Featured review by:
broken_bottles, on july 15, 2005 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: I've been a Green Day fan for a long time, and was really excited when I heard they'd be playing at the Milton Keynes Bowl, not far from where I live. They were supported by Hard-Fi, Taking Back Sunday and Jimmy Eat World. I will also review these bands performances briefly.
Hard Fi took to the stage first, and although they receieved a good audience response, the sound and timing of their performance was slightly off. However, the sound was sufficient.
Taking Back Sunday enjoyed a more cohesive sound, with blustering emo guitars and screamed impassioned vocals.
Jimmmy Eat World were the more polished sounding of the 3, with the most proficient singer. The sound quality was excellent, each note ringing loud and clear.
When Green Day took to the stage, it was as if the volume was turned up so much further. You could not fault their tight punchy powerchord filled sound, complete with wiry bass and pulsating propulsive drums. Billie's voice ranged from subdued snot nosed vocalising to rousing gravelly screams, and encompassed the emotions of each song excellently. It is also worth noting the skills of the accompanying musicians, especially the brass players, and, more notably, Jason Freese playing some killer sax. // 10
Perfomance: The performance given by Green Day was phenomenal. They have been together 16 years, and know how to put on a show. There are so many hightlights that I cannot possibly begin to describe the performance adequately. They played exactly what the audience wanted to hear: a perfect blend of old hits, new anthems and covers. A legendary Green Day moment occured when Billie summoned musicians from the audience to play a cover of Operation Ivy's Knowledge. From the start the performance was one huge punk rock explosion, and this was echoed in the lighting, stage effects, and excellent fireworks and pyrotechnics. The background of the stage also changed to reflect the mood and the song played. // 10
Impression: UK, Milton Keynes Bowl, MK, 18/06/05. I just loved this show. Right from 'American Idiot' opening the show, through to the impromptu audience band, to the encore of 'We Are The Champions', to Bille finally playing 'Time Of Your Life' to a sea of aloft lighters, the atmosphere was amazing, leaving you as intoxicated as the girls who had clearly too much beer and threw curry sauce over everyone. After two ours of Green Day, my shirt was ripped to pieces, I was covered in Beer, water, sweat and Christ knows what, I couldn't feel my legs or arms and I was caked in mud, but I felt awesome. Green Day had played an awesome show, and, love'em or hate 'em, they're such a fucking good live band. If you haven't seen them, I guarantee, even if you hate them, you will be bowled over by the sheer energy of these 3 upstarts from Berkeley, and, even more so by the little snot nosed man, wearing all black, saucer green eyes caked in eyeliner, bashing out powerchords on a Strat copy, singing "Do you have the time to listen to me whine?", because the answer to the will be, "yes, of course we f--king do". // 10
Reviewed by:
goodsum, on october 06, 2005 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: The leading band was Green Day, but before they came on there was Hard-Fi. Previously unheard of to me, they proved to be a great group. I would decribe them as the 'Madness' of today. I wasn't really motivated by their performance at the time, I was suffering from the heat too much to pay attention. But since I have bought their album which is brilliant. The next group was Taking Back Sunday, one of my favourite bands, they played some new stuff that I hadn't heard of before hand and the stuff I knew, but I loved watching them play anyway. The last group before Greenday was Jimmy Eat World, these really are one of the best bands on the planet. A totally alround great group. They put on as good of a performance as they could with the setup they had, they didn't capture the audience in the same way than at the UEA in Norwich a month or two before. Then Greenday came on, it was getting dark by this time which helped the atmoshpere, and the crowd just went wild. You could easily tell a massive gap in sound quality at this stage, the other groups revieved poor sound quality and no lighting on the stage which is my only complaint, but Greenday obviously wanted to be the main event so it may have been relevent just incase. But Greenday had the works going on. // 9
Perfomance: The three fronting acts were great, but no-one really got captivated by it, at that time it was way too hot to be able to go into the mosh. Green Day came on just when it started cooling down and got dark. They gave it their all, and even got the audience involved in making an on-stage group. BJ even gave away his guitar, that should have been me up there. // 10
