Billie, Mike, and Tre share stories of performing in small clubs on their way up with surprise strippers and how they made it to top in this EXCLUSIVE Lounge Press Conference
Green Day has headlined Lollapalooza, packed Wrigley Field, and is still after their lengthy career one of biggest rock bands in the world. which means big crowds. They are now accustomed to performing in front of massive audiences all around the world, but last night Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt played with some of their best musical friends played to less than 200 people at the Ivy Room in Alabny, New York. It was not exactly ‘Green Day’ but rather ‘The Coverups’. Yes. that’s right these Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famers just wanted to let loose and play their favorite songs from Tom Petty.the Ramones, Psychedelic Furs, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Cheap Trick, and more. The show was a ‘secret’ and did not advertise any connection to Green Day, so those they knew the good word got one memorable night of epic live intimate rock.
This is so organic and fun to see musicians who are so purely connected to their musical roots after so many years of otherworldly success.
And thanks to a faithful Youtube channel AdmiralNeeds who filmed the show and posted the whole wondrous show online. The poster also shared tidbits about the show including highlights from the between-song banter, what the vibe was like in the room, and the set-list from this wild night.
Other Tidbits:
Billie Joe: I’ve done some time down here in Albany…
The Ivy Room is a bar and music venue which has a capacity of only 196 people. There were about 100 friends and family in attendance and essentially a private show, but was also open to fans who were able to figure out the clues the band left on their social media pages. Admission was only $10, and with it, we also got a raffle ticket. Many joke prizes were raffled off, including such items as a sex doll, personal humidifier, drink coupons and a penis enlarging pump, lol. The grand prize was a very nice Les Paul guitar. The Coverups, Billie Joe, Mike Dirnt, Jason White, Bill Schneider, Lee Bothwick and Chris Dugan, all hung out after the show, talking with the fans and taking pictures.
For ‘American Girl’, Jason Beebout of Samiam, a punk band from Berkeley, California, sang the lead vocals while fans in the 1st row held up the lyrics sheet for him.
Billie Joe (before ‘I Fought the Law’): The (sex doll) looks just like him! lol Jason White: I think this bar band thing could work out for us…
Many of the fans recognized each other from previous Green Day concerts. Some even recognized each other from the concert at 924 Gilman the previous night! However, because the Ivy Room could only allow in fans 21 years old and over, some fans could not make it.
Billie Joe (after ‘Surrender’): Yes… We are all right… It’s going to be all right… with all the fu*ked up sh*t going on right now… it’s going to be all right. It’s like when you’re having a night terror, but it’s happening 24 hours a day…
Setlist:
1. Color me Impressed (The Replacements cover)
2.
3. I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones cover)
4. Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones cover)
5. I Fought the Law (The Crickets cover)
6. Bastards of Young (The Replacements cover)
7. Neat Neat Neat (The Damned cover)
8. A Million Miles Away (The Plimsouls cover)
9. American Girl (Tom Petty cover) (with Jason Beebout)
10. Pretty in Pink (The Psychedelic Furs cover) 11. Teenage Kicks (The Undertones cover)
12. Dancing With Myself (Generation X cover)
13. I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramones cover)
14. Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover)
15. Happy (The Rolling Stones cover)
16. Surrender (Cheap Trick cover)
17. Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric cover)
18. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding (Nick Lowe cover)
