Which GD performances are the most significant to you?

[RedundantIdiot]

I can't see a thread like this, but which GD performances are the most significant to you? Mine:

* Live 8 in 2005. Is significant because it was the 1st GD performance I saw on TV- long before I became a GD fan. Unfortunately, Dad didn't like their cover of We Are the Champions and he put the sound mute on . He also had a moan about Billies tattoos.

* Reading festival 2013. A gig I can watch over and over. Perfection.

* 1st gig of the Rev Rad era in September last year as it was the 1st gig after I became a fan of GD and the start of the exciting Rev Rad era

* EMA's last year. For the hilarious EMA Facebook live thread that I created  and the EMA performance itself

* 1st gig in Italy this year. For following it on this forum.

* Leeds, February 2017. My 1st GD gig

[pouty bitch]

* That easter show from 1992. My favourite footage from before they got famous. I would love to have been at one of those small shows.

* Woodstock 94. The first GD performance I saw footage of, and one of the reasons I became a fan. Plus, I love that performance of F.O.D.

* Jaded in Chicago. My go-to live GD performance. They were so fucked up, but they didn't let that stop them from putting on a hell of a show. The first time I ever heard Going to Pasalacqua, which is now one of my favourite songs.

* Irving Plaza 2012. Lots of people say that it was a bad show, but I didn't see anything wrong with it. It wasn't one of their best shows, but I actually really liked it. I think some people are just negative about it because it was just before iHeart. Plus, we got "Mike Dirnt's a dirty whore!"

* Reading 2013. That show kicked ass. Such a beautiful singalong with the crowd, especially during BOBD. And Brutal Love was just .

* Hyde Park 2017. Proved that they've still got it. They really are the best live band I've ever heard.

* Sheffield, July 3rd 2017. Would've been my first Green Day show, but I couldn't get any tickets.

 

[pacejunkie punk]

Lots to mention, some that have already been mentioned so I’ll just add a couple:

*AMA’s performance of Bang Bang - it’s so fast and on point and the visuals add to the excitement. “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!”

*Pinole Valley High School - I love to see them in their earliest days when the audiences had no idea how lucky they were. And as young as they were, they were so damn good. You could just tell they were special.

*Wigan 1993 - I’m a sucker for Billie in dreads and some of their best shows were always in the UK

[Sarcasm]

I mean.... the ones I've been to? 

[AimieeSmith]

House of Blues show from 2015 - Sweet Children and Green Day performing on the same night !

 

[Zebahar]

Back before I was a Green Day fan, I was a HUGE Queen fan (still am) and I literally only listened to Queen. I happened to stumble upon their cover of We are the Champions from Reading 2004 and it blew my mind. I always thought that Queen was the only band that could get a crowd reaction like the one during Green Day's set, so that performance was what at least got me interested in Green Day

[kindercesar]

Woodstock 1994... the perfect performance in a perfect year

VMA's 1994... Armatage Shanks direct to my Top 3 songs

Jaded in Chicago 1994... the perfect performance in a perfect year... in a perfect place

Chile 1998... my first GD concert. I was 16... all I did was stay paralyzed for one hour and a half (and the following week tried to assimilate)

IHeart Radio 2012.. the only time I thought it was over

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2015... when you can see all your life in perspective as a fan, feeling like a part of something bigger but indescribable... and just feel how your eyes becoming wet

 Newport Music Hall 2016... we're back and forever

[jengd]

Would have to be Glasgow October 2009 as it was the first time I saw them live.  Getting the tickets was a complete nightmare, was duped online, long story, but was completely worth it in the end.  

Also, I love the Bridge School performance.

[UNICORN VOMIT]

8/12/09 - my first GD concert.  When BJ ran out on stage I went into a trace like state.  I basically remember WICA

[localinsomniac]

Reading 2001

[Maddie86]

a lot of great ones mentioned already, so I won't repeat them, but here's some of my favorites:

Live at the 10 Spot in 98- I taped this and watched it a ton, and I saw it like a month before I went to my first green day concert, the nimrod era will always be the most nostalgic for me

86 on Letterman- I love how fucking pissed Billie looks and how tight they played, even though the vocals were a little off

SNL 94- the debut of Geek Stink Breath! I love Billie's guitar tone at this performance! this is one thing that made me say "fuck it, I need a Marshall amp!"

[DeJennsitized]

I mean aside from the ones I've been to:

Woodstock '94 - My first real introduction to pre-AI Green Day, and I remember playing this DVD quiz thing to unlock different clips of this gig. 

Milton Keynes '05 - Upon watching BIAB, it was the first time I'd seen them perform, and was also the first time I heard the pre-AI songs (I got BIAB at the same time as AI so it was before I heard all the previous stuff.)

Goat Island '00 - I just really enjoy watching this one. They're outside, it's sunny, there's water in the background, they sounded good, it has some funny moments.

