99 Revolutions Tour - Tour Identity Crisis and NY Times Dead-On Review

[The Grateful Green]

I'm sorry but it shouldn't a greatest hits concert, which it is. Don't get me wrong, I just saw them in Philly and they did sound great, but the "hey-oh's" I could predict, and the songs I could predict. It was just like watching a recording of all of the shows since 21st Century Breakdown. Idk, just really disappointing. This was my forth show and I feel like I just watched the same concert 4 times. Maybe I'm just in a bitchy mood haha but oh well.

[billiejoephil]

Freddie Mercury would take offense at that. Dave Grohl might as well.

I am a huge Dave Grohl fan, but Billie > Dave. Also in terms of crowd interaction. No doubt about it.

Also, I full-heartedly agree with padackllins. I hate to see a Green Day show end with anything but Good Riddance. The acoustic set and this specific song at the end is the perfect closer, not to mention the tradition Good Riddance has at the end of a show. I want it back as a regular and I want it now.

[stories and songs]

Those of us watching Philly on the livestream felt he was SUPER rushed. He didn't interact much with the crowd (not necessarily a bad thing if it cut down on hey ohs ) and the songs were sped up (some people were saying Temple had a curfew). I doubt that can speak to everything you felt, but what I'm trying to say is I don't think you're thinking absurdly.

Thank you for saying so. When I left I was kind of wondering what the heck was wrong with me! I think that was it though, the lack of banter wasn't something I was used to. I think the band is very much so still trying to get themselves together, even though they're powering through it. They've been very open and honest about their whole ordeal, but at the same time it seems like they don't want us to feel bad for them or dwell on what happened. They want to be reliable and deliver and not show any residual damage. As a result, we are not seeing a "comeback tour" just yet, but a band in a moment of transition, feeling out what they want and what the fans want as they're putting on shows. And that's okay. I'm happy to be there with them every step of the way. I'm happy that they seem happy.

And I should note that my feeling weird at Philly had NOTHING to do with the setlist. Here's why I have no problem with their setlist being very consistent: new listeners. Green Day is amazing in that they are still raking in the younglings after being around for over two decades. That is impressive as hell. And you know what? People KNOW Green Day songs, whether they realize it or not. They've heard them in stores, on the radio, on tv, etc. It is so fucking awesome when you start getting into a band and realize they have this catalog of songs that you've always loved but never realized who played them.

I went to my first Green Day concert when I was 13. It was one of the best nights of my life, hands down. I loved that they played a few songs from AI, the album that they were supporting, but also played songs that I had been loving for years. I loved that my parents had fun, too, because they knew most of the songs that were being played that night. As a new fan at the time, I may not have had quite as an amazing of an experience if they played a bunch of songs that only hard-core fans knew well. This "predictable" set list was the best thing in the world through my 13 year old eyes, and it kinda still is.

Like it has been said plenty of times - this show isn't just for hardcore fans. Its for everyone to enjoy, and the band wants to make sure that they are reaching as much of the audience as possible. The arena is on fire when they play a song that everyone can sing along to, and there is no better feeling than singing along with a huge group of strangers who all love the same band you do. Its the best.

The consistent set list has nothing to do with Billie's rehab. I genuinely believe that. I mean, I've only seen them four times but I have essentially seen the same show every time, with a few new tunes thrown in or old songs thrown out. And that is perfectly fine with me. I would see them 1000 more times with the exact same setlist, because it means I'm watching my favorite band perform live. I'm lucky to be able to see them play, regardless of what they play.

[fromdecimateddreams]

I get what everyone is saying about how it's more of a 'big hits' tour rather than playing the new stuff, but I look at this this way: all those big hits they play are the songs that got them to where they are now, and that's worth something. The fans love those songs and we know every word, and while the trilogy is fantastic too, I don't mind going to several shows and hearing the same songs. Because I love them.

And even if they do play most of their older stuff and the big hits that they've had, they still put on a hell of a show every night that they play, and for a band that's been around as long as Green Day has, the fact that they haven't fizzled out like some other bands that have been touring 20 plus years is amazing.

I do wish they had kept Good Riddance as the closer, though. But Brutal Love is still a great way to end it all.

