunion tour was announced, it was a must — I had to be there.

As the sun set on beautiful Jones Beach in Long Island, New York, the stage was set. After opener Chester French gave a solid performance, crowd favorite locals Taking Back Sunday gave a less than amazing set which featured more microphone swinging than great singing. Despite a lackluster performance, the crowd was busting at the seams for the final two bands of the night. Weezer came onstage in matching white jumpsuits to the opening verse of the classic Black Sabbath song, “War Pigs,” leading directly into “Hash Pipe” in a smooth transition. The crowd was really into Weezer, and for good reason. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo, who is known to be subdued on stage, was running all over the place, reminiscent of Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. After performing their hits from the past few years and a few new songs, they ended the way they started — with a cover. This time, it was The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.”

Finally, the time arrived for three boys from California to hit New York with everything they had. A black curtain blocked the stage, and as the opening cords of “Dumpweed” were struck, the curtain came crashing down and the crowd got their first look at Mark, Tom and Travis. Opening the show with a string of fan-favorites, including “Feeling This” and “What’s My Age Again,” they threw in a lot of songs from their most recently recorded self-titled studio album. Playing almost all of their greatest hits album, it was exactly what I expected from the funnest band in rock.

Closing the show with “Anthem Part 2,” the black curtain was back, and what came from behind this curtain was truly impressive. Travis Barker, who was in a devastating plane crash just six months earlier, was suspended 40 feet in the air, jamming along to a number of rap songs. It was a really cool moment for the crowd, as most of them couldn’t believe what was happening. Mark and Tom rejoined Travis onstage to close the show with their huge single, “Dammit.” Despite an amazing show by a band I had never seen, part of me was slightly disappointed. Tom DeLonge has really taken a step back in almost all aspects of his live performance. Much of his guitar was tracked, and the parts performed were at a very sloppy level. On top of that, his vocals were shaky, to say the least, as he struggled to reach many of the notes and was unable to project his vocals the way great singers do.

Lucky for Tom, no one will remember that because of the amazing performances by Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. Travis is the greatest drummer of our generation, and the performance he is giving on this tour is a testament to that. Going 100% from the beginning until the last notes of the last song, his stamina is unmatched by anyone else in music today. Blink 182 is back. After three studio albums together and a five-year hiatus, it looks like they are here to stay. With a fourth album in the pipeline, I am interested to see how long they stay on the road before heading into the studio. If I had to guess, we’ll be seeing Blink quite a few more times before they head inside to record what is sure to be an interesting album, considering the type of trash that came out of the side projects, +44 and Angels and Airwaves. I hope for the best, but for the sake of the fans and the band’s chemistry, I hope they tour tour tour and leave the writing and recording to a later time in their careers.

For anyone confused about the title, Blink 182 has only recorded three albums with their current lineup of Mark, Tom and Travis. Previous records did not feature Travis on drums. Blink 182, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket and Enema of the State all feature the big three.