Aug
25
Sat • 2001
Set 1:
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#3 Brain Stew
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#4 Jaded
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#5 Longview
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#6 Knowledge With audience members on guitar, bass and drums
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#7 Basket Case
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#9 Waiting
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#10 Minority
Encore:
Show Notes
Matt: "Having seen Green Day gigs on TV I knew roughly what to expect and my hopes were high for the first time I'd see Green Day. However I didn't expect it to be as awesome as it turned out to be. From the moment PJ Harvey finished her set the masses gathered in anticipation as quickly as they left before moaning Scots Travis were about to come on, it was obvious who the fans were here to see. Really it was the perfect show, they gave the crowd everything the wanted, and more. The only bad thing about the show was that they weren't headlining and that they only played 1 hour(or just a little over). Just about every song they played was doubled in length to build up crowd excitement for one last run through of the chorus. They sounded brilliant, the crowd reacted accordingly and of all the bands I saw at Leeds they were by far the best. The show ended with Tre drumming away with the smoke from the remains of his drum kit all around him and Billie Joe leading the crowd in the, sadly only one song, encore that being Macy's Day Parade. If Travis weren't due on in 15 minutes I'm fairly sure they could've of played on all night, or at least until they collapsed. They could've have played on anyway and I think 85% of the crowd would have been happier with that than seeing Travis at all, this was proved in the masses heading back to their campsites or to the Evening Session Stage to see Ash. They thoroughly proved why they deserved to win the 'Classic Songwriter' Kerrang! award a week later, and I cannot wait until they come back to England."
Kerrang: "GREEN DAY(KKKK<out of 5>) always seemed a bit, well, crap really, when they were playing smaller venues, but here at Reading they are every inch the headline band (sadly there's still Travis to go through) and ironically manage to convey far more of an intimate feel than ever. Who else could form an impromptu band from audience members and yet still get thousands of people singing along to every tune? And perversely they seem far more punk now than they ever did, with a genuine sense that they are having as good a time as any of us and really couldn't give a toss what anyone thinks about it! So much so that at the end of their set, Tre Cool builds a pyramid out of his drum kit and sets it alight, while Billie Joe strums away happily in front of the spectacle."
Kerrang: "GREEN DAY(KKKK<out of 5>) always seemed a bit, well, crap really, when they were playing smaller venues, but here at Reading they are every inch the headline band (sadly there's still Travis to go through) and ironically manage to convey far more of an intimate feel than ever. Who else could form an impromptu band from audience members and yet still get thousands of people singing along to every tune? And perversely they seem far more punk now than they ever did, with a genuine sense that they are having as good a time as any of us and really couldn't give a toss what anyone thinks about it! So much so that at the end of their set, Tre Cool builds a pyramid out of his drum kit and sets it alight, while Billie Joe strums away happily in front of the spectacle."