[St. Christian Of Suburbia]

I can't really say that I agree with what people have been saying about Green Day's "habit" of having an underwhelming setlist going all the way back to the American Idiot days. I mean, one similarity that can be drawn between promotion of American Idiot, 21st Century Breakdown, and the trilogy is that all three saw the guys going out and playing a ton of material from the new albums before trying to play more "normal" shows with diverse setlists. However, I think they tried unsuccessfully to start playing shows featuring a wide range of songs as the release of the trilogy albums came closer, which I think is evident in the fact that they did play around 7 or 8 songs at each show but generally changed it up a little bit each time (which would make sense if they were continuing to test the material). It seems like their recent return is where things went a bit south; not only are they generally only playing the relatively few trilogy songs that they're very comfortable with, their shows as a whole are much shorter than they used to be. (My dad and I discussed earlier that perhaps their "taking it easy" when it comes to both the new material and the length of their shows could be attributed to Billie Joe's current state and needing to get back into the swing of things.) On the other hand, during the American Idiot tour they usually played over half of the album, and while on their 21st Century Breakdown tour they didn't quite play half of the 18-track album they still played several of its songs consistently throughout the tour, while still playing several songs from American Idiot. Frankly, I think that they would have continued along this path--playing many songs from the trilogy while still playing a mix of songs from most of their previous albums, including A.I. and 21stCB--but their recent return to playing shows yielded different results due to the struggle they just went through.

To put it concisely, I think that the 99 Revolutions tour is really the first one in the past decade to feature a particularly underwhelming and overly predictable setlist. They were on the right track and had been doing a good job of playing a satisfying mix of new and old material, but starting last month when they started performing again they changed directions.

(This is just some honest input, don't take it as any bitterness toward the band, I have nothing but love and respect for them.)

[Mar]

Look I love the Hey-Ohhs. It's Billie's thing. It puts a smile on my face. But he does TOO MUCH of them. One or two Hey-Ohhs during a song to get the audience pumped is fine. But during Stay the Night he literally wasted 5 minutes saying Hey-Ohh. It was almost annoying, and I was just waiting and responding to a ridiculous amount of Hey-Ohs. Additionally, they drag songs out much too long. SWTRLF is a 2:30 song. They dragged it out to around 6 minutes by Billie standing there in the drum stairs playing the same note over and over again trying to build the suspense for the final chorus. Good idea, but it dragged on too long. Additionally, Shout needs to go. They've done it for three tours now. It's a waste of time. I don't go to Green Day concerts to see Billie lying on the stage and occasionally humping it. I go to hear my favorite band play my favorite songs. Wasting 12 minutes or so on a COVER SONG is not worth it. It was funny the first tour. Maybe the second. Now it's just old. I'm not calling for a concert with nothing but straight music. The crowd needs to hear Billie's banter and Hey-Ohs and Billie needs to do his usual running around, audience participation, and goofing off stuff. But making 3 minutes songs last 7 minutes isn't necessary.

I can't help but feel like the hey ohs in the middle are so long that your brain takes half a second to remember what song he was referring to (which happened to me all the time), it's maybe a little excessive.

[IcyMoffatt]

It's funny you're all talking about GD's tour and the trilogy, that something isn't right. Yesterday, I watched Débat critique (a tv show which aired on Musique Plus) and there was a debate about GD. They were asking if the band's career was near the end. Of course, the 4 journalists and the host said the trilogy was not a great idea and that the band was not doing well right now (I'm trying to resume in one sentence what the journalists said, I'm sorry if it's not clear). When the host asked the journalists if they wanted to see GD in concert this year, they all said no. Patrick Langlois (one of the 4 journalists, and who is like Simple Plan's unofficial member) even said that if you already went to one GD's concert, you don't need to go to another one because it's always the same show; GD doesn't renew its show. For me, I can't give any opinion about the tour. I went only to one concert and it was two years ago. I can't talk about the present tour.

