All Activity

Nobody should be happy about Green Day performing in Dubai. If you ignore all the punk elements Green Day still have in their system (or whatever is left of that today), this is just money talking, big corporate move that I thought this band would never do and it's sad to see how they're willing to chase the bag and sacrifice their beliefs at the same time. Also no one should be expecting them to perform any songs that might be too offensive. This is gonna be Greatest Hits 2.0 show to play it as safe as possible and this show isn't place for protests. I'd love to see them whip out Bobby Sox on this one, but that is absolutely not gonna happen. If you want to protest, you do it by NOT attending in show like this and showing middle finger to said event, not DURING the show by screaming how it's okay to be gay in 2025. That wouldn't achieve anything. Just extremely disappointed by this. Fucking hell man this sucks.

I'm afraid this "government" have already seen more dramatic things than Bobby Sox video

On this day (Updating thread as @solongfromthestarshas been busy today)

This is admittedly a tricky matter, given how there are various degrees to this. They also played in Thailand and Venezuela in 2010, both authoritarian regimes at the time with a variety of human rights violations and press censorship to boast. In fact, if we go down that rabbit hole, the whole of South America is a bit tricky on that front. It's not just sun, cocktails and party beaches down there. Just look at abortion rights, political/gang violence, corruption etc. etc. I still think playing in South America is on the whole justified, but it's hard to decide where to draw the line. Granted, the state of the UAE is a particularly vile example of flagrant human rights violations, right up there with the likes of Saudi Arabia and Qatar (boo FIFA). It's unthinkable that we should still have countries in 2024 that allow for public executions, merely for one's sexuality, sometimes even by stoning, but here we are... I suppose the only worse optics the band could have achieved is by playing in Israel or Russia right now. But I agree, as a headline this makes me squirm, if nothing else. In general I'm honestly quite disgusted by how both oil-state airlines and Dubai are seemingly successfully marketing themselves to western holiday-goers. Under the glossy facade they're still horribly repressive and unequal regimes with few to no minority rights. Not to mention the absurdity of having a city with skyscrapers, huge swimming pools, artificial beaches and even an indoor skiing resort, erected in the middle of the Arabian desert, an area otherwise plagued by severe poverty, famine and drought. The old fishing village is actually quite interesting and has some history, but all the flashy bits built around it over the years, to attract business and tourists feel vapid and soulless, almost like a disneyland capitalist fever dream.

From Mike's Instagram story Ryan Baxley posted this about the TADIKM video Putting this here too From Billie's Instagram story https://www.instagram.com/stories/billiejoearmstrong/3361782044500418529?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsh=bmh0djhqcWMwcHIz

Forgot to post this one the other day from Coley O'Toole Mike with his kids blowing out candles

Hopefully Green Day will open the Dubai government's eyes. I doubt it, but it would be awesome if they played Bobby Sox. Even better play the video 👀

I guess it seems like an odd choice for them but saying no, we’re not going, would make no difference to the attitudes in the country. If they go, people hear them and look further in to them then maybe they can have some influence.

I'm very disappointed by both bands(especially gd) that they chose to play in a place like this . 😨 Next thing you know they gonna play at Israel... I know that both bands in the past they've played constantly for the upperclass exclusivly or even become like them and joined theyre parties etc, but this is too much. Its a statement from them that they decided to play in this middle age, artificial country. Maybe Donald Trump could join also....... Money does changes you😅

Finally Green Day is coming to India. 😂 Sort of.

All the small things. True care truth brings. Album. 15..

Offspring and Green Day are the perfect combo. And Offspring should have a new single out around that time too. Very cool. I'm still waiting for something GD related in South Carolina. Adrienne's monkeys in Georgia is the closest thing I've got. Gonna do the monkey tour soon, lol. Planet of the Apes. Anyone else get crazy excited at this headline? Like Green Day are going to play all things in their catalogue?

Yeah it's nothing against anyone going to the show/ordinary residents of the country. But they're not going to UAE out of all the many countries they're not playing on this tour to play an expo "for the fans", it's for money.

