Green Day

Green Day Bash Bush At End of Year Bash

by Paul Cashmere @ Undercover

Green Day finished 2005 in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday night before 37,000 fans by bashing US President Bush. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong sent “a big fuck you to George W. Bush” while he strutted the stage draped in an Australian flag. The audience loved it.

Green Day have just had their best ever year off the back of their angriest ever album. The ‘American Idiot’ record has sold more than 10 million copies now worldwide and the American President should be thanked for the inspiration. “My name is Billie Joe Armstrong and I was sent to make George fucking Bush’s life a fucking nightmare” he screamed, again with full support of the fans.

Armstrong was relentless with the message. “No matter who we elect into office, don’t let them dictate your life. We are the leaders” he said off the back of “Minority”.

This was the Green Day at their best. The vitriolic performance with punctuated with songs from across their entire career dating back to the Operation Ivy cover ‘Knowledge’ which they recorded before the breakthrough album ‘Dookie’.

Armstrong also paid tribute to Australia’s The Living End who he said had sent him a demo tape during Green Day’s first Australian tour some ten years ago. The Living End’s Chris Cheney made two appearances at the show, first dressed up as a Bunny before Green Day hit the stage and later on guitar as they cover the Bobby Fuller 4 classic ‘I Fought The Law’.

Green Day setlist for Melbourne, Telstra Dome, Saturday. December 17.

America Idiot (from American Idiot, 2005)
Jesus of Suburbia (from American Idiot, 2005)
Holiday (from American Idiot, 2005)
St Jimmy (from American Idiot, 2005)
Give Me Novacaine (from American Idiot, 2005)
Longview (from Dookie, 1994)
Hitching A Ride (from Nimrod, 1997)
Brain Stew (from Insomniac, 1995)
Jaded (from Insomniac, 1995)
Knowledge (Operation Ivy cover)
Basket Case (from Dookie, 1994)
She (from Dookie, 1994)
King For A Day/Shout (from Nimrod, 1997, Isley Brothers cover)
Wake Me Up When September Comes (from American Idiot, 2005)
Minority (from Warning, 2000)
I Fought The Law (Bobby Fuller 4 cover)
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (from American Idiot, 2005)
We Are The Champions (Queen cover)
Homecoming (from American Idiot, 2005)
Good Riddance (Time Of My Life)