My Green Day Adventures (True Stories)
KROQ's 2004 Almost Acoustic Christmas
It wasn't long after our adventure in Las Vegas that we headed down to Southern California for KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas. I was very familiar with how these went I had been to a few. I was stoked because of course Green Day was going to be there and my other favorite band Social Distortion was playing. This show would also mark a point where Mike Dirnt would finally show that I was no stranger to their performances. Other bands that included the first night were Velvet Revolver (another band I am fond of), My Chemical Romance, The Used (I wasn't really that impressed with them, but still thought they were alright), Good Charlotte..., Papa Roach, and Incubus.
Mom and I flew down to LA. I really hate Southern California, but of course for Green Day and Social Distortion it was worth it.
The show was held at the Gibson Amplitheater at Universal City Walk. The night before Mom and I went to Universal and hung out around City Walk. We saw so many bands walking around. We saw My Chemical Romance, New Found Glory, Sugarcult, The Used, Incubus, Sum 41, and just so many other bands. The weird part was most of these people I already had a picture with on this wall in my house where Mom has me with musicians.
When walking by I heard Cone from Sum 41 say something like "Yeah I was just talking to Billie Joe about-" I stopped in my tracks and told mom that Green Day (or at least Billie Joe) was around here. We walked around, but were unsuccessful at spotting anyone. I did hear I think Mikey or something from My Chemical Romance say something too about seeing Green Day.
We went to our hotel and did our usual routine in the morning. There was a long line when I got to the Gibson Amplitheater, which made me extremely paranoid about getting up close. I still waited and then Mom got there a little later. When she went to hand me my ticket I looked at it and noticed that it didn't say we "floor seating". Then I hear mom go "Oh my god I didn't order floor!". I literally started to cry as lame as it sounds. She kept trying to cheer me up saying we had second row closest to the stage, but I still was upset. Although my wrist was filled with wristbands from other concerts, it felt naked as I watched the lucky ones get one.
Mom and I took our seats. Once we sat down and I looked at the spot where Mike Dirnt would be occupying eventually I started crying again. Mom finally told me to suck it up, which she was right, but I don't know I guess that's how much Green Day means to me. Plus I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to get a close up of Mike Ness having his what I call "guitar sex".
I believe the first band to come out was My Chemical Romance. I've never really been a fan of them so I kind of just sat there. Then was The Used I believe. It made me laugh thinking of this picture I had taken not too long ago with me and Bert McCracken and when I asked him to call my cousin Melony who loved The Used at that time.
Then was Good Charlotte...Bleh if you read in the chapters before I mentioned how I used to love them. I felt like I was thirteen again and pondered on when me and my friend Sarah and I saw them and met them.
Then was Incubus. I had just started getting into them a bit, and seeing them live made me developer an even bigger passion for them. Then was Papa Roach. Another band that I had met before.
Finally Social Distortion. I think this was my third time seeing them? I loved Social Distortion live and so does my mom. Next to the Rolling Stones it's her favorite band. She has a huge crush on Mike Ness which I think is a bit gross, but whatever. It's still a dream of mine to meet Mike Ness. I did meet Matt Freeman at another show before, I thought that was pretty sick since he played in Operation Ivy and Rancid and all that jazz. I did make a feeble attempt at sneaking down to the floor, but was stopped by security.
After I was in awe with Social Distortions slot they began setting up for Green Day...I started tearing up again. I sat and looked at strangers faces wishing I could be in their place. The pink bunny came out and did it's thing. Then they came out and did their thing. They did something that they don't exactly do at every show, but do sometimes do.
During "Holiday" when Billie flashes the bright light in everyone in the balcony he yells in the microphone
"You know I think we could squeeze more people down to the floor. I want 200 of you fuckers up there down here right now!" he commanded
My eyes lit up and I darted. I didn't even give a backwards glance at mom I literally jumped over the people in the seats in front of me and ran to the nearest stairs leading down to the floor. When I was darting down I felt a hand grab me. I turned and gave a "what the fuck?" kind of look when the security guard told me not to run. I followed the rule for a mere 3 seconds and then continued running like a bat out of hell.
Suddenly a riot seemed to break out behind me where people were pushing to get down. People were literally jumping off the balcony to get down to the floor. Billie shared his words as "Go down the stairs and don't hurt anyone on the way down."
I pushed and pushed through people to get by Mike. By the time "Are we the Waiting" came on I had reached him. Suddenly Mike Dirnt looks down at me and laughs and points at me and goes "You again". I nodded and smiled. After that he threw his pick out at me. Tre did his usual funny making faces at people, he looked at me and shook his head and smiled as Mike had done. I couldn't believe that they were actually beginning to recognize me. I thought it was cool, and was also like "crap I hope they don't think I'm stalking them or something". I was crammed up against the barricade a lot harder then usual. Suddenly after St.Jimmy things got a bit out of control. The mosh pits in back were getting out of hand. Billie Joe told everyone to calm down and take it easy. Then security guards jumped in the mosh pit and everyone booed them out. Billie got everyone back in the swing of things and continued. Did you ever notice that Billie's like fucking Jesus or something at their shows? I mean when he yells "Shut the fuck up" everyone shuts their mouth. I think it's pretty cool how someone can have that control of an audience. Anyway they did "American Idiot" front to back and ended the night with "Welcome to Paradise".
It wouldn't be until April of 2005 I would see them again.
Mom and I flew down to LA. I really hate Southern California, but of course for Green Day and Social Distortion it was worth it.
The show was held at the Gibson Amplitheater at Universal City Walk. The night before Mom and I went to Universal and hung out around City Walk. We saw so many bands walking around. We saw My Chemical Romance, New Found Glory, Sugarcult, The Used, Incubus, Sum 41, and just so many other bands. The weird part was most of these people I already had a picture with on this wall in my house where Mom has me with musicians.
When walking by I heard Cone from Sum 41 say something like "Yeah I was just talking to Billie Joe about-" I stopped in my tracks and told mom that Green Day (or at least Billie Joe) was around here. We walked around, but were unsuccessful at spotting anyone. I did hear I think Mikey or something from My Chemical Romance say something too about seeing Green Day.
We went to our hotel and did our usual routine in the morning. There was a long line when I got to the Gibson Amplitheater, which made me extremely paranoid about getting up close. I still waited and then Mom got there a little later. When she went to hand me my ticket I looked at it and noticed that it didn't say we "floor seating". Then I hear mom go "Oh my god I didn't order floor!". I literally started to cry as lame as it sounds. She kept trying to cheer me up saying we had second row closest to the stage, but I still was upset. Although my wrist was filled with wristbands from other concerts, it felt naked as I watched the lucky ones get one.
Mom and I took our seats. Once we sat down and I looked at the spot where Mike Dirnt would be occupying eventually I started crying again. Mom finally told me to suck it up, which she was right, but I don't know I guess that's how much Green Day means to me. Plus I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to get a close up of Mike Ness having his what I call "guitar sex".
I believe the first band to come out was My Chemical Romance. I've never really been a fan of them so I kind of just sat there. Then was The Used I believe. It made me laugh thinking of this picture I had taken not too long ago with me and Bert McCracken and when I asked him to call my cousin Melony who loved The Used at that time.
Then was Good Charlotte...Bleh if you read in the chapters before I mentioned how I used to love them. I felt like I was thirteen again and pondered on when me and my friend Sarah and I saw them and met them.
Then was Incubus. I had just started getting into them a bit, and seeing them live made me developer an even bigger passion for them. Then was Papa Roach. Another band that I had met before.
Finally Social Distortion. I think this was my third time seeing them? I loved Social Distortion live and so does my mom. Next to the Rolling Stones it's her favorite band. She has a huge crush on Mike Ness which I think is a bit gross, but whatever. It's still a dream of mine to meet Mike Ness. I did meet Matt Freeman at another show before, I thought that was pretty sick since he played in Operation Ivy and Rancid and all that jazz. I did make a feeble attempt at sneaking down to the floor, but was stopped by security.
After I was in awe with Social Distortions slot they began setting up for Green Day...I started tearing up again. I sat and looked at strangers faces wishing I could be in their place. The pink bunny came out and did it's thing. Then they came out and did their thing. They did something that they don't exactly do at every show, but do sometimes do.
During "Holiday" when Billie flashes the bright light in everyone in the balcony he yells in the microphone
"You know I think we could squeeze more people down to the floor. I want 200 of you fuckers up there down here right now!" he commanded
My eyes lit up and I darted. I didn't even give a backwards glance at mom I literally jumped over the people in the seats in front of me and ran to the nearest stairs leading down to the floor. When I was darting down I felt a hand grab me. I turned and gave a "what the fuck?" kind of look when the security guard told me not to run. I followed the rule for a mere 3 seconds and then continued running like a bat out of hell.
Suddenly a riot seemed to break out behind me where people were pushing to get down. People were literally jumping off the balcony to get down to the floor. Billie shared his words as "Go down the stairs and don't hurt anyone on the way down."
I pushed and pushed through people to get by Mike. By the time "Are we the Waiting" came on I had reached him. Suddenly Mike Dirnt looks down at me and laughs and points at me and goes "You again". I nodded and smiled. After that he threw his pick out at me. Tre did his usual funny making faces at people, he looked at me and shook his head and smiled as Mike had done. I couldn't believe that they were actually beginning to recognize me. I thought it was cool, and was also like "crap I hope they don't think I'm stalking them or something". I was crammed up against the barricade a lot harder then usual. Suddenly after St.Jimmy things got a bit out of control. The mosh pits in back were getting out of hand. Billie Joe told everyone to calm down and take it easy. Then security guards jumped in the mosh pit and everyone booed them out. Billie got everyone back in the swing of things and continued. Did you ever notice that Billie's like fucking Jesus or something at their shows? I mean when he yells "Shut the fuck up" everyone shuts their mouth. I think it's pretty cool how someone can have that control of an audience. Anyway they did "American Idiot" front to back and ended the night with "Welcome to Paradise".
It wouldn't be until April of 2005 I would see them again.