[Gwen Stacy]

Well I think they might have heard us. Tonight's setlist had Stray Heart and Carpe Diem snuck in among the others. Not too unusual, but a little variety I'm sure didn't hurt

[Awesompawsome]

This tour fucking sucks, I sure hope it gets better because I WANTED to go but not really anymore

[HolyHandGrenade]

This tour fucking sucks, I sure hope it gets better because I WANTED to go but not really anymore

If a Green Day tour was for some reason sucky, I would first question the person who went to the concert, not Green Day. You can complain all you want, but when you're there in person singing your heart out, you end up with a very different opinion

[Akshat]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, PEOPLE!!

I am about to just stop reading these fucking topics dealing with the setlist. First of all, stop looking at each show from the perspective of a diehard fan...please. I have been a fan since '94 and haven't turned back since...I get it. You have to realize that probably 80-90% of the people at a Green Day show are seeing them for the first or second time. These people would be pissed if they went to a show and didn't play the hits.

Like it or not, the trilogy did not do well. This upsets me considering I think it's the best thing they've ever done, but it's a sad fact. That is why whenever a Trilogy song gets played the crowd shuts down. Would you fucking want this if you were the band on stage? Would you want to be in the middle of playing an awsome high-energy show and then lose the whole fucking crowd because you're playing something they've never heard before?

I don't think any of you really know what goes into putting together a setlist. There is a flow that you are going for...a building of energy...and playing with the emotions in a specific way. At no point during this flow is "lose all but 10 people by playing something nobody knows."

I've said it a million times on here already and I will say it again...if Billie hadn't had his rehab issues, I guarantee you that this 1st leg of the tour would be packed with Trilogy songs. Unfortunately, he DID have that issue. THIS TOUR IS NOT ABOUT PROMOTING THE TRILOGY. Promoting the Trilogy pretty much ended when Billie went to rehab. If they want to add a bunch of Trilogy songs to their shows, then they need to start making the TV rounds and telling people there are 3 albums out there. This tour is about proving the everybody that Green Day is back and is still the best fucking live band in the world.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen them live, but I leave every show thinking that it was better than the last one. I was at the Echoplex show...the setlist was awesome, but I loved the show I saw in Tempe last month like 10x more than the Echoplex show. Why? I don't know...maybe it's the fact that it's the ABSOLUTE BEST that I've ever heard the band sound. It was the happiest I've ever seen Billie. It was how the beand just seemed absolutely flawless. It's because they had the crowd in their fucking hand for 2:15 by PLAYING THE HITS! When I'm at a show, I have no fucking idea how may "Hey Oh's" there are...but I'm fucking screaming every single one of them. I have no idea how long King for a Day goes on for...but I'm singing and chanting along at the top of my lungs. I have no idea how many times I've heard Basketcase live prior to the show I'm at, but I'm still singing aling with as much enthusiasm as the first time I ever saw them. Why can't people just let themselves get lost in the moment. That's what a fucking Green Day show is all about.

Don't like the set they are playing? Sell your fucking tickets or don't buy them for the next show. It really is that easy. But I guess if people did that then they would have nothing to fucking bitch and moan about.

We have the fucking honor of being fans of the best band in the world. So how about we be happy about the fact that Billie isn't dead? How about we be happy about the fact that his rehab didn't break up the band? How bout we be happy about the fact that they still give us every fucking drop of energy they have every time they take the fucking stage?

I love you,man

[captain peroxide]

The setlist isn't lacking in good old material, it's lacking in good NEW material. I don't want to hear American Idiot or Jesus of Suburbia, my love affair with those songs ended long ago, and, as Matt rightly pointed out after the Moline show, you could play 3-4 new songs in that time, or 1 and DRB.

I want to see them do that new material live. Letterbomb and Holiday were great inclusions, but the rest of the AI/21CB stuff, I could honestly do without.

[shakerattleandroll]

I think why a lot of these shows dont really feel like trilogy shows are because the second song is Know Your Enemy!
Why? Sure, it's a big hit, but it's been used as the second song before in the 21st Century Breakdown tour. This is a new tour, have the first 3 or 4 songs at least be trilogy songs! 99 followed by Stay the Night or Nuclear Family?

Also, finishing with Brutal Love is great! But Billie still NEEDS to come back and do Good Riddance acoustically to finish the show.

