By Sam W6
I remember as if it were yesterday. After beating some hardcore traffic, we made it to the parking lot. Then some walking, and we made it in. I was so excited, the fact I was going to see my favorite band in concert amazed me. After getting a burrito, a t-shirt, and a quick bathroom run (because of this, I missed all of AFI’s performance), we made it into the amphitheatre. My mom and I were far back on the lawn, but we could see the stage and the screens perfectly. While waiting, people sat down as I thought to myself, “Why are people sitting down? This is a Green Day concert for crying out loud!” (they eventually stood up when the band came out). While sound check was going on, a guy in a bunny suit came on stage and pumped up the crowd. It danced like a drunk, and led people in the YMCA. Then the lead singer’s sister came out promoting a children’s hospital saying if you texted a code you could donate $10 to it.
The sky was getting dark (outdoor amphitheatre), and with “Song of the Century” blaring through the speakers, Green Day came on stage. They opened the show with the song “21st Century Breakdown”. They then played some songs off of the 21st Century Breakdown album (the album they were touring for) and American Idiot. After that,Billie announced, “Hey, you guys know we’re recording a live @#$%ing album right now, right?” He curses a lot during the show. Then they played a “new” song.
Next, they took fan requests and played old stuff. They also played their classic Dookie hits like “When I Come Around”, “Basket Case”, and “Longview” (the song where they pull a fan out on stage to sing it). Also during “Brain Stew” and “Jaded” Billie shot water guns, T-shirt cannons, and toilet paper from a toilet paper launcher into the crowd.
They kept on playing: covers of songs like “Highway To Hell”, and “Hey Jude”. They also did “Santa Claus Is coming To Town” where AFI came out dressed as Santa. Also, during “21 Guns”, everyone took lighters and cell phones and waved them. I thought to myself, “What a beautiful sight. Wait, people have lighters! We’re on the lawn! They better not drop em!”
After more stuff including 2 encores and finishing off with “Wake Me up When September Ends” and “Good Riddance”, the show was over. When driving to the hotel falling asleep in the car I was thinking, “That was a sick concert.”
PROS: The stage was amazing. They had a monitor on stage in the shape of buildings. During songs like “21st Century Breakdown” it looked like a huge animated city behind them. During “Hitchin’ a Ride”, the monitor showed an animated road behind them, and during “American Idiot”, a stack of televisions.
They played a heck of a show
They played good stuff.
CONS: Idiots kept on smoking.
They left a lot of good songs out. They should’ve played more of their old songs.
OVERALL: It was a great show. My mom and I both agree we will be seeing them again when they tour again (it was their last American tour date)
So, GO SEE THEM!!! EVEN IF YOU HATE GREEN DAY, GO SEE THEM, THEY PUT ON A HECK OF A GREAT SHOW!!!!