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For me, it has to be 21 Century Breakdown. The 21st Century Breakdown World Tour is Green Day's absolute peak in my opinion, and I love the entire era's look so much. (Also a lot of nostalgia for that era so I'm completely biased)6 points
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This is really difficult, so so many amazing and magician eras to choose from over past 30+ years. But I'll go for American Idiot era tour. The set, the stage, the music of course. Billie Joe's crown, his running up and down the stage, conducting the audience like a magician. Being totally hypnotized. As one with 50,000 adoring fans and the band. Heaven. OMG.5 points
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I love the Trilogy era. The skater vibe, the vibrant colors, the stripes and Billie’s stage wardrobe was the coolest and most varied of any era.5 points
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I’m obviously biased: I became a fan toward the end of the AI Tour. The 21CB era was the first one I actively followed (including here on the forum – I signed up in 2008). The hype in 2008/2009 was immense, and this forum played a big role in that. The sound, the voice, the songs, the album – 2009/2010 was the peak of their creative output, truly on top of their game. I remember losing it when I first heard the 21CB song demo in 2008 – I had it on repeat for days! When I think about the live concerts in 2009 and the summer of 2010 that I had the privilege to witness, it brings tears to my eyes because those are such beautiful memories, and I’ll always be grateful for them.4 points
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Yeah super tough one. For the music I'd say Nimrod tour, this was a band that had truly found its sound and wasn't afraid to hide it any longer. The Nimrod era kinda went to the core of Green Day's sound, inherently punk but not afraid to push boundaries and experiment. And also most of all, it was about having a damn good time while you're at it. Admittedly though, live shows throughout the Trilogy tour (and towards the end of the 21CB tour) were quite fun and varied too. Aesthetically speaking, In hindsight, I actually think the RevRad tour had really cool stage production and visual design, kinda harking back to the 90s whilst keeping some of the quirks of post AI tours. But overall, my favourite is the American Idiot era and tour. I'm super biased, as AI is my favourite album, but what I loved about that tour and era was the "yeah, let's kinda take on the world and be the biggest band on earth for a while, cuz why not" vibe, reflected in everything from interviews, live performances, to stage design, outfits, merch etc. It's brash, pretty audacious and yet, it worked. BIAB portrays a band at the top of their game, they seemingly have the crowd and by extension the world in the palm of their hand, and they know it. And whilst I do like the 21CB era a lot too, I feel like AI era Green Day was particularly striking in how markedly different it was to preceding eras, whilst still keeping some of the 90s vibe. It saw them fully embrace concerts as a visual and auditory performance, well choreographed and polished from start to finish. But at the same time, most songs from Dookie/Insomniac/Nimrod were still played as a trio, with Jason White, Jason Freese or Ronnie Blake etc. only joining in for the new stuff. I kinda liked that. It kept part of their rawness. Live performances of those songs have since become more polished, since having two guitars adds a fuller, more studio like sound to the songs. That is also cool, but again loses a bit of the original energy and drive. The stage production too was certainly bombastic, but it was actually kept remarkably simple, with a black and red colour scheme, fitting Billie's stage and photoshoot outfits, with physical stage curtains being used most of the time. On the other hand, 21CB went all in with all kinds of visual FX, video screens and different colour schemes. More varied, less coherent. Certainly very cool, but then again, I feel less is sometimes more.4 points
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Preach. I also liked how at the start of the era he was wearing a sheriff's badge for a while lol. Peak era for Billie hotness! I think for album art and merch Warning and Nimrod are very cool. And I'm a sucker for the brightly coloured crazy Trilogy artwork. Saviors is cool too, love the pink and black and the One Eyed Bastard guy4 points
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Tricky but possibly 21CBD era for me. For those of you who don’t visit the fangirl thread, Billie in those striped trousers just does something in my head which blows all the other great looks, cool shirts, hair styles etc out if the water for me.4 points
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28 March On this day in 2017, Green Day played the State Farm Center in Champaign, IL on the Revolution Radio Tour. You know you're about to get an essay. It was my mum's birthday, so I'd bought her a VIP ticket. I had a peasant ticket so I went in later and managed to get a spot behind her, but the VIP next to her randomly said she was going to find her son, smiled and ushered me into her spot beside my mum. The venue staff member in front of us (Scott, I think) was lovely, albeit baffled and amused by the weirdos who flew from England just to see Green Day in Champaign. Against Me are one of my favourite bands so seeing them open for Green Day was incredible. I wasn't going crazy or anything when Billie asked for someone to Know Your Enemy, just holding up one hand, but he picked me. Scott smiled like a proud dad as he helped Arturo (one of Green Day's crew) haul me out. I promptly went the wrong way and fell over. Billie was like, 'YO!' I'd never experienced stage fright as a kid, but when I turned and saw 16,000 faces staring at me it was TERRIFYING. Billie was beaming and beckoning. I ran down the catwalk grinning like a creature from a horror movie despite the fear, and Billie gave me a warm, genuine hug that made me feel better. I was still