Green Day Manchester MEN Arena October 30th 2009
I had promised David and Laura that we would go to see Green Day when they returned to the UK. Although they have been around for some 21 years; I’ve never fancied seeing them until recently; largely because of the American Idiot album which we all liked, and their growing reputation as one of the best live acts in the world. So on Friday we braved the rush hour traffic down the A1 and across the M62 to the vast MEN Arena to see if they would live up to their reputation.
We got to Manchester in time for something to eat at Nandos in Printworks and went into the MEN around 7.45pm, having missed the support act Prima Donna. Laura was sitting with me and David was in the next block on his own (there was a limit of two tickets per person for this show). Green Day were advertised as coming on stage at 8pm. Around 8.15pm a giant drunken rabbit took to the stage drinking out of two cans and started dancing to YMCA to the delight of the audience. I guess this was a sign of what was to come. Green Day took the stage at around 8.20 to a great roar from the crowd. Billy Joe worked the crowd from the start. Lots of singing along; several fans were brought up on stage to sing lead vocals and then asked to stage dive into the crowd. Lots of effects; explosions, flames, etc. And the show was very long at around 2 hours 40 mins. Underneath it all lies a great rock band. The favourites are all played, and played very well and we do enjoy it. But there is something of the pantomime to it, which the kids in the crowd of course love.
We meet up with David at the end of the show; we all agree that it was good but perhaps a little long and too geared towards the kids in the crowd. We get home around 1.15am.
website: www.greenday.com
Setlist:
Song of the Century;21st Century Breakdown;Know Your Enemy;Viva la Gloria!; East Jesus Nowhere;Holiday;
The Static Age;Burnout;Are We the Waiting; St. Jimmy; Boulevard of Broken Dreams; Hitchin’ a Ride; When I Come Around; Give me Novacine; Brain Stew/Jaded ; Knowledge; Basket Case; She; Welcome to paradise;
King for a Day; Shout /Orgasim Addict/Teenage Kicks/Champagne Supernova/Satisfaction; 21 Guns; American Eulogy
Encore: American Idiot; Jesus Of Suburbia; Minority
Encore 2: Last Night on Earth; Wake Me Up When September Ends; Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
my ticket
programme
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