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What happened when Green Day headlined Download Festival 2025 Download gets a big “Heeeeeey oooooh” as Green Day finally make their stunning, powerful, feisty headlining debut. June 14, 2025 Words: Emma Wilkes It’s perhaps not unreasonable to ask why it’s only now that Green Day are headlining Download for the first time. Decades of success, an illustrious arsenal of era-defining hits, multiple albums considered staples of a rock fan’s coming-of-age years – they reach every cross-section of this audience, even where teenagers and their parents can watch them together. Still, after their best album in years in the form of last year’s Saviors, and a foul-smelling political climate that’s made American Idiot feel eerily more timeless, now’s as good a time as any. After a rather long, multi-part introduction that features the usual a person in a bunny costume clowning around to Blitzkrieg Bop before being accosted by fake security, the Oakland trio are striking with purpose. Opening their set with the dynamite trio of American Idiot, Holiday and Know Your Enemy doesn’t just feel like a flexing of their muscles, but very deliberate, especially when Billie Joe Armstrong, unsurprisingly, talks politics two songs in. “We are slipping into fascism. Donald Trump and his administration are a fascist government,” he warns. “It is up to us to fight back.” Aside from resurrecting an old “you fat bastard” chant to apply to Trump – which is yelled back with notable vehemence from the crowd – the world outside the confines of Donington Park doesn’t overwhelm the show. Green Day are here for fun. It's an animated, all-killer set, where it’s rare for any time to go by without Billie Joe getting a “HEEEEEEEEEEY-OOOOOOOOOOH!” call and response going with the crowd. The hits everyone has committed to memory, from Basket Case, to Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, fit seamlessly with newer cuts Dilemma and One Eyed Bastard. There’s some cheeky curveballs, from rare gem J.A.R. to a surprise dusting off of the underrated title-track from 2016’s Revolution Radio. More than once, there’s something that raises a chuckle, from the ‘BAD YEAR’ blimp that flies above the stage to bassist Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool making themselves useful for Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by throwing rose petals over Billie. The real moment of the set to treasure, however, is a complete accident. Wake Me Up When September Ends, as profound and soul-stirring as it always is, gains another dimension when Billie sings, ‘Here comes the rain again,’ and it begins to drizzle. Something about it feels perfect. Towards the show’s conclusion, Billie mentions that this is the last time Green Day will play in England for a while as the Saviors touring cycle wraps up. They’ve signed off, if that’s the case, on a masterful note. “England, you are in my heart forever,” he says. “You will never get rid of me.” Good. https://www.kerrang.com/green-day-download-festival-donington-2025-headline-debut-billie-joe-armstrong-dookie-american-idiot

I hope so

I am heading out to Germany next week for the show. A friend of mine will be flying in also. If anyone is in the same situation, wants to meet up before the start and go in together- let me know.

I wonder if, since J.A.R got busted out at Download, if all shows this leg are gonna have random bust outs just like the Asia Leg

Honestly I feel like Bastard could still be dropped in the near future They've dropped succesful singles in the past that are mixed with fans (Oh Love) so its not like it would be too sudden Dilemma and Bobby i think could have the most staying power after this tour

I don’t care about tic tok I’m talking Spotify plus it was a number 1 single it’s like they are afraid to play it

This song is so catchy and absolutely slaps. I love the lyrics and Iggy "I Wanna Be Your Dog" reference This is super cute and the pink bow and skirt for "(I'm so hideous that) I'm beautiful" is adorable Edit: Just noticed this is fan made, I never would've known it wasn't official! It's great work

So proud of them!❤️ And so hyped for Vienna!!!

I know we all loath Ticketmaster but had to share this, biggest crowd in a long time! https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/review/green-day-headline-download-2025-review-65621/

Yes, will be great. Never heard Revolution Radio in any show but in 2017's one

And Revolution Radio! Would love to hear that in Firenze tomorrow

Festival sets are usually shorter and tailored to more general music fans I would say (that’s why I’m going to Vienna 😂). JAR though, who knows.

I think it’s from a cover shoot for Rolling Stone magazine for 21CBD. Loved those photos, very cool. 😎

I think One Eyed Bastard might be the Saviors song that remains in their set long after Saviors. It will be tougher as the band keep putting out albums but Green Day can perfect the science of the idiot setlist, I'm sure. Lol.

Do you think this will be the setlist for the following few dates? I'd love to have 1-2 more songs in it

Not bought it to be honest. This was a pressie from the wonderful missus today, who saw it on Amazon. A GD poster, its really cool. Not seen it before, don't know when its from, but love it, love it, love it. Now proudly on display on living room wall.

Bang Bang hasn't been played in a while (almost 3 years) nor has it trended on TikTok (and most likely never will)

Shocked that Bang Bang is no longer played as that is in their top 25-30 streamed songs… that Still Breathing and Last Night On Earth should be played more live based on these… also at 115 there aren’t many rock bands ahead of them it seems like if they split it by genre they would be in the top 5 as linkin park, Coldplay, red hot chilli peppers are the only “rock” bands ahead of them….so I’m guessing 115 is good? Also seems like 21 Guns, Wake Me Up, Good Riddance and When I Come Around eventually will get a billion streams too

Yup. Took few listeners to get to that position back in the day.

Haha my bad, I was trying to hard to be the first to post it 😂

Does that mean their peak position was once 96 even though they have peak listeners now?

No posts at all? We got JAR! that set was phenomenal. I don’t really do festivals but Green day always make festivals feel like a green day show. I can’t put into words how it felt when - after a day of sunshine and heat - it started raining the second Billie sang “here comes the rain again”. No one could believe it, not even Billie!

Heading to Vienna on Sunday! So excited to see my boys again and hopefully meet some of you folks!

Emily is wearing a Green Day shirt.