@pacejunkie punk Actually, I amend my statement on it being an event — after looking into it more, “Expo City” is like a pedestrian center within Dubai that sometimes hosts events, but is open year-round to the public as like a walkable downtown. Confusingly named. I do hope the band pours this money into good causes. I don’t think they’ll be able to do much in the way of protesting or spreading their messaging *in* Dubai without getting punished, but turning around and using that money for good would help my view of the situation.

If it’s a corporate trade show I’m surprised they’re even announcing it to the public because they often don’t when they do these kinds of shows. I think it’s easy to convince yourself of anything when the price is right and they have to be offering them a first class ride and a boatload of money. They always said they would play anywhere and I’m sure they’re focused on any fans they get to play for and the experience of playing in the Middle East when they’ve never been. I’m sure they expected some backlash. They’ll play in Texas and Florida, they’ve played Moscow, I don’t see them boycotting anyplace based on the politics of the government. Fans are fans (and money is money, and whatever they earn they can put right back in the business and fund loss leaders like music videos and tiny club tours the rest of us get to benefit from). Elvis Costello once said in response to the Green Day are sellouts accusation that the most punk thing you can do is sign to a major label, take their money and use it to spread your music and your message. That’s what they’ve always done. They’ll take the UAE’s money and use it to spread a message of tolerance and equality.

You already know the answer. Human rights in general is a huge problem in UAE as in other countries in the same region. I don't see how boycotting them will make any difference or how that will help them evolve. Hope everyone that goes to the show has a wonderful time.

Yeah it’s a really weird choice to me from a brand-alignment perspective. I remember hearing about Beyoncé playing at some resort in Dubai a while ago and thinking it was a bizarre choice (I don’t know much about her but feel like she probably has progressive values that don’t align with what goes on there). This feels similarly off. I’m not like *mad* because they have fans everywhere, I’m just surprised from a PR perspective and a bit disappointed that they are not paying better attention to what matches their values as a band. And this isn’t even an event for local fans, really, it’s a trade show that will probably largely be for attendees. It’s just very far from what Green Day stands for in all ways.

This. Green Day is known for supporting women and LGBT+ rights and now they're going to earn a lot of money playing in the country where human rights are violated. It's just doesn't feel right, sorry. Of course it's their choice. Of course regular fans live there and deserve this show. But there are many countries where fans are still waiting for Green Day show and where basic human rights aren't violated.

I'm impressed by the international presence of Green Day on this upcoming tour. You all think they are stacking these distant countries during this tour because of their age? For example, when the next album cycle comes out, it won't be as easy for upper 50 year old men traveling to middle east/south africa, etc. They might as well go big on this tour, I love it!

i get your points, and to some extent i think the same about such announcements, but its not as easy as people who blame such moves think honestly, who cares in the end? its the world we live in nobody cared when the worlds biggest sports event (soccer world cup) took place in qatar you could also say "dont play in the US because its where a mass genocide on native americans took place with millions of dead people" please dont get me wrong, i would love to have a free and peaceful world, and famous persons of public interest should sometimes consider if its worth the money and do more background-checking, but speaking of greenday i am sure they are aware of how some places in the world are stuck in the middle age, but i cant blame them to still go there for the first time ever(?) and bring one of the best nights in a fans lifetime

Kind of lame to play a country that oppresses LGBT+ and women to that extent and is built on slave labour tbh. If nothing else it seems like a terrible PR move

The official announcement https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ndnhDg77K/?igsh=MXJzb3lrM3NwMzI0dg==

Is Homosexuality currently a crime in Dubai ?

And fans like us who have been waiting for 10+ years for an opportunity!

I really hope they don't pull a Matty Healy and use their show to advocate because it won't actually change anything – the local LGBTQ+ community will just suffer for it. If we're serious about forcing change through boycotting, the whole world needs to work closely with the local community to do it. Until that happens, one band refusing to play there won't help (again, it'll probably just do more harm than good), and I don't see why the decent local people should be deprived of enjoyment because the laws suck.