Green Day Plays DC, Stops In At The White House

Back in May I mentioned that Green Day had released their best album ever (and the #1 record in the DWT Music Store), 21st Century Breakdown. Their camp may still be fighting with Wal Mart but Green Day, the band, is off on tour. Last week they played in DC tearing it up at the Verizon Center and showing everyone why their music and grassroots politics fit together like a glove. "Do it yourself, wrote Chris Klimek of the Washington Post, "is forever cited as the mantra of punk, and it inspired Green Day leader Billie Joe Armstrong to put his own band together 20-plus years ago." They invited half a dozen fans onto the stage to sing and play guitar: "[H]e pulled a sweat-soaked young comer in white tube socks up to play guitar on 'Jesus of Suburbia.' The kid's awkward appearance made it feel twice as triumphant when he nailed the song." The Baltimore Sun had the show reviewed by a fan instead of a professional rock critic and... well you could tell:

The Grammy Award-winning trio held nothing back. They put on an amazing performance, not only with their musicianship, but also with their nonstop energy and ability to keep the audience on its feet, pumping its fists and singing along for over two and a half hours. Green Day played 28 songs.

With tickets priced at just $49.50, a Green Day concert has to be one of the best bargains on the live music scene as far as big-name bands.

They visited the White House but I didn't see any Obamas in any of the photos. Here's "Viva La Gloria," still one of my favorite songs on the album: