Adventures Of A Rock Idiot

Green Day 
Emirates Stadium
1st June 2013

 

Well it's true, Green Day really is the best day!! They are currently touring their trilogy of albums Uno, Dos and Tre. So I didn't see them on June 1st, I saw them on June Uno! Anyway this is my journey to and through one of the best experiences of my life. Or what I can remember of it, isn't strange how the more you enjoy a gig, the more you forget. Well, these memories will last forever. 99 Revolutions tour here I come! 

Second time in London and what a time it was! I left this crappy little town which I have to call home to catch the train to Crewe. Listening to Green Day the whole way there, I was in my own little world, smiling like an Idiot (or welsh idiot should I say). I went to meet Ally and wait for the other Idiot to arrive. We went to McDonalds. I saw that Ronald McDonald was going to this store on Saturday June Uno (when I'd be in London). I had a hefty decision to make, Ronald or Green Day? (Just kidding of course it'd be Green Day).
We set off from Crewe at around 11.15am, the three of us listening to Ally's mixed up playlist, some cheesy pop songs made an appearance (cough, cough).
We had been on the road a while and were just getting into London. All of us were singing along to Green Day songs which turned up on the playlist now and then. We reached the hotel. I was too excited for words. I was sitting in the car and my phone started ringing, it was Tony. This was the first time I’d spoken to him voice to voice that was cool. But his train had been held back ( not so awesome for them).
We checked into the hotel and got our key, went to the room and realised there was someone's bag already in there. So, off we troddled and got a different room. Woops. This put a lot of faith from us to the hotel..... NOT! 
Time to wander now! It was so warm out, we decided to go get some ice cream (why wouldn't you). There were so many people around, and so many Green Day fans. Such a cool sight. We were like pigeons. No idea where we're headed. Jamie put his navigation thing on his phone and led us to the Emirates. Ally doubting him all the way. There it was, the stadium where I’d be seeing my heroes in just over 24 hours. Squeee! 'Shall we go in?' we asked.... of course we did, we're nosey idiots! People were already queuing which was cool. So nice to see this amazing fan base. 
After having a nose around we went back to the hotel to fetch the camping stuff (by camping stuff I mean a sleep bag for me and a quilt for them two). Boom we were away! Back to the Emirates we went.
Entering the Emirates, and heading to our turnstile and we heard someone sound checking. OH MY GOD GREEN DAY ARE SOUNDCHECKING! AHHHH!! And then it hit me, I’m seeing my heroes tomorrow for the first time in three years. 'Is this really happening?' I thought. We set up camp and smiled at the other Idiots at turnstile F. We were in for an amazing time. I recognised some of the people in our queue from Green Day Community. I had been chatting to them on the build up to the gig. I put on my zebra hat and they then recognised me. Good times. All hail the hat. I love meeting new idiots. We set there listening to Green Day sound checking for a good half an hour. They were playing songs I’d never heard live before. Such as, Waiting and Stay The Night. Green Day left, only 21 hours till doors...

Hmmm what to do? We went for another wander. Ally then decided to be a dog.... ya know as you do! She was chasing a bottle that me and Jamie were throwing. All worship that bottle, it is a god. (Yes, ok I may have cracked up). A drunk banana came up to us (yep officially lost it)! He was cool. Very drunk, but cool. Fun Times :')

 

At around 10pm a dude wearing a Green Day VIP thing came up to us and started chatting. He said because we were camping out, we could get priority wristbands to get into the golden circle. YES! Golden circle = closer to Green Day. The dude also explained that they would leave some toilets open for us and there'd be security around us all night. This was so unexpected and we believe the band had something to do with it, as the Emirates people hadn't done this for the Muse fans that were there the week before. Mwahaha in your face Muse fans. Idiots rule.. It was about 1am when I fell to sleep, only to be woken at 2 by some security guard who was telling the GDCers to be quiet. Ironic that they didn't wake me up and the security did. Never mind. I dropped back off to sleep until 5am. It was so cold, I decided to walk around for a bit. 
Everybody started waking up because of 'the lights early dawn' (excuse the Green Day lyric) and more people started turning up. Oh good only 10 hours to go till doors. We all looked like zombies sitting there to be fair whilst the people just turning up looked at us as if we were crazy fools (ok maybe they have a point). We all perked up when we received our golden circle wristbands. Wow this is really happening

Time past and doors were getting ever closer. We took the camping stuff back to the hotel and I finally decided to buy a tour tee (how could I resist?). As I went to get one, I recognised a face among the people, it was Tony. I casually walked past again to make sure it was him and decided to go say hi. Thankfully it was him and I hadn't gone up to some randomer.
Couple of hours left. GAHHHH! The Security guards started coming around telling everyone about some rules the Emirates have. These people have obviously never been to a Green Day show. Green Day don't abide by rules, in Billie's words ''there's supposed to be a curfew tonight, I don't believe in curfews''. They had one weird rule though, you weren't allowed to take signs in with you. This gutted a lot of people who had made 'Dirty Rotten Bastards' signs. DRB is a song that almost every Green Day fan wants to hear live and it's yet to be done. 

