This blog is about two weeks late, but I feel as I still feel it is fresh in my mind and the fact that there are thousands of people who have bought their Reading and Leeds 2013 festival tickets where Green Day are one of the headline acts.
I think firstly it is important to remember the two support acts, these bands were All Time Low, a band that originally was a Blink-182 tribute band and the Kaiser Chiefs, a band from Leeds who in the mid noughties had some huge hits like "I Predict A Riot" and "Oh My God" as well as my friend Josh's favourite "Ruby". The first band of these two to perform were All Time Low who played a mixture of their hits such as "Weightless" and "Lost In The Stereo". In all honesty having seen All Time Low twice at Reading prior to this it was my opinion that they were better during their first Reading, despite this when they were playing their songs, the crowd clearly knew and like their music and therefore went along. Between songs however, where some bands are so good, they were very average, merely shouting swear words randomly and talking about how it would be a success if twenty percent of the crowd were to receive a handjob to go along with their Green Day experience, all this with no instruments playing a riff or anything between the songs. I realise that makes me sound like I'm a pensioner, but really it just seemed pointless. Needless to say their biggest cheer was when they mentioned Green Day.
The Kaiser Chiefs in my opinion were much better. With their collection of hits placed well in their set list, managing to actually take up a large portion they really managed to get the crowd warmed up and ready. There was a point where they played a new, presumably unreleased (the way their last album was digitally released I can't be completely sure) track exclaiming that Green Day has told them to play "some new shit", although I agree with the girl nearby who said "I guaranty you they didn't say that". Funnily enough this was their only unknown song and thank goodness it was as it failed to live up to the standards of any of their other songs. They finished with the song "Oh My God" which managed to last about three time the length as the studio edition of the same song, that said it was an excellent performance as all the crowd got hyped up. The stage presence of the Kaiser Chiefs was also fairly good for a support act in a stadium and they come quite close in my opinion to the level of Biffy Clyro when I saw them support Muse at Wembley stadium. With their performance at The Emirates I can safely say anybody who goes to see them is in for a treat.
Now for the main act, the act I had been waiting for months to see. I can't pretend that with all the none musical happenings of Green Day in the last 12 months that I wasn't a little worried or apprehensive about their gig, I was very much hoping that they would be on the same level as they were when I saw them in 2009 and the secret Reading 2012 set. They were even better. The traditional pink bunny came on before the Blitzwing Bop played and on came the band. Starting with the tune "99 Revolutions" from Tre they performed through a set that saw tracks from back in the early days such as "Sassafras Roots" and "Welcome To Paradise" all the way to singles from the Uno, Dos, Tre trilogy such as "X-Kid", "Stay The Night" and "Stray Heart". For well over two hours they played their hits before ending with a superb encore made up of "American Idiot" "Jesus Of Suburbia" and the slow "Brutal Love" where the crowd got out their lighters (and phone torches), which believe me, in a stadium such as the emirates, that is a real site to behold!
A part which many particularly like about Green Day is their crowd participation and once again this bought some of the highlights from the gig, with a green Union Jack given to Billie Joe near the beginning from the crowd as well as a man in his morphsuit for "Know Your Enemy" giving a letter for Billie Joe to show to the camera's declaring his love for someone and a girl who could play the guitar (my friend was worrying that she could be lying to get on stage and embarrass herself in front of what has been confirmed to be a record attendance for a gig in the stadium). There was even a moment when a little boy came on stage with his "Green Day Rocks" sign and held it aloft, it was a slight shame that the nerves got to him and he didn't smile, but being on stage with one of the greatest rock bands of their generation will surely be an experience he will never forget and more importantly brag about in years to come!
Therefore I would conclude, if you have plans to go to a gig, then really, I would definitely say make it Green Day. They are in a league that only a couple of bands such as the Foo Fighters and Muse are in. So if you get the chance, don't say no!
No comments:
Post a Comment