blink-182 'devastated' to postpone start of tour due to Travis Barker injury

Not the start they wanted

Author: Scott ColothanPublished 2nd Mar 2023

The start of blink-182’s reunion world tour with Tom DeLonge has been postponed due to Travis Barker’s finger injury.

Travis Barker revealed on 8th February that he picked up his hand injury during rehearsals for blink-182’s world tour.

Sharing a macabre photo of the swollen ring finger, Barker told his Instagram followers: “I smashed my finger so hard I dislocated it and tore the ligaments.”

Less than two weeks later, Barker hurt his hand again and he's due to undergo surgery imminently.

Travis Barker's dislocated finger

Last night (1st March), Tom DeLonge issued a video message breaking the bad news to blink-182’s fans in Latin America and South America.

“I’m so sorry to everyone in South America, that we couldn’t be down there,” DeLonge said. “This is something that we’ve been aiming to do for so long, and we worked so hard, and we just kind of had one of those freak accidents that nobody saw coming.

“Travis needs to go in and have surgery on his finger and we have to get that well, we have to get that strong before we can do anything else.

“This is just so sad. These are the biggest shows we’ve ever played, these are some of the most important places in the world of our band. This is like the pinnacle of our career, coming down and playing for you guys so I really want you all to know that we are devastated.

He continued: “I know it seems like you’ve waited so long – which you have. And we’ve waited too. This is just devastating on so many levels. But we’re gonna get Travis better, we’re gonna come down – the three of us, together – and we’re gonna rock, and we’re gonna have an incredible time with you guys.

“But I really want you to know, from my heart to yours, how important you guys are to us, and this is not something that we could have even have saw coming. This is just devastating. But we love you, blink-182 loves you. We will see you soon.”

The band are hoping to start their world tour in May when their sprawling North American dates kick off.

The UK & Ireland leg of blink-182’s tour takes place in September and October and all dates are completely and utterly sold out.

blink-182’s postponed tour dates are as follows:

MARCH 2023

11 – Tijuana Imperial GNP, Mexico – 11th

14 – Lima Estadio San Marcos, Buenos Aires – 14th

17-19 –Lollapalooza Argentina -17th to 19th

17-19 – Lollapalooza Chile – 17th to 19th

21-22 – Asuncion, Paraguay – 21st to 22nd

23-26 –Estereo Picnic, Colombia – 23rd to 26th

24-26 –Lollapalooza Brasil – 24th to 26th

28 – Mexico City Palacio de los Deportes – 28th

APRIL 2023

Monterey, Mexico – 1st, 2nd

blink-182's career in photos:

1992

blink-182 were formed in 1992, when Tom DeLonge entered a Battle of the Bands competition at high school and met drummer Scott Raynor. After befriending a fellow musician named Kerry Key and his girlfriend Anne Hoppus, she then introduced her brother Mark - and the rest, as they say, is history.

1993-1995

Between 1993 and 1995, the band began recording a lot of music. They released two demo tapes in 1993 - Flyswatter and Demo No.2 - and in 1994 recorded their debut album, 'Cheshire Cat', as well as performing their first big gig. The album was released in 1995 and embarked on their first national tour.

1996-1997

After a lot of touring, blink started work on a second album, and also signed to their first major label - MCA, who also looked after artists like Boston, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd and New Found Glory. The second album, 'Dude Ranch', was released in 1997 and was certified Platinum in the US, spawning singles 'Dammit' and 'Josie'.

1998

In 1998, Scott left the band, and Travis Barker - drummer for the band's tour-mates The Aquabats - stepped in, learning the 20-song setlist in 45 minutes. He joined the band full time in July.

1999

The band released their third album, 'Enema of the State', in 1999 - the first with Travis installed as the drummer. It was their most successful album to date, being certified 5× Platinum in the US and Platinum in the UK. It included singles like 'What's My Age Again?' and 'All the Small Things'.

2000-2001

They spent 2000 touring heavily, which included their first big headline tour, and in 2001 released 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket'. It had some of blink's most well-known songs like 'First Date', 'The Rock Show' and 'Stay Together for the Kids'. Travis and Tom also formed side-project Box Car Racer with guitarist David Kennedy.

2002-2005

blink went on a co-headlining tour in 2002 with Green Day, and Travis and Tom each spent time on separate side-projects. They returned to the studio in 2003 to make their self-titled fifth album, and co-headline a tour with No Doubt in 2004. Sadly, the trio disbanded in 2005 after Tom DeLonge quit, leaving fans all over the world devastated.

2005-2009: Side-projects

Travis and Mark formed new band +44, whilst Tom announced his own, Angels & Airwaves. +44 was made up of Travis and Mark, as well as guitarists Shane Gallagher from The Nervous Return and Craig Fairbaugh of Mercy Killers. They had successful singles like 'When Your Heart Stops Beating' and 'Cliffdiving'.

