Transition to larger venues

It became a transitionary time for the group, adjusting to larger venues than before, including amphitheaters , arenas , and stadiums . At the beginning of the album’s promotional cycle, the trio were driving from show to show in a van with a trailer attached for merchandise and equipment; by its end, they were flying on private jets . Hoppus recalled that “we had gone from playing small clubs and sleeping on people’s floors to headlining amphitheaters and staying in five-star hotels .” In the public eye, Blink became known for their juvenile antics, including running around nude; the band made a cameo appearance in the similarly bawdy comedy American Pie (1999). This goofy branding, encompassing video documentaries and merchandise, “made fans feel like members of their extended social circle”, according to music critic Kelefa Sanneh . While grateful for their success—which the trio parlayed into various business ventures, like Famous Stars and Straps , Atticus Clothing and Macbeth Footwear —they gradually became unhappy with their public image. In one instance, the European arm of UMG had taken photos shot lampooning boy bands and distributed them at face value, making their basis for parody appear thin.