kind of frozen, so he kept one hand on my back and the other on my hand holding the mic until I sang the 'gimme gimme revolution' part and the pyros went off. That was pretty cool. The photo above was taken just after that. I was terrified yet again when it was time to stage dive, but it was actually just fun, not scary at all. I made that collage back then. Sadly there's only that one professional photo of me onstage, but I look hideous in every fan photo and video, so maybe it's for the best 😂 People congratulated and high-fived me when I landed. Later, Billie picked one of my sweetest Green Day friends to play guitar for Knowledge. A guy who'd bought me a beer yelled 'that sure beats what you did' and I was just screaming, 'THAT'S MY FRIEND CAITLIN! She's amazing!' He was like, 'you actually know her?! No way!' On the way out, people kept excitedly running up to me and I thought they were going to ask what it was like in general, but no... they all asked what Billie smelled like. That was the last thing on my mind 😂 But the answer was pine. I saw Scott again and he hugged and congratulated me. Everyone was so nice. The next day I was watching videos in a stranger's tent in the snow in Wisconsin and trying not to cry. Good times. Some other photos: On 28 March 2013, Green Day played the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL on the 99 Revolutions Tour. It was the first rescheduled arena show after Billie went to rehab and also the first time Bohemian Rhapsody was played before the show. I went to a few shows in the US in 2013, starting with this one. I went so insane when Stray Heart started that it made Billie laugh. Hearing that was obviously a highlight, but Stay the Night, X-Kid and Brutal Love were highlights too. If you want to watch a random video of X-Kid, this is a good one. Felt like my heart shattered when Billie's voice cracked because it was such an emotional performance. On 28 March 1998, Green Day were on Recovery TV in Melbourne, Australia – that time when they ran off from the interview, snatched the house instruments to play The Grouch, and got thrown out afterwards. More pics: They also played the ANU Bar & Refectory in Canberra, Australia. On 28 March 1992, Green Day played 924 Gilman Street.4 points
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29 March On this day in 2013, Green Day played the iWireless Center in Moline, IL on the 99 Revolutions Tour. Photo by Katie McPansy Grogan On 29 March 2002, Green Day played the Hokkaidoritsu Sogo Taiikukan in Sapporo, Japan. On 29 March 1994, Green Day played First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN on the Dookie Tour. 'Green Day, March 1994. I bought tickets well in advance. They were $4. The week before the show Longview blew up and was all over MTV. (Remember when they played videos?) The buzz and anticipation inside was at a fever pitch. You could tell they were on the verge of getting huge. Every song turned into a sing-along, even though it was clear that half the room only bought Dookie in the past month.' — Robert, fan On 29 March 1990, Green Day played Marsugi's in San Jose, CA. 😂 No, it was a fresh shower gel kind of smell. I've heard lots of people saying Billie smells unwashed but he didn't.3 points
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I’ve always liked their more casual eras like Warning and the Trilogy. Something about the guys getting up on stage in t-shirts just makes them a touch more approachable. Plus Mike looks great with long hair!3 points
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Movie is wrapped https://www.instagram.com/p/DHyoOydJBGm/?igsh=bnllb2x6MHVyYThj So now post production followed by however they manage to distribute it. Hopefully we’ll get release information by the end of the year. I was thinking about road stories they could use. Because we know this is based on the band’s own exploits touring during the early years, what are some of the road stories we know about that could potentially make it into the film? — The most well know story of course is Sleepy the disembodied head in a jar they had to sleep near. — That time their van got broken into in New Orleans and their clothes and road cash was all stolen. Fans donated clothes and cash for them to get to the next town. — The IG gdtourvan1990 has loads of stories, pretty sure that account was run by Kiffmeyer https://www.instagram.com/gdtourvan1990?igsh=MTY0b2ZnN2U0cTBtOA== Anyone know any others?2 points
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2007. The black and white polka dots with the nearly all black clothes, the handkerchiefs - performing with U2. They should have made a new band name for that and done a whole album because it could have been epic. I wonder if there are any demos from them and U2 together. If I had to pick a normal choice, - Nimrod and American Idiot both are way up.2 points
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This is really the wrong thread for this but really, Billie smelt like pine???? In a good way please tell me @solongfromthestars and not a toilet cleaner way.2 points
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Nimrod or Warning era for sureee2 points
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Yeah, next to 21CB, Trilogy is hands down the best looking era The Skull and crossbones skater punk look was amazing and I miss it Okay, but Mike's long blonde hair in the Trilogy era....luv it2 points
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Oh yes please. And even another Bullet in a Bible maybe. And this time uncut thank you very much. Having been there, although made up being able to relive Milton Keynes, tad disappointed all the bits they left out. Still always get goosebumps every time I watch it. So lucky, lucky, lucky. Truly privileged blessed, and humbled, to see GD live through 4 decades. Green Day I love you so much.2 points
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2 points
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Some movie info. Might be a spoiler ¯\_(ツ)_/¯2 points
