Concert Review: Green Day earns a 21 Gun Salute
August 23, 2009 by FromTheCrowd
Filed under Concert Reviews
Review and Photos by Stephanie Baldwin
View the Concert Gallery Here: http://fromthecrowd.com/984/concert-photos-green-day-august-22-2009/
Green Day, the punk rock trio, consisting of Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass guitar, vocals), and Tré Cool (drums, percussion), brought their latest dynamic, and literally explosive concert experience to US Airways Center on August 22.
Green Day Performed at the US Airways Center August 22 2009. Photo Credit: Stephanie Baldwin
Twitter was flooded in to the early morning tweets from pumped concertgoers amazed by the epic performance delivered by Green Day. The concert was that good and well, that long. In fact, Green Day performed for nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes, with the concert concluding just before 11:45pm.
The superb set list provided a mix of songs from their latest release “21 century Breakdown”, their 2005 “American Idiot” as well as songs from their previous releases and a few covers that were masterfully arranged.
Impressive stage production combined: fire, fireworks, spectacular lighting, video backdrops and more. It was visually hypnotizing and while it could have been considered over the top or distracting for any other artist, Green Day was able to command the stage and remain the center of attention, with their powerful vocals, lyrics and musical expertise. Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool shined on stage and it was brilliant to see Billie Joe Armstrong play riffs with skill that would rival any other guitar great.
The trio was able to change the tempo of the performance without missing a beat. It didn’t matter if the band participated in various onstage shenanigans (which included water guns, toilet paper blowers, various costumes and a full mooning of the audience) or if there was a single spotlight on stage for an acoustic solo, the crowds’ energy was invested for the entire set.
Green Day delivers musically, instrumentally and provides an eye catching stage show, however this is not what makes their concert, quite possibly, the best touring today. The bands uncanny ability to get the audience deeply involved in their performance, is what sets them apart. Armstrong, not only yells, motivates and speaks to the crowd, he goes one step further and gains active participation. He is very aware of the crowd and seems to have a gift for plucking the most entertaining concertgoers out of the audience. At a Green Day concert the crowd is just another instrument that the band utilizes during their performance.
Often, these crowd interactions generate some of the most memorable moments of the show, as was the case at this evenings concert. Tonight, Armstrong selected a handful of crowd members to
A fan shows Armstrong some love on stage at the August 22 Green Day Perfomance. Photo Credit Stephanie Baldwin
join him on stage at different points of the performance. Perhaps the most memorable, was a female concertgoer that laid a big fat kiss on Armstrong immediately after joining him on stage as he performed, “East Jesus Nowhere”. After recovering from the shock, he then proceeded to convince her to leap of the front of the stage to crowd surf among the other fans who were eager to participate. (You can see her leap in the concert gallery)
Kissing wasn’t the only talent Phoenix fans had to offer. Two concertgoers made their vocal debuts singing “Longview”, the female chosen was obviously nervous but quickly navigated her way through the first few versus. It was then her male counterpart’s opportunity and he rocked the stage. I think everyone’s jaw dropped a bit, including Armstrong’s as this guy knew how to sing and had stage presence to boot. At the end of the song Armstrong announced that the two had been the best they’d seen on tour so far!
The final audience participant joined in on playing guitar for “Jesus of Suburbia” which was one of the four songs performed as an encore. Armstrong raised the bar and required it t0 be someone that actually knew how to play the song, and even challenged a few of those eager to participate to name the key it was in. The guy finally selected, proved his worth and performed as if he belonged with the band and did not miss a beat.
The concert ended appropriately with Armstrong singing “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”, which everyone in attendance could agree that they had. Overall the performance was epic and the best concert to come to the Valley this year and for that, Green Day deserves the highest honor of a 21 gun salute.
Green Day August 22 Set List:
“Know Your Enemy”
“East Jesus Nowhere”
“Holiday”
“The Static Age”
“Before the Lobotomy”
“Are We The Waiting”
“St. Jimmy”
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
“Hitchin a Ride” Foxboro Hot Tubs aka Green Day (check out the review on this side project)
“Brain Stew”
“Jaded”
“Longview”
“Basketcase”
“She”
“King for a Day” (which included excerpts covers of “Shout”, “Break on Through (to the Other Side)”, “Suspicious Minds” and “I’ll Be There.”)
“21 Guns”
“American Eulogy”
“21 Guns.”
Encore
“American Idiot”
“Jesus of Suburbia”
“Minority”
“Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”
If you attended this concert; feel free to share your experience and comment below or send us your review! contribute(at)FromTheCrowd.com
Yesterday was my birthday so the concert was my present. It turned out to be the BEST present ever! The most memorable event for me during the evening was when Billie MOONED the audience. I was right there too.. I think I even got a picture of it on my camera!
