My Green Day Adventures (True Stories)
Salt Lake City, Utah show
I had never been to Salt Lake City let alone Utah. My mom has the tendency to go to random places, as you will see in the story. I was pretty spastic from the moment we got to Oakland International Airport and the end of the concert the next day.
I wanted to get to the arena by at the most nine o'clock, because I'm always paranoid that people are going to get there at the crack of dawn like me, and I'll get stuck way in back. I'm always ultimately focused on getting up close to Mike. Also, since American Idiot was already pretty huge and it had only been out for a few months.
I didn't end up waking up until eleven, then mom wanted me to consume some breakfast to tide me over until she actually came to the arena. So I didn't end up getting to the arena until two, which I was quiet disappointed. There were already a good crowd of people there
for it being two. Mom left and ran around and shopped or whatever and I was left there to wait in line.
I wore my faded, ripped, teared, and sown together Green Day shirt from Gilman. I sat there listening to The Frustrators and making my own set list of what I hoped they would play. A few people and I corresponded with Green Day, but no one that I really felt shared that same passion with me, which sounds a bit arrogant, but they were more or less "new" fans. Which, at the time was kind of a big deal to me, I respected people that had just gotten into Green Day, but I didn't think I could connect to them. Then of course there were the people that were like "Oh my god I want to get right up in front so I can see Billie Joe!" which pissed me off, not that I had a problem of their adolescent crush on him, but the fact that I'm sure there were people that were actually there for the music that were stuck farther back such as myself.
Around fivish mom came and brought me some water, and stayed since they were going to start letting people in soon. There was a small merchandise stand set up, so I decided to get a 2004 American Idiot Tour shirt as a collectors item, and the concert collector book thing.
It was time for when the doors opened. Good tip mom and I came up with when you go to concerts and they don't allow camera, put them in your pants in the front part. As nasty as it may sound it works I have proof of some amazing concert photos I have taken.
I got my wristband and my ticket scanned and darted to the stage, tripping down stairs and shoving through people. After shoving through many people I did in fact reach my destination. I saved a bit of room for mom, when she came a few minutes later.
The opening act was New Found Glory, which is eh. I though they were alright a few years back when I was jamming to those boy pop/punk bands. I had seen them live before, and honestly didn't think they were that great live.
I just kind of stood there and let them do their thing. I did catch a pick from the bass player, which was cool. Then it was time for them to set up for Green Day!
I was pumped. I watched the roadies set up everything. I planned on eventually talking to them by the end of the tour. I saw a guy that if you have been to a Green Day show you would probably remember, he had black poofy hair and always wore a cat ear head band on his head, he would later become my buddy, his name is Mikah (I don't know how to spell it) by the way.
The drunk pink bunny came out, with the Ramones playing in the background. Then the lights dimmed and the Apocalypse music started playing. I watched the flags rise from the side of the stage, and waited in anticipation.
I could see them coming up the side of the stage. You see Tre run as he stumbled on stage, Mike, and then Billie run on stage. Billie stands there with his arms crossed and raising his hands as usual. He stands there for a minute and breaks out into the opening chords to "American Idiot".
I was blown away. I just I don't know it brought out a one kind of feeling that I only feel at a Green Day show, it's a better high then any damn drug could ever give me. I was stoked to see that Terry from the Frustrators played guitar during St.Jimmy.
They did they're typical setlist: "American Idiot", "Jesus of Suburbia", "Holiday", "Are We the Waiting", "St.Jimmy", "Longview", "Hitchin' A Ride", "Brain Stew/Jaded", "Knowledge", "She",."Basket Case", "King For a Day/Shout", "Wake Me Up When September Ends", and "Minority"
I had remembered about them picking people to come up and play "Knowledge". I of course volunteered. I was unsuccessful in getting picked, for now.
I had figured that by the long speech Billie gave in Minority that is near the end which saddened me, but knew there had to be encore.
They ran off stage and everyone cheered. The illuminating sign that says "Green Day" showed and everyone cheered in rhythm with the flashing of the letters.
A few minutes later they came out and did "Boulevard of Broken Dreams, We are the Champions, and "Good Riddance".
