The Longshot Concert

Last night, my Sis and I went to see The Longshot in concert at The Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco!! The Longshot is a side project of Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day (and my rock and roll boyfriend).

The Rickshaw Stop is a great, small venue, and certainly the smallest venue I've ever seen Billie Joe perform in! I was super lucky to get tickets for this one. It sold out in a minute or two several months ago! The concert was originally scheduled for May, but had to be cancelled the night before because of a family emergency for one of the band members. The band and venue were able to reschedule for last night, and luckily, my Sister and I were both still able to attend!

We were pretty close to the stage. I probably started off about 10-15 feet from the stage, and was able to watch the two opening bands from there. Once The Longshot was on, the smash started, and I found myself in the early stages of the mosh pit. I moved back a few feet, and managed to always keep at least one person between me and the mosh pit.

It was a very fun concert, and I'm so glad we were able to go!! Here are a few photos I took. It may be tine to invest in a new phone with a camera soon!

We're going to see The Longshot!!

OMG, OMG, OMG!!! I just got tickets to see Billie Joe in his new band, The Longshot, in a tiny venue in San Francisco!!! I am SO CRAZY EXCITED!! Watch out, Billie Joe, the Chow Sisters are coming to see you!!!!

Green Day!!

Another epic Green Day Concert!! Green Day headlined radio station Live 105's "Not so Silent Night" concert tonight.

Gina, Dan and Nicole all came down from Seattle so we could all see the concert together. Super fun!!

Green Day set list

1. Know Your Enemy
   Play Video
2. Bang Bang
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3. Revolution Radio
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4. Holiday
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5. Letterbomb
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6. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
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7. Longview
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8. Youngblood
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9. Armatage Shanks
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10. Stuart and the Ave.
    Play Video
11. Welcome to Paradise
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12. Private Ale
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13. Christie Road
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14. Burnout
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15. Scattered
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16. Hitchin' a Ride
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17. Waiting
    Play Video
18. Are We the Waiting
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19. St. Jimmy
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20. When I Come Around
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21. Basket Case
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22. She
    Play Video
23. King for a Day
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24. Shout / (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction / Hey Jude
    Play Video
25. Still Breathing
    Play Video
26. Forever Now
    (Live debut)
    Play Video
27. Encore:
28. American Idiot
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29. Jesus of Suburbia
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30. Encore 2:
31. Ordinary World
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32. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
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Green Day in Concert in Berkeley!!!

Best. Concert. Ever.

Longer post coming tomorrow.

PS: I heart Billie Joe.

Green Day Concert Tickets!!!!

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!

YES!!

I managed to score tickets to see Green Day in Berkeley on October 20th!!

I've been a member of the Green Day Idiot Club for years. On Tuesday morning, club members were alerted that pre-sale tickets would be available to members this past Wednesday. There are a handful of smaller venues that Green Day will be playing in September/October, as well as larger arena shows in Europe after the new year.

As luck would have it, there were two shows I was trying to get tickets for. They will be playing a show in NYC the same weekend that we'll be there. Also, the last show of this tour will be in Berkeley at a smaller venue.

Tickets went on sale for club members Wednesday morning at 9:00am in the time zone of the club. That meant that I was up and ready to buy tickets at 6:00am. Unfortunately, the pre-sale tickets for both shows that I was interested in sold out immediately, even for those of us who got onto the site as soon as they were released. It was very frustrating. I had several friends trying to get tickets, and none of us had any luck.

Tickets were made available to the general public this morning. I knew it was a long-shot, but I woke up again and was ready at 6:00am to try to get tickets for the NYC show. Again, no luck at all. I went back to bed knowing there was very little chance that I'd be able to get tickets for this concert tour.

I was back at it at 9:00 for the Berkeley show.

Instead of being denied right away, I was brought to this screen which said I was "in line" for tickets, and to hold on. It also said that being inline didn't guarantee tickets, but it was further than I'd made it before.

I watched this screen for about 10 minutes before it started to make progress...



Eventually, it brought me to a screen that said I could purchase a maximum of 2 tickets!!

YES!!

After creating an account for Ticketfly (which was pretty stressful because it wasn't taking my info) I was eventually able to secure two tickets for the October 20th show in Berkeley!!

I'm so crazy excited.

I started doing the Snoopy Happy Dance right away in front of Dick and Wallace. Wallace was very confused and wasn't sure what to do with me. :)



Green Day!!!

"Heart Like a Hand Grenade"

Heart Like a Hand Grenade

I just came home from what I believe was my first "Girls night out" in Seattle!!

