On stage for the first time since 2012, the rock supergroup Angels and Airwaves impressed with brand new music and old favorites. Playing at a packed house at the House of Blues Anaheim on a Tuesday night, the 2200 in attendance are evidence that the band was greatly missed during its hiatus.

The show at the HOB Anaheim was the day before the final show of the tour, which was at the Belasco Theater in LA on Wednesday. The packed house was even more impressive when considering the proximity of the final show the following evening. Oh, and the fact that AvA had just played a show at this venue just 6 days prior.

Maybe the crowd isn’t a shock when one remembers that Tom Delonge grew up just a short drive down the road (give or take a few hours depending on traffic) in Poway. The frontman, most well known for his work with Blink-182, did not miss a beat on stage. After the band started its set with original AvA hits of “Surrender”, “It Hurts” and the crowd favorite “Everything’s Magic”, Delonge addressed the sellout venue for the first time. Never taking himself too seriously, he shared stories of how songs came to be, including stories of him getting rejected by girls and taking to his guitar in the moments after.

When Delonge wasn’t addressing the audience, the band was belting out song after song. Even the deep cuts were met with praise and adoration by the crowd. Angels and Airwaves has been classified as “space rock”, “art rock”, and most simply “alternative”. Delonge himself has called the band an art project, as evidenced by the detailed music videos that often accompany the band’s tracks.

Music Video by Angels and Airwaves for the track “The Adventure”

There is something about AvA’s music that simply makes you want to belt along to the ballad-like lyrics and dance around. The sounds of each song are unique, but Angels and Airwaves certainly has its own style that makes all of their songs recognizable. I have yet to find a band that can more effectively incorporate the use of synthesizers and keyboards in their music. The eery instrumental sounds are complemented perfectly by Delonge’s exaggerated vocals.

After falling in love with their albums, I was skeptical about how the unique sound would be projected in a live setting. I was not disappointed. House of Blues is a terrific venue for live music, and the sound was excellent. Delonge was incredible on vocals, and he let the crowd sing along often. Of course, many knew the words when he gave a tribute to some of his other work with an acoustic medley of “Aliens Exist”, “There Is”, and “I Miss You”.

The setlist had a great mix of giving tribute to their debut albums while also introducing the crowd to live editions of their fresh work. My favorite album of AvA is undoubtedly “I-Empire”. I was treated to the tracks “Everything’s Magic”, “Breathe”, and the closing song “Heaven”. I would have loved to hear “Love Like Rockets”, “Secret Crowds”, and “True Love”, but I can’t have any major complaints. Seriously, if you haven’t yet, go give “I-Empire” a listen. It’s one of those albums you can have on in the background and never need to skip a song. “The Adventure” was an incredible song to experience live, and it also received the greatest reception from the crowd. The entire set was full of energy, and I could not get enough.

Angels & Airwaves is a live act that is worth seeing for fans of pop punk, alternative rock, and even Blink-182 fans who just can’t seem to let it go that Tom Delonge has moved on. While this tour has come to a conclusion, new music is on the way from the band, and a live tour could follow. I can’t wait to get back to one of their shows, and this time I have a feeling that I won’t need to wait 7 years for it.