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Green Day is nothing, if not always, a political act. And so of course there was something to be expected as a statement during their debut headlining performance at Coachella on Saturday night, when they tweaked the lyrics of “Jesus of Suburbia” to reflect the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine.
While performing the song, lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong sang, “Runnin’ away from pain, like the kids from Palestine / Tales from another broken home.” The original song lyrics from 2004’s “American Idiot” were, “Runnin’ away from pain when you’ve been victimized.”
Last month, Armstrong pulled a similar lyric alteration from the same song while performing in Australia, singing, “Am I retarded, or am I just J.D. Vance?” The lyric replaced, “Am I retarded, or am I just overjoyed?”
These political moments are nothing new for Green Day, who gave a career-spanning epic set at Coachella, largely banked on their arsenal of hits and top-shelf performance. There’s only so many times that you can beat the drum that longevity is based on showmanship at the crossroads of excellence. And yet, the drum beats on, at least for the band’s show, stacked with decades of generational smashes without any of the wear that a life in rock superstardom can imbue.
It was compelling to bear witness to the breadth of activism that’s coded into their discography throughout their hour-and-a-half set, which came just after Bernie Sanders introduced Clairo at the adjacent stage with a condemnation of the current administration. Green Day’s music is an act of rebellion, as is the punk scene that molded them, and amid the pop and rock smashes that powered their set, it gave their performance that much potency as they ran back hits from the early 1990s through their most recent album “Saviors.”
Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” blared in full to set off the performance, somewhat serendipitous, given that Benson Boone gave a career-defining appearance the night before with a rendition of the hit alongside Brian May. What ensued was an assailing factory line of hits, accented by political statements: “I’m not part of the MAGA agenda,” sang Armstrong on opener “American Idiot.” “This song is anti-war,” he stated before “Holiday.”
Their politics were clear, but it’s the freedom of opinion and assuredness that propelled them. Coachella was rife with the biggest hits — “Basket Case,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “When I Come Around” — mixed with fan favorites like “Brain Stew” and “Minority.” Green Day has the uncanny ability to make every song sound like a hit, regardless of its initial impact. It’s a testament to the value of personality, something that they regularly exude.
Indeed, who else but Armstrong would invite not one, but two, separate audience members to support the band on a few songs? During “Know Your Enemy,” a girl named Brooke came on stage to sing alongside Armstrong. She nailed the moment, covering her mouth in disbelief. Later, another audience member strapped on Armstrong’s guitar for closer “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” much more assured in his abilities. Few bands are so finely chiseled that they can count on the confidence of strangers; that only happens when you know you’ve achieved full potential.
