Great Wood Center

Jonathan Perry: "Midway through Green Day's deliriously manic set at the River Rave at Great Woods last Sunday, the band's clown-prince frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, hauled Wally from Worcester - a white, 17-year-old, second- (or, depending on your grasp of history, third-) generation punker from the 'burbs wearing a Charlie Brown T-Shirt - up on to the stage to play a few chunky chords on guitar. Wally looked more than happy to oblige, and then, with a crowd of just under 20,000 exhorting him onward (chanting 'Wah-lee! Wah-lee!'), he did a stage dive back into his natural habitat - the throbbing mosh pit. Wally from Worcester probably couldn't have cared less, but in some ways he epitomizes the kind of listener that modern rock radio is after, and the kind of kid the music industry pays consultants to study. A significant portion of the River Rave's audience sprang from that sort of demographic, with the occasional 11-year-old and fortysomething rocker/parent thrown in for good measure. Last weekend at Great Woods, the WBCN River Rave and the 19th annual KISS Concert (which took place Saturday) represented two of the dominant markets that mainstream radio caters to - and in some ways, creates - these days: modern rock and adult contemporary. And each bill spoke volumes about the state of the music industry in general, encapsulating both its best and its worst aspects. There's nothing quite like a massive outdoor festival, where one-liter bottles of water sell for $5 and VIPs don't even bother to show up for their preferred seating, to remind you that this is, above all else, a business. One mass food fight and an hour later, it was Green Day's turn. Even though Weiland's set was yet to come, Green Day climaxed the evening with all the snotty bluster they could muster. Stripped down to his leopard-skin skivvies, and promising sex, drugs, and a "six-pack of your favorite beer in your fuckin' fridge every morning!" as part of an impromptu speech announcing his campaign for governor of Massachusetts, frontguy Billie Joe Armstrong delivered a sneering rendition of Shangri-La. And as two guys dressed as bumblebees and what looked to be a chicken costume played a trumpet-and-trombone version of The Star-Spangled Banner, Billie Joe regarded the junked pile of Tre Cool's drum kit that lay in a heap nearby, in flames. At that point, I couldn't see Wally from Worcester anywhere. But I bet he was smiling."

"After being a loyal Green Day fan for over four years, I recently scored tickets to see them as the headlining act at WBCN's annual Alterna- Fest (River Rave) held at the sold out 19,900 person Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts. After an amazing set by the Offspring, I was afraid that Green Day would have a difficult time winning over the crowd. I was wrong. From the instant Green Day charged the stage all the way to the last chord in Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) Green Day wowed the 20,000 fans- who spent most of their time pogoing and moshing to the music with glee. They started off their set with a crisp, yet raucously punk "Nice Guys Finish Last". As soon as Green Day began its next song- "Hitchin' a Ride"- the crowd exploded. To be honest, I never thought I'd make it out of that mosh pit alive. Anyways, Green Day launched into a crunching "Geek Stink Breath" next, and they played a collection of hits from Dookie until they covered the Operation Ivy song "Knowledge". During "Knowledge", Billie brought a fan onstage, taught him a few chords, and let him play the song while Billie sang. I could see the kid's eyes light up from where I stood, and I could hear the rest of the sold out stadium cheering him on. During the next tune, "King for a Day", the horns players for No Doubt took the stage in a banana and bee costume and played tremendously well as Billie stripped down to a leopardskin thong. Directly after "When I Come Around" Tre burned his drum set (which as I understand is becoming quite commonplace nowadays) as Billie performed an incredible rendition of "Good Riddance". To make a long story short, the crowd left with a smile on its collective face, and I sure had The Time of My Life."