Latest news with #BillieJoeArmstrong
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bluesfest Day 7: Green Day conquers the masses
Green Day, one of the United States' most popular punk-influenced bands, descended on Bluesfest for the first time Friday, deploying a volley of hits during a momentous main-stage performance that drew a huge crowd to the plaza of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park. Under clear skies and refreshingly cool temperatures, the legendary rockers worked hard to make it a great show, winning over a crowd that had been buzzing with anticipation for weeks. In fact, it was hard to tell who was more into it, the fans of all ages packed shoulder to shoulder singing along to every word, or the band members rejoicing that they weren't at home in Trump's America. 'This is Ottawa. This is Canada,' bellowed singer-songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong at one point. 'This is not America.' In that spirit, the protest-minded American Idiot made a perfect starting point, with lyrics tweaked to reflect the current political situation. It was followed by the still-relevant, anti-war anthem, Holiday, and the 2009 advisory Know Your Enemy, which also carries some pertinent messages for today's voters (and featured a fan from the audience shout-singing along on stage). Come to think of it, most of the Green Day catalogue has aged remarkably well, largely thanks to the combination of smart songwriting and the resurgence of an uncertain political climate. Core members Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt, now in their 50s, looked to be in great shape, too. Instead of dwelling on the issues of the day, however, they made the concert great fun, feeding off the energy that emanated from the crowd. When he wanted to gauge reaction, Armstrong shouted 'Hey-O' and listened for the echo. When he wanted to rage, it was 'Let's go crazy, Ottawa.' Armstrong was so impressed with everything that he announced a new headquarters for the California-based band. 'I'm not going home,' he declared. 'We are Green Day from Ottawa, from now on.' The love grew with each song, from Boulevard of Broken Dreams to Longview, Welcome to Paradise, Dilemma, 21 Guns, Basket Case and more. A final singalong, this time on the melodic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), lulled listeners into a sense of bliss as the show ended, only for a dazzling fireworks display to provide the real climax. Earlier in the evening, the punk-themed night on the RBC main stage also featured L.A.'s Linda Lindas and Quebec's Les Shirleys, two predominantly female groups that proved you don't have to be a dude to rock out. For their part, the Linda Lindas absolutely slayed, railing against the patriarchy with a blockbuster set. The quartet took their opening duties seriously. 'I feel like we need to get you warmed up for Green Day,' observed drummer Mila de la Garza. 'I wanna see everybody moving and dancing along.' Their songs bore the influence of pop, punk and something even thrashier, delivered with pounding drums and shredding guitars. The intense workout peaked with an urgent call for freedom in oppressed countries around the world, along with a plea to keep standing up for trans people and immigrants. That impassioned outburst led into the scorching set-closer, Racist, Sexist Boy, sung by Eloise Wong in a most intimidating growl. Fresh off three weeks in a van in Europe, Les Shirley kicked things off on the RBC main stage with their own snappy set of pop-punk. On the River stage, another discovery was the stylish, multi-national ensemble of mostly women called Les Bitchos, who cruised through a series of sleek instrumentals that balanced groove and melody. Two Ottawa bands demonstrated their talents on Friday, too. On the LeBreton stage, The Commotions mounted a big-band extravaganza, with the stellar voices of Rebecca Noelle and Jeff Rogers soaring over the soulful, horn-fattened sound, while newcomers Four Eyed Muscle Man constructed a solid indie-rock foundation around the powerhouse vocals of Soleil Crispin. As for the blues highlight of the day, that honour went to Fantastic Negrito, the Oakland-bred performer who was making his first visit to Ottawa, accompanied by his band. In front of a full house at the LeBreton stage, the singer-guitarist lived up to his name with a bluesy melange that wandered from hip hop to funk to gospel. A highlight was his unhurried and soul-stirring reworking of the old Leadbelly standard, In the Pines. Bluesfest continues to Sunday, with Papa Roach and Daughtry holding down a Saturday-night rock bash, and Canadian mixtape wiz Kaytranada plying his beats on Sunday. lsaxberg@
