Details
Location:
Pop Disaster Tour, Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY
Date:
June 04, 2002
Other Acts:
Blink-182 (co-headliner), Saves The Day, Custom, others
Notes:
- Matt: "Entering the park, I noticed that the main stage was closed off with caution tape a good 50 feet away from the back for soundchecks. This claimed to be amusing for at least a half hour as Green Day who tested and also played most of 2,000 Light Years Away. We decided to make our way over to the second stage where Custom was starting their last song of their set. The second stage had just finished up so the huge mass of 15,000 people had made their way towards the yellow tape. At approximately 5:30 the crowd became restless, and watching contest winners and backstage ticket holders make their way into the theater had become too much. Soveryone bum-rushed the theater. I'd say a good 25% of us had made it into the arena when the guards forced everyone back out onto the lawn. Here they made us wait until 6:30 until they started checking tickets and letting everyone in. At that point I decided to go outside and get a couple of free shots of Yo-hoo. I returned to the blink bunny onstage with a bottle of beer stumbling around. He then pulled out a bong and the crowd went wild. After taking a few hits and blowing smoke into the air, he left the stage with a huge response. The slightest dimming of the light sparked a huge and undeniable roar from everyone in the crowd, even the guards. The sirens an purple lights started, and Green Day kicked off their set with Maria and a couple explosions making everyone sing at the top of their lungs. Outside, the lawn crowded like a madhouse, people began moshing in what I called the black hole a huge dimple in the crowd filled by a few people running into each other and knocking each other over. People also began surfing and disappearing for seconds at a time. Anyway, Green Day finished up Maria, went into Longview in which, during multiple parts of the song, and many songs afterward, he led the crowd to fill in the blanks and sing main chorus phrases and such. Billie Joe pretty much had the crowd in the palm of his hand the whole show. I guarantee that if he told the crowd to leave for a few moments, they would. At one point he said they needed more people in the pit, and of course everyone made their way down. He teased them by leading them to stop and go slower but in the end, they were cramped, but no doubt pumped. Billie Joe proceeded throughout the show playing songs like Brain Stew, Jaded, 2,000 Light Years Away. Also, at one point Billie asked if anyone masturbated, and the crowd went nuts (no pun intended) he then proceeded to give himself an orgasm, first making rocking movements with his hips and then putting his hand down his pants, which he smelled when he pulled it back out! Now, as soon as I heard they were going on tour, I made a sign that said I can play guitar better than you hoping that during the show, when they played Knowledge, Billie would notice my sign and pull me up there. Now, I know that a kid in the balcony has no chance, but I figured my chances doubled with the sign, seeing as how no one else as far as I could tell had a sign. Well when the time came, he asked for the drummer, the bassist, and finally, the guitarist. Of course as soon as I heard the first notes of the song I placed the sign high above my head in hopes of recognition. When he was deciding on the guitarist, I swear he looked up in our direction and pointed and said, how bout up there, anyone know how to play? And of course everyone in our section screamed and pointed at my sign, but all in all, I think my sign might have offended him, because he didn't pick me. Either way, I enjoyed every minute of it, except the part where the guitarist kid got Billie Joe's guitar and got to stage dive. But what can I say, I didn't get to show off my talent as a guitarist, bassist, or drummer, but that's OK. Next came the foundations of Green Day as a punk pop group, the Dookie songs, and although I'm not necessarily against the people who think Dookie was their first album, I enjoyed the songs as much as the 10 year olds who came with their parents to hear Basket Case or When I Come Around. They continued playing with newer hits like Waiting and Minority, again with such a huge response from the crowd, it was almost as if they were singing it themselves. Finally, with his guitar raging with what must have been a flanger or some kind of effects, he faced the wall o' speakers while Tre fell over his kit, and Mike trashed his bass, sticking it between speakers, and thrusting it through Tre's kit. Billie placed his guitar in front of the speaker and got his Les Paul Jr. And then the lighters came out. He played an emotional Good Riddance and simply walked off stage leaving the crowd wanting more."
Setlist
1. 2,000 Light Years Away (Soundcheck)
2. Maria
3. Longview
4. Welcome To Paradise
5. Hitchin' A Ride
6. Brain Stew
7. Jaded
8. 2,000 Light Years Away
9. Knowledge (Operation Ivy cover)
10. Basket Case
11. She
12. King For A Day
13. Shout (The Isley Brothers cover)
14. Waiting
15. Minority
16. When I Come Around
17. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
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