Show Review, Photos: Green Day Bring Best Show Of The Year, Celebrate 'Dookie' and 'American Idiot' in San Francisco
Green Day
‘Saviors’ Tour
w/ The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, The Linda Lindas
Oracle Park
San Francisco, CA
September 20th, 2024
Review and Photos by Jared Stossel
Twenty years ago today, Green Day released American Idiot, the punk rock opera that launched them out of the stratosphere and into the mesosphere. Stadium shows were inevitable, and nearly one year after releasing the album, the band headlined a sold-out SBC Park in San Francisco as part of their coveted world tour. Twenty years later, the band returned to the San Francisco Giants ballpark (now known as Oracle Park) to celebrate both the twentieth anniversary of their iconic album along with the thirtieth anniversary of their pop-punk opus Dookie. Last night, on what they dubbed the ‘Saviors Tour’ - named for the stellar album they released back in January - vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool delivered the show of the year on a chilly Bay Area night, a homecoming for the ages that celebrated two classic albums.
The lineup for this show was stacked from the get-go, with an opening set provided by punk up-and-comers The Linda Lindas kicking off the festivities. The four-piece, all-female rock act fit right in with the Bay Area crowd, blasting through their half-hour opening set with delightfully fun energy, amping the crowd up with a chaotic punk rock energy in songs like “Racist, Sexist Boy”. They might only be teenagers, but they’re starting their career out strong, and it seems like they can only get better from here. Following them were Bay Area punk legends Rancid, who proved to be a fan favorite as they ripped through a powerful set that highlighted their Bay Area roots, with songs like “Journey to the End of the East Bay”, “Roots Radical”, and sing-along-inducing “Ruby Soho”.
The main support slot was filled by The Smashing Pumpkins, a band that can easily headline arenas in their own right. Upon first glance, they seemed to be the most “out of place” of the acts on the lineup. But the moment that the heavily-distorted guitars blasted throughout the stadium speakers, launching the band into “The Everlasting Gaze”, it was apparent that they were going to fit in just fine. The band - fronted by Billy Corgan - was fantastic, tearing through a hit-laden setlist with tracks like “Today”, “Tonight, Tonight”, “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, and “1979”. A U2 cover, “Zoo Station”, was even thrown in for good measure, and every song was delivered with expert aplomb, easily making them a standout moment of the evening.
At this point, Green Day have their performances down to a tee: about ten minutes before they start playing, they pump Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” through the speakers and let the fans scream the words to the entire song. Then, the unofficial mascot - The Drunk Bunny - stumbles out on stage to Ramones’ “Blitzkreig Bop” and hypes up the crowd even more. Finally, the lights go down, and the crowd is enticed by whatever mayhem may follow. In front of a sold-out Bay Area crowd, Green Day dove headfirst into the rousing “The American Dream Is Killing Me” from Saviors, before immediately launching into a full-album playthrough of Dookie. Props appeared from above and below, turning the stage into the memorable mushroom-cloud-looking album artwork that adorned the 1994 bestselling album. The sheer amount of pyrotechnics, streamers, fireworks, and stage effects used to bring these songs to life could give Kiss a run for their money.
A six-song “interlude” followed the conclusion of Dookie, featuring fan favorites like “Know Your Enemy”, “Minority”, and some of the best material from their Saviors album like “Look Ma, No Brains!”, “One Eyed Bastard”, and “Dilemma”. A rendition of Insomniac’s “Brain Stew” gave way to the iconic “heart like a hand grenade” logo that adorns the cover of American Idiot, before the Oakland trio launched into a playthrough of the entire album. It was amazing seeing them perform this back in April at their “secret” Fillmore show, but seeing it with all of the bells and whistles is something else. These albums were meant to be played in the biggest rooms possible, and it’s incredibly evident.
While there wasn’t a great deal of chatting between songs, Armstrong took a moment to preach unity in the middle of “Letterbomb”, before launching into a speech about how the Bay Area is true to its roots, how they don’t sell each other as “John Fisher did to the Oakland Athletics by selling the team to Las Fucking Vegas.” It easily led to one of the biggest crowd roars of the evening; Green Day is a band that has always been true to its roots, and their criticism of the A’s leadership echoes what many have felt in the Bay Area this past year (the team’s final game at Oakland Coliseum will be held next Thursday, September 26th).
You can’t help but feel a bit emotional when watching this band. Maybe it’s because I’ve listened to them for so long, but I felt a bit teary when they hit the last note on “Whatsername”, with Armstrong concluding “and just like that…twenty years.” Personally, it made me realize how much has happened in my life since the release of American Idiot. I will be forever grateful to the friends I’ve made, the community I’ve found, and the music I’ve grown to love because of this record, and seeing this album played in the place where it was born felt nothing short of monumental.
A brief “encore” concluded the show with the Saviors love song “Bobby Sox”, a short acoustic version of “Suzie Chapstick”, and the final entry, “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”, amongst a stadium filled with cellphone lights. The Linda Lindas surprised Armstrong by running on stage and blowing bubbles, leading to some laughs all around. A massive firework display over the San Francisco Bay capped off the evening, bringing a stunning evening of music, memories, and the best performance of the year to its conclusion. Welcome home, Green Day.
Green Day Set List
The American Dream Is Killing Me
Dookie
Burnout
Having A Blast
Chump
Longview
Welcome To Paradise
Pulling Teeth
Basket Case
She
Sassafras Roots
When I Come Around
Coming Clean
Emenius Sleepus
In The End
F.O.D.
All By Myself
Know Your Enemy
Look Ma, No Brains!
One Eyed Bastard
Dilemma
Minority
Brain Stew
American Idiot
American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
Holiday
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Are We The Waiting
St. Jimmy
Give Me Novacaine
She’s A Rebel
Extraordinary Girl
Letterbomb
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Homecoming
Whatsername
Bobby Sox
Suzie Chapstick
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