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Celebrates 4th of July With ‘F–k Donald Trump' Chant in Belgium
While Donald Trump celebrated the 4th of July at the White House by signing his controversial 'big, beautiful' bill, Green Day were a world away in Belgium marking the nation's independence day in their signature agit-punk manner. Singer Billie Joe Armstrong, who has made his long made his harsh feelings about the president crystal clear from the stage, did it again on Friday during GD's headlining set at the Rock Werchter festival when he led the crowd in an anti-Trump chant to mark the nation's 249th birthday. 'F– Donald Trump,' Armstrong encouraged the audience to chant in the middle of a performance of 'Holiday,' the latest in the singer's repeated broadsides against the American president. As has become customary, Armstrong also once again tweaked the lyrics to the band's signature political bombtrack, 'American Idiot,' shouting 'I'm not part of the MAGA agenda.' More from Billboard Liam Gallagher Praises Fan Kicked Off Stage at Green Day Concert for Playing Oasis Hit 5 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Erin Enderlin, Randy Houser, Charley Crockett & More Spice Girls' Mel B Marries Longtime Boyfriend Rory McPhee in London In a seeming nod to Jimi Hendrix's legendarily incendiary performance of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' at Woodstock in 1969, Armstrong played a touchingly gentle bit of the National Anthem, singing high and sweet about the 'dawn's early light' while plucking out the melody on an electric guitar. The bit ended with a woman in the crowd shouting 'F–k Donald Trump!' as the lyrics faded from 'at the twilight's last gleaming' into the American Idiot ballad 'What Me Up When September Ends.' Last month, Armstrong celebrated Green Day's debut appearance at the Download Festival in the U.K. with another broadside against the administration. 'Donald Trump in his administration is a fascist government,' Armstrong told the crowd a day before Trump presided over his long-awaited D.C military parade. 'And it's up to us to fight back.' Armstrong also got the Download audience to join him in calling Trump a 'fat bastard.' Though 'American Idiot' was originally written in response to the George W. Bush administration, Armstrong has been swapping the 'redneck agenda' line out to slam the 'MAGA agenda' — and occasionally former DOGE boss Elon Musk's 'Elon Agenda' — during recent Green Day shows. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Pauses Concert to Chew Out Audience Member
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong introduced his American Idiot protagonist as 'the son of rage and love' back in 2004. More than 20 years later, Armstrong lived up to that title during a performance on Sunday (June 22). In fan-captured footage from the livestream of Green Day's set at Hurricane Festival in Germany, Armstrong can be seen singing a call-and-response portion of the band's song 'Jesus of Suburbia,' as he appears to point directly at a fan in the crowd and flipping them off. More from Billboard El Fantasma Claims Eighth No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay Chart With 'Ya Me Vale Madre' Khalil Fong and Tanya Chua Named Best Male and Female Singers at the 3rd Wave Music Awards Doechii & Tyler, the Creator Preview Pharrell-Produced 'Get Right' Collab During Louis Vuitton Paris Show After a moment, Armstrong threw his microphone down and took off his guitar, pointing directly at the fan and mouthing words intensely at them. After a moment, he picked his mic back up and asked the audience to put their 'hands up.' Commenters on the clips circulating online claim that the fan in question was repeatedly spraying the singer with a water gun during the performance, which led to the confrontation. 'Billie Joe reacts to person who kept sh00t1ng water on his face with a waterg0n throughout the whole show,' read one comment. Billboard has reached out to Green Day's representatives for comment. Green Day has been hitting the festival circuit hard throughout 2025, with appearances thus far at Coachella, BottleRock and Download Festival in the U.K., the latter of which saw Armstrong take a moment during the band's performance to call out the rise of far-right policies throughout the United States. 'Donald Trump in his administration is a fascist government. And it's up to us to fight back,' he told the crowd. The band was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May, where bassist Mike Dirnt thanked fans for sticking with the band throughout its decades-long run. 'I hope everybody comes here and takes pictures for as long as you want to and as long as you can,' Dirnt said during the ceremony. 'We'll never say 'thank you' enough.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Green Day Trolled by Fan Who Was Invited On Stage to Play ‘Good Riddance' But Did an Oasis Hit Instead
