I became a member of the Idiot Club long after the seats to the NYC secret shows had already come and gone. I missed the first round of pre-sales, mostly because I felt like a schmuck being a johnny-come-lately. But when, after a few months as a member ($20 mostly well-spent), Green Day made an additional batch of tickets available through the fan club for Hartford, Albany, and the second MSG, I had some thinking to do. Which of these shows would I go to? The second MSG was a given, and in fact, I already had my ticket to Albany. My real dilemma: whether to add to the three shows I was already lucky enough to attend the XL Center Hartford show on Friday, July 24. I decided against it as I was already pushing my luck.
From reading fans on the Internet, I had a feeling that this show would have an extra special something just by the enthusiasm of the crowd. These guys were die-hard, hardcore fans and the great majority of them that ended up in GA that night knew Green Day from at least back to the 18-year old album, 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. From the setlist (posted below) to the few videos out there of the show, this one seems to have had something extra special: “Welcome to Paradise” (Kerplunk!/Dookie), “Dominated Love Slave” (Kerplunk!), “Only of You” (1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours), “Christie Road” (Kerplunk!), and most especially, to me, Dookie’s, “F.O.D.” (Fuck Off and Die). This song was completely spurred by a demand from the audience, and in this video, the chant “F.O.D.,” “F.O.D.” makes a strong case for playing it. The video of it gets me excited and makes me laugh at the same time.
As recorded, the song starts out rather quietly and timid, and in the middle, breaks out into dance havoc. This video perfectly captures the 180 degree turn that this song makes during its progression. Billie and the band get so into it toward the end, that Billie almost… almost… attempts a Pete Townsend whirlwind guitar arm.
Ah yes, I’ve been lucky so far this tour, but I will always regret not getting my ass to Hartford.
Setlist:*
1. 21st Century Breakdown
2. Know Your Enemy
3. East Jesus Nowhere
4. Holiday
5. Static Age
6. Hitchin’ A Ride
7. Welcome to Paradise
8. Dominated Love Slave
9. Only of You
10. Christie Road
11. F.O.D
12. Brainstew
13. Jaded
14. Longview
15. Basketcase
16. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
17. She
18. King For a Day
19. Shout
20. American Eulogy
21. American Idiot
22. Jesus of Suburbia
23. Minority
24. Last Night On Earth
25. Good Riddance
“Before the Lobotomy” is one of my favorite songs from Green Day’s 21st Century Breakdown. This video, like the one I linked to for Washington’s “Welcome to Paradise,” is filmed from the higher seats but at stage left instead of stage right this time. It gives the same sort of perspective, has lovely views of Tré and Mike, and is a bit steadier on the filming techniques.
The dynamic of the entirety of Green Day is a well-oiled machine, and these videos from above nicely show how they work together, even if BJA is usually the focal point. There’s a BJ Storytime at the beginning for your enjoyment, too.
Billie Joe Armstrong - Albany, Times Union Center, July 25, 2009
Get it? Green lei? Bwahaha. Anyway… I kid.
This lei was originally intended for the Carmen MERanda contingent of my friends at the 2008 Coney Island Mermaid Parade (photo here) and I believe was worn by one of our party. I brought this as an offering of play for Green Day’s show in Albany on July 25, 2008. While it didn’t necessarily work, it was the only thing that got to him during St. Jimmy.
“Welcome to Paradise” is one of my favorite Green Day songs. When I first heard it played live in Albany, I almost hurt myself. Yes, I know, I’m a Green Day American Idiot ‘neophyte’ and it’s one that everyone knows and many of you have seen this song live a million times. Blah, blah, blah. Well, I haven’t. The song’s driving guitar plunge mixed with a speeding bass and drums combined with the primal lyricism of a screamed I wanna… take you through a… wasteland… I like to call my home … … … welcome to paradise!, gets me into a head-damaging stance every time. It’s a crowd pleaser, too!
I was thinking about the song the other day when I went looking for some YouTube videos of Green Day’s performance of it during the recent tour. I found one taken at an odd angle from stage right and a little toward the back of the stage. The video shows the band and a good portion of the audience, with some nice footage of Tré and Mike from above. The video isn’t the greatest, but the interchange between the band and audience is particularly dynamic. Unfortunately, it cuts off at the last refrain of the song. Nonetheless, the video captures the energy of the room (and yes, I know it’s a stadium, but with Green Day, it feels like a room).
