Green Day @ The o2 Arena - 24/10/09

Months ago, when Green Day announced that they were undertaking their biggest European tour to date, they knew that they were going to have to pull out all the stops. They certainly achieved this, and more. Support act Prima Donna are decidedly disappointing, perhaps due to their lack of experience in playing arena shows. Even the antics of front man Kevin Preston, who goes as far as whipping off his shirt and swinging it around his head like something out of King Kong, does little to gain even a squeak from the crowd. The night was never going to be theirs, and onlookers certainly do not let them think otherwise. This certainly changes with the arrival of Billie Joe Armstrong, freshly peroxided, and his motley crew. Beginning with tracks from their most recent album, 21^st Century Breakdown, it takes some time to nurture the crowd up to their full moshing potential. Once this is achieved, however, all energy breaks loose. The sheer envy of nearly 20,000 people can be felt every time Armstrong selects certain crowd members to join him on stage, at one point even handing over the bands member's instruments to those lucky enough to be chosen. There is a strong sense of unity with the band, as if they are doing their very best to make this huge arena show feel as intimate as possible. There is no shortage of old favourites such as ‘Give Me Novacaine’ and ‘Welcome to Paradise’, and the hungry reaction they get from the crowd emphasizes the unwavering long-term dedication of the Green Day fan base. The onlookers accept anything thrown at them with relish, including spray jets of water, toilet role and more confetti than England has seen snow in the past 10 years. Perhaps the most raw and moving moment comes at the very end of the set, when Armstrong alone performs a selection of acoustic tracks including ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ and ‘Time of your Life’, bringing tears to the eyes of many watching. This, brought together with an incredible variety of lighting and pyrotechnics, provides a show to be remembered. Green Day, in one night, did what most bands only do in a lifetime.