The Hella Mega Tour arrived at NYC’s Citi Field on August 4th, with a lineup that was scheduled to feature Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Weezer and the Interrupters.
The major news of the afternoon broke that Fall Out Boy wouldn’t be playing this gig or the next scheduled stop on the tour, due to a positive Covid-19 test from a member of the band’s team. Regardless, the rest of the bands on the bill soldiered on, and even brought a bit of FOB’s spirit to the show.
Here are five moments that stood out:
The Interrupters Rock Out Early
For the fans gathered early, Los Angeles rockers The Interrupters brought some electric energy to the early evening of the show. Lead singer Aimee Interrupter showcased command of the entire stage from the get-go, sprinting around and engaging fans on all sides. On the anthemic track “By My Side”, bassist Justin Bovona and guitarist Kevin Bovona helped lead the audience in a big clap-along. And on “Take Back the Power,” Aimee Interrupter delivered some rollicking call-and-response from the extension of the main stage that put her up close and personal with the front-row fans. The band was also the first to nod to Fall Out Boy’s iconic “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” with a rollicking cover.
Weezer Also Bring the Spirit of Fall Out Boy to the Show
Midway through the set, lead singer Rivers Cuomo reached the front of the stage by himself. Much to the delight of the audience, he also launched solo into “Sugar We’re Goin Down.” Even a minor mid-song slip-up couldn’t slow him down — the audience eagerly belted out all the words. Elsewhere in the set, Weezer leaned heavily on some of their Blue Album favorites like “Undone – The Sweater Song,” “Say It Ain’t So” and “Buddy Holly.” The latter served as their set closer, with the fans pulsing to the track and giving a huge, well-earned ovation for the crowd-pleasing set.
Green Day Take Fans Back to 2004
After much anticipation, it was time for Green Day to take the stage for the headlining set. Before the band took the stage, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” blared over the PA, and the crowd eagerly sang along as the stadium was aglow with cell phone lights. As the band emerged onstage, they immediately got the crowd moshing with an awesome one-two combo of American Idiot’s title track, followed by “Holiday.” (The set leaned most heavily on their 2004 opus, and generally on their older classics.) “Let’s have a human experience,” lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong roared midway through “American Idiot.” “We need voices, we need to dance together, we need to sing together!” For the next couple of hours, the fans at Citi Field were more than willing to help.
Crowd Control
“Bohemian Rhapsody” was a fitting intro track for the band, because Armstrong truly did his best Freddie Mercury-at-Live Aid impression, generating huge hey-ohhh calls and responses throughout the set, particularly on “Hitchin’ a Ride.” Whether it was Armstrong, or the ever-expressive drummer Tré Cool or bassist Mike Dirnt, the band’s electric and masterful stage presence captivated the audience from the get-go. Their fan engagement culminated in an unforgettable moment during their cover of Operation Ivy’s “Knowledge.” After surveying the crowd, Armstrong spotted a fan holding a poster that read “I can play all your songs on guitar!” With the singer’s blessing, the lucky fan took the stage and did not miss a beat, strumming along before stage diving back into the crowd to a sea of awaiting arms.
Dirnt’s Bass Lines and Armstrong’s Voice Shine
Thankfully, Dirnt’s amps were cranked up nice and loud, so the crowd could hear some of the most iconic bass lines in pop-punk. The bassist took the spotlight on “Longview,” and his work also stood out on their epic “Jesus of Suburbia.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the church of rock and roll,” Green Day lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong declared on the latter. No track better encapsulated all the elements of Green Day’s dynamic live setup, from fiery pyrotechnics, huge clapalongs and explosive fireworks to close out the track.
Throughout the set, Armstrong’s robust voice also helped carry rip-roaring classics like “St. Jimmy” or “Basket Case.” But it was during the quieter moments when his voice truly got to shine, like on the slower opening to “21 Guns,” as well as wistful tracks like “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” The latter served as the set’s closer, and emotive end to another chapter in live music’s return amid the pandemic.
“I can’t tell you how much this shit means to me,” Armstrong said. “This is our favorite thing to do, to see people dancing and singing together.”
