From Fans on Stage to Political Statements: Green Day Rocks Out At This Year’s Coachella

Coachella is officially known as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The world-famous music festival is held annually at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Known for its diverse range of musical genres, including indie, electronic, rock, hip hop, and pop, the festival draws large crowds each year.

This year’s festival took place over two weekends in April, delivering a month of continuous music entertainment. Coachella was livestreamed on YouTube, allowing fans to experience the performances from home! Headliners included Lady Gaga, Post Malone, Travis Scott, and Green Day, making their first appearance at the festival.

Green Day’s debut performance at Coachella was a nostalgic and thrilling event for both longtime fans and newcomers! Crowds were huge, but Coachella wasn’t always this way. Before we dive into Green Day, let’s look back at Coachella’s rocky beginnings to their current worldwide success.

Coachella’s history

Coachella was founded in 1999 by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen. They owned a concert promotion company called Goldenvoice, which was struggling. Tollet and Santen wanted to create a festival that would bring together various artists who had a large following but were not exactly “hit” artists.

The first Coachella was held in October 1999 and featured headliners Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine. The lineup blended musical genres, Morrissey, the Chemical Brothers, Jurassic 5, and others. Although the festival received positive reviews, it failed financially, mostly because it was announced two months before its start date.

As a result, Coachella did not occur again until 2001. This time, the festival was held in April as a one-day event headlined by Jane’s Addiction. The festival did not see big success until 2004 when it sold out. That year’s festival had over eighty acts, including headliners Radiohead, The Cure, and Pixies.

Green Day are punk rock legends

The American punk rock band, Green Day, formed in 1987, is still huge and rocking out like never before. Consisting of members Billie Joe Armstrong (vocalist, guitarist), Mike Dirnt (bass), and Tré Cool (drums), the band found tremendous success after their third studio album, Dookie, was released in 1994. Featuring well-known rock classics like “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around,” the album won Green Day the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album in 1995, revealing the band’s popularity.

Since then, Green Day has continued to deliver classic punk rock masterpieces, including Insomniac (1995) and Nimrod (1997). Albums like American Idiot (2004) and 21st Century Breakdown (2009) feature fan favorites “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “21 Guns.” Their unique musical energy and powerful lyrics earned them a well-deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

In 2024, Green Day released their fourteenth studio album, Saviors, featuring songs like “Bobby Sox” and “Dilemma.” They announced The Saviors Tour, a major stadium tour across North America, Europe, and the UK to support their release. During the tour, Green Day performed both Dookie and American Idiot in their entirety to celebrate the albums’ anniversaries. Fans were treated to an unforgettable show that lasted nearly three hours, filled with new hits and classic favorites.

Green Day takes over the desert

This year, Coachella took place on the weekends of April 11-13 and April 18-20. Green Day headlined the festival’s Saturday shows, bringing their distinct rock energy to the California desert. With flames and fireworks bursting into the sky, there were several highlights from Green Day’s first Coachella night. Check out this incredible performance of “American Idiot” from the first weekend of Coachella!

Eagerly awaiting Green Day’s performance, the audience joined together to sing along to Queen’s powerful anthem, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Punk Bunny, the mascot of Punk Bunny Coffee, then came out on stage to dance to the Ramones song “Blitzkrieg Bop.” An epic montage of photos and music videos showcasing Green Day’s Dookie and American Idiot eras filled the stage screens.

The band’s iconic American Idiot symbol, a hand clutching a heart grenade, was inflated at the back of the stage. In a brief moment, the band erupted into the opening riff of “American Idiot,” and the crowd went wild. As with every classic Green Day show, the song’s lyrics were changed to “I’m not part of a MAGA agenda.”

The setlist was loaded with thundering songs like “Holiday” and “Hitchin’ a Ride,” as well as the sentimental “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” When they played the song “Know Your Enemy,” Billie Joe Armstrong was joined on stage by Brooke, a beaming fan from the crowd. During “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” the large audience held up their phone flashlights, transforming Coachella into a starry night.

Weekend 2 brings Flavor Flav, fans, and more fun

The second weekend at Coachella was just as electrifying as the first. It had a thrilling start when the active Punk Bunny came on stage to dance. The crowd roared when the bunny mask was removed, revealing the famous rapper, Flavor Flav!

The setlist was nearly identical to the first night, featuring the fan favorite, “Know Your Enemy.” Billie Joe picked out another diehard Green Day fan to join him onstage. Stephany got to experience the energy of the music as she rocked out in front of the massive crowd.

The band then surprised the audience by performing their early 90s track, “Knowledge,” a cover of Operation Ivy. A lucky fan joined the stage to play guitar! As she walked off the stage and Billie started playing “Basket Case,” he turned to the fan and exclaimed into the microphone, “You get to keep the guitar!”

What’s next for Green Day after Coachella?

More excitement is undoubtedly on its way for Green Day and their fans! On May 1st, the band received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Family, special guests, and hundreds of fans were there to celebrate Green Day’s success.

Green Day recently announced a deluxe edition of Saviors, which will be titled Saviors (édition de luxe). The album will be released on May 23rd and include five new songs and acoustic versions of “Father to a Son” and “Suzie Chapstick.” Two of the five new songs, “Smash It Like Belushi” and “Ballyhoo,” are already available to listen to!

And if that isn’t enough, Green Day will continue headlining a few other festivals in the U.S. They will be playing at Welcome to Rockville and BottleRock Napa Valley. Then, in June, they will go around the world performing at other music festivals, such as Download Festival. Green Day will keep rocking and sharing their music, bringing joy to longtime fans and new listeners alike!