Travis Barker returned to the stage triumphant Wednesday night at Machine Gun Kelly’s star-studded concert in Los Angeles.
The 46-year-old Blink-182 drummer made a surprise appearance halfway through MGK’s “Mainstream Sellout Tour” show, jumping on the drums to perform the title track from “Tickets to My Downfall” and “Bloody Valentine.” The appearance was his first since he was hospitalized with pancreatitis late last month.
“There’s a person I grew up with and became friends with and he believed in me. And never again have I wanted to jam to a song he and I made. LA’s very own Travis Barker, make some noise for him tonight,’ exclaimed MGK, 32, as Barker emerged to applause from the crowd.
“You know a fun fact is that Travis shouldn’t be drumming right now, but guess what he’s doing here? Now drumming!” MGK (real name: Colson Baker) went further. “Trav, I know we agreed on one song, but I’d be sorry if I didn’t ask you to play ‘one more song’.”
Barker’s new wife, Kourtney Kardashian, was there to show support for his return to the stage, along with MGK’s fiancé, Megan Fox. The rocker “Papercuts” dedicated his latest song “Twin Flame” to the 36-year-old actress and told the audience: “This song is for my lady.”
However, Barker’s appearance wasn’t the only epic surprise MGK inflicted on its LA fans. After making a breathtaking entrance in a black-and-pink helicopter—complete, of course, with a shout-out to Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun,” the rocker played “Born With Horns” and God Save Me.”
“Los Angeles, I want you to lose your damn shit!” he said, shortly before fans started chanting his stage name. “This is one of those venues I would buy tickets to… I’ve seen all these legends perform here and I’ve always dreamed of performing here.”
MGK then let the public know that he would be releasing some of his “best friends” tonight – and delivered on that promise.
“Tonight we have a dream come true, and we have an amazing show for you tonight!” he lyrically. “We’re at the motherf–king Forum tonight, bitch!”
While the audience was on their feet during the full show, the hall lit up – literal — when Lil Wayne made a surprise cameo.
The rapper, 39, performed “Drug Dealer” and “Ay!” with MGK and his touring band, consisting of JP “Rook” Cappelletty, Brandon “Slimxx” Allen, Justin Lyons, Steve “Baze” Basil and new female guitarist Sophie Lloyd.
“Dreams come true and it’s like we’re watching the king all night,” MGK said after Lil Wayne left the stage. “It’s so sick!”
Willow and Avril Lavigne, who opened the show, also returned to the stage later in the evening to perform “Emo Girl” and “Bois Lie” respectively with MGK, while Halsey and Blackbear joined him for “Forget Me Too and “Makeup Sex.”
Other celebrity guests in attendance included Barker’s 18-year-old son, Landon Barker, along with TikTok star Addison Rae and her musician friend Omer Fedi, all of whom watched the show from a VIP area of the venue.
Machine Gun Kelly’s “Mainstream Sellout Tour” continues Friday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and ends October 12 at the AFAS Live in Amsterdam.