Mark Hoppus Makes Surprise Onstage Appearance at Pop-Punk Band’s Show
This week, Mark Hoppus returned to the stage when the blink-182 co-founder who last year overcame cancer hopped onstage with fellow pop-punkers Beauty School Dropout during the burgeoning band's Aug. 17 show at Los Angeles' Moroccan Lounge.
The surprise appearance came during Beauty School Dropout's performance of their song "Almost Famous," which also features Hoppus on the studio version and is part of Beauty School Dropout's We Made Plans and God Laughed, out Friday (Aug. 19).
Watch the video near the bottom of this post.
Both Billboard and a blink-182 fan account said it was Hoppus' first time back onstage since January 2020. But Hoppus actually first returned to the stage after cancer treatment at blink-182 drummer Travis Barker's "House of Horrors" event last Halloween.
Either way, earlier this week, Hoppus reiterated his openness to a new chapter of blink-182. Of course, what many hope is that the singer and bassist's willingness could prompt a return of his original creative foil in the band, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge.
That's despite the fact that Hoppus said this month that there was "no news to share" on a blink-182 reunion with DeLonge. Still, Hoppus "keep[s] writing music," he recently told People. "I'm open to whatever the next phase of blink is," he added. "I'm hopeful for the future. I'm just damn glad to be here."
When blink and DeLonge became professionally estranged in 2015, Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker recruited Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba to replace him. They released the albums California (2016) and Nine (2019) with Skiba. But last month, the Alkaline Trio figurehead wondered if he was still in blink-182.
And all that time, rumors of a DeLonge homecoming often cropped up. They gained new steam last year after Hoppus finished chemotherapy. It was then that the bassist first said he was "open to anything" regarding blink's future while confirming he was "cancer free."
DeLonge imbued the rumors with even more strength when he altered his Instagram on Aug. 1. Hoppus remembered when he, Barker and DeLonge got together last year before he started treatment.
"It was the first time that all three of us were in the same room in like five years," the rocker explained, saying their relationship is now "better than it used to be." He added, "There was no agenda. There were no lingering grudges. It felt very back to what it should be — three friends sitting in a room."