Green Day live in Manchester: Punk’s very own Eras tour is an absolute triumph

Green Day Rocks UK With Dookie And American Idiot

"Tonight is all about happiness. Tonight is a PARTY!" This enthusiastic message is shouted by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong to the 50,000 fans who are crowded into Manchester's Old Trafford cricket ground.

In 2024, there is a lot of money to be made from celebrations and the feeling of longing for the past. Tonight, the world's most well-known singer has arrived in the city with the largest music tour to date, performing a three-hour show full of songs from her past albums. This event is taking place 200 miles away from here.

However, if you are searching for the ultimate punk tour through the ages, this special event honoring Dookie and American Idiot for their 30th and 20th anniversaries could be the perfect choice.

The blog starts off with Green Day's song "The American Dream Is Killing Me" from their newest album Saviours, but soon transitions to their classic album Dookie. A massive inflatable cloud, mirroring the album's artwork, appears on stage before the band launches into 'Burnout' to kick off the complete performance of Dookie in order.

A small disruption in the audience momentarily halts the performance, but the show goes on without a hitch. Billie Joe Armstrong lightens the mood by cracking some jokes while waiting for things to resume. Once they do, it's a powerful reminder of how their 1994 album transformed punk music for a new audience. The explosive pyrotechnics highlight just how much they've evolved since then.

Additionally, there is a sense that Green Day is really enjoying themselves on stage more than they have in a long time. Armstrong is constantly smiling throughout the two-hour performance, and the show ends with 'Dookie' and the strange hidden track 'All By Myself' - a song about masturbating. Drummer Tre Cool performs on stage all by himself, reminiscent of a mad vaudeville performer in a fancy jacket.

When American Idiot finally makes an appearance, the crowd goes wild. This was to be expected, with so many young adults in the audience. It just shows how amazing the 2004 record is. An inflatable hand grenade, like on the album cover, is on display at the back of the stage as the band performs songs from the album. It's clear that the music still holds the same impact it did twenty years ago.

In a performance filled with fiery pyrotechnics, 'Jesus of Suburbia' had a crowd of 50,000 fans enthusiastically singing along to every word of the ten-minute song. The stadium-wide sing-along for 'Are We The Waiting' created a special moment that can only be experienced at large rock concerts.

Later on, there is a cool tribute to Manchester as they perform The Buzzcocks' 'Ever Fallen In Love', and you can feel that Armstrong and the band have truly connected with the city tonight. "This is a night I will never forget," Armstrong shouts towards the end.

For the 50,000 people who were there, you could tell that the excitement was shared by everyone. Punk's big celebration was a huge success.