Impression: The National Bowl, Milton Keynes arena was massive. It was the perfect setting for a great concert such as that. I went on the 18th of June, the hotter of the two days which was too hot for anyones liking. Green Day has masses of fireworks going off at the end of the concert, which was a brilliant display. Normally at these kinds of gigs, you have to get there early and 'reserve' your place near the front. We went up to the back at the top of the hill, but after about 10 minutes of Green Day being on we decided to get closer, and closer then even more closer. After a few annoyed people and angry faces we actually made it to the front of he whole crowd, but we didn't stay at the front for long, the pressure from everyone 'bundling' in was too much, I could barely breath and it got a bit much. I was rather disapointed with the amount of moshing, there tended to be mostly older people near the front just standing there, I wanted some moshing, that is what makes a gig. There was a designated area for the first 2,000 people right against the stage where the rest of us wasn't aloud in, which I found annoying. The attenance was 65,000 people, then another 65, 000 people for the next day aswell, which makes an attendance of 130,000 people over 2 days. A great gig. // 10
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 20, 2005 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Sound: OK this show was three bands (I own't count the awful entrance band, they were too bad to talk about), so I will talk about each seperately.
Taking Back Sunday - this is one of my favourite bands, with Jimmy Eat World too, and so this concert was a dream. TBS played amazingly. Both Adam and Fred sang amazingly, especially Fred, it was in time tune and tone and sounded almost exactly like the album. The guitarists used their SG Standards and Les Pauls (not sure which type, they looked weird). F--king awesome, the music sounded great, better than any live video I've seen of them. Maybe its 'cause I was there, but hey that's the point.
Jimmy Eat World - now this band kicked ass. The singers sounded amazing as always, the lead guitarist/singer was amazing. The music and singing seriously did sound exactly like the album, it's a reason why I love them, in every live video I've seen this. Zack used his SG and Jim used his Les Paul. Incredible performance. After Taking Back Sunday and Jimmy Eat World, I got what I came for.
Green Day - not my favourite band, but still a f--king excellent band and performance. Billy used his Fender and Les Pauls. The quality of sound was very good, I have to say I think Jimmy Eat World were better as a band live. But Green Day were all in time and tune. Billy sang very well. Very impressive, I preferred JEW and TBS but Green Day were superb. // 10
Perfomance: Hell yeah I enjoyed them. Every performance. There was a very aggressive mosh in TBS, and everyone was nackered already, JEW got yet more violent, and Green Day created riots. I am very hurt and worn out, but it was great. The whole concert was a battle to get water and to the front, tons of water fights, crowd surfing, moshing, riots, chav-beating sessions (since Green Day are mainstream). Lots of violence, I saw a dudes eye nearly ripped out, people passed out and I had my lip ring pulled out. All the better! Green Day had the visual effects - fire and fireworks. I shall not go through all the songs, but TBS played new songs. Jimmy Eat World played songs mainly from Bleed American and Futures, all the singles and more. Green Day played a range of songs from all albums, but I am disappointed they didn't play 'When I Come Around'. But this doesn't affect my attitude on the concert. // 10
Impression: It was England, Milton Keynes, London on 18th June, and it will be also on the 19th. The arena was great, my first open air concert. The openers I forgot their name but they were bad. Everything else made up for it. I loved everything about the show - the performances, songs, bands, even the riots etc. were great, even though I am now very ill. The tickets were 29 quid, worht the money I would have paid 60. The most unforgettable things: the bands performances, seeing my fave two bands in one gig and going crazy, the moshes and riots of course I couldn't forget if I tried. There was free water, the water fights were fun, and needed since it was so hot. It was fun being squashed up with some really fit girls, who weren't nude but still wearing very little. Thank you ladies! Yes I do have a girlfriend who's awesome, but she didn't come, which is lucky for her, she would have most probably died. // 10
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