August 21, 2017 -- Cleveland, OH -- Green Day, Catfish and the Bottlemen

Venue:  Blossom Music Center

Green Day was my first real favorite band.

In 1994, I was eleven years old and I discovered Green Day through their music videos on MTV and from some of their songs being played on local rock stations.  I was kind of obsessed with their songs 'Longview' and 'Basket Case'.

Their 1994 album 'Dookie' was the first album I ever asked for a present, and my parents got me it on tape on my birthday in January of 1995.  I wore out that tape, but I only every listened to the singles over and over again.

Throughout Green Day's lifespan, they have released many album of varying quality and they have gone about as main stream as a band can get, and for many reasons, I kind of fell out of being a fan.  I remember really liking the album 'American Idiot', and I still think it has a few good songs, but my opinion of that album and of the band turned sour after hearing those songs played for the 1 millionth time.

I had an opportunity to see Green Day at Lollapalooza 2010 and instead opted to see the band Phoenix, which was a good choice at the time, considering Phoenix were touring on their awesome 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' album.

I wanted to see Green Day to "check that box" and finally see a band that was an important part first step in nurturing my love of music.

My friend Chuck agreed to go to this show at Blossom with me, but he was probably more excited to see Catfish and the Bottlemen again.

The show was crowded and cloudy.  Blossom parking is always atrocious.  You park at least a mile from the venue unless you get there hours on advance, and leaving is worse unless you get out to your car before the music ends.

Catfish and the Bottlemen put on a good show and so did Green Day.

Green Day played probably half of 'Dookie' and a third of 'American Idiot'.  Billie Joe Armstrong's voice sounded great for his age.  Twenty-some years after I heard him on my tape he still sounded the same.

They brought a kid up on stage, had him play guitar and then gave him the guitar.  I had read a review of another show and discovered that they do this at every show, which is fine, but I hate when bands repeat the same songs AND experience or banter.

Once or twice during the show I felt a twinge of how I felt when I used to listen to 'Dookie' on my Sony Cassette Walkman.  They played 'Longview' and I sang along and then it all washed away when they played some newer song.

Sometimes it's good to go back and try to feel a certain way again.  It's not always healthy to chase after nostalgia and an old feeling, but it can be good for your heart.

Chuck and I left two songs before the end of the show and walked the mile or two back to my car and slipped quietly out of a packed Blossom parking lot.

I have no regrets.