REVIEW! Green Day's Ohio Comeback show!

It's a wet and unassuming day in Columbus Ohio, and the first leaves of fall have begun to skirt up and down the side walks that cross before the neat lawns of the state Union building. Gazing out over these lawns is the faded facade of The Newport Music Hall, a small but long running live music venue that wears a palm tree on its crest. Perhaps a nod to roots in the much more westerly realms of Newport beach CA. Look closer however and you will realize that for this evening, that little palm tree is not the Newport's only California connection. Lining the streets for over 8 blocks, from its black doors and mirrored outcrop, to the greek diner down the street and beyond, music fans have braved the wet night just to snag a prime spot on the floor of that hall tonight. It's not any old spot though, it's a front row seat to the explosively anticipated comeback of one of the biggest bands on earth.

For fans of this Oakland trio know no boundaries when it comes to supporting their favorite punk rock behemoths. You've really got them loyal Green Day!

After a somewhat strict entry those long suffering bay boy enthusiasts were admitted to the belly of the building, and treated for their troubles to a pretty punk rock welcome by the band 'Dog Party'. This is a band that I've had no qualms paying to see several times in the past, so this comes as a huge bonus to myself, and undoubtedly to everyone else in that vicinity.

The atmosphere inside is surging, the energy alive in the air like electricity. It seems to hold a stain of pilgrimage, and perhaps for some, rightly so. Tonight is Green Day's first major gig in years, ploughing the Columbus city night open with the bow of their latest album release, Revolution Radio, due out October 7th.

As is customary for the band they wind the atmosphere higher still (traditionally with the help of a mansized tattered pink rabbit and no, nobody knows why ) by piping some of their favorite preshow anthems in over the speakers, including Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and The Ramones BlitzKrieg Bop. When the house lights finally go down and the stage is left black before the que of the introduction music, the screams and cheers quite literally reverberate from the walls. Then almost like an anticlimax, or so it may appear to some, the stage is flooded with light again and gives way from the left wing, to a somewhat awkward entrance by a modest and rather motley aggregation. Heading this rock and roll assemblage is a deceptively small dark haired man, dressed in black waistcoat and a necktie the color of red wine, whom takes this moment to stand up on a block, arms out wide, and survey his little kingdom. If you have no experience in this band, you may at this point be wondering, how is he going to pull this off?

The answer of course is with a short gritty snarl of welcome to Ohio and a big BANG BANG.

Yes you've got it. The group used their flagship single 'Bang Bang' , shortly followed by namesake Revolution Radio (both previously unheard live), to launch the room into the beginning of what was set to become a sweaty (almost) 3 hour frenzy, despite struggles with previous illness that saw the band cancel the first few shows originally slated for the start of the tour.

'Start a rager' he did indeed.

As lead singer Armstrong tells the crowd a little later 'Mmm We can go all night ladies and gentlemen....I like it. I don't stop. I'm never stopping.' He wasn't lying.

If there's one thing you can rely on with the band Green Day, in the raging course of their unbeatable showmanship, it's to set the rain on fire. The pilots of stadium sized punk rock sojourn totally obliterated the impressive 25 song long setlist, slowing down only to treat us to an abundance of audience interaction, more 'Hey Oh's' than I could possibly tally up on just 2 hands (see any green day show ever for details), the delightfully demonstrated ability to count to four in punk, and a huge slice of Armstrong's famously playful side; that which of course included the wearing of feather boas and much more.

For fans of the old and new alike, the song choices proved to be a substantial all rounder. Broadly roaming across the ranges of their albums and eras, from 2000 light years away from 1992's Kerplunk, to a dose of the leviathan 2004 American Idiot, and a touch of 2009 with 21st Century Breakdown's 'Know your enemy'. Also notable was a pretty well meted mash up of Nimrod's Scatterd and Nuclear Family from the first installment of 2012's much debated Uno, Dos, Tres Trilogy.

Other highlight's included a short lived, raw and almost gentle rendition of Christie Road, the tour staple of King for a Day and it's consequential medley of popular cover anthems, and a lullaby acoustic ending to a hard going night. Armstrong donned a black acoustic Gibson J-180, and played farewell song bird with the 3rd and final song of the set from Revolution Radio, 'Ordinary world' and the traditional round off of perhaps one of Green Day's most widely recognized balladry ditties, 'Good Riddance (Time of your life)'.

