Note: This time it's just a brief recap of some of the highlights of the show in no particular order, also no pics of the show this time, I took Billie's advice during the show and just enjoyed it without making pics or vids, I had trouble reaching my camera anyways.
Line up/Soundcheck:
I wasn't in a rush to get to the show this time, cause only at about 8.30pm the night before I had received an email from the Idiot Club that I was one of the lucky people to be allowed to attend the Soundcheck before the show, and so I would have to leave my spot in the line later anyways. When arrived it was around noon maybe, to my surprise there were very less fans waiting in front of the stadium so far and it stayed that empty for a couple more hours, really shows that most of the Green Day fans these days are teenagers.
I ended up talking with a girl from Poland who was waiting for 2 of her friends, and after a while I asked her if she would like to be my guest for the Soundcheck and after she found out that her one of her friends had also won the Soundcheck contest she agreed.
The email had told us not to be later than 3.45pm for the soundcheck and come to the ticket window, so when the time came we went there and asked about the Soundcheck (cause no one was waiting there) and we were told to go wait at an entrance somewhere around the corner, where we already found a bunch of ppl standing around, among them I also spotted the woman I met during the last Berlin show (damn me for forgetting to ask you your name), she was without her niece this time, we ended up standing together at the same spot in the arena for the show later.
After maybe like an hour waiting someone from the IC came out and told us the boys were getting ready for the Soundcheck now ad practice a lil without us and if they would feel ready he was gonna come back out and lead us in and we would be allowed to watch the Soundcheck from somewhere at the stands and if the boys were up to it they might allow us to come down to the stage. He also told us that pics and videos were not allowed and we should best not even attempt it cause there security would be very strict in that matter and he didnt want us to get our cameras taken away. Then he left and didn't return for like another hour, and we were finally let in, but only to wait in the entrance hall for what felt like forever.
In the end it was maybe like 5pm already when we finally were let inside the arena (the doors were supposed to open at six), entering through a door right next to the stage, it was a pretty cool experience to walk in and watch the boys just messing around being totally unstyled (Billie was wearing his hat, Tre was in T-shirt and shorts and Mike was wearing his glasses), and we ended up standing down at the stands a couple of feet from the stage. After like a minute or so Billie called us over with a "Come on!" and everyone ran over as fast as possible, except me, I found it pointless to run, what with us being just like 50 people everyone would easily get a nice close spot at the barrier. After playing another song he asked us how were doing and me and a few others said great and then he told a girl next to me he liked her hat (she was wearing a hat from the german soccer club FC St. Pauli). I can't quite recall anymore ever song they played, I know King for a Day was definitely among it, and I think all the rest was from the new album, no rare songs, no requests, all together just like 4 or 5 songs.
At the very end Billie played a lil bit of Mozarts "Serenade No. 13", while Tre was talking with his son Frankito (who held the microphone for him during KFAD, with a lil help of a Roadie of course) and after a couple of seconds it became clear that he wanted to talk him into playing the drums, Frankito didn't really seem to wanna do it though, and they were sitting at the drum kit and tre was leaning to him very closely whispering to him, it was really sweet. After a couple of minutes Frankito finally sat down afterall, but he just sat there for couple of seconds not really knowing whether or not to do it, and then he got up and walked over to Tre (who had retreated behind the amps Jeff is always standing) and held out the drumsticks shaking his head wildly, but of course Tre wouldn't take no for an answer, so he guestured him back up and when he wouldn't he finally went up with him and played together with him, joined by Billie and Mike. And then it was already over again, the whole thing took maybe like 15 min, the guy from the IC lead us out again and so we said goodbye to the boys, Tre said it back in german and then took of his shoe and waved with it (cause the word Tschüß sounds a lil like shoes).
Before we were let into the Soundcheck we were told by the IC guy that afterwards we would be lead back outside and to the front of the waiting line, but now back outside the guy had disappeared and didn't come back. So much for leading us to the front of the line. We had no choice to go to the end of one of the lines, and of course by now there were much more people, but luckily just a short time later some of the people I was with apparently spotted someone they knew at the front of the line and they allowed us to join them. After we were let in, I made it to end up at the exact same spot I was standing during the Soundcheck, which was right from the catwalk like 2nd row from the barrier and catwalk (which was surprisingly short, it seems so much longer on the pics).
