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Formed in 1989, Green Day is still going strong in their third decade, having toured most of this year both internationally and in the U.S., with many more to come. Sure, they’re promoting their new album, Saviors, but as experienced as they are, it points out that the band must really enjoy touring for so lengthy a commitment. And, playing each night for 2.5 hours!
The scene: Temperatures have fallen slightly since Atlanta’s high if 96 degrees. The crowd has just taken a breath, and hopefully some hydration, after The Smashing Pumpkins. You’re going to play two of your best and fan favorite albums, Dookie and American Idiot, in their entirety, albums that are loaded with fast and energetic songs, plus a handful of new songs and a couple other fan favorites.
Hey, why not play Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” before taking the stage? The crowd will jump into the moment and sing along. It worked. The band didn’t need the jets of flame to heat up the crowd’s energy. You’ve got great songs and a certain Billie Joe Armstrong, probably the most engaging singer in all of pop-punk. “Get your hands up!” “Wave your hands!” “JUMP!” His repeated calls demand the audience participate in the energy the band is casting out. Halfway into the show, “Put your phones down now! Everyone will believe you came to a Green Day concert!” In other words, get into the moment! And if you want to be in the moment and use your smart phone, it took hardly a suggestion before the stadium was filled with white dots throughout.
Teasing Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane” or Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” for brief crowd singalongs weren’t necessary, but why not? The crowd was singing most of the night, and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” had just as many participating as “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Billy Joe canvased the stage left, right and center, and those that could danced in the aisles and their seats.
A middle section of songs served up new songs from their new album, a return to formula, of sorts, not that anyone should complain about catchy hooks, great melodies and a solid rock punch. The songs fit in perfectly with the rest of the show, and as much as their songs might define the soundtrack to the lives of many, it’s likely most of those in attendance hadn’t heard the “deep cuts” of their classic albums anyway.
When it comes to pop-punk. Billy Joe is the pop. Ignoring the guitar riffs, his face is as expressive as they come, and the video feed worked perfectly to extend his connection to those beyond those in the front. The punk would be bassist Mike Dirnt, grimacing and snarling his way through many of the songs. History confirms when they started playing together at age 14, they were definitely on to something that only got bigger and bigger.
It was really a fantastic night. The band seemed excited to play throughout, and the legions of fans wearing their T-shirts clearly picked a band that delivers the goods. Green Day continues to tour the US through September. Catch them while you can!
More Green Day photos plus The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas follow.
Setlist:
Dookie (1994):
Extras!
American Idiot (2004):
Encore:
With the heat beginning to hint at something a shade less than miserable, The Smashing Pumpkins took the stage, leader Billy Corgan bravely stepping out wearing a black priest-like robe. When you’re a rocker, you are who you are and you do what you do.
The band leaned heavily into their 1995 smash album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, relatively speaking in a performance allowing only 14 songs and 11 other albums to their credit.
Billy Corgan demonstrates that alternative rock, from any era, is alive and well. The recent addition of Kiki Wong on lead guitar seemed a huge success, providing accents throughout (“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” but torching the stage on others like “Jellybelly.”
But it’s really Corgan’s show, his high pitched and somewhat nasally timbred voice perfectly suited for an edgy delivery of lyrics exploring nostalgia, resilience, frustration, alienation and empowerment. The still-arriving crowd soaked it in from near and afar as the stadium volume likely skipped over the upper balconies to call in the faithful, even on gentler songs like “Disarm.”
Overall, an all-too-brief performance, but the tour really has a packed lineup.
Setlist:
Rancid played a thrifty set, packing 10 songs in no more than 35 minutes. You can do that when your songs average less than three minutes in length.
The first of a number of 90’s bands on the ticket, Rancid showed their Clash influence, full of punk frustration and served up with more borrowed OG pop rock sensibilities than they would want to admit.
“Maxwell Murder” is a great entry point to the band.
Setlist:
Long live rock n’ roll! The Linda Lindas, an LA teen band, ran out to the stage, obviously enjoying an amazing opportunity to tour nationally with Green Day and greet the crowd. But hey, they band, ages 14-19, have already opened for the Stones in LA. Pressured, nervous or otherwise, they gave no impression other than being excited and well-practiced. Spirited energy and smiles are great, but their confidence shows.
“Racist, Sexist Boy” got them started. The culture changes, but teenagers can still be insensitive jerks, and sometimes they can get called out, by what was (and may still be) an all-female punk band.
