Los Angeles, CA- There’s nothing like watching a band you love in a small, intimate venue. But getting the chance to see a band like Green Day in a 200 capacity room? A band … correction … a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Band … that has sold over 85 MILLION records, and packs stadiums around the world on the regular? Ho … ly … shit. Talk about dreams coming true, right?
After missing out on purchasing tickets (and not being able to afford the “scalper prices”) to their sold out gig the night before at the Palladium, I figured that I had missed my chance to see these guys perform before they embark on their world tour next year. Apparently, the music gods decided to throw me a bone, because with 24 hours notice, I was invited to their gig at Red Bull’s Soundspace at KROQ.
Now, our publication has been invited to cover other Red Bull Soundspace at KRQO shows in the past, so I had certain expectations of what was to come. Typically, a band will play a short set of anywhere between 5-6 songs, then conduct a brief interview with the KROQ DJ on hand at the event. Green Day exceeded those expectations and rocked a legitimate mini-concert of 13 songs, playing with the kind of intensity that I can only imagine was left over from their two hour plus gig the night before. They took the stage at 4pm, and rocked it righteous for the next 45 minutes. The band mixed up their set with their hits and a handful of cuts from their latest album, “Revolution Radio”. They even performed “YoungBlood” live for the first time for the lucky crowd.
As if watching Green Day perform live in that intimate venue wasn’t enough, there were certain moments that could have only happened in that moment in time. With fans literally inches away from the stage, one fan got what was perhaps the most memorable moment of his life. During the performance of “Longview”, Billie Joe motioned for a fan to join him on stage to sing the final verse and chorus of that Green Day classic. With the excitement of a sweets deprived kid in a candy store, the fan did his best Billie Joe impression, then air guitared/drummed with reckless abandon during the instrumental outro. I certainly hope that that fan realizes he basically got to do what millions of fans probably fantasize about. Shit … I’m even a little envious of the guy! LOL.
Following their killer set, KROQ’s Ted Stryker interviewed the fellas and was able to get the band to confirm that they would be playing a stadium in Los Angeles next year on tour. They discussed the current crop of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations, if they could imaging playing a “Desert Trip” 30 years from now, and their love of bands like Rolling Stones and the Ramones. But Green Day didn’t get to where they’re at now by dwelling in the past, and they made sure that the audience knew what they felt about bands and music nowadays.
They reminisced about their days playing gigs at friend’s houses, and the importance of supporting those bands trying to forge a path to be great. Billie emphasized that there was a wealth of new talent out in the world that needs the kind of encouragement that Green Day got, with Mike Dirnt pointing to his Dog Party tank acknowledging that he was doing right then. Class acts who practice what they preach.
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