Billie Joe Armstrong used the San Francisco Giants’ stadium to take an enormous swing at A’s possession, and peripherally Las Vegas, on Friday night time.
The entrance man for Bay Area punk icons Green Day referred to as out the A’s possession at a sold-out live performance at Oracle Park.
“We don’t take no (expletive) from people like John (expletive) Fisher, who sold out the Oakland A’s to Las (expletive) Vegas,” Armstrong shouted on the crowd of 43,000, as reported by the San Jose Mercury News. “I (expletive) hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst (expletive) hole in America.”
Armstrong was born in Oakland. He’s traditionally a staunch defender and advocate of the East Bay.
An e-mail to an A’s rep for remark has not been returned.
Green Day has a three-decade historical past of taking part in Las Vegas, courting to 2 reveals at Huntridge Theater in September 1993 and once more in February 1994. The band performed a 2-hour, pop-up present at Fremont Country Club and its related Backstage Bar & Grill in October of final 12 months.
That wild performance, full of Green Day followers (most from Las Vegas), was simply forward of that weekend’s When We Were Young Festival at Las Vegas Festival Grounds.
The band performed for 2½ hours on Friday, revisiting “Dookie” on its thirtieth anniversary and “American Idiot” on its twentieth. “Dookie” was additionally revived on the Fremont Country Club performance.
The Oracle Park live performance occurred because the A’s entered a weekend homestand on the Oakland Coliseum towards the Yankees. The A’s wrap up their 57-year run within the East Bay this week with a three-game sequence towards the Texas Rangers.
Rancid’s Lars Frederiksen, who can also be from the East Bay, joined the Fisher fry.
“Oh, I am going to say some (expletive) tonight — (expletive) John Fisher,” Frederiksen stated from the stage. “His complete household makes cash off the backs of Bay Area individuals and then he desires to (expletive) off to Vegas. (Expletive) him.
“Thank God we’ve still got the Giants.”
For Armstrong, this isn't the primary occasion of the punk star venting in a Las Vegas-related method.
In September 2012, Armstrong went off during the iHeartRadio Music Festival at MGM Grand Garden. He wasn’t taking problem with Vegas, particularly, however was acutely irate concerning the crowd’s lethargy after Usher destroyed the place together with his 15 backing dancers.
Armstrong was additionally angered by Green Day’s set being minimize from 45 to half-hour.
“We have nine (expletive) minutes left?! What the (expletive)?!” he shouted whereas obvious at a large monitor in the midst of the world flooring, which learn, “9 MINUTES.”
“I’ve been around for 25 (expletive) years! I should get more than one minute per song!” Armstrong then smashed his guitar in half, as bassist Mike Dirnt slammed his instrument into the amps stacked behind him.
The band then stormed off, feelings smoldering. Rihanna adopted, and honesty I keep in mind nothing of her set.
And, guests and locals alike can be taught extra or revisit Green Day’s historical past on the Punk Rock Museum, a considerate and exhaustively conceived tribute to punk tradition, proper right here in Las Vegas.
John Katsilometes’ column runs day by day within the A piece. His “PodKats!” podcast may be discovered at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
