Green Day Argentina //// Poder Ivy

Argentina (Buenos Aires) 1998 concert

"Another turning point/A fork stuck in the road/ Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go/ So make the best of this test and don't ask why/ It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time/ It's something umpredictable, but in the end is right/ I hope you had the time of your life". The stage (built on Parque Sarmiento -Buenos Aires, Argentina- for the two concerts given in Oct, 31st and Nov, 1st ,1998) had fallen down. What was once a drum, rested shapeless between some boards. A shabby and hit bass was stucked into that drum. Monitors, returns, mics: everything was destroyed and laid scattered here and there. The responsibles? : the bassist Mike Dirnt and the drummer Tré Cool, both followed by a happy bee (!) and a jumping little cock (!) And in the midlle of the chaos, the darkness , the unique and monotonous sound (a constant guitar distortion) , and a light over Billie Joe Armstrong, who was standing alone on a stage totally in ruins, just as a kid that had done a prank and was smiling to his mother in search of forgiveness ; and there was him and his guitar only, closing an amazing night with "Good Riddance (Time of your Life)", while thousand of lighters were approving that prank. "I hope you had the time of your life", he said, and then he vanished. It was an hour and a half. Enough time for 20 songs (nobody dissappointed) to make vibrate all bodies and hearts of the 10,000 persons that joined both concerts, either on 10/31/98 (with Santos Inocentes as the opening band) and on 11/01/98 (with Flema)

In the first concert they played "Nice Guys Finish Last, Hitchin' a Ride, The Grouch, 2,000 Light Years Away, Geek Stink Breath, Welcome to Paradise, Longview, Basket Case, Knowledge (BJ made some guy from the audience to jump onto the stage and play this song with them) , Scattered, Brain Stew, Jaded, She, Platypus, King for a Day and When I Come Around. In the second one they played the same songs plus Prosthetic Head. When performing Knowledge, instead of calling for a guitar player only, he also called for a drummer. Without exagerating, it can be assured that Green Day's was the show of the year. An amazing feedback with the audience (heterogeneus, yes, but mostly made up by punkies looking like Bad Religion, kids with more than green hair in their heads) There was something that was felt and seen very few times before: sincerity. At least that is what it appeared to be. When thousand of sweated shirts rained over the stage, these three cartoon characters were always ready to wear them out and trow thousands of picks to the sea of arms and legs that could not stop waving. That really looked sincere. The same happened when they made all the audience sing: every living soul sang from the chorus of every song to the classical "ohhhhh-oh-oh" , typical of the heavy stars from the eighties. Talking abouth heavies, there was time for Sabbath's riff "Iron Man" to be played, for a piece from "The Beautiful People", and from others from Mettallica and Marilyn Manson.

Prior to both concerts, the band visited the Rock and Pop (a local radio station) and then it was interviewed at the Libertador Hotel (where they were lodging) In both places they spoke about the movie that is being shot and about the new record. They were asked about the tour that was going on around South America and about what they will be doing when they were out of the biz. The three of them answered that when time of retirement approaches them, they will be doing the same thing: playing. Mike Dirnt, cheating on all the journalits, said he would like to be a hair stylist. When they asked if that was true, he replied with a "No way you foolz! C'mon!". Well , it was heard that Green Day will be giving this year another concert in the same place and on the same dates. Wish this dream comes true.

Everything from the design to the images were edited by me, so please if you want to use something please first ask for my autorization. Also if some of the information or material is yours just mail me and i will take it away.