The Offspring on how Gen Z fans have changed the punk rock moshpit

Ahead of next year’s Supercharged tour of Australia, punk rock gods The Offspring share why they are now cool with the kids.

American punk band The Offspring to tour Australia. Picture: Daveed Benito / Supplied.

Punk rock heroes The Offspring have clocked one welcome difference between their new Gen Z fans compared to their Gen X parents who championed the band in the 90s.

They’re not trying to smash each other in the moshpit.

As they prepare their return to Australia with the Supercharged Worldwide in ‘25 tour, frontman Dexter Holland and guitarist Noodles said today’s punk fans are less violent than when the band started out 40 years ago.

The Offspring, with Holland and Noodles in front, return to Australia next year. Picture: Daveed Benito / Supplied.

“When we play a big festival, you’ll still see five or six pits happening and it’s kind of fun,” Noodle said.

“But I see the fans are more likely now to take care of each other. If someone falls down, they’re quick to pick them up.

“They’re bumping into each other, for sure, but there’s no malice in it and there was some maliciousness in the early scene.

“Back when we were coming up it was kids knocking each other down, trying to hurt each other.”

The punk rockers have big with the cool kids now. Picture: Daveed Benito / Supplied.

Both generations will collide at their Supercharged tour next May.

The Offspring shows are among the hottest concert tickets in Australia this week after their one-off gig at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre for the Always Live festival in November sold out in a mind-blowing 30 seconds.

The punk band is enjoying a career renaissance after 40 years of chart-topping rock with a new generation of fans propelling two of their older hits into the Spotify Billions Club this year.

General tickets for their Supercharged Worldwide in ‘25 shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in May go on sale from 9am (local time) on Tuesday from $179.90.

After three pre-sales staged late last week, the remaining seats are expected to be snapped up faster than you can chant Come Out And Play.

The rock legends sold out their one-off Melbourne show in 30 seconds. Picture: Daveed Benito / Supplied.

But there’s some hope for fans who miss out that the punk superstars may add extra shows as there are gaps in the Australian arena tour schedule.

At this stage they are booked to perform at the AEC Arena, Adelaide on May 4, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on May 7, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on May 11 and Brisbane Entertainment Centre on May 14.

The Offspring, formed by frontman Dexter Holland and guitarist Noodles in California in 1984, shot to global success with their record Smash in 1994.

The Offspring in 1997, with Noodles and Holland at right. Picture: supplied.

They celebrated a rare achievement for legacy rockers twice this year when they reached the one billion streams milestone on Spotify, pointing at a wave of new young fans.

You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid, released back in 2008 hit one billion plays in July, followed by their 1999 hit The Kids Aren’t Alright in November.

Holland and Noodles said the new fans prefer their rock stuff to their pop stuff.

“Pretty Fly isn’t as up there on streaming as the rock songs like The Kids Aren’t Alright,: Noodles said.

“When we came out with Smash, our fans were all young kids whose parents hated us. Now those kids have grown up and their parents and their kids love us.

“So we have kind of become a generational band and that’s cool, that’s what you want.”

The frontman’s Top Gun-style cool is also bringing the kids into the Offspring family.

The video for recent single Light It Up featured footage of licensed pilot Holland flying a fighter jet.

“We had this footage and it just made sense because the song is so in your face,” Holland said.

Noodles added: “Dexter’s always coming up with great ideas of why we need more footage of him flying fighter jets.”