Milton Keynes National Bowl - England, June 18th, 2005
As Billie Joe said himself - "the second day is ALWAYS the best." I got into the Milton Keynes Bowl about 1.45pm, dying from the sweltering heat and ready to kill Tom if he were to pull me back and laugh once more. After waiting around for several hours, Hard Fi finally opened the evening at 5:00pm, getting everyone in the mood but perhaps not rocking. Not great but I wouldn't say they were bad. Unfortunately, the band seemed to have problems with the sound. 2/5.
Up next were Taking Back Sunday. Coming to the stage at around 6.00pm (do not quote me on that. I've been to sleep since), the sun was getting closer to setting, meaning you could actually SEE the stage without the aid of the big screens. Bearing in mind, myself and my friends were as far back as you could get, getting a tan :) 3/5 for a now new Taking Back Sunday fan. Pity they wouldn't back flip though... :D
Announcing "Green Day will fuck you up. They'll come out and be like 'Hey, we're Green Day, here's your ass," Jimmy Eat World rocked the set. Going though the classics of 'Pain', and 'Work', and many others (I'm a relatively new JEW fan), it wasn't until Jim Atkins announced to the crowd that the headliners were up next that everything went shit crazy. "Hey, that guy from Taking Back Sunday's on the stage!" I would've pushed him off. Fed him to the pit. 4/5. Seemingly note perfect.
Just a few minutes short of 9.00pm and the sun well and truly setting, Green Day graced the stage in typical fashion, with a thundering rendition of 'American Idiot', and quickly followed by the epic 'Jesus of Suburbia'. 'Holiday' was soon to follow. Armstrong's cries of "I want you to scream so fucking loud every fucking redneck in America can hear ya!" filled the Bowl. Everyone was more than willing. Naturally, the band took a break for Billie Joe to provide the audience with another kind of performance... why does he have to yell "Somebody fuck me!" I'm not opposed to him yelling it; I'm opposed to my mate screaming "Awwwww, he's so cute! I will!" Ahem...
Knowledge. Everyone knows what happens at the concerts. Pulling a 14 year old boy from the crowds, who seemed to speak with a thick Welsh accent, Billie Joe handed over his axe to the kid before letting him go haywire, playing to the crowd. "Kid, you can keep the guitar." He flung his arms around Billie Joe. The bassist made me laugh. Holding her pants up, she ran to Mike and hugged him. He could still play despite it though. The girl was sent stage diving into the audience. The drummer was pretty rocking, as well...
As Jimmy Eat World promised, we got our ass. Billie pulled his pants down to the crowd, sending screaming, giggling girls into mass hysteria and the guys sulking when the girls' wanted a piece. If they were like my mates, that is.
To witness the pained look on Billie Joe's face during a heartfelt performance of 'Wake me up when September ends', is really to be a part of something. A lighter moment for many. Ending the evening on the perfect 'Time of your Life', the bittersweet ballad hit home to many that this really was the time of their lives. And it was over. No one cared that they were now left with a bloody long journey into the early hours out of Milton Keynes. They were a part of punk rock history. Something which will be remembered for a long time. Absolutely 5 out of fucking 5.
Up next were Taking Back Sunday. Coming to the stage at around 6.00pm (do not quote me on that. I've been to sleep since), the sun was getting closer to setting, meaning you could actually SEE the stage without the aid of the big screens. Bearing in mind, myself and my friends were as far back as you could get, getting a tan :) 3/5 for a now new Taking Back Sunday fan. Pity they wouldn't back flip though... :D
Announcing "Green Day will fuck you up. They'll come out and be like 'Hey, we're Green Day, here's your ass," Jimmy Eat World rocked the set. Going though the classics of 'Pain', and 'Work', and many others (I'm a relatively new JEW fan), it wasn't until Jim Atkins announced to the crowd that the headliners were up next that everything went shit crazy. "Hey, that guy from Taking Back Sunday's on the stage!" I would've pushed him off. Fed him to the pit. 4/5. Seemingly note perfect.
Just a few minutes short of 9.00pm and the sun well and truly setting, Green Day graced the stage in typical fashion, with a thundering rendition of 'American Idiot', and quickly followed by the epic 'Jesus of Suburbia'. 'Holiday' was soon to follow. Armstrong's cries of "I want you to scream so fucking loud every fucking redneck in America can hear ya!" filled the Bowl. Everyone was more than willing. Naturally, the band took a break for Billie Joe to provide the audience with another kind of performance... why does he have to yell "Somebody fuck me!" I'm not opposed to him yelling it; I'm opposed to my mate screaming "Awwwww, he's so cute! I will!" Ahem...
Knowledge. Everyone knows what happens at the concerts. Pulling a 14 year old boy from the crowds, who seemed to speak with a thick Welsh accent, Billie Joe handed over his axe to the kid before letting him go haywire, playing to the crowd. "Kid, you can keep the guitar." He flung his arms around Billie Joe. The bassist made me laugh. Holding her pants up, she ran to Mike and hugged him. He could still play despite it though. The girl was sent stage diving into the audience. The drummer was pretty rocking, as well...
As Jimmy Eat World promised, we got our ass. Billie pulled his pants down to the crowd, sending screaming, giggling girls into mass hysteria and the guys sulking when the girls' wanted a piece. If they were like my mates, that is.
To witness the pained look on Billie Joe's face during a heartfelt performance of 'Wake me up when September ends', is really to be a part of something. A lighter moment for many. Ending the evening on the perfect 'Time of your Life', the bittersweet ballad hit home to many that this really was the time of their lives. And it was over. No one cared that they were now left with a bloody long journey into the early hours out of Milton Keynes. They were a part of punk rock history. Something which will be remembered for a long time. Absolutely 5 out of fucking 5.
