Green Day’s Saviors tour finishes the North American leg at Petco Park in San Diego
Eric Fuller
On Saturday September 28th, 2024 Green Day finished the North American leg of their Saviors tour at Petco Park in San Diego. The entire tour began in Santiago de Compostela, Spain this May and finishes May 30th 2025 in Mumbai. This tour was launched in support of Saviors, Green Day’s fourteenth album.
After thirty-five years on the road the band has learned a few things about holding an audience. Green Day’s performance included lots of coordinated flash bang occurrences using fireworks to punctuate their songs, along with a full stage assortment of lighting effects. This tour was a four act bill in North America consisting of The Linda Lindas, Rancid, Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day. That’s a pretty big show given the reasonable ticket prices.
When the audience lights the stage with their phones
Eric Fuller
There is a lot of talk these days about the ebb and flow of demand for tickets to big shows. Consumers are growing resistant to spending money, and there has been a marked increase in tickets going unsold because fans are economically pressured. But, when Green Day comes to town it’s still a party that can’t be missed.
Green Day in performance at Petco Park
Eric Fuller
Ticket prices remained fair, even up to the last minute in San Diego where a bunch of “obstructed view” tickets were added shortly before the show for sale at $36 apiece. For those in the know about baseball stadiums, the noted obstruction was because there is netting protecting against foul balls going into the crowd. This netting was still there because the Padres are still in contention as baseball goes into the playoffs. Here’s a pro tip: once it is dark during a nighttime show you can’t see the net. The stage video screens are bright in the darkness and sound is unimpacted.
The Saviors tour focused on the 30th anniversary of the Dookie album and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot. By now, the crowd knew this music intimately, and they sang along throughout the show. There is something special about being in a crowd of longtime fans all joining together to celebrate the music which has been the soundtrack to their lives.
Once a band has been touring a show for a while they settle into a rhythm. If you see the show twice, you’ll have twice the fun, but both shows will be very similar. So, sometimes it the unexpected which gives a little jolt of energy when it comes out of nowhere.
Early on in the San Diego show lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong noticed two people fighting in the front audience. He stopped the show and directly told the aggressors to stop fighting. He had to say it a few times, until the situation calmed. Then, showing how a great front man handles a crowd, Billie Joe turned the entire stadium into a support group, urging everyone to collectively join in the soothing process by chanting “ohm” repeatedly as a calming device. The concert became group therapy, and with the support of the audience the situation resolved.
Even more unexpected was the pep talk Billie Joe gave the audience as the show was nearly finished. It is no surprise to anyone these days that with a highly partisan election nearing there is tension in society. Billie Joe reached around the trip wires and spoke from his heart. He said:
“We are not choosing sides. We are all unified. This is unity. We want a new America. Something that’s inclusive for all of us with compassion and love and joy.”
What Billie Joe sand and how he said it was what should be the norm of how to interact with people. But in this polarized world people are talking in circles. Truth has been left to the performers. Green Day is not afraid to speak from their heart, and remind those in attendance how normal human beings shold interact.
Pink Floyd used to fly an inflatable pig. Green Day hoists a blimp.
Eric Fuller
All of this runs to trust. Those in entertainment who survive the journey learn to build affinity with their fans. In return, the fans buy tickets, merchandise and build a community amongst themselves which celebrates the joy of singing together the songs which have been playing for the better part of a lifetime. Those who turned up and saw this tour got 38 songs over nearly two and one half hours. The show began with a new song: The American Dream Is Killing Me and ended with a heartwarming classic: Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life.) The arc through their back catalogue during the show kept the crowd engaged. When the audience is in synch with the musicians they bond as the fans in the stadium slowly become a collective community. Then, together with the performers they celebrate the past and inspire the musicians to continue creating in the present.
Stage effects add to the adventure
Eric Fuller
Green Day is not done. They have many shows already booked around the world for 2025. The party held in San Diego as the Saviors tour of North America ended was joyous. The crowd was a blend of young and old, left and right, well off and grinding. In the end, they came in excited for the event and left satiated. There is nothing easy about managing a stadium crowd. There are substantial logistics to be handled prior to and during the performance. Green Day gave the crowd an terrific experience. It’s clear the stadium will fill again when they return on their next loop.
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Publish date : 2024-10-03 05:09:00
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