Gina and Nicole are also Green Day Fans, and the three of us went out to dinner, then to a movie theater to see the first night of screening of the "Heart Like a Hand Grenade" documentary of the making of Green Day's "American Idiot".

American Idiot? Yes, this documentary was filmed over 11 years ago.

I'm unclear why it was only released now - there aren't many details about it available online.

Here's a paragraph from the Director's Statement:

After the recording was finished, the band booked a small theatre and performed the album in its entirety, and footage from that show is included in the film (Fun fact! This was eleven years ago, folks, and the camera phone was not invented so this is the only way you can see clips from this legendary concert!) This movie is like a “fly on the wall” art house piece. It is the first time Green Day allowed someone into the studio to film them. I am so happy I answered Billie’s phone call. This was eleven years ago, and the film you are about to see has never been seen. It became a lost film -- an urban legend in some ways. Some fans thought it was not real and that it was some sort of prank that the band and I created. Now, finally, the little film that could is being released.

For the record, I loved it. It's really neat to be treated to this footage from the pinnacle time in the band's history. This album would catapult their careers into a whole new level, and we get to see them record it, not knowing how successful it would become.

I love watching the three guys in this band interact and play together.
They really need to tour again so we can see them perform live again.

On a side note, the theater experience tonight was very fun. The movie showed in a teeny theater in Seattle with only one screen. Very much an art-film venue. The theater was about half full - a decent crowd - and everyone there was really into it. Fun crowd.

Another reason I love my husband...

Conversation between me and Dick just now:

Dick: "Have you checked out calendar for today? Is there something we were supposed to do?"

Trina: "I don't think so. Let me check...
no, i don't see anything."

Dick: "How about our shared calendar?"

Trina: "Okay, I'll check...."

*posted on our shared calendar for today at 10:00pm:
"Wake Up Billie Joe"*

I love my husband. <3

Record Store Day! Green Day's Demolicious.... On cassette

Today is Record Store Day! Who knew? I certainly didn't know anything about it until earlier this week.

What is Record Store Day?

(from wikipedia)

Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose is to celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store.[1] The day brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores across the world.

... at stores across the world, with hundreds of recording and other artists participating in the day by making special appearances, performances, meet and greets with their fans, the holding of art exhibits, and the issuing of special vinyl and CD releases along with other promotional products to mark the occasion.

So, I only heard about it via Green Day's Facebook and Instagram posts. They released LP, CD and yes, even cassette tape versions of "Demolicious".

(from the Green Day Official News Site)

Green Day will release Demolicious - a collection of 18 demos recorded at Jingletown Studios in Oakland, CA, in 2012 during the sessions for the band's Green Day ¡Uno!, Green Day ¡Dos!, Green Day ¡Tré! album trilogy - in conjunction with Record Store Day on April 19th, 2014. The two-disc set will be released on red or clear vinyl, and will also be available on CD and cassette.

In addition to the 18 demos, Demolicious includes a previously unreleased track, "State of Shock," and an acoustic version of "Stay The Night" from Green Day ¡Uno!.

As a good Green Day Groupie, I called my local record store (and was happy to find that we do have one!) around 10:00 this morning, asking if they carried Demolicious.

Good News: Yes, they have them.
Bad News: They only had one more CD left in stock

I really should have checked to see what time they opened this morning (9:00). Honestly, didn't know it would be a big deal, but obviously it is.

I flew over to the store within 10 minutes, but alas, no CDs or LPs were to be found.

BUT, I did manage to snag the last cassette tape





Yes, today, I bought my first cassette tape in well over 20 years. :)

I grabbed it, and was thinking, "Okay, I have it.... now, what do I do with it?"
I mean, I don't even own a cassette player anymore. :-/

It occurred to me that my Mom (Techie-Mom) probably had the necessary equipment to transfer from cassette to digital. I called her when I returned home, explained the situation, and found out that yes, she does! Yay, Mom!!

My parents will be visiting us in Seattle later this week, so I'll give her my cassette then. :)

I'm glad I was able to at least get the cassette - the LPs, CDs, and yes, even the cassette tapes are selling like hot cakes on ebay.

"Last Night on Earth"

I put a link to this video on my Facebook page today, but decided that I wanted to share it on my blog as well.