Angels & Airwaves

Tom formed Angels & Airwaves with Ryan Sinn, Atom Willard and David Kennedy in 2005, releasing successful singles 'The Adventure' and 'Everything's Magic'. Tom continued to work with the band even when blink reunited in 2009.

2009-2011

Tom, Travis and Mark reunited in 2009 following Travis' involvement in a near-fatal plane crash. He said at the Grammys, "We used to play music together, and we decided we're going to play music together again." They embarked on a Greatest Hits tour and put out sixth album 'Neighborhoods' two years later in 2011. The album has since been certified Gold, selling over 100,000 copies in the UK.

2012

After 'Neighborhoods' failed to perform as well as expected, the band admitted that it wasn't their "best effort", and split from their label Interscope. Mark told MTV News, "It's a very exciting time here. I feel like our band is in the best place it's been in a long time." They also released an EP entitled 'Dogs Eating Dogs' in December and reveal a seventh album is on the way.

2013

Sadly, the band don't make any progress on the seventh album, and Travis' fear of flying keeps him from being able to tour with the band in Australia, being replaced by Brooks Wackerman. Cracks began to show in the band once again after Travis had a Twitter argument about his no-show in Australia, and Tom and Mark even discussed kicking him out of the band.

2015-2016

Vocalist and guitarist Tom departed the group in 2015, and was replaced by Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba, and the band released seventh album 'California' in 2016. The album, which featured tracks such as 'Bored to Death' and 'She's Out of Her Mind', became their first Number 1 single since 2001 and even earned them a Grammy nomination.

2017-2018

The band spent most of the next two years touring, and also produced a deluxe version of 'California'. They played at various festivals and had a massive UK tour in 2017, and even had a residency at Las Vegas in 2018 entitled Kings of the Weekend.

2019

In 2019, Mark revealed that the band's eighth album was on the way, and was more 'aggressive' and 'darker' than their previous work.

2019

Not only is Mark working on the eighth album with blink, but he has also formed a new group with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low. Their first EP, 'Strange Love', was released on 29th March.

2020: New single 'Quarantine' and upcoming EP

The trio released brand new track 'Quarantine' on 7th August 2020, all about - you guessed it - their time in the 2020 lockdown. Drummer Travis Barker described the track as "a blink favourite. It'll be like all our fan favourites. It's incredible."
Mark also revealed the band would be looking to release a new EP in 2021.

2021: Travis Barker reveals special guests on new blink-182 album

In February, blink-182 drummer Travis Barker revealed the special guest performers on the pop-punk trio's ninth studio album. He said, 'Nine' is "60% done" and it features collaborations with a trio of special guests – serial hitmaker Pharrell Williams, rapper Lil Uzi Vert and electro pop musician Grimes.'

2021: Mark Hoppus reveals cancer diagnosis

In June, vocalist and bassist Mark Hoppus revealed to fans he was three months into a battle against cancer. He posted a statement revealing he felt 'hopeful'.
Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge were amongst the many sending their support to Mark.

2021: Mark Hoppus is cancer free

On 29th September 2021, Mark Hoppus announced that his chemotherapy has worked and he's cancer free! He wrote on social media: 'Just saw my oncologist and I'm cancer free!! Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love. Still have to get scanned every six months and it'll take me until the end of the year to get back to normal but today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed. Can I get a W in the chat?' Amazing news!

2022

The news every blink fan had been waiting to hear... Original member Tom DeLonge has reunited with Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, with the trio announcing a 2023 UK arena tour. The band also released brand new music in the form of their track 'Edging' on 14th October 2022.

2022

In December 2022, Tom teased that a new album would be dropping in 2023, sharing a throwback photo of the band performing alongside the caption: 'New Album Coming in a few months.' This came just a few days after Travis and Mark teased a snippet of 'Anthem Pt.3' - follow-up to fan faves 'Anthem' and 'Anthem Pt.2' which appeared on 'Enema of the State' (1999) and 'Take Off Your Pants and Jacket' (2001) respectively.

2023

Unfortunately, blink were forced to postpone the start of their reunion tour in South America in February 2023 due to Travis Barker's hand injury. Sharing a macabre photo of the swollen ring finger, Barker told his Instagram followers: 'I smashed my finger so hard I dislocated it and tore the ligaments. Less than two weeks later, Barker hurt his hand again and was due to undergo surgery shortly after.

October 2023

A long-awaited new album was released in October 2023 entitled 'One More Time' — which the band said was inspired by recent tragic events in their lives, including Mark's cancer diagnosis and Travis' plane crash. The album includes the popular ballad of the same name, 'One More Time', which includes lyrics: From strangers into brothers, from brothers to strangers once again. A nod to their earlier 'indefinite hiatus'.

2024

The trio continue their new tour, adding extra dates here in the UK. They also headline Reading and Leeds Festivals during the summer — while teasing snippets of new tracks through their merch vans. In September 2024, the fans get what they've been waiting for; eight new tracks drop on an album entitled 'One More Time Part 2'.

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