[St. Christian Of Suburbia]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, PEOPLE!!

I am about to just stop reading these fucking topics dealing with the setlist. First of all, stop looking at each show from the perspective of a diehard fan...please. I have been a fan since '94 and haven't turned back since...I get it. You have to realize that probably 80-90% of the people at a Green Day show are seeing them for the first or second time. These people would be pissed if they went to a show and didn't play the hits.

Like it or not, the trilogy did not do well. This upsets me considering I think it's the best thing they've ever done, but it's a sad fact. That is why whenever a Trilogy song gets played the crowd shuts down. Would you fucking want this if you were the band on stage? Would you want to be in the middle of playing an awsome high-energy show and then lose the whole fucking crowd because you're playing something they've never heard before?

I don't think any of you really know what goes into putting together a setlist. There is a flow that you are going for...a building of energy...and playing with the emotions in a specific way. At no point during this flow is "lose all but 10 people by playing something nobody knows."

I've said it a million times on here already and I will say it again...if Billie hadn't had his rehab issues, I guarantee you that this 1st leg of the tour would be packed with Trilogy songs. Unfortunately, he DID have that issue. THIS TOUR IS NOT ABOUT PROMOTING THE TRILOGY. Promoting the Trilogy pretty much ended when Billie went to rehab. If they want to add a bunch of Trilogy songs to their shows, then they need to start making the TV rounds and telling people there are 3 albums out there. This tour is about proving the everybody that Green Day is back and is still the best fucking live band in the world.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen them live, but I leave every show thinking that it was better than the last one. I was at the Echoplex show...the setlist was awesome, but I loved the show I saw in Tempe last month like 10x more than the Echoplex show. Why? I don't know...maybe it's the fact that it's the ABSOLUTE BEST that I've ever heard the band sound. It was the happiest I've ever seen Billie. It was how the beand just seemed absolutely flawless. It's because they had the crowd in their fucking hand for 2:15 by PLAYING THE HITS! When I'm at a show, I have no fucking idea how may "Hey Oh's" there are...but I'm fucking screaming every single one of them. I have no idea how long King for a Day goes on for...but I'm singing and chanting along at the top of my lungs. I have no idea how many times I've heard Basketcase live prior to the show I'm at, but I'm still singing aling with as much enthusiasm as the first time I ever saw them. Why can't people just let themselves get lost in the moment. That's what a fucking Green Day show is all about.

Don't like the set they are playing? Sell your fucking tickets or don't buy them for the next show. It really is that easy. But I guess if people did that then they would have nothing to fucking bitch and moan about.

We have the fucking honor of being fans of the best band in the world. So how about we be happy about the fact that Billie isn't dead? How about we be happy about the fact that his rehab didn't break up the band? How bout we be happy about the fact that they still give us every fucking drop of energy they have every time they take the fucking stage?

Perfect way of putting it, couldn't agree more.

[1000slappyhrs]

I have such mixed feelings about this. Because, to my mind - while yes, we all want to hear new songs, it is important that the band caters to everyone at the show, young and old, new fan or old fan. And they do a great job of that. Playing 6 or 7 songs from the trilogy is quite a lot - not in comparison to how many trilogy songs there are, of course, but that is about how many they played off of AI and 21CB during those tours. Same thing. This tour is no different from other tours in that respect. Personally, I absolutely love hearing older songs. You can just feel the entire stadium overflowing with energy, and it is fantastic. While I love the trilogy songs live, the fact remains that not as many people know the music. I would go crazy over more trilogy songs, but the rest of the audience may not. A huge part of the show is the energy you feel from the crowd. It affects both other audience members and the performers, so it is a big deal if a large portion of the audience isn't as familiar with what you're singing.

And you know - when I went to Philly, I had a great time. They were spot on and it was an amazing night. That said, I'm not going to lie and say I didn't think something was amiss. Something most definitely was. And I will probably never know what it was that made me feel that way. Maybe I'm still too worried and wrapped up in the past few months in Green Day world (because I DO think they got back out on the road very fast). Maybe I was just having an off night, I don't know. It was a WONDERFUL show and Billie sounded amazing and the whole band seemed happy. But usually when I leave Green Day shows, I feel more strongly connected than ever to them. The morning after I woke up from Philly, I felt... weird. Nothing was wrong with the show. But it wasn't completely right, either. I don't know what I wanted from them, and I do feel like it is probably just a "me" thing. But thought I'd share. They're the best live band I will probably ever see, don't get me wrong.