My favorite version is from Dookie due to its fuller sound, but the rawness of the Kerplunk! version has its advantages, too. I must avoid brain injury if they play this in San Antonio.
Boa by Teenage Lush – Sommet Center, Nashville, July 31, 2009
If I were having a “best boa given to Billie contest during the 21st Century Breakdown Tour,” this would be a top contender right now. Yawzah, that’s hawt.
======================================== New York, Madison Square Garden, July 27, 2009
I knew from the moment I exited the Times Union Center that I would not experience the full impact of Green Day’s music at this concert. You see, I had seats… high into the dead zone of MSG. So very sad. Nonetheless, the crowd around me (except for the three people next to me who kept getting out of their seats) were pretty great. There were four young men in crazy hats (Kings for a Day?) who very politely let us know that if their giant sombrero hats got in the way of viewing to say something. And I did. But, my friend who went with me is a only a nominal Green Day fan and while I love her, I don’t think she enjoyed the show very much. I have sworn never to again attend a Green Day show with someone who is a nominal fan. It’s all or nothing for a Green Day show.
Green Day concert seats - MSG1
I’ve seen a few concerts at Madison Square Garden and for most of them, I’ve been in the 300 sections, high up under the skyboxes. I hate sitting there. U2 sounded like they were underwater when I saw them there years ago. I noticed the sound difference most specifically during this show when I went down toward the front of the stadium after Billie Joe frightened the MSG security guards by urging fans to (slowly) come down and fill out the pit. Looking from up above, I had a feeling he would do this since the pit on stage right had a slight void of bodies in it. Of course, as usual, I didn’t get down there in time (yes, I left my friend in the dust), and of course, as usual, I chose the wrong aisle to go down because Billie came up to the stadium on the aisle next to me. I’m pretty sure they were clearing that area anyway so that he wouldn’t trip and fall. And he didn’t! Yay! I marched back up to my seat and longed for that pit. My goodness.
High Five
Other highlights of this show for me where Billie telling the story of fighting with Adrienne over the phone when he was out with friends, while some guy drove by and said, “Fuck you Billie Joe! Green Day sucks!” Billie Joe then went on to relate how he beat the crap out of the guy, goes back into the bar, does some shots and forgets that Adrienne is still on the phone. Apparently this all took place during the tough final record-mixing time. Those days are over now, it’s all good.
I think the thing that I missed most in this show was the chance to dance, play and interact more directly with the band. Billie, Tré and Mike work the crowd like you wouldn’t believe. They draw you into playtime, even if seeing them at great distances. Take it from me, the closer the better. Even if it’s only been three times so far (tomorrow’s MSG fill will make four, all this year) seeing them, I completely regret not taking the opportunity a long time ago. Oh. Well. After only a few shows, I kinda feel addicted now. Is this how all those old Deadheads felt, too? Hmm.
Liz and me at the Green Day show, MSG1
From an audience participation point of view, this show had some great moments. I can’t remember exactly when but at one point a construction hat pops out of the pit, and Billie puts it on. He throws it back to the pit a few seconds later. The construction hat will be back.
Billie in the epic-failed stage dive guy's construction hat - GDA
“East Jesus Nowhere.” What can I say about this song except for ‘thank you.’ From the very moment when the screeching, metallic quality of the chords start, a powerful moment begins which does not disappoint. The band finds a young, preferably innocent, child upon which to perform a ritual known as “saving the soul.” Sometimes the kids are scared shitless, and sometimes you get a kid like Elijah… with a Biblical name no less… at Madison Square Garden. Good times. Elijah played his part perfectly and deserved the chant that his name got. Billie was pretty good, too. 🙂
“Longview” was surreal. I don’t remember the first verse singer, but for the second verse singer, we come back to the construction hat. From what I understand, some kids from Oakland traveled from California to see the band. The guy with the construction hat being one of them. Well, he got on stage and in a heavy metal sorta Gwar-like voice started the lyrics. Which was kinda cool for a word or two. And then he stopped in the middle of the verse and made Billie sing the song. A bit of a bummer, I’d say, particularly since the second verse is the best verse in “Longview.” In recompense, Billie had him stage dive, which he gladly did. He ran down the cat walk at high speed down and…. he jumps and… nobody catches him. Oops. This clip has the scene, which ends around the 3:37 mark. LOL funny. Luckily, the last dude totally redeems the moment with a great performance and a even better stage dive. As a bonus, the clip also has Basket Case, always a winner. (Hurry before it’s too late!)