Prima Donna:
At like 8pm Prima Donna hit the stage, they were great, I really love these guys, there a great band and the perfect opener for Green Day, I made a short video of them
Green Day Show Highlights:
- Mike was really great, he spotted me during the 2nd song, recognized me from the Soundcheck and gave me a nodding hey, another time he smiled at me and once he winked and another time he stuck his tongue out sideways at me, and it was really fun with him. I think one time he tried to throw me a pick again, but I'm not quite sure, at least he threw one pretty much in my direction, but it missed and landed on the floor again. He was throwing a lot more, and I yelled at him if I can have one too, but he didn't throw at me anymore, just at other people he hadn't thrown at before.
- During EJN when Billie was looking for a kid he said "Give me your children", in a tone that sounded more like a scary psychopath, it was very funny. The boy he ended up picking must have been around 11-13, he was totally happy and proud and you could tell he loved being up there, he animated the crowd to cheer for him a lil, and when Billie put his arm on this head and whispered to him what he has to do next I couldn't help wondering if all the kids in the non-english speaking countries always understand what Billie is saying at all, this particular kid seemed to have a lil trouble so Billie was guesturing to him that he should let himself drop to the floor when he gets the cue and he got it then. After the usual EJN saving routine Billie asked for the kid's name as usual and the boy said his name was Luke and Billie replied with "Luke! May the force be with you!" before he sent him back down
- During Brain Stew, when Billie picked up his super soaker, I was really praying he would hit me a lil with it cause I felt so hot and sweatty, and he didn't just hit me a lil, he got me right in the face, it went over the left side of my face and nicely over my hair, it felt just so wonderfully refreshing, it was almost like the best part of the show. When he took his toilet paper gun I tried to get a hold of some but he was shooting it too high over my head. Then of course followed the t-shirt gun, and he really enjoyed himself with that, he was always happy when he got it in a way where he wanted it, and the last time he must have been trying to shoot it all the way across the arena into the back seats opposite to the stage and after he shot he held his hand in front of his eyes to watch it flying and then he was cheering and throwing up his arms so he must have hit his target pretty good.
- Before and after Hitchin' a Ride Billie played Mozarts Serenade on is guitar again, and especially afterwards he played it rather long and we were all singing along like crazy and Mike, Tre and Jason Freeze joined in as well and Billie was laughing and we had a lot of fun, like someone next to me said, who says Classic Music and Rock Music don't fit together.
- At some point Tre got up and snuck behind Jeff and waved around with his arms, possibly trying to distract him
- Knowledge and I fought the law were played
- During the introductions when Mike did his usual speeding all the way over to the left, the right, down the catwalk, and finally up to Tre to hit one of his cymbals with his bass the crowd went wild and at that moment he was definitely the most popular member of the band.
- During KFAD Jason White came over to our side for a lil bit and later did his lil dance with the other Jason again, the latter had dressed up as Michael Jackson for the song wearing a black curly haired wig in a ponytail, the trade mark red Michael Jackson jacket, sunglasses and a face mask he was wearing over his chin. Also Tre sang during his introduction "Schnappi das kleine Krokodil", what you gotta know is, this song is not just a childrens' song, but a totally annoying one (the sort that makes you just want to shoot everyone who plays or sings it), it was sung by a 9-year old girl and for some reason it got super popular and even ended up being No. 1 in the Charts, and if I remember it right this whole stupid craze happened about the last time Green Day were on tour here.
But the highlight of the song was yet again Mike, somewhat towards the of the song end he pulled his oversized glasses down to the tip of his nose pretending to look down on us like some snobby person, and then he put them on askew, went crossed eyed and acted like an idiot, he was gazing around at the ceiling stupidly with a dumb expression on his face and combined with those askew glasses the sight of him was just priceless, it was definitely the funniest part of the entire show.
- After the show when we left I scooped up some confetti and stuffed it in my bag, and with the floor being all covered I couldnt help myself and stop again half way on the way out and picked up some more and lots of it, I ended up having almost a small plastic bag full, I just fucking love confetti. I also spotted two girls who took a pic of themselves while sitting on the floor covering there legs with it, I thought that was a pretty cool idea for a concert memory pic, I was almost tempted to do that myself
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