I think the interview nailed the "identity crisis" bit perfectly, except I don't think it is a tour identity crisis. It is bigger than that. I think it is a slight band identity crisis we're dealing with, which is perhaps leading to a fan identity crisis as well. The band made the trilogy to let loose and change their image from the political punk rockers they had been known as for a while. Now they've been forced to reevaluate their image again, because of everything that happened with Billie. They're trying to find their footing and figure out their next move while performing in front of thousands of people every other night. We're all on the ride together as we figure out what that next move will be.

I feel the exact same way! I was thinking that it was just an off night for me as well, but now I am thinking it may have been more than that. I have been a fan for so long, and always will be, but I did notice the "identity crisis". In my opinion, when I saw them play on March 28th, they seemed to be different-less enthusiastic. I think there is going to be a little bit of walking on eggshells, so to speak, for a while until they get their footing. Granted, they are seasoned performers, but they still haven't encountered territory such as this. I think the elephant is still in the room, even though it's out in the public, I think there is some nervousness among some of us fans, that Billie Joe might fall off the wagon, or Green Day may just...well..seize to exist anymore. I must admit, that before the Rolling Stone article and before the tour was rescheduled, I was wondering what the meaning behind "Walk Away" meant, and the only thing I could think of was Green Day's future. I guess when I saw them I kept thinking that it could be the last time that I have the opportunity to see them. I still obviously, thoroughly enjoyed the show. They will always be the best band live to me.

[LazyPhil]

Be happy they're back on the road. Things could have been worse.

[stories and songs]

I feel the exact same way! I was thinking that it was just an off night for me as well, but now I am thinking it may have been more than that. I have been a fan for so long, and always will be, but I did notice the "identity crisis". In my opinion, when I saw them play on March 28th, they seemed to be different-less enthusiastic. I think there is going to be a little bit of walking on eggshells, so to speak, for a while until they get their footing. Granted, they are seasoned performers, but they still haven't encountered territory such as this. I think the elephant is still in the room, even though it's out in the public, I think there is some nervousness among some of us fans, that Billie Joe might fall off the wagon, or Green Day may just...well..seize to exist anymore. I must admit, that before the Rolling Stone article and before the tour was rescheduled, I was wondering what the meaning behind "Walk Away" meant, and the only thing I could think of was Green Day's future. I guess when I saw them I kept thinking that it could be the last time that I have the opportunity to see them. I still obviously, thoroughly enjoyed the show. They will always be the best band live to me.

Precisely.

And while I'm truly not worried about the band going anywhere anytime soon (anytime soon being like the next 20+ years, haha), I'm just a worrier. I worry no matter what, unfortunately, and I worry particularly when it is about something as important as these guys are to me. Billie has been good about not ignoring what happened but talking about it in a really delicate manner, and even though he owes us nothing more on the matter, I love what he has been saying. Still, thinking about things that can go wrong is scary, and when you see something on stage that seemed a little weird or off, it is hard to stop your mind from worrying (and hard to stop the moment from feeling a bit awkward). I think I may have felt differently had I been closer to the stage - I sadly couldn't see their smiling faces all night because they were so far away, which I think may have changed my experience a bit. Still, as I said - my night was amazing and unforgettable. Just a little different from past concerts, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I really think the difference in their performance really just comes from them trying to be back in the same way they've always been performing while also readjusting their lives personally and professionally. All the while, they are probably trying to figure out in what way they are revealing those changes to the audience, if at all. They can't quite ever get back into the same groove they were in before, so they need to find a new one. Its a process that will still probably be taking place for a long while yet, and that is perfectly okay. Though I've always loved them as human beings, there is something so distinctly grounded about their stage presence now. More than ever, they are so very human on stage, and that is an incredibly beautiful thing to see.

