Fans are offered an immersive invitation to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” with photo ops, merch and memories
Fans lined Fairfax Street on the 182nd day of the year in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Blink-182’s “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.” To commemorate the milestone birthday, Interscope Records and Complex collaborated to bring the album to life.
West Hollywood plays host to the themed pop-up from July 1 through 3, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Inside, fans are greeted with immersion into the early 2000s iconism laced into the album. Photo ops, subtle nods and direct references line the walls in memory of the first punk rock album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Offering visuals both old and new, the space featured TVs from the early 2000s playing footage of the same age, walls full of merchandise ranging from classic band tees to foam fingers and a Pac-Man arcade game, leaned against by a newly made edition of the band’s iconic rabbit mascot cutout.
Sitting on either side of the exhibit are perfect replicas of two significant memories of the band’s work frozen in time. On the left, three mock-dressing rooms sit side-by-side, mimicking the photoshoot for “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket.”
Directly across sits a near mirror-image replica of the set from blink-182’s 2002 “First Date” music video, reminiscent of the basement fit to its 1970s theme.
Another pair of pop-ups bring the early 2000s to New York and London, connecting with blink-182 fans globally. Each exhibit is nearly identical to ensure each fan is offered the same experience, says Carl Ryan, the vice president of artist relations at Interscope Records.
However, with Southern California being the home to so many cornerstones of music’s culture and blink-182’s past specifically, there are slight perks hidden in West Hollywood.
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“Luckily since we’re in L.A., we were able to get Travis Barker’s original drums brought to this and we worked closely with Fender on some of the instruments used on the ‘First Date’ music video,” Ryan said. “Because we’re in L.A. you get some of those things that is a really good experience for the fans here.”
Credit: Jayden Lovelady
Melia Marquez, a loyal 23-year-old Blink-182 fan, shared how enjoyable the experience was to see fans of all ages gather and interact with one another while immersed in the aesthetic time capsule.
“It’s a very strong digital age, so being able to take a step back from that and particularly, with it being more of a nod to the 90s and 2000s era of blink, having more analogue style… it’s a good way to adapt,” Marquez said. “So you have that bit for those who want to be digital and those who just wanna have fun and take some pics and have a good time in L.A.”
With pop-ups on a resurgence across the globe, the documentation often is done for fans, by fans. Understanding that community is just as meaningful and numerous online as it is at barricades and in lines at merch booths, spaces like these give music enthusiasts the space to enjoy the intersection of both.
Spencer Swayze, director of digital marketing at Interscope Records, shared that real-life experiences like this hold valuable weight in the digital space, and vice versa.
“Acting in a circle,” some inspirations and tailored details of these in-person exhibits, regardless of the band, are drawn on from the fandom’s online behaviors — which in turn allows the physical spaces to tell their own story digitally long after their physical dismantling.
Celebrating one of the most significant albums in pop punk history, the 25th anniversary pop-up matched its energetic nostalgia. As fans cycled through the exhibit, interacting with the analogue showcase, those who put it together and those who came to enjoy it alongside them, the spirit of the 2000s album covered the room.
“Experiences like this— you’re not on a time limit, so it allows you to immerse yourself as much as you want. For some people there is a nostalgia factor, but for other fans it’s really experiencing it for the first time,” Ryan said.