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dunno, the 21 Century Breakdown is great for me BECAUSE of the emo But I'm definitely more on the emo side of GD fans so that's just me lol "My name is No One, a long lost son Born on the 4th of July" *AIR DRUMS AGGRESSIVELY "Born in the era of Heroes and Cons That left me for dead or alive *AIR DRUMS AGGRESSIVELY* I mean, American Idiot Tour is iconic so I I don't think the RevRad Tour is talked about enough, or that entire album is frankly DUDE THE STRIPED TROUSERS I literally bought red pants because Billie had them lol That and the shirt with all the patches Just the outfits of that tour were peak Green Day look for me ...also the guy liner, can't forget that secret sauce1 point
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cool! wonder if the footage for the rest of this concert exists (including the debuts of Holden Caulfield and 409)1 point
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BEST aesthetically moments: 1) trilogy 2) kerplunk/dookie 3) american idiot1 point
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gonna divide this up into 3 or so categories Best Single Design: Warning or Dookie/Insomniac Best Color Scheme: International Superhits/Pop Disaster Best Tour: Nimrod or 21CB1 point
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Since the old thread has been archived and the Green Day pilgrimage is still a dream for a lot of fans, I think we need a new thread! You've seen the photos, you've heard the songs, maybe you've watched Turn It Around – now you want to go to the Bay Area and see it all for yourself. And you should. Green Day's roots are everywhere. It's a must for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the band's history. I'm going to list all the landmarks and my photos of them so there's an easy-to-find list, but please share your own photos and stories here too. If you've got any questions about the places or the logistics of visiting them, I can probably help. If you're struggling to find affordable flights, I might be able to help with that too. At some point I'll write up some example itineraries, but for now, this is a decent guide for anyone who has just one day in the area. Also including some FAQs below. So let's go! Berkeley 924 Gilman Street Address: 924 Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA Public transport: There are loads of bus stops near the venue. The closest BART station is North Berkeley (1.3 miles on foot). Details: Green Day's career truly began in this Berkeley club. 924 Gilman Street is still open with many new East Bay punk bands starting their careers under its graffitied rafters. Its original 'no racism, no sexism, no homophobia, no violence' sign now includes 'no transphobia.' The doorway is covered in the names and messages of mostly Green Day fans. Inside, you'll also find original 'Sweet Children' graffiti. "Armstrong and Dirnt began living for their weekends at the Gilman Street Project. Run out of the back of a caning-and-wicker-shop, the club would go unnoticed by anyone passing by. For those familiar with the side entrance, however, the shop opens into a world that Armstrong refers to as "salvation": dilapidated wood floorboards; graffiti splashed across every inch of wall space; band after band with the look and sound of early British punk like the Sex Pistols and the Buzzcocks." — Rolling Stone, 1995 Fantasy Studios Address: 2600 Tenth St, Berkeley, CA 94710, United States Public transport: There are bus stops on the nearby San Pablo Ave. The closest BART station is North Berkeley, 0.9 miles away. Details: Dookie and Billie Joe's first record, Look For Love, were recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. It closed in 2019. "[Fantasy Studios] definitely had that Seventies coke-y vibe, mahogany and strange dead wood around the place. We would go into the vaults and see all of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s master tapes. But I felt we belonged there. Our first album cost $700 to make. Kerplunk! was like $1200. “Let’s record these as fast as we can – because we don’t have a choice.” This time, I learned how to dial in good sounds, get the best guitar tones. I was able to take a little time doing vocals. I loved that experience." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2014 The corner of Stuart and the Avenue Address: 2400 Stuart St, Berkeley, CA 94705, United States Public transport: The 6 bus stops right here (the stop is called Telegraph Av & Stuart St). The closest BART station is Ashby (0.9 miles away). Details: "The corner of Stuart and the Avenue" is where Telegraph Avenue meets Stuart Street in Berkeley. The song is about Billie Joe's breakup with his ex Amanda, the girl who lived upstairs at the Ashby House, which a five minute walk from this corner. The Ashby/Longview house Details: The Longview video was filmed in the basement here, where Billie Joe and Tré lived with another band called the East Bay Weed Company. Amanda - the subject of many Green Day songs including She, Sassafras Roots, Stuart and the Ave. and Whatsername - lived upstairs. "The record company guys would come to see us rehearse in the basement and their wives would go shopping on Telegraph Avenue. And when we went on tour we would come back to discover these crusty punks had squatted our place, and every single thing we owned was gone." — Tré Cool, American Idiots and the New Punk Explosion, p.82 "[Basket Case] still reminds me so much of the Ashby house. That's the house we lived in, in Berkeley and our first video, Longview, was filmed there. We'd be cranking that song out in there, all of us playing in this one tiny room and our neighbours getting pissed because we'd play it five times in a row." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2005 Berkeley Marina Public transport: The Berkeley train station is close by. You can also get here by bus. The closest BART station is North Berkeley, 2.1 miles away. Details: Berkeley Marina, with views of San Francisco and Golden Gate Bridge, gets a mention in The Ballad of Wilhelm Fink: "Said that I'd meet you at the Berkeley Marina / 3AM when no one will be found." Berkeley Repertory Theatre Address: 2025 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States Details: The American Idiot musical was developed and opened at the Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre. The premiere was on September 4, 2009. One of the theatre's promotional banners still boasts a photo of John Gallagher Jr., who played Johnny. Nearby is a sidewalk plaque celebrating Operation Ivy's Knowledge. "It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s what I love about it. When people see it, it’s going to be my wildest dream." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2009 West Oakland 7th Street Warehouse Address: 1640 7th St, Oakland, CA 94607, USA Public transport: Lots of bus stops and the warehouse is just five minutes from the West Oakland BART station, which is also a Green Day reference (we'll get to that in a minute). Details: Billie Joe had just moved into this warehouse squat when he wrote Welcome to Paradise. Its bathroom was infested with rats, so he used a cat litter instead. It's also referred to in the Sweet 16 line 'throwing down a bottle of Olde English back in the warehouse' and inspired the 'wicked warehouse in Oakland' Brandon moves into in Spike by The Network. One of My Lies was written here. "I had moved out of my house in the suburbs to West Oakland, into a warehouse that was rat-infested and in a really fucked-up neighborhood, with a lot of crazy punks and friends. I was paying $50 a month for rent, which was great, because, being in a band, you got paid a couple hundred bucks here and there – so it was easy to pay for rent, eat Top Ramen, and buy weed. It was an eye-opening experience. Suddenly, I was on my own, smack out in one of the gnarliest neighborhoods in Oakland. You look around and you see cracked streets and broken homes and ghetto neighborhoods, and you’re in the middle of it." — Billie Joe Armstrong, Rolling Stone, 2019 West Oakland BART Station Address: 1451 7th St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States Public transport: Obviously it's a BART station, but there are bus stops in the area too. Details: "'A gunshot rings out at the station/Another urchin snaps and left dead on his own' - I was describing exactly what my surroundings were. There’s not a part of that song that isn’t true." — Billie Joe Armstrong, Rolling Stone, 2019 This is that station. The 7th Street warehouse was right by the BART tracks. Adeline Street Address: Adeline Street, California, USA. It won't be hard to find a road sign like this since there'll be one at every crossroads. Public transport: This is a huge street so there are plenty of bus stops and multiple BART stations. Details: One of Oakland's major roads, this was also the name of a clothing line and record label owned by Billie Joe and Jason White. It released albums by Pinhead Gunpowder, The Frustrators, The Network, Jesse Malin, AFI, The Influents, Emily's Army, special edition Green Day vinyls and many more. Billie Joe has the Adeline skull tattooed on one of his hands. The record label outlived the clothing line, but closed in 2017. We also now have the song Goodnight Adeline, which most likely refers to this street (even if it isn't literal), so it's even more exciting to fans now. Temescal Oakland Guitars Address: 423 40th St, Oakland, CA 94609, United States Public transport: There are two bus stops served by the 40 bus near the shop. The closest BART station is MacArthur, just 0.3 miles away. There are also more bus stops at the BART station. Recommendations: Combine this with 1-2-3-4 GO! Records. It's right across the street. Also, Homeroom Mac 'n' Cheese is the best. Details: Formerly known as Broken Guitars. This 40th Street guitar store, across the road from 1-2-3-4 GO! Records, was originally co-owned by Billie Joe. Walls are decorated with Green Day and other East Bay Punk flyers. When it was still owned by Billie Joe and the band's tour manager, there was an original Christie Road sign, but I'm not sure if it's still there. 1-2-3-4 GO! Records Address: 420 40th St #5, Oakland, CA 94609, United States Public transport: There are two bus stops served by the 40 bus near the shop. The closest BART station is MacArthur, just 0.3 miles away. There are also more bus stops at the BART station. Recommendations: Combine this with Oakland Guitars. It's right across the street. Also, Homeroom Mac 'n' Cheese is the best. Details: Green Day have supported this 40th Street store since it opened in 2008. Billie Joe built the stage with his son, which hosted an ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! surprise show billed as a "Bay Area Fan Appreciation Event." They've played more secret shows there since. Eagle-eyed fans might recognise the bathroom graffiti from Billie Joe's selfie announcing The Longshot's first show at this store. The pop-up shop celebrating Green Day's show at the Oakland Coliseum was also located here. Jingletown and Hayward Alameda County Sheriff's Office Address: 2425 E 12th St, Oakland, CA 94601, United States Public transport: A few bus stops nearby. The closest BART station is Fruitvale (0.8 miles). Details: The 'facility on East 12th Street' where 'Jesus is filling out paperwork now' in Homecoming is this now-closed police station. Billie Joe had to fill out paperwork here after his 2002 DUI. "There's a police station on 12th Street in Oakland. After I got charged with a DUI, I had to do a whole bunch of paperwork there to satisfy my community service requirement." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2005 Studio 880 (Jingletown Studios) Address: 829 27th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601, USA Public transport: There are bus stops on 29th Ave. and East 12th Street. The closest BART station is Fruitvale, 0.9 miles away. Details: This is where Green Day recorded Warning, the Foxboro Hot Tubs’ Stop Drop and Roll!!!, the ¡Uno! ¡Dos! ¡Tré! trilogy and parts of American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. It got the nickname "Jingletown" when the Foxboro Hot Tubs used it to cover up their identity. “In the old days, the zoot-suit guys used to jingle their change, and this was their spot. It’s been held down by Latino families for 50 years. And then there’s us.” — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2004 27th Avenue Address: 829 27th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601, USA (you could go anywhere on the street, of course, but the Studio 880 address seems the most logical) Details: 27th Ave. Shuffle by the Foxboro Hot Tubs is named after this street, probably because it was recorded at Studio 880 which is on 27th Avenue. You might also want to check out the 27th Ave. in San Francisco because of the line "Golden Gate is falling from behind." Jingletown La Barca Market Address: 2701 E 9th St, Oakland, CA 94601, United States Public transport: There are bus stops on 29th Ave. and East 12th Street. The closest BART station is Fruitvale, 0.8 miles away. Details: Although the "suburbia" that inspired American Idiot was Rodeo and surrounding areas, Jingletown - a real neighbourhood in Oakland - gave the album's fictional small town its name. La Barca Market, a store near Studio 880, appears for a few seconds in the ¡Cuatro! scene That Just Happened and is notable for having one of the only signs that actually says "Jingletown." It's not really worth visiting on its own, but if you're visiting Studio 880, you'll pass the shop. Art of Ears Studio (now Create Studios) Address: 2196 American Ave, Hayward, CA 94545, United States Public transport: The 86 bus gets closest to the studio. The Hayward BART station is a 3.3 mile walk away. Details: 1000 Hours, Slappy and 39/Smooth were recorded at a now-closed branch of Art of Ears in San Francisco. Kerplunk was recorded here at Art of Ears in Hayward. All were produced by Andy 'Andro' Ernst. When I visited in 2019, Andro was working on his own music before selling the studio and moving to Las Vegas. "$700 is not a lot of money to be making an album with. But that's what we thought was cool as well. We proved that you didn't need to have a huge budget, that you didn't need to waste a lot of time. I think if we had any more money to spend then we were so young and naive that [39/Smooth] might have come out crap." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2001 Emeryville Rudy's Can't Fail Café Address: 4081 Hollis St, Emeryville, CA 94608, United States Public transport: Loads of bus stops nearby, including the free Emery-Go-Round ones. The closest BART station is MacArthur, which is 1.1 miles away on foot. Details: Named after Rudie Can't Fail by The Clash, Rudy's was co-owned by Mike Dirnt. It opened in Emeryville in 2002, with an Oakland location following in 2011. Sadly, the Oakland cafe closed in 2018, but Rudy's is still open and popular in Emeryville with options for all tastes. It's open every day until 1am and serves Punk Bunny Coffee (formerly known as Oakland Coffee). Downtown Oakland Fox Theater Address: 1807 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612, United States Public transport: There are bus stops around and the theatre is a few minutes from the 19th Street BART station. Details: Before the release of 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day played the full album at four exclusive small shows in the Bay Area. The Fox Theatre performance on April 14, 2009 was recorded and released on DVD. The theatre also hosted the Dookie celebration and 924 Gilman Street benefit gig, where mayor Libby Schaaf declared February 19 Official Green Day Day in Oakland. The closed Rudy's Can't Fail Café was also here. The Uptown Address: 1928 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612, United States Public transport: There are bus stops around and the club is a few minutes from the 19th Street BART station. Details: This isn't a must-see, but I'm including it for other 21st Century Breakdown enthusiasts and just because it's very close to the Fox Theatre. It's the last place where Green Day played 21st Century Breakdown in full. The club is permanently closed so it will probably be unrecognisable sooner or later. The Ruby Room Address: 132 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612, United States Public transport: There are several bus stops nearby. The closest BART station is Lake Merritt (0.7 miles away). Details: Ruby Room by the Foxboro Hot Tubs is about this dive bar near Lake Merritt. Lake Merritt Details: Oakland's iconic lake gets a mention in the Foxboro Hot Tubs song Mother Mary, along with the Gardens at Lake Merritt: "Or we can take a walk around the lake / There's a garden in the park there / Under the stars next to the fireside / Anywhere is better than here." Even without the reference, you can't go to Oakland without seeing Lake Merritt! The Golden Bull Address: 412 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612, United States Public transport: There are several bus stops around and the 12th St / Oakland BART station is only a minute away. Details: Billie Joe once co-owned the bar and several small shows have been played here, including The Longshot's 2020 New Year's Eve party. Oakland Amtrak Station Address: 245 2nd St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States Public transport: You can take the 12 bus here. The closest BART station is Lake Merritt, 0.5 miles away. It is also (obviously) a train station if you happen to be arriving by Amtrak. Details: Since it's within walking distance of Lake Merritt and "the garden in the park there," this is probably where The Rev and Mother Mary "fall asleep at the station." It could also be the Lake Merritt BART station. Pinole Pinole is on the WestCAT C3 and J bus routes. Fiat Music Address: 2722 Pinole Valley Rd, Pinole, CA 94564, United States Details: At Fiat Music, five year-old Billie Joe was taught to play piano and sing by Marie Louise Fiatarone and her husband. Look For Love was composed in the back studio, where walls are decorated with Green Day fanart. The guestbook is full of photos of Green Day fans, too. "Billie Joe’s mother brought him in because she was signing him up for piano lessons. Jim took one look at him and said, 'He looks like he really belongs in show business. Why don’t you take him in the studio and see if he can sing?" —Marie Louise Fiatarone, 2006 The 7-Eleven Address: 2869 Pinole Valley Rd, Pinole, CA 94564, United States Details: The "7-Eleven where I was taught" in Jesus of Suburbia, where Billie Joe worked for a while. ‘It's that lost feeling. Hanging out at the 7-Eleven. Disenfranchised. Alienated. You just get that feeling of “I've got to get out of here. There's more to life than this town.”’ — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2006 Pinole Valley High School Address: 2900 Pinole Valley Rd, Pinole, CA 94564, United States Details: Billie Joe and Mike Dirnt's second high school after moving from John Swett. Green Day also played an iconic show on the grounds here. Its sign celebrated Green Day as "Spartan Alumni" when they were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 - despite Billie Joe's story of handing an EP to a teacher for it to be returned with red marks all over it. The school's current layout is not the original one. The Red Onion Address: 2870 Pinole Valley Rd, Pinole, CA 94564, United States Details: Billie Joe worked at this diner opposite the 7-Eleven in Pinole. Also right by the diner are Pinole Library, Pinole Valley High School, Fiat Music and the mall where Jesus of Suburbia 'read the graffiti in the bathroom stall, like the holy scriptures of the shopping mall' (although like the school, the current layout is not the original one). It's another snapshot of the sleepy small town life that influenced the song. Rodeo To get to this area from Oakland by public transport, you'll need to transfer in Hercules and take a WestCAT bus. The town Public transport: The bus you'll be getting is the WestCAT 11 (the same one that Billie Joe and Mike used to take to school in Crockett). Details: The town where Billie Joe and eventually Mike grew up. It inspired Longview and Jesus of Suburbia. You can also take a selfie with the same sign as Billie if you feel so inclined (I did). “[Longview] was just living in the suburbs in a sort of shit town where you can’t even pull in a good radio station. I was living in Rodeo, California, about 20 minutes outside of Oakland. There was nothing to do there, and it was a really boring place.” — Billie Joe Armstrong, Guitar Legends, 2005 "I grew up in a town called Rodeo. It’s right off the 80. It’s off the 80 at Willow. And it was the inspiration for this next song. This is Jesus of Suburbia." — Billie Joe Armstrong on stage at The Warfield, San Francisco, 2005 Phillips 66 San Francisco Refinery Address: 1290 San Pablo Ave, Rodeo, CA 94572, United States Public transport: There's a bus stop right by the refinery, served by the WestCAT 11 bus. Recommendations: You can see the refinery from Lone Tree Point if you don't want to get close up. Details: The towers of Rodeo's oil refinery appear on the cover of Dookie. It also inspired the 21st Century Breakdown lyric "my town is blind from refinery sun," in reference to the polluted air Billie Joe grew up with. "We came from such a highly polluted area in Rodeo, California. It’s a refinery town and we ended up getting sent home from school because kids were having headaches and nobody could understand why, when of course, 200 yards away from the elementary school I went to was the biggest refinery in America." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2005 Foxboro Address: 966 Willow Ave, Hercules, CA 94547, USA Public transport: The Willow and Viewpointe bus stop (served by the WestCAT J) is very close to the Foxboro sign. Details: Just five minutes down the I-80 from Rodeo, this housing development (and its hot tubs) gave the Foxboro Hot Tubs their name. Hot tubs are still dotted around the town. "The Foxboro Hot Tubs were a place we used to sneak booze and chicks into late at night. But most of the time it was just 'dude soup.'" — Billie Joe Armstrong, 2008 Christie Road (Not technically Rodeo, but it's close) Address: I'm going to give you the address of Franklin Canyon Golf Course (CA-4, Hercules, CA 94547, United States) because satnavs don't seem to like Christie Road. The golf course's parking lot is right by the road. Public transport: This is difficult without a car. You can take an Uber from Oakland for around $60+ return, or if you're visiting Rodeo, you might be able to get a return trip for around $40. However, phone service isn't great at Christie Road so you might want to arrange for a taxi to wait for you. Details: The deserted road off Highway 4 that inspired fan favourite Christie Road from Kerplunk, also one of Mike's favourite songs. Billie Joe and Mike hung out with friends, or alone there and smoked weed. Close to the highway, it's still noisy and exposed, but only a few minutes down the road there's undisturbed silence. Despite the nearby refinery, the air is clear. Occasionally a train rolls by. It's easy to see why it was such a beloved refuge for the band. For many fans, it's not only a favourite song, but a favourite landmark. Christie Road returns in Outlaws, described as a nostalgic ode to lost youth and sequel to the 1992 track. "I found a knife by the railroad track / You took a train and you can’t go back / Forever now you'll roam." Crockett On public transport, everything in Crockett can be reached on foot after taking the WestCAT 11 bus. It's a small town. Carquinez Middle School Address: 1099 Pomona St, Crockett, CA 94525, United States Details: The school where Billie Joe and Mike met. "Our school district went bankrupt, so they closed down the junior high and combined two elementary schools. We used to have to take the bus out there. First day of elementary school, I think in fifth grade, I was like the class clown - but Mike was like the class clown, so it was kind of like these dueling banjos that were going to go back and forth. What you get is Deliverance. Mike is my musical soulmate." — Billie Joe Armstrong in his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech, 2015 John Swett High School Address: 1098 Pomona St, Crockett, CA 94525, United States Details: Billie Joe and Mike Dirnt's first high school. "I had this kid in class who became a rock star. I remember Billie Joe well. He used to sit in my math class on the third floor of the ancient, run down brick