Me Meet Green Day? You've Gotta Be Kidding!, chapter 1
So there it was. Right in front of me...the ticketek website: Green Day - SOLD OUT!
I hung my head, wishing it weren't true. If only I had saved up early then I could have made it. But no, I was too late. Out of two concerts that Green Day were holding in Australia only one I could go to - Sydney...and there were no tickets left.
I closed down the website, locked myself in my room and turned up Minority up full blast.
I glanced at my Rolling Stone poster. God, Billie Joe was hot. And Tre and Mike weren't too bad either. If only I could go!!
My mum knocked on the door. "Jen?"
I turned my music off. "Yes?"
She entered. "I'm guessing there are no tickets left."
I shook my head. "Guess not. Oh well." I turned the music back on and she took that as the hint to leave.
*
I was helping cook dinner when I saw a news story on the arrival of Green Day at the airport. I watched the three members easily give an interview, saying how excited they were to be down under and Mike claiming he wanted to start cricket.
I turned the TV off, hoping that at least someone could film it for me.
*
So, the following year I begin school again. I head towards my tutor group room.
"Hi...I'm Jen - I'm in year 9," I introduce myself.
"Hey...I'm Bec and I'm in year 10," she says. I'm not sure if I like her. I always try to wait a couple of weeks until I make my decision.
Later in tutor group our teacher asks us all our favourite bands. Of course I state I have an over obsession with Green Day - its who I am.
"You like green Day?" Bec enquires, looking at me. "So do I!"
Already this Bec girl sounds better to me.
"So if you're obsessed, you must have been to their concert?" she looks at me.
I shake my head.
"How can you be obsessed with Green Day and not go to their concert? I went - it was so good. Billie Joe sat on stage with a little teddy bear, and then threw it into the crowd...my friend Sarah..."
I hold up my hand. I really don't want to talk about it. Maybe later, when I decide I can overcome my 'grief.'
Bec looks at me with a funny look on her face. "How many albums do you have?"
"Um....I have American Idiot and a burnt copy of International Superhits..." I knew that she would immediately start comparing me as a non Green Day lover. But how wrong she was.
"That's not an obsession!" she exclaims. "I have Dookie, Nimrod and American Idiot...and I bought them. And you didn't even go to their concert."
"SO WHAT?!" I feel like punching her or something.
"So...wanna burn my CDs and I'll burn International Superhits?" I am surprised by this sudden change in tone.
"Um...sure." Maybe she's not so bad. Whatever she thought, I didn't care.
***
Me and Bec became better friends over a few weeks. She even offered to give me video clips from their various songs. She would often tell me about their Green Day concert...and I loved it! I soon bought the Green Day DVD and saw how much I was missing out on. Their performances at Milton Keynes showed me how good they were live.
A couple of weeks later there was a news story on how Green Daw had again visited Australia for some promos, and to perform live at the ARIAs, despite not being an Australian band.
My favourite radio station held a competition for a chance to meet Green Day and to have front seat tickets at the ARIAs. I travelled around constantly holding my mobile phone, wired up to the radio, listening for them to put on a Green Day song.
Finally! It was on...Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I immediately dialed in, but it was engaged. I switched back to the radio in desperation, but somebody had already won.
Again I had missed out on an amazing opportunity. I became moody again for a couple of days.
A few days later I entered tutor group to have Bec run up to me excitedly. "I've won tickets to the ARIAs to meet Green Day!"
i looked at her in shock. "You can't be serious!" I tried desperately to feel happy for her.
"Would you like to come?"
I thought I was dreaming. It couldn't be true! Meeting Green Day!!!! I felt light headed.
"I.....YES!" The rest of my tutor group turned their heads around. I tried to quieten down.
"Awesome! You're one of the only people I know who is as obsessed about Green Day as I am. Everyone else thinks their emo or gay or whatever." She grinned at me. "They don't know what they're missing out on."
"Too right," I agreed. My heart was beating fast at the sheer thought of meeting Green Day.
