Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool, and Mike Dirnt rocked- literally- the entire stadium out of the park on September 1st. 

Compared to the Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid, Green Day killed each of their songs. I couldn’t help but think that Billy Corgan, the Smashing Pumpkin’s lead singer, was simply just screaming the lyrics. 

The venue got the audience hyped by playing Bohemian Rhapsody on the speakers before their grand entrance. The crowd sang along as they held up their phone flashlights up to create a stadium of tiny yellow lights. 

After an intro, and another small performance from what looked like the Pirates mascot, the well-known and loved headline finally came onto the stage. They launched into “The American Dream is Killing Me”- Armstrong with his signature BJ guitar, blue haired Tré Cool on drums, and Mike Dirnt on bass. After the opening from the new album Saviors, the band dove into a set full of classic favorites and new releases.

We all knew we were waiting for the best hits from their top two albums, Dookie and American Idiot. So when “Welcome to Paradise” finally came on, it was exciting to hear a song that originally contributed to this band’s fame. And only one song later, they played “Basket Case,” which got everyone singing as Armstrong shouted out the lyrics.

Only two songs later, another major hit, “When I Come Around,” echoed throughout the stadium and probably reached the people listening from their boats on the water. At this point, my dad had looked at me and said, “These guys are good.” 

Many more less popular Dookie songs, and and two new songs from Saviors, played until the band came to a part of the set packed with major hits. Green Day began with “Dilemma” and “Minority,” then weaved through nine other songs from American Idiot. Many of their top hit songs, such as “Jesus of Suburbia,” Holiday,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Letterbomb,” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” got the audience screaming. As soon as they began “American Idiot,” people were on their feet and the mosh pit was dancing in circles. That song, their signature song, supposedly started it all for Green Day. These guys, and the audience, were all having a blast. 

Throughout the entire concert, Green Day never stopped interacting with the audience. Many times, Armstrong would have us sing the words of the songs instead of him or repeat after sounds that he made. It made you feel as if you were actually on the stage and as if you were actually the one behind these great songs. The band finally ended with “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” and said their final goodbyes to Pittsburgh.

Just like my dad had said, we all knew that these guys were good.