We Are The Champions at Reading '04 - Love watching this, it was just before they released American Idiot so it feels sort of prophetic in a way. And I just like the way it was shot and performed.

East Jesus Nowhere on SNL ft Will Ferrell '09 - need I say more?  I was obsessed with Stepbrothers around this time so it felt a bit like worlds colliding.

The Grouch on Recovery TV '98 - that one where they hijacked the house band's instruments and then were kicked out after. I love the spontaniety of it.

Waiting at Bizzare Festival '01 - "Shut the fuck up!"

When I Come Around at HOF '15 - The moving pictures in the background just make me sentimental and I think it's beautiful.

That's all I can think of from the top of my head but I'm sure there's loads more.

 

[Grunt]

The 94 VMAs since it was my first exposure to the guys.

SNL 94 because their performance of When I Come Around kicked ass, and they played Geek Stink Breath which also kicked ass and had yet to have been released at that point. 

1997 Live In The Alley in Toronto, which was my first time seeing them live. They played a short 7 song set in a record store alleyway, which ended with Billie attempting to smash his guitar at the end after Basket Case.  

The Toronto date of the 2004 American Idiot show before the big tour in which they played the entire album in 4 (I think) cities. The idea of them playing a new album front-to-back was awesome since it had been 4 years after Warning was released. It will probably be the last time I ever see them in a small venue too.

Finally seeing them on the 99 Revolutions Tour in 2013 because it was great to hear a lot of songs from the trilogy live and to see Billie back in action after rehab. 

 

[Brooklyn Baby]

August 5, 2010. Darien Lake Amphitheatre. 21st Century Breakdown tour. My very first show EVER. It was magical, fun, a high unlike anything I'd ever experienced before, and I spent several years of my life chasing the feeling I got at that show, never to repeat it. I thought, "Oh, if I get in the pit it'll feel that fun again." Nope. "Oh, if I get front row it'll feel that magical and amazing." Nope. "Oh, if I get onstage it'll be even more amazing than seeing them live for the first time." Nope. Don't get me wrong, getting to do all those things was a hell of a hoot, but I think that first show was THAT amazing because it was the very first concert I'd ever been to +  the fact that Green Day was my all time favorite band at the time/I idolized the band members +  the fact that 21 CBD was one of their best tours performance-wise and staging/everything else-wise + the fact that Green Day puts on one of the best live music experiences on earth. I will never feel so awestruck, emotional, entertained, at one with a crowd/band/set-list ever again and that's okay. I wouldn't have it any other way

[Montclare]

6 hours ago, G-L-O-R-I-A said:

* Irving Plaza 2012. Lots of people say that it was a bad show, but I didn't see anything wrong with it. It wasn't one of their best shows, but I actually really liked it. I think some people are just negative about it because it was just before iHeart. Plus, we got "Mike Dirnt's a dirty whore!"

 

I would put Irving Plaza as one of their best.  All of the old songs, a three hour set, etc.  For me, this has the ultimate performance of WMUWSE.  If you don't feel something during this performance, you have no soul. (side note- I still want to track down the guys who kept shouting out "Jesus!" throughout the entire show and slap them.  Dude, they play it every show.  You don't need to request it.)

The Monza 2017 performance of American Idiot- I think this is the all time best performance of that song.

The Aragon 2016 performance of Forever Now- this was my first show and I loved the passion Billie showed during this.

1993 Elmhurst performance- I think with this show, you can truly see where they're headed, even though they still weren't there quite yet.  You have people going up to them all night giving them lost keys so they can announce it to the crowd, there's no stage, just a roped off area with people sitting under the rope itself, people dancing "on stage" with the band at the end, all things would happen to any non-famous band, yet at the same time, all of those people knew every word to every song.  And the place was packed.  And this was all pre-Dookie.  

Any Letterman performance.  My favorite is probably Waiting.

KFAD Melbourne 2009, for reasons probably best mentioned in another thread. 

[Tre's Busted Drumkit]

San Diego 2010. Mostly because that's the time I finally got a chance to see them.

Also, iHeartRadio. Because it was hilarious for all the wrong reasons.

[LaughingClock]

12 hours ago, RedundantIdiot said:

I can't see a thread like this, but which GD performances are the most significant to you? Mine:

* Live 8 in 2005. Is significant because it was the 1st GD performance I saw on TV- long before I became a GD fan. Unfortunately, Dad didn't like their cover of We Are the Champions and he put the sound mute on . He also had a moan about Billies tattoos.

* Reading festival 2013. A gig I can watch over and over. Perfection.

* 1st gig of the Rev Rad era in September last year as it was the 1st gig after I became a fan of GD and the start of the exciting Rev Rad era

* EMA's last year. For the hilarious EMA Facebook live thread that I created  and the EMA performance itself

* 1st gig in Italy this year. For following it on this forum.