This is a band driven by a violent compulsion to share their music in the most honest and beautiful ways, creating a genuine intimacy at levels it never should work; thus exemplifying themselves without a doubt as the fathers of rage and love. Say what you will about Green Day, it seems to me they allude to no illusions, they just want to be exactly who they are.

And they're not going to stop.

We chatted to some of the fans that also attended the show. Here's what they had to say -

'We waited a total of 36 hours. We actually got there so early the venue made us leave. We went across the street to the college campus and laid out blankets in the grass and waited. We were front and center. Mike (Dirnt, Bassist) actually gave the 9 people that camped out one of his picks and thanked us. He said that the band had seen us out there for over 24 hours. They actually had sent some of their security to check on us throughout the night. Billie (Armstrong) wore my black boa that I tossed on stage!! He also caught the kiss I blew him and even gave me a guitar pick of his own. Such a good night. They came out strong and fast. Could tell Billie still wasn't feeling well sometimes during the show but that didn't stop them!' - Taylor Bellville, OH.

'The guys seemed really excited to be back on the stage last night! They looked and sounded absolutely amazing! My friend and I made a last minute decision to drive 6 hours to go and it was so awesome to be there for the first show of the tour! We were supposed to have gone to the original first show (St Louis)' - Traci Roll Schaum, IN.

' I thought Billie looked extremely happy to be playing live again, and for such a small crowd! I know some of the band had been sick and I hope they did not push themselves too much. I had a blast and I was so happy that I was able to experience such a small intimate show with my friends and family that went with me. All the fans I interacted with there were very nice to each other and helped each other out. It was an amazing time, other than the rainy part of waiting in line haha!' - Caitlin McCreary.

' I will tell you this right off.. the word amazing gets thrown around a lot, but this was a religious experience for me. I've never seen a band that close up and personal, and to see Green Day in a smaller setting was beyond anything I've ever experienced! I had been so sick for 2 weeks, bronchitis, respiratory infection, plus I was having anxiety attacks about going to the show, and also heart issues that caused discomfort and pain. Even on the way there I had to ride with my head out the window to breathe. We sat for 6 hours in line with a bunch of awesome people! We had sun, then lots of rain, then a peek of sun, followed by lots more rain. We also witnessed a peaceful protest walk by locals who were walking to city hall for an 13yr old Ohio boy who was shot by police a week or so ago, Tyre King.

Then finally we made it in.. and we were in a great spot in line and the venue.. thanks to me!First Dog Party opened and they ROCKED! 2 gals, a drum and a guitar. So good! So loud! They're from Sacremento, I assumed that they are part of the Bands In Town GD are promoting. I loved it! Just two rockin', bad-ass chicks!! They reminded me of The Runaways, and the Go Go's. They sounded amazing. At this point I was still having minor chest pains, and hoped that the pains would just stop because I thought to myself 'man, we were going to have to leave".. and I CANNOT do that. But once Green Day came out everything that was wrong with my body ceased. They started with 'Bang Bang'. I went on an instant 13 year old fangirl trip!! Crying....dancing, fist-pumping trying to get them to notice me hahaha. I was hugging and singing with strangers! My boyfriend took me to the show and I asked him 10 minutes in "you're crying aren't you?" You feel the power of Green Day?"

He said "no I'm not" like he was a bumbling shy kid. It was adorable. And Jesus Green Day were loud! But in sync, in tune, and totally together, not to mention chest pounding, pure rock & roll, and entertaining as f**k! Front man Billie still has IT! He said not doing music for a while has taken a toll. He says he's out of shape. Pfft, I beg to differ! Mike was SO agile and worked the crowd, so did Tre from behind his drum set. ' - Staci Krouskoupf, OH.

'Well it's been an adventurous 28 hours for that last minute crazy trip to Columbus Ohio to see a little band named Green Day play in a venue that holds 1700 people....that's all I can say. From almost a flat tire on way there, to driving with zombillie (an almost 6ft stuffed Billlie Joe Armstrong...what else??) waving at all the cars, to the stress of will our resale tickets even work? Then bomb sniffing dogs in and around the venue,... the protesters protesting and all the cops shutting down the street as we were about to go in. Then to getting into the venue and being in the front of pit and then deciding to get out of the pit and go to a corner on side of pit, to going live for the first time on FB (seemed to go over well) to running out of gas at 3am on highway, and hotel reservation being messed up.....1.25 hours of sleep and I'm finally home. Good night! P.S. our boys are freaking BACK!!!!' - Beffy Wieman, MO. *

Many thanks to the fans that shared their experiences with us!

*One of our originally interviewed fans was included in the article at a later date

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