Photo: WENN.com
Sometimes, it’s easy to think that you know exactly what to expect from a Green Day gig. While Billie Joe Armstrong undoubtedly has many tricks - but they can usually all be ticked off a list. Dressing up during a ska-infused version of ‘King For A Day’, a medley involving ‘Shout’, inviting an audience member up on stage to play guitar - they’re all exciting, but they’re still all… well… sometimes a little predictable. Enjoyable, but not surprising.
At Brixton Academy, there were still t-shirt guns, and water hoses, and Billie Joe wrapped in a flag during ‘Holiday’. But there was also the moment when Armstrong announced that next year would be the 20th anniversary of Dookie - and so they were going to play the entire album from start to finish. It’s safe to say that no one saw that coming.
From ‘Burn Out’ to ‘F.O.D.’ (but sadly, no inclusion of Tre Cool sung bonus track ‘All By Myself’), Armstrong displayed his trademark energy and enthusiasm - despite having to ask the audience which track follows ‘When I Come Around’. It’s been a while.
Watch Green Day play Dookie in full at Brixton Academy below:
Despite frontman Armstrong turning 41 this year, Green Day show no sign of slowing down. It says a lot that he can still belt out lyrics such as ‘Mom and Dad will never understand’ and still infuse them with a sense of earnestness, without sounding completely ridiculous. Or maybe it’s just that no one in the crowd would care. Hearing the 1994 classic in its entirety is a treat unparalleled. Who needs any tracks from Uno, Dos or Tre when the band are giving it their all with ‘Sassafras Roots’?
As well as Dookie, Green Day encore with ‘American Idiot’, ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ in full, ‘Brutal Love’ and of course ‘Good Riddance’ - pushing the concert well over two hours. It’s testament to the band that it feels like much less time has passed.
“Is anyone going to Reading this weekend?” Armstrong asks the crowd at one point, mouth curling up into a smirk. “This is better.” And as the show finally came to an end, with a mass singalong to ‘Good Riddance’, it’s safe to say that no one would disagree.
Below: 11 awesome photos of Green Day, live in Brixton
