Finally, the wait is over … The Hella Mega Tour is rolling through the world, well right now through the United States. This Pegasus unicorn guitar shredding monster is visiting baseball ballparks across the states sine July and finally landed in Philadelphia. Originally scheduled for 2020, and pushed back to this year, with more to come in 2022. This is really a hell of a mega tour – consisting of alt rock legends Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer, and supported by The Interrupters.
On a beautiful summer evening the first ones to hit the stage in the City of Brotherly Love were ska punk rockers from City of Angels The Interrupters. The band consists of three brothers, Jesse Bivona on drums, Justin Bivona on bass and Kevin Bivona on guitar and Aimee Allen at vocals. On tour they are joined by Billy Kottage playing organ and trombone. They have released three studio albums to date, with their latest Fight the Good Fight released in 2018. Their set consisted of eight songs. While I firmly believe that they were excellent, I had to go though rush hour traffic in Philly to try to find a parking spot. From speaking to those lucky ones who witnessed their performance, it was upbeat, energetic, and wholesomely excellent.
Next came Weezer. Well, Weezer are Weezer, no matter what. Don’t care about nothing attitude was on full display. The band’s founding “father” Rivers Cuomo looked just like that, a dad from 1980’s with relaxed jeans, red shoes, leather jacket and sporting a full-grown mullet and mustache to go with it too. Stage lights and décor seemed to be inspired by 80’s colorful neon style. They started with Hero which was preceded with Van Halen’s Jump intro. Hero is the single from their latest album called Van Weezer which is bands venture into more hard rock territory. They followed with fan favorite Hash Pipe. I would have wished for more high-pitched voice from Rivers as it is on record, but all is ok. This song was a blast.
The whole stadium was dancing and singing to the Beverly Hills, Pork and Beans, Undone – The Sweater Song, Say it Ain’t So and Buddy Holly. Well, all songs were great, but these are the ones that everybody knows. Even Toto’s Africa cover was amazing. Whole set was good feel rock’n’roll in relaxed atmosphere. As always Patrick Wilson on drums was cool and collected with facial expressions that of a wife who heard her husband’s latest joke. Scott Shriner was livid on bass, and Brian Bell on the guitar probably just made it to the show last second as he sported a Sunoco gas station employee shirt.
Fall Out Boy followed. However, nothing earlier predicted a little twist in the event. While the stage was prepped some ominous clouds rolled over ballpark in Philly. About ten minutes before the band was scheduled to come on, the torrential downpour ensued. While at first moment fans were somewhat cheering on, soon everyone become drenched, and some nervously thought if the show will go on. And the show, indeed went on.
The band came out to the loud cheers and performed their “rebirth” song The Phoenix. This song comes from their fifth studio album called Save Rock’n’Roll and marked their first album since a four-year hiatus they took back in 2009. Pete Wentz on bass had mounted a flame thrower and was using it indiscriminately during the song, as to chase the rain away. Altogether pyros and flames were a huge part of the set. That was followed with Sugar, We’re Goin Down and Irresistible. The band’s vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump went on the stage extension to salute fans during the downpour as to say thanks for sticking around, but I don’t think anyone thought of leaving, and this experience will go down as the one you tell your grandkids.
The Grammy nominated, Platinum certified band played all their hits to the packed stadium including Uma Thurman, Centuries and Dance, Dance. Their set was electrifying and energetic, exactly what the fans needed.
As the sun was gone and night came, so did the main attraction of the day – Green Day that is. Their march to the stage was preceded by Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody playing aloud from the speakers and the whole stadium sang it just like Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor were on the stage. It was followed by another classic – Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop that was serving as the intro for Green Day’s arrival.
Green Day started with American Idiot which included Billie Joe Armstrong addressing crowd to put the phones down and enjoy the moment by saying “You guys have been on those for all year”, and I must say almost everyone did live in that moment disconnected from our everyday dependence on technology.
There were a lot of emotions going through the crowd as Boulevard of Broken Dreams was performed with people this time reaching for the phones to illuminate the stadium in many bright lights, as to liberate themselves from all the hardships that we all went through as of late.
Brain Stew, When I Come Around, 21 Guns, Basket Case, Know Your Enemy, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Good Riddance were just a half of all the amazing songs Green Day performed. Tre Cool on drums and Mike Dirnt on bass were just as electric as Billie Joe, feeding that energy off the crowd and returning it tenfold. They played their songs effortlessly and perfectly and put up a really professional and amazing show.
All together this whole tour delivers on it’s promise. It is Hella Mega tour. Hella Mega excitement that is!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Andris Jansons