building in the back of the room right next to the window. He had a perfect view of Tight Wad Hill. I don't remember if he was a good student... if he did his homework or got good grades. But I do remember him as a good person, he got along with just about everyone – except, perhaps, the vice principal – and he was pretty cool, mature for his age." — John Goar, teacher, 1997 Tight Wad Hill Details: Tight Wad Hill was where cheapskates and addicts watched football games for free. There's a famous Tight Wad Hill in Berkeley, but it's a lesser-known hill by John Swett High School that inspired the Green Day song. Since the school's football field has moved since the song was written, today's Tight Wad Hill probably doesn't look like the Tight Wad Hill of 1995, and there's no precise address. "This is where all the losers, the cheapskates, would come up and watch the football games without paying for them. It's actually the best view in the whole place. A lot of tweakers come and hang out up here, the crank victims and stuff." — Billie Joe Armstrong, 1995 C&H Sugar Factory Address: 830 Loring Ave, Crockett, CA 94525, United States Details: This factory gives Crockett the nickname "Sugartown," which inspired the line "Sugar City urchin wasting time" in Tight Wad Hill. It also appears in the Nightlife lyrics "sugar-coated halls" and "this dirty city is my Sugartown," most likely since Lady Cobra worked at Sugar City Tattoo in Crockett. Toot's Tavern Address: 627 2nd Ave, Crockett, CA 94525, United States Details: This isn't super special – it's just where the Foxboro Hot Tubs played their second show – but if you're in the area, you might pass it, so it's worth knowing that if you do. Benicia, Vallejo and Concord To get to these areas from Oakland on public transport, you'll need to transfer to a SolTrans bus. Rod's Hickory Pit Address: Convenience Center, 199 Lincoln Rd W, Vallejo, CA 94590, United States Details: On October 17, 1987, when Billie Joe and Mike were 15 - Sweet Children played their first ever show at a Vallejo diner, Rod's Hickory Pit. Billie Joe's mom Ollie was a waitress there and arranged the show. Its 30 attendees were impressed enough to invite them back. Sadly, the diner has now been demolished and replaced with a Starbucks. Passalacqua Funeral Chapel Address: 901 W 2nd St, Benicia, CA 94510, United States Details: This chapel in Benicia gave the 39/Smooth song Going to Pasalacqua its name. The song title misspelled it. Green Day supposedly drove by the chapel while Billie Joe was writing the lyrics, hence the name. He also said "this song is about revenge" before playing it in 2010, so he may have picked up on a funeral chapel for that reason. Camel Barns Address: 2060 Camel Rd, Benicia, CA 94510, United States Details: Both Sweet Children and Green Day played the Camel Barns in Benicia. Bands they shared bills with include Monsula, Separate Ways, Bumblescrump and Blatz. Concord Details: This city northeast of Oakland gets a mention in The Network's Spike. Obviously, The Network have nothing to do with Green Day, but you know what they're like. The mind control is impossible to escape. I can't stop typing. HELP! San Francisco Chinatown Address: 133 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States Public transport: There are bus and cable car stops all over Chinatown. The closest BART station is Embarcadero. Details: The Warning cover shoot by Marina Chavez took place in San Francisco's Chinatown. Green Day are walking past this bakery on the cover. You may also recognise the surrounding alleyways from the same shoot. Powell Street BART Station Address: Market St &, Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States Public transport: There are loads of bus stops here and of course, it's a BART station. Details: Green Day walk through this station in the When I Come Around video. Billie Joe pulls one of these phones off the wall during the line "so go do what you like." Hyde Street Studios Address: 245 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States Public transport: There are bus stops on Eddy Street and Turk Street. The closest BART station is Grove Street & Hyde Street, just 0.3 miles away. Details: Insomniac was recorded at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. The band fuelled up with caffeine between takes. Tré repeatedly ripped the calluses off his hands to perfect Panic Song. "The fact that that album came out, like, a year and a half after Dookie was us trying to cut off the bullshit in its tracks and just keep making music. That’s all we wanted to do, keep making music. Sometimes I feel that Insomniac is the most honest record I ever made at the particular moment that it was written and recorded." — Billie Joe Armstrong, Kerrang The Haight Details: This popular San Francisco street is referred to in Misery, when the character "Mr. Whirly" - a Replacements reference - ends up homeless and begging there: "Mr. Whirly had a catastrophic incident / He fell into the city by the bay / He liquidated his estate / Now he sleeps upon the Haight / Panhandling misery." The Bay (80) Bridge Details: Billie Joe’s nickname for his wife, 80 (and in turn the song title 80) came from this, since Interstate 80 runs over it. He’s also talked about how the band and his father, a truck driver, knew they were home after long journeys when they saw it. Highway 1 Details: The Foxboro Hot Tubs song Highway 1 is named after California's longest state route. Misión San Francisco de Asís Address: 3321 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, United States Public transport: There are bus and cable car stops nearby. Details: The When I Come Around music video begins and ends with a night shot of this San Francisco church. Other Agnews Developmental Center Address: 4000 Lafayette St, Santa Clara, CA 95054, United States Details: The Basket Case video was filmed here, but it has since been demolished. Atomic Garden Address: 5453 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618, United States Details: Adrienne's shop. The Ivy Room Address: 860 San Pablo Ave, Albany, CA 94706, United States Details: Where The Coverups played