I took some confetti for collectors purposes that shoots out during "Good Riddance". I was bummed, because it seemed the magic was gone, but I would be seeing them in four days in Bakersfield, California.
I wanted to get to the arena by at the most nine o'clock, because I'm always paranoid that people are going to get there at the crack of dawn like me, and I'll get stuck way in back. I'm always ultimately focused on getting up close to Mike. Also, since American Idiot was already pretty huge and it had only been out for a few months.
I didn't end up waking up until eleven, then mom wanted me to consume some breakfast to tide me over until she actually came to the arena. So I didn't end up getting to the arena until two, which I was quiet disappointed. There were already a good crowd of people there
for it being two. Mom left and ran around and shopped or whatever and I was left there to wait in line.
I wore my faded, ripped, teared, and sown together Green Day shirt from Gilman. I sat there listening to The Frustrators and making my own set list of what I hoped they would play. A few people and I corresponded with Green Day, but no one that I really felt shared that same passion with me, which sounds a bit arrogant, but they were more or less "new" fans. Which, at the time was kind of a big deal to me, I respected people that had just gotten into Green Day, but I didn't think I could connect to them. Then of course there were the people that were like "Oh my god I want to get right up in front so I can see Billie Joe!" which pissed me off, not that I had a problem of their adolescent crush on him, but the fact that I'm sure there were people that were actually there for the music that were stuck farther back such as myself.
Around fivish mom came and brought me some water, and stayed since they were going to start letting people in soon. There was a small merchandise stand set up, so I decided to get a 2004 American Idiot Tour shirt as a collectors item, and the concert collector book thing.
It was time for when the doors opened. Good tip mom and I came up with when you go to concerts and they don't allow camera, put them in your pants in the front part. As nasty as it may sound it works I have proof of some amazing concert photos I have taken.
I got my wristband and my ticket scanned and darted to the stage, tripping down stairs and shoving through people. After shoving through many people I did in fact reach my destination. I saved a bit of room for mom, when she came a few minutes later.
The opening act was New Found Glory, which is eh. I though they were alright a few years back when I was jamming to those boy pop/punk bands. I had seen them live before, and honestly didn't think they were that great live.
I just kind of stood there and let them do their thing. I did catch a pick from the bass player, which was cool. Then it was time for them to set up for Green Day!
I was pumped. I watched the roadies set up everything. I planned on eventually talking to them by the end of the tour. I saw a guy that if you have been to a Green Day show you would probably remember, he had black poofy hair and always wore a cat ear head band on his head, he would later become my buddy, his name is Mikah (I don't know how to spell it) by the way.
The drunk pink bunny came out, with the Ramones playing in the background. Then the lights dimmed and the Apocalypse music started playing. I watched the flags rise from the side of the stage, and waited in anticipation.
I could see them coming up the side of the stage. You see Tre run as he stumbled on stage, Mike, and then Billie run on stage. Billie stands there with his arms crossed and raising his hands as usual. He stands there for a minute and breaks out into the opening chords to "American Idiot".
I was blown away. I just I don't know it brought out a one kind of feeling that I only feel at a Green Day show, it's a better high then any damn drug could ever give me. I was stoked to see that Terry from the Frustrators played guitar during St.Jimmy.
They did they're typical setlist: "American Idiot", "Jesus of Suburbia", "Holiday", "Are We the Waiting", "St.Jimmy", "Longview", "Hitchin' A Ride", "Brain Stew/Jaded", "Knowledge", "She",."Basket Case", "King For a Day/Shout", "Wake Me Up When September Ends", and "Minority"
I had remembered about them picking people to come up and play "Knowledge". I of course volunteered. I was unsuccessful in getting picked, for now.
I had figured that by the long speech Billie gave in Minority that is near the end which saddened me, but knew there had to be encore.
They ran off stage and everyone cheered. The illuminating sign that says "Green Day" showed and everyone cheered in rhythm with the flashing of the letters.
A few minutes later they came out and did "Boulevard of Broken Dreams, We are the Champions, and "Good Riddance".
I took some confetti for collectors purposes that shoots out during "Good Riddance". I was bummed, because it seemed the magic was gone, but I would be seeing them in four days in Bakersfield, California.