I think I finally just recovered from this concert. Great review!
I was the girl that got pulled up on stage and kissed Billie Joe. No joke. Proof: http://www.myspace.com/malicexinxhorrorland.
That was THE best moment of my life. I will never forget it. The concert was unlike any other. They’re untouchable. Great review and great fucking concert! :]
That’s awesome! Glad you liked the review! I have the whole series of being pulled up on stage, and then you jumping off. I can make you an animated GIF.
Ohhh that would be amazing if you could do that! Seeing as it was kind of a blur and I don’t entirely remember the whole thing, haha. If you could do that and then email me, I will forever appreciate it!!
Amber -
Your picture is also on GreenDay.com it is picture #11 in the Phoenix Set of pictures. Its you crowd surfing back after you jumped.
Yeah, that one I’ve seen. But this review & pictures were exactly what I’ve been looking for. I knew they were out there somewhere, ha.
I was at the show and I think this captures it perfectly! Great site too, I’ll be back.
I saw Green Day in WA and AZ both shows were amazing. Green Day puts more than 100% in to there concerts. I think it’s so awesome that they let people on stage. I don’t know any other band that does that. 99% of the people are participating and having the times of there lives. Green Day’s performance is amazing the best i’ve ever seen better than Metallica and every other band i’ve seen in concert. I love Green Day I can’t wait for them to come back to AZ. Green Day is by far the most amazing band ever. Amber thats so cool that you got to go up on stage and kiss Billie joe too!I’m happy you found the pics of you and Billie kissing so cool.
I’ve attended 100’s of concerts over the years, but this was by far the best!!! Their energy simply ignited the crowd and just thinking about it gives me chills up my spine!!!
If you have a chance to see Green Day on this tour, do not pass up this opportunity.
That was such an amazing concert!!! Definitely the best one I have ever been to!!!! My ears were still ringing when I woke up the next day!!!! Does anyone know why there were so many movie cameras there? I remember Billie Joe screaming that “Phoenix, you’re LIVE!!” I’m curious as to if the concert was recorded for tv or possibly a music dvd. That would be amazing! Plus it would be a great keepsake since my photos didn’t come out so well. Wait…photos??? Oh yea….I so didn’t get my camera in
lol. Great review by the way!!!
Hi Catlin -
From what I understand that Phoenix Performance is going to be a live perofrmance for Verizon. There were memos posted at each entrance stating the nights performance was going to be taped for future usage. Glad you enjoyed the review!
awesome review! i also saw green day in az and wa,two of the best days of my life,no doubt about it.but! you forget to mention billie joe sang last night on earth,just before good riddance,which was one of the best songs of the night! i cannot wait to se green day again,money well spent every time =D
the concert was listerally the best night of my life, <333. the concert is still burned into my brain. :D. they out onn FANTASTIC show’s, no joke. but during last night on earth, and 21 guns me and my bestfriend screamed ” BILLIE JOE!!. ” so freaking loue, i hope he heard us, <3. but im heaaring that there coming back to arizona sometime in january.? i hope they are because my dad said he’ll get me tickets since it’s the month of my birthday. <33. well he’d let me go either way as long as the tickets aren’t alot. im also hearing the concert is going on dvd.? :). billie joe armstrong, i love him and i always will. <33333333333.
i miss the concert so, so, so, so, so MUCH! well i hope they come back, i love green day, i love billie joe, <333333333333.
- love danaa,
This was my first concert and I think that it’ll always be my best. I got mooned by the coolest guy in the world!!
what song was it when he went in the crowd and on the stairs??
i was literally right next to him when he put his guitar over that one dud on the 4th row!
I NEED TO NO THIS !!!!
****If ANYONE has the video of where I got on stage and kissed Billie Joe, please PLEASE email me it: amberlcowan@hotmail.com. I’ve been on the hunt for that since the concert and it’s driving me crazy that I can’t find it. :[
I wasn’t at the concert, but considering that they’ve opened up with 21st Century Breakdown at every other concert, I think they probably did at this one also. Also at the end, you had “21 Guns” “American Eulogy” “21 Guns”. Other then those errors, good review, makes me wish I traveled to see this one also =D The one that I went to, but people mucked up Longview in their own way. Ahh, I’m jelouse =P
LOVED THE CONCERT! Headed in to it got off a week just to chill in the city and go to this concert people say the new album is overrated but its one of the bests right up there with dookie and american idiot. GREENDAY4LIFE