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Saviors Tour
Live at Petco Park
October 3, 2024 Review by Jimmy Alvarez
It was three decades in the making, but Green Day evolved from the new up and comer punk band from the Bay Area, to juggernauts of the music world. The Saviors tour was the culmination of celebration of past, present and future; and Petco Park was the place to be to close out the tour.
The crowd was eclectic to say the least. Every demographic was represented, kids to teens to young adults to the not-so-young made up the witnesses to this epic event.
PETCO PARK
San Diego, California
September 28, 2024
Opening the night was The Linda Lindas. Based in Los Angeles, the all-female group features very young ladies that have taken the world of music by storm. The ladies ages range from 14 to 20, and is comprised of Bela Salazar on guitar, Eloise Wong on bass, and sisters Lucia de la Garza on guitar and Mila de la Garza banging the drums.
OC Music News has covered this band several times, but I have never personally seen them – what a pleasant surprise to see them deliver as them did. From their opening song, “Too Many Things,” the sheer power of their sound, and the vocals, wow way beyond their years. Each band member contributed to vocals, but no matter which song they played, each member showcased their ability to play their instruments expertly, and the stage was perfect for them.
Their set was short, but it was incredibly entertaining. The crowd loved their energy and humor. Songs like “Growing Up,” “Yo Me Estreso,” and “All in My Mind,” drew cheers from the ever-growing crowd.
The guys from Green Day also had some fun. In between some of the songs, they put up a video of the band from the TV commercial 1(800) Cars For Kids, which drew laughter from the crowd.
Tre Cool even showed up on the monitors to say “Ay-O,” after the song, and the crowd obliged. Salazar even made a comment after the song, “What’s going on? I have a feeling we’re missing something?” which drew more laughter from the crowd.
Most legendary and notable bands use the stage for causes that matter. The Linda Lindas did just that. They encouraged everyone to register to vote at the locations at the stadium and said, “We need to keep those ‘Racist, Sexist Boys’ out of office,” and went into their super hit, “Racist, Sexist Boy.”
The intermission didn’t take long and the sun was lowering into the Pacific as Petco was at near capacity. Lars Frederiksen and Tim Armstrong of Rancid took to the stage and immediately opened with “Maxwell Murder,” with a quick slide into “Roots Radial.”
It was then that I noticed the guy next to me was losing his mind and knew every word to the song. As I looked around, most of the people in my periphery also knew the words. It was incredible to see.
Following up with “Journey to the End of the East Bay,” Rancid was pumping out the sound the crowd was there to hear, so we got what we wanted – a kick-ass set from a crowd-favorite band.
Frederiksen thanked everyone for showing up and led them into a new song, “Tomorrow Never Comes.” The entire set was beyond cool, and concertgoers were engaged; everyone was dancing and singing along.
When it was time for the hit parade, the crowd became even more animated along with Armstrong, who was running back and forth, spinning like a top with his hair on fire. The crowd erupted to “Time Bomb” and “Fall Back Down,” and those songs did not disappoint – especially the pyrotechnics and streamers that exploded into the crowd.
As the end of the set was near, Frederiksen thanked the crowd for the three decades of support, and then said in the three decades they have performed, they have never had pyrotechnics. He then said, “I know The Linda Lindas can’t afford that shit, so thanks Green Day!” That drew a big laugh from the crowd.
He then thanked The Linda Lindas and said the girls were always in the mosh pit supporting all the bands. But what he really wanted to see was Billy Corgan leading the mosh pit, which drew an even louder laugh. They went into “Ruby Soho” and the response from the crowd was unreal – and the guy next to me was in heaven.
I had to talk to this super excited fan. His name ironically was Tim, and he has loved Rancid for years, but as long as he’s loved them, this was his first time to see them live. He was just so stoked at how good they were live.
Credit to the stage crew, because before we knew it, it was time for The Smashing Pumpkins. What a treat we were all in for.
Playing newer and classic tunes, Billy Corgan was in rare form; vocals were beyond insanely good. For the opening, “The Everlasting Gaze,” then “Doomsday Clock,” the crowd loved the passion onstage.
Corgan welcomed the crowd and went back to it with “Zoo Station,” and then it was as if a time bomb exploded when they heard the guitar riff to “Today.”
Other great songs followed, “Tonight, Tonight,” “Disarm,” “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” and “1979.” James Iha and Kiki Wong were on fire on guitar, while Corgan was Corgan, an epic showman on guitar and behind the mic.
He led the closing with “Jellybelly” and “Cherub Rock.” As the crowd went nuts at the end of the song, it got even louder to “Zero.”
By now, the sun was set in the west, and the moon was looking over the third base line. It was time for the main event – celebrating the anniversaries of “Dookie” (30 years) and “American Idiot” (20 years). The stage set was incredible, the visuals were mesmerizing, and Green Day was set to take the whole thing to a full house.
Then the mayhem began. The big screens showed the crowd as “Bohemian Rhapsody” took over the PA system. The crowd sang along, and then the traditional Ramones classic, “Blitzkrieg Bop,” filled Petco Park as the Green Day bunny ran from side of the stage to the other side and back again.
The silhouettes of the band were in view and then they opened with a song off “Saviors,” “The American Dream is Killing Me.”
The Green Day trio, as Billie Joe Armstrong called them, was very thankful for everyone coming out and said, “We saved the best for last, thank you San Diego.” They then ripped off a few songs, “Dookie,” “Burnout,” and “Having a Blast,” but that was cut short as Armstrong had to stop the song to break up a fight in the pit. He said people don’t come to the show to get kicked out and that was going to happen if they didn’t knock it off. Luckily the two stopped the fighting and the show went on.
Immediately everyone knew what was next as the bassline to “Longview” is very distinctive. Off they went, followed by “Welcome to Paradise.”
“Basket Case” and “She” were well received, as you would expect, but the night was filled with hit after hit like “When I Come Around.” Another great moment at Green Day shows is when Armstrong picks a fan to share the stage in a song.
As they have done at shows, “Know Your Enemy” brought the fan to the stage, and a young woman named Parker got the honor. The crowd couldn’t have been happier for her.
Back to new music we went with “Look Ma, No Brains!,” then “1981,” followed by “One Eyed Bastard,” which was dedicated to The Linda Lindas. Then, the crowd lost its minds to their newer big hit, “Dilemma,” followed by “Minority.”
Armstrong again thanked the crowd for coming out and all the years of support, then introduced the band – Jason White on guitar, Kevin Preston on guitar, Mike Dirnt on bass, and Tre Cool on drums, and introduced himself as “Billie Joe Armstrong” and “I play guitar,” then they went into “Brain Stew.”
With Sabbath’s “Iron Man” in the background, Armstrong was incredibly animated as he led the band into “American Idiot,” with a few changes to lyrics, the crowd sang along with passion!
The songs that made them larger than life came off the album, and they sounded great, “Jesus of Suburbia,” “Holiday,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” and “Homecoming.”
How the crowd could stand still was remarkable because everyone was as energized as I have ever seen at any show. They were like at a rave losing their minds. Like anything else in life, all good things come to an end. “Whatsername” and their latest hit, “Bobby Sox.”
The crowd sang along to every word, and so did Tim! The show ended with the most appropriate song of all, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” What a great show and what a way to end an epic tour!
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