Green Day’s rise from cherub-cheeked, van-dwelling pop-punk road dogs to stadium rock stars, with all the pomp and glitter canons that goes with it, remains one of modern music’s most unlikely ascensions.
That they’re more Bryan Adams than they are The Ramones means the term punk only really applies to their tailored wardrobes these days, but for every fan they’ve lost over the past decade, they’ve gained five.
Billie Joe Armstrong leads the trio through a live set collected from dates all over the world during 2009-2010; where exactly is irrelevant, as each night is as slick as the last. Though the showmanship is schlocky in places there’s no denying the brute pop power of American Idiot, the multitude of mid-tempo anthems, and earlier, wistful tunes like Christie Road.
The package – which includes a 16-track DVD – proves the East Bay trio still thrill.
