Now, we're not (too) ashamed to admit that we've loved Green Day ever since their first (no longer on Lookout) album from 1990. But.... come on, they're playing SBC Park? Who's the American Idiot now? We took so long to decide if we wanted to go to the show that by the time we bought our tickets, the only seats left were in the row that's second from the very top of the entire stadium.

So it turns out that the only people who procrastinate over their arena rock tickets more than ambivalent sellouts like yours truly are.... truly devoted teenage fans from the East Bay who required months and months of pleading before a parent reluctantly agreed to brave the drive into San Francisco on a Saturday night to give the kids some fun. This was totally the best crowd we've ever seen a show with. They knew the lyrics to every single song! "ST. JIMMY'S COMING DOWN, ACROSS THE ALLEYWAY!!!!" They shrieked their hearts out! When Billie Joe asked for volunteers to come on stage to play with the band, they raised their hands! (Did we mention that we were in the second to the very top row in the top tier of the stadium?) They bought big foam fingers that said GREEN DAY on them!! How can you not believe in the redemptive power of rock and roll?