Hey everyone, are there any Green Day fans here? I personally love them and have since I was 11 and got Dookie right after it came out. I am more excited than I have ever been for their new album coming out in may. Anyway, just curious to know if anyone here cares. lol.
My Green Day Experience
Saturday, July 28 2001. Newton, UT. 2:00 PM. Myself and a few friends, Jake, Jason, Dustin, My brother Rick and his girl leave to go see the greatest band ever, Green Day. We are in a late 80’s Dodge caravan. It is a piece of junk. I had never been to a concert before. I had no Idea what to expect. The night before, we all watched Almost Famous to get pumped up. It was the only idea I had of a concert. My family has never been much into music, so I unfortunately never got to go see a concert. When I found out Green Day was coming. I decided to go no matter the costs.
So we leave Newton. I am driving. Of course, to get even more pumped, we are rocking out to Nimrod, My favorite album. So here are the six of us young kids rolling down the freeway hauling ass as we want to be there early so that we can be some of the first in. The show doesn’t start till 7:00. The Salt Air amp theater in Magna, UT is only about two and a half hours away from Newton. To say that we were excited would be an understatement. To me, Billie Joe, Mike and Tre were Gods. I practically worshiped them. About an hour into the drive, the van stalled. It just shut off. No reason. I panicked. I was freaking out. I couldn’t believe it. My stomach started hurting. I was all but ready to cry. After messing around with the van for a few minutes, we got it to start. We all pile in and take off back down the freeway.
It’s about 4:00 PM now. Cruising down the freeway again, we are all still pumped up. We exit I-15 to I-80 and start heading west to Magna. We are getting even more excited. We are getting close. We are passing Salt Lake International. Only about fifteen miles left. It’s un-bearable. I can’t stand it. Only a few long hours before I get to see my idols. My heart is pumping. I am sweating. I am so anxious to see them.
On the freeway, we go to pass a big bus. I think, “This could be them.” But, the bus has Oregon plates on it and everyone knows Green Day is from Berkeley, California. So we pass the first bus and I look into the driver seat and it is just some older dude driving. No big deal. We pass the second bus and I don’t really even look. Jake is sitting in the back. I hear him yell, “HOLY SHIT!!! THERE’S BILLIE JOE!!!” I look over in anticipation and excitement, sitting on the steps in the front of the bus is Billie Joe and Adrienne Armstrong. My heart nearly exploded. I couldn’t believe this. I was literally less than ten feet from my idol. We slow down and start waiving. Billie and his wife get smiles on their faces. Billie waves back at us. I couldn’t believe it. My “God” just waived at me. He saw ME! I never could have imagined. We drove right next to them for a few minutes and then spead ahead to the venue.
Once at the Salt Air, we got a parking spot and ran to the line. On our way over, I slipped and fell in the mud. Everyone laughed at me. I could have cared less. I got up and continued to the line. There were only about one hundred or so people in front of us. It was awesome. I can’t begin to explain how I felt. I was ex-static. It was the greatest high I have ever had even still.
The line was continuing to grow. There was a kid and his girl friend right behind us in line. Jake and I became friends with them. We were having a good old time. They were the same age as us. 18. We all sit there talking and joking and getting to know one another. Me and Jake were telling them about an old burlesque house in Cache Jct. I was joking saying that I want to buy it and start it back up. Jake and I would run it and call it J and J Burlesque. We were having a good old time joking about stupid things like that.
Here we are BS’ing and all of a sudden Green Day does a sound check. Everyone in the line goes silent. You hear them checking their instruments, Then they break into Basket Case. The energy is amazing. Everyone in the line is silent. They play the whole song. You can feel it. Everyone is pumped. They finish the song and everyone freaks out. They start clapping and yelling and jumping. It was electrifying.
After about an hour and a half in the line, they start letting people into the building. We walk up to the door, they pat us down. My heart is pounding. You can feel it already. I am overwhelmed at the excitement. I am anxious. I can’t wait. People are pilling in. It’s insane.
We are all towards the front. There are only a few people in front of us. We are maybe fifteen feet from the stage. They dim the lights. Three guys come out on stage and play a song called Roll On. After the song, they introduce themselves. They are The Living End from Melbourne Australia. They play a good set. They are awesome. The bassist uses a stand up bass and is crazy. He balances on it and it is phenomenal. Chris the lead singer and guitarist play’s while drinking a beer. He is holding the beer in his left hand as he plays. It was amazing. They play about eight to ten songs and go off stage.
We stand there for about twenty or so minuets. The smell of the place is incredible, it’s terrible. The smell coming off of the great salt lake. The smell of all of those people in a un-air conditioned building in the middle of summer. It was hummed, muggy and gross. Everyone was soaking wet from everyone else’s sweat.
The lights go dim again. Everyone goes crazy. The energy is un-real. The guys come out on stage. They start playing. It was so amazing I can’t even remember the song. I was practically blacked out and in shock. I was standing fifteen feet from Billie Joe Armstrong. It was AWESOME!! After the first song, Billie starts to introduce some people. First Mike Dirnt, then Tre Cool. Then he points up on the balcony, he then says, “See that lady right there? that’s my wife Adrienne. See that beautiful lady next to her? That’s my Mom, Her and my Dad fucked, and here I am!” Everyone went crazy. It was awesome. Then they started playing music.
Billie was asking people what songs they wanted to hear. It was awesome because they weren’t promoting an album, they were just on tour. They played some of everything, from Kerplunk to Nimrod. It was great. At one point, Billie went to the drums and Tre came to the microphone. He sang, all by myself and Dominated Love slave. It was awesome. They switched back and continued to play. Then they asked for people to come up. They had someone that could play the drums, Guitar and Bass come up. The all played a song and Billie sang. It was awesome. Then Billie kissed the kid on the lips. It was hilarious. The three had to stage dive off of the stage. It was cool.
Towards the end. I worked my way up to the barrier. I got close enough that if Billie would have reached out and I would have. We could have touched hands. It was the most amazing thing in my life. Words can’t compare. They closed with two encores.
After Green Day left the stage. I was still pumped. I had just seen the most amazing thing ever. I knew I would never forget it and I could never forget it. Unfortunately, I have forgot little things about the show, but I will never forget the energy, the amazement, the feeling, but most of all, the show. I have loved Green Day since I was 11 years old. The first CD I ever owned is Dookie and I still have it. Green Day is my favorite band and always will be. I can’t wait for the next tour. Regrettably, I have missed the last few and I will NOT miss the next few! Thanks for Thirteen Great years of music in my life. I love those guys. They are heroes. They have helped me many times. I am twenty five now and it is November, 2008. I still go back to that day when I need a mental boost. I still remember the feelings. It was phenomenal. It was the greatest day of my life.
Jeremy K. Macdonald, 11-14-08