Here's Billie Joe Armstrong (my Rock and Roll Boyfriend, and lead singer/songwriter for Green Day for those of you in the Dark) and his dog, Rocky, jamming together to the song "Last Night on Earth". This song happens to be a favorite of mine, ever since Billie Joe serenaded me in Sacramento in August, 2009. ;)

Video from Billie Joe in "American Idiot" - Curtain Call

Just found this video clip on broadwayworld.com.

This is from Tuesday night's show (September 28, 2010) when Sharon & I were there!!

Last night, September 28, Green Day frontman and the musical's composer/ co-author Billie Joe Armstrong made his Broadway debut as "St. Jimmy" at the St. James Theatre in AMERICAN IDIOT. Armstrong will perform through Sunday, October 3, 2010. Immediately following this engagement, Mr. Armstrong will join Green Day in Caracas, Venezuela on October 8, 2010 to kick off their South American Tour. BroadwayWorld was on hand for his debut Broadway bow and brings you video coverage below.

Billie Joe's Broadway Debut!!

Billie Joe as St. Jimmy!
photo from this webpage..

The show was AMAZING!! Billie Joe was AMAZING!!

The crowd went nuts at the very beginning of the show when the announcer said, "The role of St. Jimmy will be performed tonight by Billie Joe Armstrong".

WOO HOO!!!

This is the third time I've seen American Idiot in just over a year. (Hi, I am a groupie.) I've always like the show, but I do notice that I like it more each time I see it. I noticed a few small changes that they made here and there, and a few of the cast members have changed since they opened on Broadway.

Billie Joe in the role of St. Jimmy was simply perfection.

Here's the thing: I love the actor (Tony Vincent) who usually plays the role of St. Jimmy. He is memorizing, and it's just such a great character.

But, seeing Billie Joe in the role was a whole other story. This is his alter ego, so of course he's a natural in the role. The crowd went absolutely nuts when he first appeared singing "St. Jimmy". WOW!!!

Now, of course, there are no cameras or recording devices allowed during the performance. I understand that - my sister works in theater! :)

However, after the the final curtain call, the curtain went back up showing all of the cast members and Billie Joe each holding a guitar. Billie Joe started strumming the beginning of "Time of Your Life", and sang the first verse, and was eventually joined by the rest of the cast.

This was phenomenal!

At this point, the professional camera men had made their way down the aisles down towards the stage and everyone (and I mean everyone) had their cameras out taking photos. I confess, I had to join in. I couldn't miss this opportunity.

My photos aren't very good. They are a little blurry, but you get the gist.





I found a few professional photos online at this webpage. These are so much better than mine.





Finally, here's a little video I took of the curtain call.



I'm so glad that Sharon and I were able to fly out to NY for our crazy 1-day adventure! Seeing Billie Joe in the show was absolutely worth all the money, frequent flyer miles, time planning, stress and lack of sleep!

It really was an experience of a lifetime!

We Made It!!!

My flight on Monday was delayed about 3 hours (due to weather in NY) but I was only about 1.5 hours late to arrive. I was checked into my hotel by midnight, Monday night.

Sharon had a flight from SFO to Dulles, which was on time, but unfortunately, she was delayed in Dulles for about 3 hours. She made it to our hotel around 2:00pm Tuesday.

The first thing we did was walk to the St. James Theater, which American Idiot is playing. We picked up our tickets (thanks, Lizz!) and took a few photos outside the theater.


American Idiot at the St. James Theater!!


Here's my hot little ticket!






Two California Groupies here to see Billie Joe!

After we picked up our tickets and took some photos, we walked about 10 blocks to Carnegie Deli for a late lunch. Dick had brought me there last year, and I still think it's the very best pastrami I've ever had!

We WAY over-ordered, but we knew that as we were doing it. We couldn't resist!


We split a pastrami reuben (open-faced) sandwich and an order of Mac & Cheese "sprinkled" with pastrami bits! (because we needed more pastrami!)


The reuben cut in half - just so you get a sense of the magnitude!

After eating way too much, we walked back to the theater through Times Square.

We made it back with plenty of time to do a little shopping, buy a drink and get to our seats.


a notice saying that they would be video taping the performance last night! i hope it ends up on a cool DVD!


In our seats, ready to see Billie Joe as St. Jimmy!

It's Official: I'm a Green Day Groupie now

In case there was any question before...

Here's some very exciting (to me) news that I've been wanting to share since last Tuesday:


It's Official!

Last Tuesday, my sister's friend (and fellow Green Day fan) sent us the following message:

listen girls, you need to come to NY next week. it's not being "announced", but Billy Joe will be playing St Jimmy all next week.

