Rock legends Green Day kicked off the Aussie leg of their Saviors tour at Marvel Stadium last night, and what a night it was. Celebrating not only the release of their 2024 album Saviors, but also the 30th anniversary of Dookie and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot, with the band playing both revolutionary albums in full.
The balmy Melbourne night set the scene for the evening, with Marvel Stadium’s rooftop open, the sun setting overhead, and 60,000 Aussie fans eager to let loose.
As soon as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” came on over the speakers, it was go-time, with the lights dimming and cameras panning across as attendees poured their hearts into the well-known ballad. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones was next, and you could feel the energy in the packed-out venue ramping up as the band’s appearance drew closer and their infamous mascot Drunk Bunny took to the stage to further hype the audience.
Then, to the sound of the “Imperial March”, Green Day graced the stage triumphantly, hands raised, absorbing every ounce of the crowd’s energy before bursting into “The American Dream is Killing M”, the opening track off Saviors.
The stage and lighting production was something to behold, with graphics that wrapped all the way around the stadium as well as clever stage props and designs. To signify the beginning of the Dookie set, a giant mushroom cloud appeared, and Drunk Bunny was seen once again, walking through the audience with a giant airplane balloon overhead. Lead singer Billie-Joe Armstrong’s vocals were incredible throughout the night, proving he’s still got it after decades.
The Dookie set was electrifying – a constant high-energy performance with each member having their time to shine. Drummer Tré Cool and Bassist Mike Dirnt carried the intro to “Longview” and despite their age, proved that Green Day are no less energetic than they were years ago.
The Dookie set ended with the utterly bizarre and hilarious orchestral track “All By Myself”, sung by Tré Cool as he paraded around the stage in a dressing gown, much to the audience’s amusement.
During “Know Your Enemy”, Armstrong called upon front-row fan Honey to join him on stage and belt out a few choruses. While this moment can occasionally result in some (great) cringe content, Honey knocked it out of the park and made all 60,000 of us jealous in the process.
“21 Guns” was an unexpected track, as it hasn’t been played previous legs of this tour, but made sense given the track’s success in Australia.
After a few more tracks from throughout their more recent albums, a giant inflatable hand holding a grenade appeared on stage, and it was time for American Idiot. Kicking off with the titular track, the stadium was a frenzy of moshing and excitement. The lyric change of “don’t wanna be part of the MAGA agenda” was met with enthusiasm. “Jesus of Suburbia” was one of the most incredible live tracks I’ve experienced, with the massive 9-minute track keeping fans on their feet, and Armstrong’s vocals particularly shining here.
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” had everyone’s torches on, and Armstrong threw it to the crowd to sing a cappella for a few moments, which were spine-tingling.
With the set nearing its end, Armstrong took a few moments to talk to the crowd, living up to their politically vocal nature, saying, “Tonight is all about being happy. Don’t you just wanna be happy? Don’t you want politicians to shut the fuck up? Don’t you want Elon Musk to shut the fuck up? Don’t you want Donald Trump to shut the fuck up?” This was met with supportive cheers from the crowd, who would expect nothing less from the band.
More bangers and a lot of “hey ohh’s” later, the American Idiot set came to an end with “Whatsername”, before one last Saviors track, “Bobby Sox”, and closing out the entire performance with none other than “Good Riddance”.
Being entirely honest, I came to this show knowing a few major tracks and not having the highest expectations. But I am so glad to say that my expectations were exceeded tenfold, and my socks were absolutely blown off by the end. Green Day’s energy and passion for not only their music but the messages they strive to convey was utterly inspiring and, at times, jaw-dropping. The overall production and theatrics were a nice touch, and the energy from the crowd was electrifying.
Overall, this was one of the best live performances I’ve witnessed, and I can confidently say that Melbourne had the time of their lives at the Saviors tour.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended the opening show of the tour at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on 1st March. They head to Sydney and Gold Coast next. Head HERE for ticket information
All photos: Rick Clifford @rcstills
