Keep it up and your face is gonna get stuck like that, Mike Dirnt.
ERNEST JASMIN

So how is it that Green Day, of all the alt-rock hit makers of the 1990s, is still packing arenas like few bands this side of U2?

And what's the deal with "21st Century Breakdown," yet another high falutin' concept album about American mores? Didn’t these guys used to write three-chord punk anthems about masturbation? On albums called “Dookie?” And are they just trying to make up for paving the way for New Found Glory and Good Charlotte at this point?

So many questions in the days leading up to the band's tour launch at Seattle's KeyArena. And at least that question about the band's longevity was soundly addressed by last night's performance.

The band may have been somewhat two-dimensional back in the day, but songs like "Brain Stew" and "Longview" are still undeniably catchy. And the increasingly diverse new songs benefit from apparent study of the best of arena rockers past and present, with riffs that recall everyone from the Kinks (a la "Horseshoes and Handgrenades") to Marilyn Manson (that first part of "East Jesus Nowhere" is effective "Antichrist Superstar" lite.)

But nearly four years had passed since the “American Idiot” tour dropped in on the Tacoma Dome, so I'd almost forgotten how much singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool look like they're having every time they play, and what a special bond they have with their fans, which always wind up on stage in some capacity. Here are a few scenes from the early set.

The band’s unofficial mascot, an afflicted looking pink rabbit with a nasty drinking problem, was back from the “American Idiot” tour. He staggered up and down the catwalk, chugging brews, dry humping the stage and otherwise getting fans hyped for the main attraction. But seriously, it’s time for an intervention, Bugs.
ERNEST JASMIN

Green Day kicked off their set with the title track, “Know Your Enemy” and “East Jesus Nowhere” from the new album. Put the band's pop-punk label aside, and the newer sounds – which hint at a whole slew of classic rockers, from the Kinks to AC/DC – are a natural progression from what Green Day does best; namely deliver arena rock anthems that stick in your head long after the last power chord has faded.
ERNEST JASMIN

“Alright, who wants to hear some old s---?” Armstrong inquired before his band dusted off fan favorite, “Geek Stink Breath.” The middle part of the set was dedicated to radio hits like "Brain Stew," "Longview" and "Basket Case," with pyrotechnic blasts, cascading sparks and towering flames punctuating the music. “King For a Day” was a set highlight, as on previous tours, with the band donning funky hats and Armstrong incorporating bits of the Isley Brothers’ classic “Shout” and Ben E. King’s “Lean on Me” into the lyrical mix.
ERNEST JASMIN

And there was the expected crowd participation, part of what makes every Green Day set special. The band didn't recruit an entire replacement band from the audience, as on previous tours. But Armstrong did pluck a couple of fans from the audience to sing verses on “Longview.” He probably got more than he bargained for when the second one, a dude, gave him an awkward, lingering kiss before singing his lines. Is it just me, or did Billie Joe edge away just a little bit as the fan declared, “Who wants to (make love to) him?” Armstrong seemed to think it was pretty funny, though, and called the guy back onstage to take the customary stage dive back into the crowd. Later, during Green Day's encore, another kid held his own, playing lead guitar for “Jesus of Suburbia.” Hey, maybe hours of Guitar Hero does pay off?
ERNEST JASMIN