Holiday: Ameican Idiot Review JP Style

When I was little, I always wanted to be in New York because such cool things went on.

When I was in 4th grade and had a random snow day, I went to my friend Kim's house. The "When I Come Around" video came on and she LOVED IT. I could have passed on it.

When I was a senior in high school, I took my friend to the Blink 182 show for her birthday. Green Day happened to be opening. Another friend (Mallory) gave me their greatest hits. Ah, whatever, I loved the greatest hits though.

As a Junior in college, I bought American Idiot after hearing Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I thought it was great and gave the CD to my brother. Today, he's a bigger fan than I. I also took him to the Dallas American Idiot Tour stop a day before I had to start my senior year of college. And promptly declared it the best concert I'd ever seen.

Then I graduated from college and ended up in New York City. My friend Zoe visits and insists we go to a musical. I picked Spring Awakening. It made a musical lover out of me. (My reaction post) So after SA closes, there are rumblings of the director of Spring Awakening teaming up with Green Day to make American Idiot a musical. What?!?! Me=sold.

So it opens in Berkeley, and transfers to Broadway. After a super super crappy week, MTV emails me to tell me I won a contest (what, people actually win these things?!). Well, I got a "special performance" of American Idiot on Broadway. I ask my friend Kira because she always gets me great birthday presents, so I owe her one. I pick my tickets up. They're in the 5th row. Hello!! No more words as to why this a special performance. We settle in. American Idiot begins. And then John Gallagher Jr opens his mouth. He's got a great voice, fun presence, and he's hot as a punk kid. The show is GREAT. While it may not be typical Broadway, it's fun Broadway. Fun story line and great performers. My favorite numbers: Boulevard of Broken Dreams and 21 Guns. Whatsername has THE BEST voice in the show.

So after the curtain call, they close the curtains and reopen. Everyone of the performers has a guitar and they sing Time of Your Life. Gasp. Sigh. It was SO GOOD.

So then a camera man walks up, and freakin Billie Joe goes by. Then Mike and Tres appear on the stage. And HOLY COW. New York Moment: They pick up instruments and the place EXPLODES. Not just the audience, but the actors are so genuinely stoked they can't stand still either. And they play American Idiot. On a Broadway Stage. 5 rows in front of me. Then the cast wants one more song. So we get BASKETCASE.

And this is why New York rocks. Because I won tickets to a Green Day Broadway musical and Green Day freakin showed up and played.

Now I've got the next few musical events, b/c that was just the first one: Hanson x2, Bamboozle, and an ECLIPSE TRAILER.