Posted 29 May 2008 - 12:18 PM
Hey, first time poster who has been ghosting about the boards since the beginning of the Foxboro tour. Went to the LA show and I thought I would share my recap. Oh, and if anyone has any pictures please post them and if you remember me from the show let me know, I was the guy in the, "I Drink Your Milkshake" Shirt.
Last night a childhood dream came true for me.
When I first heard Green Day's alter ego, The Foxboro Hot Tubs were going to be performing at the Roxy in Hollywood on May 27, I knew that I had to go.
Since such a big named band would be playing a small venue I figured there would be plenty of special rules in order to get tickets. The band's website announced that tickets would only be available at the box office of the venue the day of the show. I called the Roxy that afternoon and learned they opened at 10:30 AM. I had it all figured out. Wake up at 6 AM, drive down to Hollywood, get my ticket, and go into work a couple hours late, then leave at 5 PM to get down to the show.
Sadly I learned that in order to get tickets you would have to acquire a wristband at 8 AM and spend the entire day in line until the start of the show. My heart sunk. Financially, this would be utter suicide. It would be a bad decision to not only go out and spend more money, but also miss work and make money.
I decided to just suck it up and not go to the show. I had seen Green Day eight times, but had missed Pinhead Gunpowder and felt that I could pass up seeing the Foxboro Hot Tubs.
I went into work yesterday at 9AM trying not to think of the show that I would be missing that evening. It would most likely be too late now to even try and get tickets if people were lining up at 8 AM.
Then my phone buzzed around lunch revealing a text message from an old high school friend. She was wondering why I was not lining up outside of the Roxy knowing what a big Green Day fan I am. She also informed me that if I headed towards Hollywood in the near future I had a shot at getting a wristband for the show. This sent me over the edge. I stopped thinking about money and thought about seeing my favorite band since I was 7 years old perform in a small club. I had to go.
I mentioned the text message to my boss. My boss told me to just go and that, "Work will still be here tomorrow." This brought a huge smile to my face and I bolted out and made my way towards Sunset Blvd.
I got there in about 40 minutes and found my place in line behind 190 people. I know this because when I got my wristband an hour after I arrived it had the number 191 on it. We were told to line up in sequential order and then at 7 we would be lead into the Roxy.
I had made it, but now came the hard part: the waiting game. While in line I definitely mused over the financial burden of my decision. Luckily my brother managed to point me towards some free parking, which is an especially sweet deal in Hollywood.
I was able to pass the time by calling some friends and making new ones with some other devoted fans in the line.
Seven o’clock came and I parted with my $20 to make my way inside the Roxy. Inside I met up with some of my friends from high school who had also befriended a woman there with her son. Her son actually was chosen by Billie Joe during the American Idiot tour to play guitar during “Knowledge” and received Billie’s guitar as gift. She enjoyed hearing about my Green Day exploits and even bought me a beer because I was the only one in our small group who was of drinking age.
The first opening act, Girls with Guns, took to the stage. The punk quartet was very loud and very drunk. It seemed that many in the audience were eager for them to leave the stage ASAP, but I did enjoy their cover of the Ramones song, “Beat on the Brat”.
The second opening band proved to be rather entertaining. Mystic Knights of the Cobra were a rambunctious band with three guitarists dressed outlandishly all playing the same three bar chord progression. However, one of their two female lead singers was one of the most attractive women I have ever seen. This surely helped pass the time as the band played through charming songs such as, “Text Messaging Slut”, and “Smokin Crack”.
Finally, at 11 PM the Foxboro Hot Tubs hit the stage with the song, “Stop, Drop, and Roll” and shot straight into the album’s single, “Mother Mary”. The crowd, like myself, was in frenzy as Billie Joe and Mike kept coming over and giving us high fives, pouring beer on us, and stage diving right on top of us.
As school girlish as it sounds, I have to say that when Billie reached out and held my hand during the song I felt like I was seven again listening to “Basket Case” for the first time.
It was during the song “Broadway” that a childhood dream of mine came true. Billie Joe screamed that he wanted the crowd to join him on stage and he reached out and grabbed me by the arm trying to get me up there. With a little but of struggling I made way to the stage of the Roxy and wrapped my arm around Mr. Armstrong. He pulled me close to the microphone and I sang along with one of my lifelong heroes.
Soon after, I saw my two friends from high school on the other side of Billie singing along as well. Here we were, arm in arm with the lead singer of one of today’s best bands, belting our lungs out to a crowd of 400 others. It was one of the biggest emotional highs of my entire life.
While security led me off stage, I still found way to the front of the put and right up against the stage for a second time. As the band blasted song after song, Billie again invited fans to sing along with him on stage. I knew the drill by now and hopped atop, this time I went over to Mike Dirnt and put my arm around him and helped with back up vocals. This time there were about 20 fans on stage and security, again, escorted us all off.
It became a routine, because this time it took me about a minute to reach the front of the stage again. This time I planted myself near pianist Jason Freese who kept giving me the thumbs up during the song, “Red Tide”.
The band left the stage after about 80 minutes, but returned for an encore where they covered the Who’s, “A Quick One While He Is Away”. Finally, Billie screamed that he wanted everyone in the club to join him on stage. I, of course, joined but was unnecessarily tackled my security and thrown off the stage. Aside from a few bruises I was fine, but it was odd that a little after I was thrown off they just gave up trying to remove fans from the stage.
I took my place at standing in the front row and center as I now observed the chaos ensuing onstage. It was absolutely hilarious to watch as the fans overcame the entire band with everyone in the venue screaming, “You are forgiven”.
When the song ended, security began escorting people off the stage and the band made its way to the dressing rooms after thanking us all for coming out.
I waited with some of my friends after the show by the dressing room and got to shake Jason White and Jason Freese’s hand. Ron Jeremy and Adrienne Armstrong (Billie’s wife) also emerged from backstage, though not together. Sadly, neither Billie, Mike, or Tre came out, but I assume they had had enough fan interaction for one night.
As I walked back to my car I was in utter disbelief at what had happened. Getting on stage and singing with your favorite band? It seemed like some outlandish story that a desperate fan would make up. However, as the saying goes, “sometimes truth is stranger than fiction” and it surely made for a night that I will never forget.
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The things I miss out on for having an overprotective mother. 
,when I hear Billies sensuous, melodic voice. I almost had to pull over onto the shoulder 
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