* Leeds, February 2017. My 1st GD gig

For your Dad not wanting to hear “We Are The Champions” at Live 8 2005. Understand that Freddie Mercury means so much to sooo many people including one Billie Joe Armstrong and while I love both, I agree with his rendition at Reading but it’s almost hollowed ground to sing We Are the Champions at Live 8 2005 when Live Aid 1985 was Queen’s seminal moment and is generally considered the best rock performance of all time by most top ten lists.

Bille, probably from his childhood LOVED Freddie Mercury from his open sexuality to his rock performance and hey ohhs and be bops. Watch the performance I’m gonna show you from Live Aid 1985 and then tell me what you see. Also, look how the RevRad tour stage looks like the mid 80s Queen stage.

Look familiar? Especially the lit stair drum riser.

Queen stage

RevRad stage

Now I’m sure you’ve seen Billie let the crowd sing BOBD and then bow to the crowd. I can’t find the exact one but I’ve seen it but close enough in the magical “Love of My Life”

Queen “Love of My Life” (watch it all) (side note, he wrote this song for his then woman lover Mary Austin who he was with for 6 years before admitting he was gay and this song is about his love for her even though he had less than sexual interest in her although she was one of the most beautiful women ever. He left all his worldly possessions to her when he died, not his live in gay lover who got a million dollars, same as his chef, seriously.) And of course watch for WATC and the ending, it’s fucking amazing.

Green Day BOBD

And now as a HUUUGGGGEEEEE Mercury fan myself. I would say the only front man better than BJA, here is why he didn’t want to see BJA doing WATC at Live 8. If it was at Reading, I bet he would feel different. 

Best 27 minutes of Rock N Roll (stole the show with the most classsic rock bands of all time there). Another side note, do you think this performance happens like this with phone? The only other possible contender is Pearl Jam at PinkPop 91. After Bohemian, don’t skip over Radio Ga Ga, second song. I never even liked that song until I saw this. You must watch the whole thing!

 

[solongfromthestars]

Milton Keynes, which is a generic answer but it was their first live performance I ever saw. At the time I knew very little music outside of video game soundtracks (yeah, laugh at me if you want ) and so seeing a live show as energetic and entertaining as theirs was quite an experience. I remember running to tell my mum how incredible this video was and vowing I'd do anything to see them live once they came back to England.

The Fox Theatre, April 14th 2009. I loved watching the videos at the time and it marks the beginning of that era in my memory. They also played 21st Century Breakdown in full and that's my favourite album of all time, so.

Birmingham, October 27th 2009, because it was the first time I saw them. I was way up in a seat but it made no difference to the energy and what was pretty much a spiritual experience. I've been front row countless times since and still value the memories of the first shows I went to, all of which I was seated for, just as much. I go all fuzzy inside when I see photos from them. It's no exaggeration that it changed my life. The full show is on Youtube (part 1, part 2) and it's a great watch - includes Billie "sacrificing" Jakob and At the Library  

Costa Rica, 2010. They played almost four hours and I'm not that bothered about setlists, but this was it and it was incredible to hear all that. It was generally such a magical experience that I literally didn't care when I got mugged and had to give up my spot. The videos aren't great but I like watching them anyway, here are some of my favourites: Viva La Gloria!/Give Me Novacaine, Paper Lanterns, Extraordinary Girl/21 Guns, Whatsername

The Trilogy secret shows (Tiki Bar, Red 7, Webster Hall, Echoplex) because it was all so exciting and fun to follow, and now they're the only times some of those songs have been played. I didn't have internet at home at that time, so I went to the library and downloaded all the crappy audio onto my phone, then listened to it while I walked back. I remember getting goosebumps when I heard this audio of Stray Heart and wanting to squeal in the street. Then I loved the Trilogy so it was all a good experience for me. Some fun videos to watch are: Stray Heart, Let Yourself Go, 8th Avenue Serenade, Wild One, Kill the DJ

There are a lot of older performances I really enjoy watching too, like the Seattle show from Live Without Warning is a good one that comes to mind. The shows I was actually around for are the most significant to me, though.

[Boluvard of something]

Irving palace for sure. I remember watching a few performances from the show and being amazed. That version of wake me up when September ends had me sobbing at my laptop. 

London 8th February. I never thought in a million years I would ever see green day live and I'm still astonished to this day. Even though I had terrible seats the energy and love in that room was immense. I felt accepted into this community for the first time ever. I'd been watching tons of YouTube videos in preparation for it but nothing will ever beat how great that night was. 

Reading 2013. That performance of bobd was so beautiful with the crowd singing. Wow. Not to mention brutal love, to this day my mum will always put it on, it's one of her all time favourites.

Bullet in a bible. Although I've never seen the whole thing, the clips I have found are mind boggling. There was not one person in that crowd who wasn't having a good night on that DVD.

