Green Day: intimate greenery

Green Day made an exceptional stop at the Bataclan and delighted 1,646 fans in an incandescent atmosphere with numerous classics and a handful of new releases.

Accustomed to huge stages and performances in front of tens of thousands of spectators, Green Day shows that after more than 30 years of career, he likes to challenge himself. Thus, the American punk rock trio, transformed into a sextet on stage, performs at the Bataclan, for an exceptional date which echoes its appearance at Trabendo in 2009. If this time, the concert is not free, the public is up and ready to do battle for more than an hour and a half of show.

Mastering the entrance on stage like no other, Green Day arrives with “American Idiot” and “Holiday”. The day before the 20th anniversary of the album from which they are taken, these true standards are timeless and show the richness of its repertoire. Indeed, the group travels through the different eras of its career, unearthing “Christie Road” from Kerplunk!, also represented by the classic “Welcome to Paradise”. Other rarities are there, like “Stuart and the Ave. » or “Warning”, to the delight of old school fans. This does not prevent Green Day to review all his classics, from the essential “Basket Case” and “Minority” to the epic “Jesus of Suburbia”, taken up in chorus by a won over audience.

Of course, Americans do not forget Saviors, their recently announced album. So the public can discover “1981” on stage and enjoy the recently released singles “Look Ma, No Brains” and “The American Dream Is Killing Me”. The latter are curiously played twice during the evening, consecutively for the first and throughout the concert for the other. As expected, they pass the stage test wonderfully and fans already know them by heart.

In this rare intimate atmosphere, those present are aware of their luck and actively participate in the electric atmosphere of the Bataclan. Repeating Billie Joe Armstrong’s lyrics at the top of their lungs, jumping like never before (even in the stands) and dancing feverishly for 1 hour 40 minutes. At ease with his audience, the frontman even allows himself to invite a fan on stage to perform “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” with him on the guitar.

Far from long-winded speeches, Green Day lets the music do the work, without forgetting to congratulate the audience and introduce the members present, whether they are permanent members Mike Dirnt (bass) and Tré Cool (drums), or additional members Jason White and Kevin Preston on additional guitars and Jason Freese on keyboards. Tightly tuned, the group performs the 26 pieces of the set with energy and application, knowing how to be mobile.

Generous and qualitative, this exceptional concert by the Californians proves that they keep the heart of live, far from artifice and gigantic crowds. An event which bodes well for the dates to come, in 2024. One shared by the singer, who did not hide his enthusiasm for playing at the Bataclan.