Green Day at Madison Square Garden, July 27, 2009
I think this night was the first time that they played “When I Come Around,” which may have been a request from the floor. Lots of fun signs pop up with requests, but alas, I can’t think of any right now. I was made happy by it being played. Yay! Disappearing Boy made its second appearance on the concert tour (it was also played in Albany), but on this night it was dedicated to Billie’s oldest son, Joey.
Besides the fact that Green Day played, which is the greatest thing in the world, an even greater thing happened during the 40-hour song, “Jesus of Suburbia.” On this tour the song, or portions of it, have been given over to aspiring musicians from the audience in a sort of crap-shoot way (see Construction Hat Guy). Usually it works out well. Occasionally, it works out really fabulously.
Billie began to ask the audience if they could play “Jesus of Suburbia” and was about to settle on a guy with a sign when the guy said two words he never should have uttered, “What song?” Billie looked at him said, “What song? What did I just say, dumbass?” and moved on to a girl with a sign standing next to him. What happened next was magical, and it was a good thing a professional bootlegger… uh… caught it on tape.
Picking Stephanie
Stephanie debuts with Green Day, Madison Square Garden, July 27, 2009
Elijah needs salvation from his good ways - Green Day - Madison Square Garden1*
Setlist: MSG1
1. Song of the Century
2. 21st Century Breakdown
3. Know Your Enemy
4. East Jesus Nowhere
5. Holiday
6. Static Age
7. Before the Lobotomy
8. Are We the Waiting
9. St. Jimmy
10. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
11. 2000 Light Years Away
12. Welcome to Paradise
13. Castaway
14. When I Come Around
15. Disappearing Boy
16. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
17. Thank You (Led Zeppelin)/ Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)/ Take Me
Out to the Ball Game/ 99 Bottles of Beer/ Iron Man (Riff)
18. Brain Stew
19. Jaded
20. Longview
21. Basket Case
22. She
23. King For a Day
24. Shout/ Earth Angel (The Penguins)/ Swanee/ I’ll Be There
25. 21 Guns
26. American Eulogy
27. American Idiot
28. Jesus of Suburbia
29. Minority
30. Drama Queen
31. Last Night On Earth (acoustic)
32. Good Riddance
The show traditionally ends with Good Riddance performed by Billie on guitar, and some surprise acoustic numbers have come before it lately. Tonight’s show held a beautiful “Drama Queen” (my first time hearing it live), and a soulful “Last Night on Earth.”
Goodbye until next time. Like tomorrow??
I think the saddest part… and mind you, I had a super time… was not being in the pit and missing the chance to meet Adrienne Armstrong. Apparently she was asking folks in the pit to help with the natural resources project that the band is involved with, the Natural Resources Defense Council or NRDC. You know, some nature crackpots that keep talking about saving the planet or something like that. Good people. It would have been nice to say hello.
Nonetheless, I still had one more show to go. The second night of two shows is always better.*
What a difference five years make: in September 2004, Green Day sprang forth and screamed, “I don’t want to be an American Idiot,” and now, on July 28, 2009, they find themselves in the actual White House. I’m sure they were never invited during the Bush Administration. Pretty damned sure of that! Bwahaha.
Green Day at the White House - Photo by Chris Dugan from Greenday.com
greenday.com* posted some photographs of our fearless leaders, Billie Joe, Mike and Tré… at the friggin’ White House. The band, libertarian-leaning supporters of President Barack Obama, visited the White House during their tour trip through DC last week. I had wondered if they would be stopping by and saying hello. There are no pictures of them with President Obama that I could find, but if they did have a punk summit with him, I hope they talked about a Lushotologist platform.
Seriously, though, seeing the photographs at greenday.com (it’s a bit complicated to view them over there: go here and scroll to “White House 7/29/09; though it seems that they have now been moved to the members-only Idiot Club; these photos move faster than Tré… they are back at greenday.com) I felt two emotional waves. The first consisted of laugh-out-loud laughter and the second, complete astonishment at the difference a day makes. I almost cried. Not necessarily because the boys were in the White House, but mostly because it just feels as if the United States has tilted a bit to what I consider the right direction. It was an overwhelming emotion. Frankly, I feel more safe and more proud of being an American with the guys in the White House than willingly barred from it.
Tré in Trouble - What did he do this time?
You know, this is a good spot for the Office of Punk - Photo by Chris Dugan, greenday.com
Just remember: Intelligent and rational dissent is patriotic, in good times and in bad times equally. Live free or die!
Green Day Mind 