Green Day, one of the United States’ most popular punk-influenced bands, descended on Bluesfest for the first time Friday, deploying a volley of hits during a momentous main-stage performance that drew a huge crowd to the plaza of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park.
Under clear skies and refreshingly cool temperatures, the legendary rockers worked hard to make it a great show, winning over a crowd that had been buzzing with anticipation for weeks.
In fact, it was hard to tell who was more into it, the fans of all ages packed shoulder to shoulder singing along to every word, or the band members rejoicing that they weren’t at home in Trump’s America.
“This is Ottawa. This is Canada,” bellowed singer-songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong at one point. “This is not America.”
In that spirit, the protest-minded American Idiot made a perfect starting point, with lyrics tweaked to reflect the current political situation. It was followed by the still-relevant, anti-war anthem, Holiday, and the 2009 advisory Know Your Enemy, which also carries some pertinent messages for today’s voters (and featured a fan from the audience shout-singing along on stage).
Come to think of it, most of the Green Day catalogue has aged remarkably well, largely thanks to the combination of smart songwriting and the resurgence of an uncertain political climate. Core members Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt, now in their 50s, looked to be in great shape, too.
Instead of dwelling on the issues of the day, however, they made the concert great fun, feeding off the energy that emanated from the crowd. When he wanted to gauge reaction, Armstrong shouted “Hey-O” and listened for the echo. When he wanted to rage, it was “Let’s go crazy, Ottawa.”
Armstrong was so impressed with everything that he announced a new headquarters for the California-based band.
“I’m not going home,” he declared. “We are Green Day from Ottawa, from now on.”
The love grew with each song, from Boulevard of Broken Dreams to Longview, Welcome to Paradise, Dilemma, 21 Guns, Basket Case and more. A final singalong, this time on the melodic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), lulled listeners into a sense of bliss as the show ended, only for a dazzling fireworks display to provide the real climax.
Earlier in the evening, the punk-themed night on the RBC main stage also featured L.A.’s Linda Lindas and Quebec’s Les Shirleys, two predominantly female groups that proved you don’t have to be a dude to rock out.
For their part, the Linda Lindas absolutely slayed, railing against the patriarchy with a blockbuster set. The quartet took their opening duties seriously.
“I feel like we need to get you warmed up for Green Day,” observed drummer
Mila de la Garza.
“I wanna see everybody moving and dancing along.”
Their songs bore the influence of pop, punk and something even thrashier, delivered with pounding drums and shredding guitars. The intense workout peaked with an urgent call for freedom in oppressed countries around the world, along with a plea to keep standing up for trans people and immigrants.
That impassioned outburst led into the scorching set-closer, Racist, Sexist Boy, sung by Eloise Wong in a most intimidating growl.
Fresh off three weeks in a van in Europe,
Les Shirley kicked things off on the RBC main stage with their own snappy set of pop-punk. On the River stage, another discovery was the stylish, multi-national ensemble of mostly women called Les Bitchos, who cruised through a series of sleek instrumentals that balanced groove and melody.
Two Ottawa bands demonstrated their talents on Friday, too. On the LeBreton stage, The Commotions mounted a big-band extravaganza, with the stellar voices of Rebecca Noelle and Jeff Rogers soaring over the soulful, horn-fattened sound, while newcomers Four Eyed Muscle Man constructed a solid indie-rock foundation around the powerhouse vocals of Soleil Crispin.
As for the blues highlight of the day, that honour went to Fantastic Negrito, the Oakland-bred performer who was making his first visit to Ottawa, accompanied by his band.
In front of a full house at the LeBreton stage, the singer-guitarist lived up to his name with a bluesy melange that wandered from hip hop to funk to gospel. A highlight was his unhurried and soul-stirring reworking of the old Leadbelly standard, In the Pines.
Bluesfest continues to Sunday, with Papa Roach and Daughtry holding down a Saturday-night rock bash, and Canadian mixtape wiz Kaytranada plying his beats on Sunday.
