OFFSPRING LIVE!! | WALNUT CREEK

Coverage by Chris Sturk

The Offspring Supercharge Walnut Creek

The Offspring tore through the Walnut Creek Amphitheater—also known as Coastal Credit Union Music Park—to celebrate their latest release, Supercharged, which dropped in 2024. Bringing punk power to the Triangle, they weren’t alone: Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory joined the lineup, rounding out a stacked night of nostalgic riffs and high-octane performances.

A staple of the punk/pop-punk scene since the early '90s, The Offspring has delivered a slew of hits including “Self Esteem,” “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” “Come Out and Play,” and “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).” Their breakout moment came with Smash, the 1994 album that defined a generation—my friends and I had it on repeat back in the day.

To everyone’s surprise, the band kicked off their set with “Come Out and Play,” a song so iconic it usually closes the night. From there, they tore through fan favorites including “Want You Bad,” which had me grinning ear to ear seeing it live. They also jammed through “Original Prankster,” gave us a roaring Ramones cover with “I Wanna Be Sedated,” and capped their encore with “Self Esteem,” the anthem that put them on the map.

Decades in, The Offspring still hasn’t strayed from their punk roots. Their authenticity and impact—especially during the late '90s and early 2000s—have cemented them as one of the genre’s greats.