Long lines, screaming fans and alcoholic bunnies were just some of the amusing antics that flared away at Green Day’s concert Nov. 20 at Centennial Garden. After waiting in an extremely long line to get on the ground floor, causing me to miss the Sugar Cult performance, I was searched, tagged and ready to get wasted with the best of them.
I arrived just in time to see New Found Glory take the stage, which only maintained my disappointment of missing the first set. The speakers blasting out the music drowned out the lead singer’s voice, which was at a higher pitch than most Backstreet Boys. Seeing the waving flab of the shirtless bass player didn’t really help things much, either, but I was determined to have an awesome night.
After NFG closed out, I got my share of the overpriced alcohol in the lobby and drank as quickly as I could before the main venue took over. Just as I was getting back, a man dressed in a large bunny suit holding a beer bottle graced the stage and had people doing the Village People’s “YMCA” song while he guzzled away.
Then the lights dimmed, horns sounded and flags raised, bearing the fist-clenched heart hand grenade. As the crowd screamed louder and louder, Green Day ran out on stage and blared out “American Idiot” to start off. Fans sang along while banging heads and waving fists showered across the crowd, bringing a rush to every kid, teen and aged rocker.
Billie Joe made the show one unexpected moment after the next as he pretended to masturbate, moon the crowd on both sides, hose down the audience with a squirt gun with the help of a young fan and jump all around the stage while everything from light shows to pyrotechnics took place.
One ultimate highlight happened when Green Day welcomed on stage three musicians, which the band pulled out of the crowd one by one until they had a complete band. They showed them the chords and drumbeat to play and let them have a few minutes of fame as they jammed alongside the band. Billie Joe even gave the guitarist, who was picked out because of a giant sign he had, the guitar he was playing.
Green Day didn’t just play hits and songs from the new album. They threw in a mix of songs, such as “Shout,” which Billie sang while wearing a crown and cape. Just as they left the stage, the fans pulled out their lighters and cell phones and cheered for an encore. The large lighted sign began slowly flashing the words, “Green Day,” as the crowd chanted them with lights speeding up in pace.
The band came back and closed out with “We are the Champions,” which had the whole crowd singing along while green and white confetti blew over.
Other memorable moments, such as Billie Joe talking trash about the newly elected president, reminding moshing fans to pick up those who fall and poking fun at random people made the show a night to remember.
As I left, buzzing on beer, my ears ringing and my neck in a vicelike pain, I was halted by an intoxicated, middle-aged man screaming about how he was kicked out of the show for just dancing. He also reminded me to marry someone for who they are on the inside. I’ll take the advice, friend, even though I used it over four years ago.
The night didn’t stop there for me, but the show did and I can easily say that I can’t wait to see them come back again because Green Day puts on a great show well worth the money. The band has risen, fallen and risen again, and with that you have to give them respect from surviving every death and hateful slur that has been thrown at them from critics to fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if the band made it for another 15 years, and if so, then I’ll end up being the old guy screaming outside the concert hall about how I got kicked out for “just dancing.”