[TimmyChunks]

Well, hopefully last night's show will alleviate some of your concerns. It was a much different show than the one I attended Saturday, both in setlist and performance (i.e. story time and nuances of how some of the staples were performed). I wanted variety, and goddamnit, Green Day delivered again. Oh, and they were spitting fire, too. This was their A+ game.

Now it's off to Toronto. Hopefully they have a few more surprises in store north of the border.

[X-Kid-X]

I've been thinking about this too. All the shows up until now have the same setlist. At first I thought it was just for the first 2 or 3 shows but they still didn't update it.

I generally don't care what songs they play when I see them in June 1st.. but I'll be SO happy if by then they'll have a new set list and get out of their routine.

[Guest]

Just saying, if they don't start changing up the setlists, I probably won't bother go see them. Sure they're great live, but there's also loads of songs I want to hear. I'm not shelling out €60 to hear the same songs I've heard before, bar 5 or 6.

[Asa.]

Just saying, if they don't start changing up the setlists, I probably won't bother go see them. Sure they're great live, but there's also loads of songs I want to hear. I'm not shelling out 60 to hear the same songs I've heard before, bar 5 or 6.

That's exactly what I thought but then when I actually saw them, it wasn't so bad and they could've played anything and I wouldn't have cared. But that's just me.

[Guest]

Gotta be honest, even if they placed the same setlist 50 times over, I'd go to every one if I could just because, dude, it's Green Day I'd love to hear new stuff, that'd be awesome but yeah, I'd still love the show regardless.

[Abbey.]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, PEOPLE!!

Don't like the set they are playing? Sell your fucking tickets or don't buy them for the next show. It really is that easy. But I guess if people did that then they would have nothing to fucking bitch and moan about.

We have the fucking honor of being fans of the best band in the world. So how about we be happy about the fact that Billie isn't dead? How about we be happy about the fact that his rehab didn't break up the band? How bout we be happy about the fact that they still give us every fucking drop of energy they have every time they take the fucking stage?

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST WE ARE JUST HAVING A DISCUSSION HERE. We are all well aware that we have the fucking honor of being fans of the best band in the world. We also recognize that we are a bunch of over-obsessed, nit-picking superfans that are thrilled that our favorite band still leaves their homes and their families to travel to shit-bag towns to play an amazing high energy 2+ hour show for people. Without a doubt we recognize that. However, we are also more in tune to the subtelties of how this band plays a show, what their setlist is, and WE LIKE TO FUCKING TALK AND OBSESS ABOUT IT. IT IS WHY WE ARE HERE ON A FUCKING FAN BOARD. So, I would humbly suggest that if you are not interested in talking about it and are annoyed by it, then there's no need for you to be in this thread. Rage and love buddy.

[Guest]

That's exactly what I thought but then when I actually saw them, it wasn't so bad and they could've played anything and I wouldn't have cared. But that's just me.

Sure the show is good, but I've experienced it. I go to live shows for the music, not for the theatrics. They're playing similar setlists to the 21stCB tour, when I last saw them. They've changed about 5 or 6 tracks, but it's still the same show, still the same gimmicks, still the same hey oh stuff. I sound like a grumpy old man, but I wanna hear some songs

Also, slightly related to his stupid gimmicks, does anyone else get reminded of Dave Chappelle when Billie does his whole "IT'S A CELEBRATION" routine?

[Guest]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST WE ARE JUST HAVING A DISCUSSION HERE. We are all well aware that we have the fucking honor of being fans of the best band in the world. We also recognize that we are a bunch of over-obsessed, nit-picking superfans that are thrilled that our favorite band still leaves their homes and their families to travel to shit-bag towns to play an amazing high energy 2+ hour show for people. Without a doubt we recognize that. However, we are also more in tune to the subtelties of how this band plays a show, what their setlist is, and WE LIKE TO FUCKING TALK AND OBSESS ABOUT IT. IT IS WHY WE ARE HERE ON A FUCKING FAN BOARD. So, I would humbly suggest that if you are not interested in talking about it and are annoyed by it, then there's no need for you to be in this thread. Rage and love buddy.

I don't know you but I like you.