Simple Plan, Hoobastank and more artists headed for the Warped Tour surprised passengers with a mid-flight performance as flights were grounded due to the nationwide ground stop.
Life can be a nightmare and not fair, but Simple Plan, Hoobastank and The Used made sure travelers weren’t alone and were having fun on a flight.
That’s why the rock bands surprised people on a Southwest flight from Los Angeles to Florida with impromptu performances amid the nationwide ground stop on Nov. 13.
While the groups were on their way to Orlando for Vans Warped Tour 2026, they made 35,000 feet in the air their stage, with the bands performing a handful of their respective greatest hits, according to social footage shared by passengers, along with videos posted on the Warped Tour’s official Instagram account.
And though the reason for the FAA’s ground stop is still up in the air, Hoobastank’s lead singer Doug Robb and guitarist Dan Estrin found a way to show a side of the band fans didn’t know, performing their hits “The Reason” and “Crawling in the Dark,” per social videos.
As singer Lolo—who was also en route to Warped Tour and performed in the air—wrote alongside footage of Hoobastank’s surprise performance on Instagram, “Every plane was grounded today, but the emo gods made sure this one flew.”
Meanwhile, for Simple Plan’s mid-flight gig, lead singer Pierre Bouvier took up the mic and his guitar, warming millennials' hearts everywhere as he sang several of the punk band’s hits, such as the songs from their 2002 debut album, “I’m Just a Kid” and “Perfect,” along with the 2004 track “Welcome to Life,” according to footage shared by Warped Tour and passengers.
As for The Used’s performance, vocalist Bert McCraken and guitarist Joey Bradford took passengers—who sang along—on a trip down memory lane, performing the rock band’s songs “All That I’ve Got” and “The Taste of Ink,” per social videos, including from one traveler, who praised the “in-flight entertainment.”
And though the flight was later revealed to be a part of Southwest’s “Live at 35” surprise plane concert series, the bands were grateful to bring joy to passengers on the plane, which Robb told Rocksound Nov. 14 was “one of the last” to depart before the shutdown.
“[It] was just an extremely awesome and hilarious coincidence,” he added, “because we're on the plane going, ‘Are we okay? Is everything okay?’ But everything seems fine, so let's start singing.”
And the love was felt throughout the flight. As Robb put it, “It felt like a tube full of happy people.”
For a perfect look at the best bands of all time, keep reading…
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Yep, Nick Lachey was in a boy band and we're burning up way past 98 Degrees just thinking about it. Joined by Drew Lachey and Justin Jeffre, music producers Lachey and Jeff Timmons formed the group after leaving college to pursue music careers in the '90s.
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Thank god the JoBros are back! The Jonas Brothers gave us Nick Jonas' sweet smile, Joe Jonas' swagger and Kevin Jonas' big brother charisma. Oh, did we mention they can all sing and play instruments too? Excuse us while we're still swooning over these A-listers since their band debuted in 2006.
One of the best bands to ever come out of a singing competition series, One Direction took over the planet in the 2010s. And, the boy band has birthed plenty of successful solo careers, with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and the late Liam Payne all solidifying their place in music (and fashion and film) history.
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Before the world experienced "Work From Home" life due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fifth Harmony gave fans an upbeat (and sexy) anthem to any WFH woes. Breakout singer Camila Cabello went on to have a successful solo career—including even playing Cinderella!—after the girl group went on hiatus in 2018 and other members have also released solo projects.
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British pop group Girls Aloud made history as one of the first bands formed from a reality competition series. The year was 2002, the show was Popstars: The Rivals and the powerhouse vocalists were Sarah Harding, Cheryl (then known as Cheryl Cole), Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. Girls Aloud recorded 20 consecutive top 10 singles and four number ones, including "Sound of the Underground," during their reign.
