It’s common for bands to test their new material on real fans at a small, manageable venue. This allows them to adjust their set depending on crowd reaction. And that’s exactly what The Offspring did as preparation for their 2012 summer tour.

The line of about 175 wrapped around the building. The place to be was Alex’s Bar on Anaheim St. Alex’s is dimly lit watering hole known for it’s no-nonsense patrons, with nights for motorcycle clubs and a local gaggle of professional drinkers. It’s also where bands come when they want to play a small venue with real fans, not celebrities and Hollywood types. It’s close enough to Los Angeles to transport their gear yet far away enough to filter out the Hollywood starlets. When bands play, they get real reactions, real applause, real mosh pits. Not something that happens often on the Sunset Strip.

The purpose of the night was two-fold. They would play their send album, Ignition, in its entirety, something the band had never attempted. They would also debut new material from their forthcoming album “Days Go By” for a diehard audience.

“Days Go By” will be available everywhere June 26 on Columbia Records.