Mike on Billie, Hong Kong. Photo by Chris Dugan, greenday.com
Green Day’s Japanese tour leg began early this morning, Eastern Standard time, and the fan community is hella happy with an acoustic version of “Redundant” that was played at the second encore. There is a video, but I’m going to wait to see if a better one shows up. Tony Anastazi, who I met in London, traveled from London to Osaka to see the tour. He showed up without a ticket after not being able to find a way to purchase them from England. Luckily, he met a Japanese fan on the Green Day Community who is also going to the four shows in Japan who offered to help with the translations and tickets and such. Yay for the Green Day Community, helping each other out all over the world! Party on! Tony has promised to share his memories of the concert at the GDC when he gets a chance.
Green Day wrapped up their visits to Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong with a bang and praise… as well as a bit of a scandal on Korean News regarding a “Deep Kiss” that a girl planted on Billie after she sang Longview. It’s very similar to the ‘kiss-storm’ that happened after MSG1 so long ago, back in July. Except that it didn’t make the news! LOL. Oops. Suffice it to say, the boys certainly made an impression, to say the least, in the Far East. Here are articles from the show in Hong Kong (in Chinese) and Singapore from greenday.com. One of the funniest things I read about the shows (I forget where), was Bangkok fans who gleefully noted that Billie’s propensity of audience mooning during songs would “never go over in Malaysia.” Sorry Malayasian fans! You are shit out of luck, methinks!
In the title news, we have two shows coming up that feature Green Day. The first one coming is “World Stages: Green Day Live from Munich,” which Europe saw a couple of months ago. It premieres in North America on VH1, this Friday, January 22 at 11:00 PM in a 1/2 version and then again on the HD channel, “Palladia,’ in an hour version on January 23rd at 9:00 PM. I have no idea what Palladia is, but they seem to have a link to iTunes, so maybe this Munich concert will one day be available for sale there. I don’t have an HD television, so I don’t speak the HD language, but I am a bit sad that the version I can watch is only a half hour. Bummer.
VH1’s Friday Night Alright
MTV World Stage: Green Day (Live from Munich, Germany)
On 1/22 (tomorrow night) at 11pm EST/PST on VH1 (30 minute version)
On 1/23 (Saturday night) at 9pm EST/PST on Palladia (60 minute version)
Rudy's Can't Fail on Food Network
Rudy’s Can’t Fail, Mike’s fabulous diner in Emeryville, CA, will be featured on the Food Network this weekend! Airing this Monday, January 25th, at 10 PM EST, Guy Fieri, who regularly explores different “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” is making a stop at Rudy’s and will probably try one of the “Shakin’ Jesses,” though I could never quite figure out what it was. LOL. Seriously, I had a great meal and a great time meeting folks at Rudy’s when I went out to the East Bay last September to see “American Idiot.” Highly recommended on a Punk Tour of the East Bay.
Speaking of Mike, Chris Dugan took some great pictures of the Hong Kong show (as usual, his work nicely highlights the band), with some especially great ones of Mike. Go to Greenday.com for more photos.
News via Greenday.com, Green Day Authority and GDC message boards.
======================================== 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.*
Green Day Mind 