Well, this’ll be fun! Green Day are back in Australia, and not only that but they’re celebrating 30 years of ‘Dookie’ and 20 years of ‘American Idiot’ and playing both albums in full! This is going to be a long night and I can not wait.
AFI are back in Australia and it’s been a while… opening with ‘Girl’s Not Grey’ they sound awesome. Davey Havok sounds as good as ever and the band hit us with a big one straight off the bat. I get the feeling they’re not going to mess around tonight. Yep, called it, here’s ‘Love Like Winter’ and we are definitely into the blood. Oh man ‘End Transmission’ has all the hooks, dang. I’m in. They slow it down a little for what I consider the bands power ballad in ‘Beautiful Thieves’ and they’re impressive. They rock things back up again with ’17 Crimes’ before stopping for the first time for a breath and then straight into ’Escape from Los Angeles’ which is almost even more catchy than the last and the one before somehow. This is melodic pop punk rock goodness. The groove these songs hit is where it’s at, and they’re delivering. The drums ring in the next one ‘Begging for Trouble’ as Davey once again throws his mic at the end for no reason, I’m digging it. He also talks to us for the first time and thanks Green Day which was awesome. Once again the drums start things off ‘Get Dark’ and the tempo ramps up with it and then ‘The Days of the Phoenix’ and holding a big note they smash this one out and they’re just getting better. The piano solely starts and then the band belts in and ‘Silver and Cold’ is almost anthemic and what a groove. That might just be my favourite of their set. What a song. Closing out the set with ‘Miss Murder’ and the only way they could. This was the song I was introduced to AFI through and it still stands up to this day. The breakdown live is huge. Davey nailed it. They belt out those last two notes and they’re done.
If you came late and missed AFI then shame on you. This is an amazing live band and one you should definitely see given the next chance, and after this trip I think they’ll be back sooner rather than later.
It’s time for Green Day, and I purposefully have not listened to either Dookie or American Idiot since the tour announcement just so I can remember as I go along tonight. These albums both were released at times in my life that they were needed and tonight many years on I get to hear them both in full and I’m ready.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ blares out to get everyone ready and ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ keeps that going as a rabbit is on stage hyping the crowd up. An amazing intro brings the band to the stage and with a “Sydney are you with me?” they go straight into ‘The American Dream is Killing Me’ from newest album Saviors, and the command they have on the crowd from the first minute is unbelievable. If this level of energy stays up then we are in for something huge.
Welcome to the 30th anniversary of ‘Dookie’ and playing it in full will be an absolute treat. ‘Burnout’ starts things off and the maturity now of this band shows as this sounds less like a 1994 punk record now as this is polished, and they sound phenomenal. ‘Having a Blast’ is what we’re already doing. I’ve seen Green Day a number of times and how they just keep getting better amazes me. What a band. They waste zero time and head straight into ‘Chump’ and it’s funny what was considered “punk” in the 90’s sounds better than most music today and I’m here for it. Let me just give immediate praise to the sound guys, this is a hell of a mix, the clarity is insane. Speaking of being able to hear the band clear as day, when Mike hits the bass riff for ‘Longview’ the sea of phones just lifted was something else. This was the first ever Green Day song I heard and tonight it means a lot some 30 years on. Geez… and then ‘Welcome to Paradise’ which has always been a favourite for me and clearly many others here tonight. ‘Pulling Teeth’ is such a happy groove and watching the crowd from up here wave in unison is brilliant. OK here’s my favourite… ‘Basket Case’ and that was outstanding. Like I said we all heard ‘Longview’ first but when I heard ‘Basket Case I was sold. Once a banger smears a banger. ‘She’ keeps that tempo up as does ‘Sassafras Roots’ and tomorrow I’ll be playing this album again as this has brought back so many memories. ‘When I Come Around’ is another Green Day staple and deservedly so. The crowd yelling it back is next level and testament to the now generations of fans they have that love this song and this band. ‘Coming Clean’ sees a blimp fly over the crowd and keeps that old school punk kickin’ as does ‘Emenius Sleepus’ as we count it in. It’s short and sweet and with pyro to round it out I’m happy. ‘In the End’ lights the stadium up and this great, then ‘F.O.D.’ and Tre Cool heads to front of stage for the not really hidden track, ‘All By Myself’ which is randomly brilliant. With that Dookie is done, and we’re not even halfway through the night…
Now into ‘Know Your Enemy’ which live sounds outstanding which saw them get someone out of the crowd to sing with them and she nailed that. What a moment. What a song. Up next is the super catchy ‘Revolution Radio’ and Billie Joe rings in ‘One Eyed Bastard’ and these extra tracks between albums are sensational. A little bit of ‘Free Fallin’ before ‘Dilemma’ and you truly forget just how amazing these songs are. Man, this is impressive. ’21 Guns’ begins and things slow slightly for the first time in an hour and this big power ballad kicks in and everyone is happy. ‘Minority’ is at full speed and as punk as you’d like! Another brilliant track perfect for the stage. Billie Joe brings out the harmonica for good measure, and they continue to pump the crowd up. Some band introductions and plenty of love for them before a bit of a tease with some AC/DC before ‘Brain Stew’ and yet another Green Day classic. That was a nice segue into what is coming.
