Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong returned to the First Avenue Mainroom for the first time in three decades. Performing under his little-known side project Pinhead Gunpowder, the evening marked the beginning of the group’s tour and first performance outside of the East Coast.
Formed in 1991, Pinhead Gunpowder features Armstrong on guitar and vocals, Green Day guitar and bass technician Bill Schneider on bass and vocals, Green Day touring guitarist Jason White, and punk scene veteran Aaron Cometbus on drums.
Their discography spans numerous EPs in the early 90s and a full length 1997 album. More recently, the band released their second album Unt. This band can certainly be described as a deep cut and rarity. For superfans, getting to see them live was a long time coming.
Fans were lined up outside of First Avenue well before 6 am the morning of the show. Some I spoke with had just flown in and had plans of driving out to Chicago the next day to catch the band the following night at The Metro.
Well-studied Pinheads and fans of Green Day eager to see Billie Joe on an intimate stage were all treated to an incredible, barebones punk show. The entire time I was blown away by the reality of the show.
Think about it: On a random Wednesday night in October, modern rock’s most influential voice decided to do a punk side quest with his buds. How fucking cool is that?
I absolutely love when my favorite artists do projects like this; going from stadium shows to stripping it back to play music for the sake of playing music while giving the most in-the-know fans the experience of a lifetime. The room was full of passion and joy.
You could tell Billie Joe was in his element throughout the night. Breaking out of the often highly rehearsed moments of a Green Day show, there was a level of DIY and audience connection you rarely see from an artist like him. Throughout the night, he threw in some rhythmic jumps while playing guitar, and at one point absolutely ripped on the harmonica. Vocally, he was on point as he always is – with his instantly recognizable tone.
It wasn’t all Armstrong, of course. Co-vocalist Bill Schneider had his fair share of time on the microphone. His voice reminded me of Jimmy Eat World. He had the consistent sound of a well-read punk veteran. Drummer Aaron Cometbus was incredibly passionate throughout the performance, and Jason White delivered a strong stage presence and musicianship, well-earned from his years touring with Green Day.
Starting off the night’s roughly 1 hour set with their track “MPLS Song,” fans were reminded of Billie Joe’s roots in Minnesota as he met his wife playing a show at First Avenue. We can certainly claim Green Day’s frontman an honorary Minnesotan.
I don’t like to admit this as a writer, but I didn’t know any of their songs. Regardless, I felt engaged the entire night. There were plenty of moments of crowd interaction, moshing, crowd surfers, and this feeling of community. As a huge fan of Green Day, I loved getting to see one of my all-time favorite singers in this setting. Getting the opportunity to take photos in the pit was an unreal experience.
Overall, this performance reaffirmed my view of Billie Joe Armstrong as an artist and performer. This was a once-in-a-lifetime love letter to Green Day fans, and I am so thankful I got to witness it. Forever one of those shows you simply had to be there for.
