Green Day – Target Field – Minneapolis, MN – August 17th, 2024

Green Day with The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas – Target Field – Minneapolis, MN – August 17th, 2024

Presents by Live Nation and Crush

Green Day’s Saviors Tour was an epic punk rock party for a packed Target Field in Minneapolis, MN on August 17fh, 2024.  From beginning to end, the show was a power-packed spectacle including The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas and culminating with an intensely high energy and captivating  performance of the entirety of “Dookie” and “American Idiot” by Green Day.  

Los Angeles based all-female punk-pop group The Linda Lindas started off the night with a blast of youthful energy.  From the minute they took the stage, their smiles and powerful playing enchanted the crowd.  For such a young group to be part of a touring package lined with legends in the punk/alternative genre, it would be expected that they would have an amazing performance, and they exceeded these expectations with an unbelievably vibrant and well-performed set.  At just 14 years old, drummer/vocalist Mila de la Garza was center stage and just captivated with her composure and talent in front of such a massive stadium crowd. 

Bassist Eloise Wong worked the stage like a seasoned professional (despite being only 16) with a joy emanating from her smile that was infectious and showed the true joy of being in such an awe-inspiring experience.  Rounded out by Mila’s sister Lucia de Garza and Bela Salazar on guitar and vocals, the Linda Lindas showed true musical power and potential – rocking the catwalk like veterans of the stage.  It will be inspiring to see where these young stars end up in the music world in coming years.

Punk rock veterans Rancid took the stage next, with an explosive start to their set, opening with “Maxwell Murder”.  The sun glaring directly on stage at Target Field didn’t stop the energy of lead vocalist/guitarist Tim Armstrong, who was all over the stage with his classic punk energy and jumps. Lars Frederiksen’s characteristic guitar riffs blasted through the arena, and their sound embodied that classic punk feel that they are legends in the genre for. They’re such a relatable band for fans old and new, with the socially and emotionally significant themes of their music and lyrics, and they were clearly enjoying having a fun performance with the crowd, joking about the one Oakland A’s fan in the crowd at every show, and then being surprised to find a second one.  They closed their set with favorites “Time Bomb” (dedicated to those A’s fans) and “Ruby Soho”, with the crowd joining in to sing at the end of the performance.  All these years later, they showed that they really are still at the top of their craft, and so dedicated and loyal to their roots, their genre, and their fan base.  

Alternative icons The Smashing Pumpkins followed next, with Billy Corgan taking the stage in his distinctive priest-like robe and starting off their set with “The Everlasting Gaze”.  The newest addition to the band, Kiki Wong on guitar, replacing long time guitarist J.J. Schroeder, was absolutely on fire, and her performance stole the show with beautiful tones and such vibrant energy and charisma on stage.  Jimmy Chamberlin’s drums shone in the setting sun, and his technical and powerful drumming was echoing off the walls at Target Field.  While the Smashing Pumpkins have a characteristically more subdued energy, their power comes in the subtleties of the intricate riffs and unique rhytms and sounds.  Cogan’s voice was impeccable as they played through a set of their best known hits, including “Today”, “Disarm”, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings”,  and “Tonight, Tonight”, and they closed their performance with a brilliant performance of “Zero”.  

The finale of the night and headlining performance of Green Day was nothing short of monumental.  From beginning to end of the marathon 2 ½ hour performance, their energy was captivating and infectious.  They started off their set with “The American Dream is Killing Me” to a fury of fire cannons and explosive energy.  Billie Joe Armstrong’s voice was absolute perfection, and throughout the long performance remained full of beautiful tones and paired flawlessly with the amazing harmonies of bassist Mike Dirnt that embody the classic Green Day songs, particularly in “Basketcase” and “Welcome to Paradise”.  The show included a full playthrough of 1994’s “Dookie” and 2004’s “American Idiot”, complete with a gorgeous stage setup with graphic imagery from their album art, an amazing pyrotechnics display, and fun props, including an inflatable replica of the American Idiot heart shaped hand grenade. As the night went on, the energy never faltered, and just continued to draw the crowd futher and futher in and this energy,In particular, Billie Joe Armstong’s smile and connection with the crowd, amplified the performance to an unbelievable level. 

It’s extremely apparent that 30 years later, he still enjoys every second of being on that stage and connecting with their fans.  During “Know Your Enemy”, there was the most beautiful moment when he pulled a fan, Miranda, up on stage, who absolutely nailed her part while Armstrong watched with his smile beaming with pride. It was also a touching moment to see how Green Day’s music has trickled down to the next generation, entertaining and inspiring a whole new group of kids and young adults.  After all, as Armstrong said, this moment, their performance, the music world, is about community and love and connection in our disconnected and divisive world, and during the multiple times during the set that he had the crowd sing along, that community was so profound it brought chills.  They closed their epic performance with a fitting encore of “Good Riddance” capped with a fireworks display to end one of the most memorable concerts seen at Target Field.

Review and photos by Kate Klaus