My response:
OMG! OMG! OMG!!
that would be AMAZING!!!!
Crap! I can't go (I've got my big walk next week!), and ironically, I'll be there in 3 weeks.

My sister (who started a new job 3 weeks ago, and is unable to go) called me soon after and brought me back to my senses. She basically said, "What do you mean you're not going?! You HAVE to go!"

To which, I said, "Oh, you're right! I should go!"

So, I checked with Dick that evening, and he was totally on board with me going. Actually, for a very brief moment, he considered going himself, but his schedule at work is way too busy for such a crazy adventure this week. :(

(for the record, I have the best. husband. ever!)

I called my friend, Sharon, another avid Green Day fan, and mother-of-4-extraordinaire. She scrambled to find a way to get away for a quick adventure, and we worked it out!

By Thursday, we had our flights, a hotel, and tickets to see American Idiot on Broadway Tuesday night, September 28th at 7:00pm.

At this point, no announcements about Billie Joe had been made yet, so we were careful to book things that could be refundable if we needed to back out. I used my miles on United to get a flight, and found a hotel with a great cancellation policy that I would only need to let know 24 hours in advance.

The announcement that Billie Joe is going to join the cast of American Idiot was officially announced yesterday, so now all systems are GO!

So, here's the crazy plan:

I'm leaving today in the early afternoon, arriving at JFK late this evening. Sharon is taking the red-eye tonight, and will meet me at the hotel tomorrow morning. We'll have a few hours to rest/run around before seeing the show at 7:00pm. We fly out at 6:10am Wednesday, arriving home by 11:00am Wednesday morning.

...and let's not forget that I have my 3-Day walk this weekend, starting early Friday morning!

So, I'll have almost two days to rest, catch up with work, and prepare myself physically and mentally for the walk.

I know. I'm crazy, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I couldn't pass up! This is going to be an amazing, whirlwind adventure!!!

I can't wait, and I'm SO excited to see Billie Joe on stage! This is going to be AMAZING!!!

Woo Hoo!

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Video

"21 Guns" - Green Day and American Idiot Cast Video

I totally missed the Grammys last night. Dick hates watching awards shows, so I've gotten out of the habit of watching them, or even thinking about them. I even forgot that Green Day was going to be performing! (shock!)

So, it turns out that Green Day performed "21 Guns" with the cast of the American Idiot Musical. Very cool. The show (which, yes, I saw twice when it opened in Berkeley) is going to Broadway starting in March. They didn't win Best Rock song for "21 Guns", but they did win Best Rock Album for "21st Century Breakdown"! Yay!

Anyhow, this video was released this morning (I think, anyhow). I think it's very cool - it shows Green Day and the cast of "American Idiot" in the recording studio, recording their version of "21 Guns".

I like this version a lot, although I admit I prefer the original. But, I do really love and appreciate the collaboration and all of the beautiful harmonies in this version.

"American Idiot" is Broadway Bound!!

American Idiot Will Rock Broadway's St. James Starting March 24

The Green Day Collection

the perfect way to top off my Green Day year.... :)



I just discovered that iTunes just released (okay, on December 22nd, so I'm a little late) The Green Day Collection!

What does that mean?

Well, it means that you can now buy every single song, album, bonus track, video, etc., in Green Day's long history.

Why would you want it?

Well, if you're like me, you won't necessarily want to buy the whole thing (and for $99.99, it's not cheap, but frankly, for all that it includes, it's pretty inexpensive), but you may need to pick up a few songs here and there. I own most of the albums - I think I'm missing their very first, and perhaps one more in the middle, but I'm pretty well covered. However, this did give me the chance to buy some bonus tracks that I don't think were available before.

Hearing Green Day cover The Clash's "I Fought the Law" is pretty awesome. :)

They also do a cover of "Like a Rolling Stone". Fun stuff!

I need to start a new blog label devoted to Green Day. I seem to devote a lot of posts on this blog to them. ;)

Green Day: Rock Band!

oh, yeah, baby! Just call me Billie Joe!

'Green Day: Rock Band' Coming In 2010
Version of the popular game will feature songs from the band's entire career.

I admit it: If I didn't already own Rock Band, I would buy it just for this. :)

MTV Shows

Green Day With the 'American Idiot' Cast, '21 Guns' -- Song Premiere

Here's a recording of the cast of “American Idiot” singing “21 Guns” with Green Day!

I really liked this version during the show, but I have to admit, as I listened to this version, my heart skipped a beat when Billie Joe's voice rang in. *sigh* :)

Oh, and here's an article about it on Rolling Stone.