***
So here we are a month later. Bec will be over in 5 mins to pick me up. I'm so excited - I wear my cool red top and black tie. But with jeans, so not as to copy their appearance TOO much.
When we arrive at the ARIAs I feel like a celebrity. We are given a special spot along the red carpet. the Australian artists walk down the carpet, being interviewed by various TV stations.
And then Green Day step out of their limo. The crowd screams loudly, reaching out to attempt to shake their hands.
And Billie Joe looks even hotter in real life. He walks down the carpet, grinning and waving to everyone in the crowd. I look over to Bec and grin - she loves Tre Cool and Mike as much as I love Billie Joe.
Inside we are given a table up the front. Across the row there are the tables of the various music artists. I spot Eskimo Joe, Wolfmother...all these people who I don't like nearly as much as Green Day...but still feel amazed to be so close.
Green Day are the opening performance.
Billie Joe steps up to the mic. "This song is called HOLIDAY!"
Immediately the famous riff is blasted out. The drums and bass come in and I feel myself feeling amazed to be there.
Following the song, me and Bec are taken backstage to where the three members from Green Day were waiting to meet us. My heart began to beat faster.
We turn around a corner and I see three men sitting around a table playing cards. They look up, and smile simultaneously.
"Girls, meet Green Day. I'm sure you know who they all are," the security guard says with a smile.
Billie Joe walks forward. "Hi!" she shakes me and Bec's hand. Tre and Mike walk forward and shake our hand also.
"I'm Jen," I introduce myself. "This is Bec."
"So how are you guys?" Tre asks, grinning. "Aw man! Your accents are so sweet..."
"Ignore him," Mike says with a smile.
"Your song was really good!" I say, feeling stupid. Five minutes into meeting them and I already sound like an idiotic groupie.
Billie laughs. "Thanks...I love singing that song. I really believe in what it says."
"Well, duh, Billie, you did write it," Tre says.
"Quiet, you." They all laugh. Obviously they're really lighthearted.
"So would you guys like to come on a tour...of...our dressing room?" Mike says, "and we can also show you our tour limo and stuff."
"YES!" me and Bec reply in unison.
I hung my head, wishing it weren't true. If only I had saved up early then I could have made it. But no, I was too late. Out of two concerts that Green Day were holding in Australia only one I could go to - Sydney...and there were no tickets left.
I closed down the website, locked myself in my room and turned up Minority up full blast.
I glanced at my Rolling Stone poster. God, Billie Joe was hot. And Tre and Mike weren't too bad either. If only I could go!!
My mum knocked on the door. "Jen?"
I turned my music off. "Yes?"
She entered. "I'm guessing there are no tickets left."
I shook my head. "Guess not. Oh well." I turned the music back on and she took that as the hint to leave.
*
I was helping cook dinner when I saw a news story on the arrival of Green Day at the airport. I watched the three members easily give an interview, saying how excited they were to be down under and Mike claiming he wanted to start cricket.
I turned the TV off, hoping that at least someone could film it for me.
*
So, the following year I begin school again. I head towards my tutor group room.
"Hi...I'm Jen - I'm in year 9," I introduce myself.
"Hey...I'm Bec and I'm in year 10," she says. I'm not sure if I like her. I always try to wait a couple of weeks until I make my decision.
Later in tutor group our teacher asks us all our favourite bands. Of course I state I have an over obsession with Green Day - its who I am.
"You like green Day?" Bec enquires, looking at me. "So do I!"
Already this Bec girl sounds better to me.
"So if you're obsessed, you must have been to their concert?" she looks at me.
I shake my head.
"How can you be obsessed with Green Day and not go to their concert? I went - it was so good. Billie Joe sat on stage with a little teddy bear, and then threw it into the crowd...my friend Sarah..."
I hold up my hand. I really don't want to talk about it. Maybe later, when I decide I can overcome my 'grief.'
Bec looks at me with a funny look on her face. "How many albums do you have?"
"Um....I have American Idiot and a burnt copy of International Superhits..." I knew that she would immediately start comparing me as a non Green Day lover. But how wrong she was.