Another thing I feel is worth noting is how goddamn tidy the merch line was. I've been to a lot of gigs in my 18 years and never ever have I seen such a tidy merch line. There's never usually a line. Normally it just looks like a slow motion mosh pit.

HOORAY! Doors started being surrounded by security. We were talking to them. They called us crazy but dedicated for staying the night, which let's face it, it's true. That's just how we roll.
BOOM! Doors, or turnstiles I should say, started opening. They only opened one to start with but then proceeded to open the other. I was first through the other one. I was shaking with excitement. My shoe got stuck in the turnstile. It must've been a funny sight trying to see me wriggle free. I sprinted to the pitch and ran the whole length, slowing down as the security guards were approaching then speeding up as I pass them. I was in the golden circle. However, I’d lost Ally and Jamie. Jason's side had less people on as expected so naturally I went to that side. Even though we'd all arranged to go Mike's side. I couldn't give up being this close to barrier though. 

Damn it was hot already. The bands hadn't even started yet. All Time Low's stage was being set up, then they ran on stage. I'm not the biggest All Time Low fan but these guys sure did a good job of supporting Green Day. The crowd was pumped already after only a few songs. Even if you hadn't been to a Green Day concert before, you could tell you had an awesome night ahead. All Time Low left the stage to make way for the second support act Kaiser Chiefs. I would've swapped supports around, I didn't think much of these. They were good when they were playing the songs people actually knew, but I remember the singer saying 'we're gunna play some newer stuff tonight', the crowd died down. It was rather funny... but awkward. I think the crowd were just buzzing purely on the basis that we knew Green Day were next. OH MY JESUS OF SUBURBIA!
 

That was it. The Kaisers said their goodbyes and Green Day's amps etc were uncovered. Everyone cheered when Tre's drumkit was unveiled. Woo a drumkit. That was it, the music stopped. But then came Bohemian Rhapsody playing on the speaker, this was the start of Green Day's set. They have this played in all the countries. 60,000 people just stopped and started singing along to this classic track. I had never seen, heard or felt anything like this before. The atmosphere was absolutely mind blowing. I can't even put it into words. It was fantastic and that's an understatement.

 

This song finished and The Ramones' Blitzkrieg Bop started. HERE COMES THE DRUNK BUNNY! As a Green Day fan you kind of have to love this song, it's the law (well not really but it is a kick ass song). The drunk bunny is awesome that's all I can say really. And just because Green Day love to keep us waiting, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly blared out. Everyone started clapping along. Last few notes of the song, Mike, Tre and Jason ran out then Billie followed. I couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face even if I’d tried.   

 

I couldn't believe the time had come, I was finally only a few feet away from my idols. Billie stood on the speaker thing and took in the crowd. The opening note of 99 Revolutions started. I'd been dying to hear this song live since the first time I heard it last December. Oh my god what an opening song this was, it's so powerful. The crowd was so pumped. I could stay in this moment forever. Know Your Enemy riff kicked in after, the crowd were clapping along again. I think it's fair to say Billie Joe Armstrong is one of the best front men of his time and of all time. The fans worship him. It was a surprise they kept this song in the set out of all the songs on 21st Century Breakdown, but hey I’m not complaining, they could play anything and I’d be happy. Stay the Night up next! This song is something else live. The breakdown in it, the hey ohh's, it all fits perfectly. A crazy song next Stop When The Red Lights Flash. I remember the mosh pit absolutely going crazy to this song. I'd been hoping they'd keep Letterbomb in the set... and they did! (thanks Green Day). This song is such an under-rated song. I never thought I’d get to hear it live, with it not being a single from American Idiot. Ah, Green Day making dreams come true since 1987! Billie gave one of his inspirational speeches during this song, ''I wanna hear you scream. This is it, this is your night, this is our night, we're all together, out in the fuckin world is fuckin chaos, there's a load of shit going on, its fuckin' confusing, it makes you wanna fuckin hate, it makes you wanna fuckin bleed, all this shit... not here cause right now, right now this is our moment, this is some fuckin joy, this is joy everybody I wanna hear some joy'' He then grabs the camera and points it to the crowd. ''This is what my view looks like, now this is joy, this is joy''.  And it was. 
         

Oh Love and Holiday next, both really good, it was a bit weird seeing Holiday without the big bang in the background. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams out shone both of these in my opinion. This has been one of my all time favourite songs ever since I heard it in 2004. I've been lucky enough to hear it live 3 times (at this point) and every time it's been just as special as the first time I heard it. Stray Heart followed, this was cool to hear because Mike has a little bass solo! Bass often get's unnoticed to none musical peeps so it's nice that he actually gets recognition for his talent.

 

Nice Guys Finish Last. Really Green Day do they? Can't fault this song live at all, it's another one of those that gets the crowd moshing too.
'I've been waiting a long time for this moment to come' Billie sang. At this point I freaked. I didn't think they'd actually play Waiting even though they'd sound checked it the night before. I got to hear another of my favourite lyrics live ' better thank your lucky stars'. I was actually in a state of shock by this point. And to make things worse (or better depending how you look at it) they only went and debuted a song live off the trilogy. 'Missing You'. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven, I’m not gunna lie! 2 months on and I’m still in shock.

'How many old school Green Day fans out there tonight?' Billie asked. The crowd roared. Burnout, Sassafras Roots and Hitchin' A Ride now. Hitchin' A Ride is yet another song that just built for being played live. The crowd can get so involved in singing it. I'm pretty sure this was the song Billie saw my hat in too... I could be wrong but I had to put it around here somewhere. 
Welcome To Paradise (I was in paradise, I did not need welcoming) and Longview next, these are pretty standard songs to be played at a Green Day show. 

The first chords of Going To Pasalacqua rang out. This is a song of the very first album, it's always cool to hear the difference then and now style. I thought about Tony when I heard these first few chords. We had a pact, if Green Day played Christie Road or Lazy Bones, I’d need kicking to be woken from mega shock. Well this was Tony's song he picked for the pact. I hoped he hadn't collapsed in a heap because I wasn't there to kick him (that sounds horrible doesn't it). 
Operation Ivy cover now!! Knowledge! At this point I’d like to thank Green Day for introducing me to all these awesome bands.

St. Jimmy followed, I’ve always had a soft spot for this song. I guess out of all Green Day's characters this is the one I found most helpful through a rubbish time. The song has lots of energy. I just love it.

More Dookie now (the album not the other kind that would be disgusting). When I Come Around followed by Basket Case. For the first time ever I got to see Billie's crazy eyes up close instead of on the screen before he started Basket Case. This was followed by She and King for A Day! King For A Day is a fan fav and is played at pretty much every Green Day show. The band dress up in whacky things and Tre always has his bra on (wouldn't be complete without would it?). Shout which always follows King For A Day next. Green Day got on the floor. They covered 'I can't get no satisfaction', 'Teenage Kicks' and 'bright side of life'. Hearing this, especially the last one is so inspiring for me. Just hearing Billie singing 'always look on the bright side of life' it means something to me more so than he'll ever know.

The next song X-Kid made me tear up. This has since become one of my favourite songs off the trilogy. The lyrics are amazing. Yes, it is a serious song due to it being apparently about Billie's friend committing suicide, however it did not slow the night down at all. I can't listen to this song anymore without thinking of this incredible moment.

Another fan favourite next with Minority. I still think it's ironic how 60,000 people are singing 'I wanna be the Minority' all at the same time in the same place.

WALL OF DEATH! American Idiot now! The place exploded (even more so than before if that was possible!)

Followed by the 9 minute mini rock opera Jesus Of Suburbia. This song is a musical masterpiece if you've never heard it.... LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW! STOP READING AND LISTEN GODDAMN (or do both at the same time that’s fine too)!! :)

 

Now came the last song! Brutal Love. Never really got into this song before I saw it live, now I can't get enough of it. It's so amazing. Something caught my eye half way through the song, it was the lights of so many idiots' phone/ cameras. Such an amazing sight, breathtaking. I will never ever forget that.

 

This photo does not do it justice.

 

30 songs, a lost voice and a million or so heeeeeey oooooohs later and Green Day wave at us for the final time. I couldn't quite believe what I’d just witnessed.

Saying goodbye to London was hard, knowing Green Day were still there, but ya know gotta be done.

As I got back to Chester, I asked two arriva guys which platform I needed. One pointed to the other and said 'you better ask him, he's an American idiot too', because I had my tour tee on! I said 'oh you like Green Day, awesome, I went to see them last night', the other idiot said 'oh wow were they good' haha I love meeting new idiots :') Well I arrived home.... don't quite know what to say now, so I’ll use a quote from American Idiot the musical.

''And that was that or so it seemed, is this the end or the beginning.... I am an Idiot. It says so on my birth certificate... This is my rage, this my love, this is my city, this is my town, this is my life.

'