Green Day rock the Vector

Green Day
Auckland Vector Arena
18th December 2009

An all-ages gig is a special kind of beast. And it is a rare thing to pull off well. Especially when you are Green Day who have been playing together for nigh on 20 years, and you have such a spread of fans, from the ‘old timers’ (like me) from the ‘Dookie’ days, through to the younger fans - like my 12 year old daughter  -who love ‘21st Century Breakdown’.

But pull it off they did, with an amazing display of energy, musicianship and pyrotecnics, with lead singer Billy Joe Armstrong right in the middle of it all. He is just an amazing bundle of energy, and a man who really knows how to work a crowd.

And work the crowd he did with hey-ho singalongs, crowd clapping and cheering, and the inclusion of a couple of lucky punters from the crowd. The standout of these for the night, was ‘pink haired Anna’ who came up on stage to sing ‘Longview’. She was pretty tuneless but what she lacked in that department she certainly made up for with a perfect pop performance.

During the night they also managed to shower us with a ticker tape parade and stun us with fire, sparklers, fireworks, and changing banners. They managed that unique balance of slickness but still feeling like the pop-punk three piece that they essentially are.



They played every song you would imagine they would play; pretty much every song from 21st Century Breakdown and some oldies thrown in for good measure. They played balls out for the whole two and half hours; in terms of value for money they were king of the hill. I am still marvelling that they played so professionally, yet you felt like it was the best gig they had ever played, and that you were the best audience they had ever had. Loved it. If I could have I would have gone to both nights.

My 12 year old daughter now thinks I am the coolest mother in the world for taking her, but I hope she realises, that as this was her first ever concert, she may have peaked early. It doesn’t get much better than this…

Youtube link from the Auckland concert on Saturday 19 December 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBAjCznUBO8

Words and intro image, Anya Brighouse 18 December 2009
Photo above and Youtube link by Lane Hannah