"That's not an obsession!" she exclaims. "I have Dookie, Nimrod and American Idiot...and I bought them. And you didn't even go to their concert."
"SO WHAT?!" I feel like punching her or something.
"So...wanna burn my CDs and I'll burn International Superhits?" I am surprised by this sudden change in tone.
"Um...sure." Maybe she's not so bad. Whatever she thought, I didn't care.
***
Me and Bec became better friends over a few weeks. She even offered to give me video clips from their various songs. She would often tell me about their Green Day concert...and I loved it! I soon bought the Green Day DVD and saw how much I was missing out on. Their performances at Milton Keynes showed me how good they were live.
A couple of weeks later there was a news story on how Green Daw had again visited Australia for some promos, and to perform live at the ARIAs, despite not being an Australian band.
My favourite radio station held a competition for a chance to meet Green Day and to have front seat tickets at the ARIAs. I travelled around constantly holding my mobile phone, wired up to the radio, listening for them to put on a Green Day song.
Finally! It was on...Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I immediately dialed in, but it was engaged. I switched back to the radio in desperation, but somebody had already won.
Again I had missed out on an amazing opportunity. I became moody again for a couple of days.
A few days later I entered tutor group to have Bec run up to me excitedly. "I've won tickets to the ARIAs to meet Green Day!"
i looked at her in shock. "You can't be serious!" I tried desperately to feel happy for her.
"Would you like to come?"
I thought I was dreaming. It couldn't be true! Meeting Green Day!!!! I felt light headed.
"I.....YES!" The rest of my tutor group turned their heads around. I tried to quieten down.
"Awesome! You're one of the only people I know who is as obsessed about Green Day as I am. Everyone else thinks their emo or gay or whatever." She grinned at me. "They don't know what they're missing out on."
"Too right," I agreed. My heart was beating fast at the sheer thought of meeting Green Day.
***
So here we are a month later. Bec will be over in 5 mins to pick me up. I'm so excited - I wear my cool red top and black tie. But with jeans, so not as to copy their appearance TOO much.
When we arrive at the ARIAs I feel like a celebrity. We are given a special spot along the red carpet. the Australian artists walk down the carpet, being interviewed by various TV stations.
And then Green Day step out of their limo. The crowd screams loudly, reaching out to attempt to shake their hands.
And Billie Joe looks even hotter in real life. He walks down the carpet, grinning and waving to everyone in the crowd. I look over to Bec and grin - she loves Tre Cool and Mike as much as I love Billie Joe.
Inside we are given a table up the front. Across the row there are the tables of the various music artists. I spot Eskimo Joe, Wolfmother...all these people who I don't like nearly as much as Green Day...but still feel amazed to be so close.
Green Day are the opening performance.
Billie Joe steps up to the mic. "This song is called HOLIDAY!"
Immediately the famous riff is blasted out. The drums and bass come in and I feel myself feeling amazed to be there.
Following the song, me and Bec are taken backstage to where the three members from Green Day were waiting to meet us. My heart began to beat faster.
We turn around a corner and I see three men sitting around a table playing cards. They look up, and smile simultaneously.
"Girls, meet Green Day. I'm sure you know who they all are," the security guard says with a smile.
Billie Joe walks forward. "Hi!" she shakes me and Bec's hand. Tre and Mike walk forward and shake our hand also.
"I'm Jen," I introduce myself. "This is Bec."
"So how are you guys?" Tre asks, grinning. "Aw man! Your accents are so sweet..."
"Ignore him," Mike says with a smile.
"Your song was really good!" I say, feeling stupid. Five minutes into meeting them and I already sound like an idiotic groupie.
Billie laughs. "Thanks...I love singing that song. I really believe in what it says."
"Well, duh, Billie, you did write it," Tre says.
"Quiet, you." They all laugh. Obviously they're really lighthearted.
"So would you guys like to come on a tour...of...our dressing room?" Mike says, "and we can also show you our tour limo and stuff."
"YES!" me and Bec reply in unison.
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