Reviewed by Jeffrey B. Remz
The recorded intro songs before a band hits the stage can't always tell the story of what is about to unfold. Consider this, before Green Day galloped into their show at one of the iconic ballparks in America, "Bohemiam Rhapsody" filtered over the sound system with the crowd fully engaged and singing along. Then there was The Ramones' "Blitzkreig Bop" with a member of the Green Day crew sporting the trademark full-body rabbit suit & urging the crowd on, acting a bit silly, but also doing amping up the crowd.
Of course, that was all before Billy Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool hit the stage for a most satisfying 2:20 sold-out show. And "Bo Rhap" and "Blitzkreig Bop" did set the stage – the former with the theatrics about to unfold and the latter for the punky sounds.
This was all part of the Saviors tour, which goes to show that Green Day not only can go back in time, but also still have something to say.
The looking back came in the form of playing two landmark Green Day albums – 1994's "Dookie" and 2004's "American Idiot" in their entirety in order. Truth be told, both sound as fresh today as they did 20 and 30 years ago.
Green Day offered a political diatribe to some of the songs. They railed against authority back in the day in an us vs. them, underdog vs. those in power bent. As if to underscore the point, Green Day started with a banging "The American Dream is Killing Me" about political polarization and homelessness among other things.
During "American Idiot," Armstrong changed the words from "I'm not part of a redneck agenda" to "the MAGA agenda."
In some cases, the political songs came off more as a bumper sticker slogan ("Know Your Enemy" where the beat is so strong. The song also included a few lines by a fan, Remy, who was plucked out of the crowd. Sporting a red tie and black pants and shirt, Remy looked ready for the moment too) than any deep statement.
Considering "Dookie" and "American Idiot," there were a plethora of hits to be played. Not to mention five from "Saviors," which sounded sturdy in their own right ("Dilemma" and "One Eyed Bastard" in particular) and a scattering of songs from other releases.
Augmented by three sidemen, Green Day's Armstrong, Dirnt and Tre Cool all ably put their musical skills on display throughout the 37 (!) songs. Armstrong's not only a charismatic leader, but also a talented guitarist and spirited lead singer. Dirnt and Tre Cool made for a formidable rhythm section with the former simply excellent in setting the beat in song after song. He also had a bit of a goofy vocal turn when he came out from behind his drum kit to sing "All By Myself" from "Dookie," prancing around, while wearing a robe.
The show was a visual feast for the eyes with lots of colorful lighting effects on stage including videos of the concert atop the screen. During "Coming Clean," the plane from the "Dookie" cover flew just above the heads of the fans. Credit Green Day for integrating the lights and prop into the music - without overshadowing it.
About the only negative was that Armstrong was a bit too much of a cheerleader. He really didn't need to tell the crowd numerous times to jump or stand up or sing along. The throngs did that just fine and often without any encouragement. That's the Freddie Mercury in Armstrong.
As usual, Armstrong ended the night with acoustic guitar in hand for the anti-punk sounding "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." The song is filled with nostalgia (in reality, a kiss-off song to an ex-girlfriend). Dirnt and Tre Cool came out eventually to bid adieu to the crowd. Chances are based on this night, many did have the time of their life.
The Linda Lindas got the show rolling with a most satisfying stint. The quartet is comprised of LA teens – three of them are related and the drummer was only 13! – but they sounded like they're in this for the long term. Armstrong came out during their set to lend an encouraging wave of the arms. Good move in having them open.
Their brand of rock worked from start to finish. The only problem was that at 19 minutes, The Linda Lindas certainly left you wanting more. A lot more.
On the other end of the age spectrum, veteran punkers Rancid followed up with a rapid fire, no-holds barred set. Like Green Day, Rancid relied on the past (they've been together since 1991) with almost half of the set coming from 1995's "...And Out Came the Wolves" and nothing from last year's "Tomorrow Never Comes." Rancid is very good at what they do, and lead singer Lars Frederiksen was engaging (he dedicated one song to a fan wearing the jersey of his favorite baseball team, the Oakland A's). But like The Linda Lindas, Rancid would have benefitted from more time. Better yet, see them headline their own show.