their first show. If I think of anything else I'll add it. I may well have forgotten something because it's 1 AM and I'm tired and stressed. FAQs Do I need a car? Unless you want to see absolutely everything within a week or less, not at all! Everything is accessible by public transport, except Christie Road which can be reached by Uber. Buses are clean, safe and most drivers are friendly. Day passes on AC Transit, the bus company serving Oakland, are $5.50 or $5 with a Clipper Card. On WestCAT, which will take you to Pinole, Rodeo and Crockett, day passes are $5. The final bus company you’ll need to consider is SolTrans, to get to Vallejo, Benicia and Concord. Their day passes are $4.50 - $5.50. Bus drivers do not carry change. ^ An AC Transit bus How long should I stay? You don’t need to stay a long time to have an amazing trip. The main landmarks can be seen in three days, even on public transport. So first of all, decide how much of it you want to see. You'll also need to consider: Whether you’ll ever make another trip Car or public transport Non-Green Day things you want to see If you're driving, 10 days would give you time to relax, but you could cram everything in within a week. On public transport, you need at least 10 days to see absolutely everything, but consider how much time you're willing to spend on buses. I'm used to it because I live in a remote village and learned to drive later in life, but if that's not you, cramming it all in to 10 days could feel very intense. 14-20 days is ideal. Depending on your schedule it may be better to make two separate trips or to skip some of the more obscure landmarks. Is Oakland safe? I’ve been asked this, even by crusty punks, more than any other question. The answer is that yes, it's true that Oakland is statistically one of the most dangerous cities in the US. Opinions vary on quite how high it ranks. On Safewise, it's #10, whilst on EscapeHere it's #16, but then on NeighbourhoodScout it comes in at #30, behind more popular cities like Memphis, Anchorage and Albuquerque. Personally, I take the same precautions as I do at home in England, and I've never felt unsafe in all the time I've spent in Oakland. For a resident’s point of view, here’s what my ex who’s lived in the East Bay all their life has to say: ‘Don’t do drugs, don’t get too drunk, take extra care in West Oakland and head back before dark. Lock your car. Don’t flash money around and don’t wear obnoxious jewelry. Be mindful that many people in Oakland are poor and can’t afford mental healthcare. Not everyone who seems like a weirdo means harm. If someone’s bothering you, don’t engage. Just keep walking. If it's on public transport, tell the driver. Buy a cat keyring or walk with your keys between your fingers if you're worried. The East Bay might be dangerous, but it’s also filled with wonderful people who’ll help and look out for you.’ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ So I think that's everything. This was one of the best things I've done and I'll always encourage others to make the trip if they can. If you want to read my story, there's a part 1 and a part 2.1 point
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Definitely Trilogy era, the aesthetic was sickkkk!1 point
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Tbh £135 is actually slightly cheaper than I was anticipating. I think as long as the tickets haven't jumped up drastically by next week (we all know what Ticketmaster is like!) and they haven't sold out, I might have to bite the bullet and get tickets!😬1 point
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In 2051, you'll be able to sell yours for 900 Trillion dollars and mine will about 50 cents. Good job.1 point
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I would love a new live album/live DVD combo! It's been far too long since Awesome As Fuck!1 point
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Green Day posted another OEB-related video today. I get that they might be doing this because they want to promote the song, but now it is getting excessive. It's wierding me out, hahah.1 point
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I think it’s just to push the song because it’s become a surprise hit in the airplay charts1 point
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You start your new job and the first thing you put on your cubicle wall is a picture of Green Day. Not of your partner. Not even of your dog. Green. Day.1 point
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Billie can deliver a pizza to me any time...maybe not a deep dish...I don't need him to shart in my house1 point
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So jealous of everyone who got to be an extra! What a cool experience! That being said, I have no idea why I can't get excited for this movie. I saw so much news about it on Insta and I just didn't care Maybe when we get closer to its release I'll care, maybe I'm just thinking about Ordinary World and how mid that was. Maybe I just want them to come back to Chicago. To a small venue. Called my house. Green Day come play my house I have a cute dog. Please and thank you.1 point
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One of the many, many contributions to civilization provided to us by Degrassi: The Next Generation is proving that this statement is false.1 point
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It's gonna be so cool! I hope this movie will get a tons of easter egg for hardcore fans like us.1 point
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Last night I dreamed that The Coverups played 8th Avenue Serenade but I was so stunned that I just stood there. Everyone thought I'd never actually listened to it and I was just lying about it being my favourite Green Day song to sound cool. Later they covered This Love by Taylor Swift, but the show ended early because my reaction to 8th Avenue Serenade somehow prompted the apocalypse. Don't remember exactly what the apocalypse entailed except fans trying to meet Green Day when whatever was happening took out their bodyguards (most realistic part of the dream).1 point