And now it’s time to hear one of the most amazing and important concept records ever made. ‘American Idiot’ is something else, and we head straight into the title track with that familiar guitar riff and what a song. Truly one of the most important songs of the last 20 years. The album continues with ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ and this masterpiece owns the night as it just keeps going for its almost ten minutes of glory, and the bangers just keep coming with hit after hit. ‘Holiday’ is quintessential Green Day and hearing this live again just simply rules and Mike Dirnt’s bass solo rules. ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ is next and we all know how good that song is and did it shine tonight? Like a fuckin’ diamond. Stopping to help someone in the crowd before heading immediately back into the guitar solo. What a song. ‘Are We the Waiting’ slows things down for a few mins before ‘St Jimmy’ punks the shit out of everything as the band laps up the well-deserved attention. ‘Give Me Novacaine’ chills things a tiny bit before ‘She’s a Rebel’ is quick and to the point as American Idiot continues. ‘Extraordinary Girl’ before ‘Letterbomb’ which has always been one of the catchiest songs on the album and it’s no different tonight. “We just wanna be happy right now” is the best message possible and it’s perfect for tonight. Outstanding. Time for another big one ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ and the phones are back out to capture this one. What a brilliant song as waterfall pyro takes it to the next level. ‘Homecoming’ followed by ‘Whatsername’ which let Tre get on the mic again’ “and just like that, 20 years is gone” as American Idiot comes to a close.
They belted out ‘Bobby Sox’ from their newest album which included getting everyone down on the ground before getting them back up. They finish that and take a very quick break as Billie Joe returns with an acoustic to finish the show with the only way they could really close the show, ‘Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)’ is the one and it was perfect. Fireworks blast, people cheer, and I can tell you right now, we had the time of our lives.
Green Day are an amazing live band, they did not miss a note, they barely stopped, and they straight up rocked the hell out of the 38,000 people here tonight. Hearing these albums in full was a treat and not many bands can do what Green Day did tonight and not even sure they’ll do something like this again. Outstanding.
Essential Information
Venue: Engie Stadium – Sydney
Date: March 3, 2025
Presented by: Live Nation
Website: www.greenday.com
Set List: Green Day
The American Dream Is Killing Me
Burnout
Having a Blast
Chump
Longview
Welcome to Paradise
Pulling Teeth
Basket Case
She
Sassafras Roots
When I Come Around
Coming Clean
Emenius Sleepus
In the End
F.O.D.
All by Myself
Know Your Enemy
Revolution Radio
One Eyed Bastard
Dilemma
21 Guns
Minority
Brain Stew
American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
Holiday
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Are We the Waiting
St. Jimmy
Give Me Novacaine
She’s a Rebel
Extraordinary Girl
Letterbomb
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Homecoming
Whatsername
Bobby Sox
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Set List: AFI
Girl’s Not Grey
Love Like Winter
End Transmission
Beautiful Thieves
17 Crimes
Escape From Los Angeles
Begging For Trouble
Get Dark
The Days of the Phoenix
Silver And Cold
Miss Murder
