For nearly four decades, Green Day have been the snot-nosed saviours of punk rock. Whether they’re spewing political commentary or delivering tongue-in-cheek bursts of vulgarity, Billie Joe Armstrong and his brat-pack’s tunes have soundtracked multiple generations of rock fans – and, tonight, the California punks are celebrating the anniversary of two of their most defining records.
While the birthday bash will be marking Dookie and American Idiot’s respective 30th and 20th anniversaries, the set will also be ticking off a glaring gap on Green Day’s bucketlist: performing at Download. Somehow, the gang have never graced the Donington Park stage – and, as the screen flashes with clips from across the years, from fresh-faced Kerplunk rascals to matured Revolution Radio rockers, it feels like they’re making up for lost time, acquainting their past selves with the festival grounds they wouldn’t see until their 50s.
