Show Recap: Chicago, IL
Jul. 14, 2009 / Comments
Green Day played last night in Chicago, IL. From the reactions on Twitter, people seemed very content with the show. [turl=http://www.greendayauthority.com/Picture_Vault/thumbnails.php?album=212]Here are a few[/turl] of the photos we've got so far.
Unfortunately, the Chicago Sun-Times didn't seem to agree on how they felt about last nights show. In his published review, pop critic JIM DeROGATIS said
Ouch. Probably the harshest review from a large publication we've heard so far. One of the few negative, but definitely the harshest.
There are plenty of thoughts going through my head how I'd like to reply to Mr. DeRogatis, mainly the idea that he calls Green Day cliched and wrote a piece late last year about how great Fall Out Boy was because they seemed grateful to be on stage. I'm sorry, FOB doesn't have anywhere near the stage presence as Green Day (no disrespect to FOB intended, but lets be honest here. I'm willing to bet the guys in FOB would agree). Anyone who's seen Green Day in concert before knows that they've kept a similar format, similar setlist, similar antics (heyyyy-ohhhh's) for the past 10 years or so. Would those of us who have had the chance to see them before like to see them mix it up? Absolutely. But the band creates their setlists for people to go and rock out to. As much as we might like to see it, a lot fewer people are gonna rock out to Who Wrote Holden Caulfield than to Basket Case.
That said, calling the show cliched is just disingenuous. The far majority of people going to these shows are blown away at the bands stage presence. They do what few rock bands out there can do, they get the audience involved in the experience. They've been doing this for 20 years, and Mr. DeRogatis fails to realize the difference between show business and showmanship. These guys go up on stage and do what they do best, perform. Unlike many artists out there, these guys don't go on tour to sell albums. They write albums to go on tour. They have a passion for playing live, and I'm willing to bet that the majority of people who leave a Green Day show can feel that. Green Day doesn't need to go on stage and act grateful to be there, they show their gratitude by putting on a show that leaves the audience feeling lucky to have been there.
My only explanation for the apparent lapse of rational judgment by Mr. DeRogatis, is that he's comparing Fall Out Boy to the Smashing Pumpkins, and Green Day to Neil Diamond. With those odds, I can't say it's surprising to have some high expectations. Expectations that I think Green Day has passed, but maybe it just takes some people longer to acknowledge it.
Unfortunately, the Chicago Sun-Times didn't seem to agree on how they felt about last nights show. In his published review, pop critic JIM DeROGATIS said
...no matter how much a band is trying to remain true to its roots, something about playing an arena brings out the arena-rock cliches.
When Green Day performed at the United Center Monday, those came in the form of cheesy pyrotechnics and snippets of corny covers
When Green Day performed at the United Center Monday, those came in the form of cheesy pyrotechnics and snippets of corny covers
Ouch. Probably the harshest review from a large publication we've heard so far. One of the few negative, but definitely the harshest.
There are plenty of thoughts going through my head how I'd like to reply to Mr. DeRogatis, mainly the idea that he calls Green Day cliched and wrote a piece late last year about how great Fall Out Boy was because they seemed grateful to be on stage. I'm sorry, FOB doesn't have anywhere near the stage presence as Green Day (no disrespect to FOB intended, but lets be honest here. I'm willing to bet the guys in FOB would agree). Anyone who's seen Green Day in concert before knows that they've kept a similar format, similar setlist, similar antics (heyyyy-ohhhh's) for the past 10 years or so. Would those of us who have had the chance to see them before like to see them mix it up? Absolutely. But the band creates their setlists for people to go and rock out to. As much as we might like to see it, a lot fewer people are gonna rock out to Who Wrote Holden Caulfield than to Basket Case.
That said, calling the show cliched is just disingenuous. The far majority of people going to these shows are blown away at the bands stage presence. They do what few rock bands out there can do, they get the audience involved in the experience. They've been doing this for 20 years, and Mr. DeRogatis fails to realize the difference between show business and showmanship. These guys go up on stage and do what they do best, perform. Unlike many artists out there, these guys don't go on tour to sell albums. They write albums to go on tour. They have a passion for playing live, and I'm willing to bet that the majority of people who leave a Green Day show can feel that. Green Day doesn't need to go on stage and act grateful to be there, they show their gratitude by putting on a show that leaves the audience feeling lucky to have been there.
My only explanation for the apparent lapse of rational judgment by Mr. DeRogatis, is that he's comparing Fall Out Boy to the Smashing Pumpkins, and Green Day to Neil Diamond. With those odds, I can't say it's surprising to have some high expectations. Expectations that I think Green Day has passed, but maybe it just takes some people longer to acknowledge it.
