The Avril Lavigne “Greatest Hits” Tour rolled into The Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Mass this weekend, with support from Girlfriends and Simple Plan. The Xfinity Center is an open aired amphitheater about 45 minutes south of Boston. I went in not knowing anything about the band Girlfriends but was extremely excited about Simple Plan and Avril.

Girlfriends, With Nick Gross on the kit and Travis Mills on guitar and lead vocals. Influenced by Blink 182, and 5 seconds of summer, they can definitely bring the heat. They kicked off their set with their high energy song “Jessica” and wrapped it up with “Life’s a Britney” left me wanting to hear more from them.

The Canadian rockers Simple Plan took to the stage as direct support on this tour, came out and had the sold-out crowd eating out of their hands. Lead singer Pierre Bouvier, Lead Guitarist Jeff Stinco, Guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre, and the keeper of the kit, Chuck Comeau. They kicked off their set with their smash hit “I’d Do Anything.” They shocked the crowd with a cover of “All Star” by Smashmouth and getting the crowd more amped with “I’m Just a Kid” Simple Plan put on a heck of a show and cannot wait to see them live again.

Now for the headliner, The self-proclaimed “The Mother Bleepin Princess” Avril Lavigne! Avril took the stage to her smash hit, “Girlfriend” and the party started. Hit after hit “Complicated, “My Happy Ending” and many others. A highlight was when Pierre from Simple Plan came back out to do a cover of their song “Addicted.” Avril’s band was incredible, with Steve Ferlazzo on the keys, David Immerman on Rhythm Guitar, Matt Reilly on the Bass, Cameron Hurley on Lead Guitar, and Chris Reeve rocking the kit. The seventeen song, 90-minute show had the crowd on their feet all night long. From confetti canons to pyro blasts during “Sk8er Boi”, tons of screens and light show, made for a top-notch stage show.

I’m Music Magazine Contributing Photographer Matthew Allen

Simple Plan

Girlfriends