Billie Joe Armstrong didn't exactly get what he bargained for when he invited a fan on stage at a recent concert. As has become tradition at Green Day concerts, the frontman handed over one of his acoustic guitars Monday (June 30) to a lucky fan plucked from the audience in Luxembourg, giving him the chance to perform alongside the band on 'Good Riddance.' But in clips captured from the show, the fan instead starts playing the wrong chords as Armstrong looks visibly confused. More from Billboard Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Pauses Concert to Chew Out Audience Member Foo Fighters Celebrate 30th Anniversary of Debut Album With Emotional New Track 'Today's Song' At First, Kapo 'Didn't Dare' to Release Afrobeat Music, But Then He Leaned Into 'What Truly Made Me Feel Most Unique' 'You told me you could play this one!' the musician quips, attempting to help the fan out by reminding him of the proper key. Then, the fan started playing the chord progression of Oasis' biggest hit, 'Wonderwall.' Realization dawning on his face, Armstrong took the guitar back from the fan, who was quickly ushered offstage by a member of the crew. 'Oh, f–k!' Armstrong says in the clip. 'Nice try, nice try.' The interaction comes amid Green Day's The Saviors Tour, which kicked off in May 2024. It marks just the latest viral moment from the trek, with Armstrong recently making headlines for flipping off a concertgoer for seemingly spraying him with a water gun during the show. The band has also been playing a number of festivals in 2025, appearing at Coachella, BottleRock and Download Festival in the U.K. The latter was particularly memorable as Armstrong paused the performance to call out the United States government, telling the crowd: 'Donald Trump and his administration is a fascist government. And it's up to us to fight back.' In May, Armstrong and his bandmates were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 'I hope everybody comes here and takes pictures for as long as you want to and as long as you can,' bassist Mike Dirnt said during the ceremony. 'We'll never say 'thank you' enough.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Liam Gallagher Praises Fan Kicked Off Stage at Green Day Concert for Playing Oasis Hit
Billie Joe Armstrong may not have appreciated it when a fan invited on stage trolled him by playing Oasis' 'Wonderwall' instead of 'Good Riddance' at a recent Green Day show, but Liam Gallagher certainly did. Shortly after a clip went viral of Armstrong looking bewildered while a fan strummed the opening chords to Oasis' signature hit — as opposed to the 1997 Nimrod cut, aka the song the prankster was supposed to play — Gallagher shared his approval on X. Replying to a video of the incident, he wrote sarcastically, 'Best song of the night.' More from Billboard Green Day Trolled by Fan Who Was Invited On Stage to Play 'Good Riddance' But Did an Oasis Hit Instead 'It Was Horrific': Radar Festival Speaks Out on Bob Vylan Cancellation Robert Plant Pays Tribute to Liverpool's Diogo Jota Following Death at 28 It's become a tradition at Green Day shows for the band to invite musicians in the crowd to join Armstrong on stage and accompany him on 'Good Riddance' on acoustic guitar. At the group's Monday (June 30) performance in Luxembourg, however, the chosen fan went off course by playing a different tune, which at first confused the California frontman. 'You told me you could play this one!' Armstrong said before realizing what was actually happening, with the culprit playing what was unmistakably the intro to Oasis' Billboard Hot 100 No. 8 track. Promptly taking back his guitar as a crew member ushered the fan off stage, Armstrong then said, 'Nice try, nice try.' As Green Day continues its summer run of shows and festivals, Oasis is also gearing up to hit the road again for the first time in 16 years. After burying the hatchet and putting an end to a yearslong feud, Liam and brother Noel Gallagher will finally reunite on stage on Friday (July 4), kicking off a global tour with a show at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. In the lead-up to the trek, the brothers have been teasing that their band is sounding better than ever in rehearsals. 'We have LIFT OFF Rastas sounded f–king FILTHY,' Liam wrote on X in June. Even U2's Bono is amped for the reunion. 'I love them,' he recently told Apple Music 1's Zane Lowe. 'I'm still very close with Noel, and he sent a message to me saying he's kind of shocked by how great the band is [sounding]. I think we're going to have a good summer.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