[Thatsername]

20 hours ago, Maria Gloria said:

Costa Rica, 2010. They played almost four hours and I'm not that bothered about setlists, but this was it and it was incredible to hear all that. It was generally such a magical experience that I literally didn't care when I got mugged and had to give up my spot. The videos aren't great but I like watching them anyway, here are some of my favourites: Viva La Gloria!/Give Me Novacaine, Paper Lanterns, Extraordinary Girl/21 Guns, Whatsername

Wow, you were there? Awesome! Whatsername live I hope I'll be lucky enough to hear that one day. The 21CBD tour setlists were really insane.

I agree with a lot you people said and add some of the most significant shows for me:

- Mainz, Germany 2010: The setlist wasn't as insane as in Costa Rica and some other places during that tour, but it was still mind-blowing and just a perfect day from start to finish, easily one of the best of my life I guess.

- Rock am Ring 2013: I remember that I was a bit worried that the big festival shows after Billie's rehab could be a bit too much too soon, but boy was I wrong. Such a great, high energy show on a cold, foggy June night. I was sick with a cold and didn't see any other show of this festival although I had a ticket for the whole weekend, but I'm so glad I drove 5 hours and 5 hours back home the same day to see this one. I'm so happy that big parts of this show were recorded and broadcasted, so I can relive it over and over again... great, now I want a RevRad live DVD even more.

- Nova Rock festival 2017: I've never laughed more at a Green Day show. Starting with the security guy at barrier who seemed to be a really big fan because sometimes he sang louder than me. Then Billie had to pick three different people to play the guitar during Knowledge because the first two couldn't play a note ("Give them a tambourine!"). Then Billie was mocking a guy who was on the phone during KFAD, it was too good. I was more hoarse from laughing than from singing the next day I think They were on fire.

- Hyde Park 2017: It was my fifth GD show this year, that's more shows than I've ever been to in one era before. It was the perfect conclusion of my own little GD tour through 3 countries and it was just perfect, including the weather. My first time in England and I didn't see a raindrop all weekend, that's something

[Maddie86]

damnit, this thread has me watching a lot of Green Day on youtube lol

[-Billiejoezee-]

Every show I’ve been to 

 

And that one show where they played pulling teeth 

[aydge89]

Letterbomb at the Hall of Fame was pretty spectacular.

[TimmyChunks]

Well, this isn't my favorite performance of all time, but I think this moment stands on its own and I felt it needed to be posted somewhere. So here's my favorite story from the second leg of the tour:

We were in the family room at the aftershow in the Northeast at a show in August. Pretty awesome show overall. To set the scene, as usual at the aftershow there were about 20 folks and a few of the band (Jeff, Jason F.), etc. hanging around. Sometimes the band comes back to this gathering, but on this night most of the family and friends were out of town. The band usually doesn't know who is there and usually comes out if they have specific people they want to see. On this night, apparently Billie, Mike, and Tre didn't have anyone close to them that they were planning to come out and visit.

There was a handicapped person- possibly with ALS (just a guess) who was unable to speak and only able to control his wheelchair through a tube. He was heavily incapacitated. All he wanted was to meet someone from the band (it was clearly his lifelong dream) and I believe he was at the aftershow as part of a charity setup. Great guy- we talked to him for a bit and he was spinning around in his chair just waiting in anticipation of meeting someone from Green Day.

Time went on and it was getting late. This is not a judgement on anyone, just an observation. Billie walked out of the door with a hood on and went straight to the bus. Tre and Sara poked their heads out a few times and did the same. Clearly, they weren't expecting anyone that night (which is totally normal when they don't have anyone on their visitor list) and went to the bus real quickly.

Matika was back there and visiting with someone- god love him, he seems to have friends in every city. We went up to him and let him know that this handicapped man had been waiting for a while and absolutely had to meet one of his heroes. He was a little stunned by the whole thing and then basically said "no promises, I'll see what we can do, I know the buses need to leave right now".

Matika went inside, and then came out a few minutes later and went right into the bus and didn't look our way. We were so sad for this poor guy.

Then, out of nowhere, Mike comes out, walks right up to the guy in the chair, kneels down, and goes "how'd you like the show- you have a good time?". They talked privately for awhile, might have been five minutes or so, and then some of the rest of the group joined the circle and chatted for another 15 minutes. Totally made this guy's night, and totally made mine seeing how wonderful Mike was to this complete stranger that he knew had been dying to meet him.

They're good guys. Great guys. It was one of the most touching acts I've seen, and Jeff totally made it happen. Respect for him, for Mike, and for all of them. They've all impacted our lives positively in some way, and this totally brought home how incredible they can be to their fans. I feel like this type of thing happens more than we all know, and it was incredible to witness in person.

[Brooklyn Baby]

^^ Mike is srsly my fave.