Drunk bunny mascots, mud throwing, and brand new records with each decade departure from stunts other bands have pulled off. Green Day have come back to the modern punk scene with their newest album, “Saviors.” The band will be touring the U.S. in the summer, and according to their Youtube page, they’ll be playing fan-favorites from the albums Dookie, American Idiot, and some singles off of their new and old tracks. They’ll play with The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas.
Some Green Day fans said they’ve been anticipating the show dates ever since they heard about it.
“I’m extremely excited. I didn’t even know about the tour until recently, and hearing about it brings back a lot of memories as a kid. I grew up in the early 2000’s, and Green Day was a good foundation to my childhood,” said Hannah McKenney, a teacher at the LHS.
One couple, Gina and Matt Dwyer of Canal Winchester said that they too are anticipating attending a concert.
“I’m so excited to see Green Day is back on tour for their new album. The first and only time I saw them live was during the Hella Mega Tour in 2020 (a tour which headlined Weezer, Fall Out Boy, and Green Day). The lead singer and guitarist, Billie Joe Armstrong really engages with the crowd and puts on a heck of a show,” said Gina Dwyer.
“I’ve seen them several times before, and they always bring enormous energy to their shows. They’ve put on some of the best shows I’ve ever been to,” said Matthew Dwyer.
Green Day dropped fifteen songs earlier this year. According to The New York Times, the album reflected off of everything they’ve released in the past, musically, and lyrically, featuring a forthright lavish sound. Deep lyrics addressed addiction, nostalgia, politics, and love throughout the tracks.
With songs from their new album like Living in the ‘20s, Strange Days Are Here to Stay, and The American Dream Is Killing Me, the message in their music stays relevant to the generation. Some fans said even their older music feels relatable to this day.
“Especially as I got a lot older, there was a lot of music that I could relate to for sure. They make connections about real life topics through creative lyrics, and sometimes just having a good jam session in the car can help release a lot of stress. Their music is a classic to go back to, I’d hear it and go ‘this is my jam,’” said McKenney.
“Being a kid in suburban America, going back to Dookie, every one of those songs touched on what that existence was like. ‘Not growing up, just burning out… step in line to walk amongst the dead…’ That rings as true for me now as it did then, and judging by the 2024 stadium sellout ticket prices, I’m not the only one,” Columbus resident Brian Howell said, who has been a Green Day fan since the ‘90s.
“I think the music you listen to when you’re young really helps shape your emotional development. And Green Day’s music just seems to bring out everyone’s inner rebel, no matter what your age. As a kid I would listen to songs like American Idiot, 21 Guns, or Holiday and I would tell myself I’d always stand up for what I believed in, never let myself be crushed by the system or become another cog in the machine,” G. Dwyer said.
Matthew Dwyer said he believes the music has taken a next step from punk to protest.
“The meaning of the music has evolved from nebulous hatred against ‘the man’ as a teen to more pointed critiques of the rise of authoritarianism and fascism in the modern government. Peppered along with this are plenty of references to the struggles of modern life, love, and just plain weirdness. I find it very relatable in a changing world,” said M. Dwyer.
Some lovers of the band say they believe Green Day’s music is thought-provoking and feels like a reminder of what being a teenager was like.
“That band was my earliest memory of being able to experience music that a friend introduced me to. I remember we used to come over, go in my basement, and listen to Green Day. When you’re growing up you’ve got a lot of emotions, and sometimes you can’t necessarily explain it, and then you turn on some music like American Idiot, Basket Case– and you forget everything else. Their music makes me feel nostalgic, in the best way possible,” said McKenney.
“Just around the time I was getting into music, American Idiot was released. It offered modern punk rock within a concept album full of feelings about authority, love, and your place in the world. It resonated with me as a young teen, and I’ve been a fan ever since,” said M. Dwyer.
“Green Day was one of those bands growing up that everyone loved and whose parents wouldn’t let them listen to. Their music ranges from cell phone-in-the-air ballads to anti-establishment ragers. Even the goofiest of their songs somehow get you to question things you would otherwise accept,” G. Dwyer said.
New generations are being brought to the modern punk rock band.
“I absolutely consider myself a Green Day fan, but admittedly I haven’t really given much attention to anything since American Idiot. But I’m a forever fan because Dookie is probably one of my personal top three albums of all time. I still listen to it all the time– I make my toddler daughters listen to it. It never gets old to me. Insomniac also holds a place in my heart,” Howell said.
Harry Acosta, photographer and designer from Columbus, Ohio gave Eye of the Gale permission to use his pictures of one of Green Day’s earlier performances. See the photo gallery below:
