The Hella Mega Tour – Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, 29th Of June 2022.

Punk magic ensued on a night where 4 bands presented themselves in the city of Glasgow.

To be gripped by music in a live setting is one the greatest feelings imaginable, but being amongst 60,000 rock fans, is beyond satisfying. Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park paved way for 4 bands to strut their stuff on a large stage, a stage where dreams are made. The city, is renowned for its music scene, and this big old grassy field, would be the base for heightened reverberations. And these rock fans, including me descended onto the venue like a joyous kid, waiting on these bands to take my breathe away.

On the bill were newcomers Amyl And The Sniffers, Weezer, Chicago’s Fall Out Boy, and Oakland punk trailblazers Green Day. Of course, Green Day were the headliners, and the act everyone was talking and raving about. It’s not a secret, that the stalwarts are kings of the stage, as their electric live set is the stuff of legend, and even though the band members are in their 50s, they can still imprint their style and run around stages like latch key kids.

Bellahouston was set out like a festival, with numerous food stalls and makeshift bars set up for custom. The atmosphere around the place was kind-hearted too, as people wanted to revel in the day. First act, Amyl And The Sniffers dawned the stage with thrust and punk energy, though their set was masked by over tuned guitars and a lack of maturity. They have potential, this exuberant, act, but this stage may have been too colossal for them. That being said, they reminded of bands such as The Clash and The Sex Pistols.  

After the band said their goodbyes, there was a 15 minute wait for Weezer to take the stage. The vibrant stage had become a sea of blue, pink and red, and it was actually sublime. Good on the eyes, the base for this American act, was a blissful representation of colour. And when the band came to the forefront of musical urgency, they quickly flew into hits such as Beverley Hills and Pork And Beans, as well as the ever electric Buddy Holly. These songs, made this band, and they weren’t shy at showcasing their worth. Lead singer/guitarist River Cuomo would also speak in in his own self-styled Scottish twang to the amusement of the crowd.   

When Weezer left the their colourful stage behind, it had taken another 10 minutes for Fall Out Boy’s crew to assemble their unique layout. This was utterly audacious, but it worked brilliantly, and the colours and story measured up fantastically well. And when Fall Out Boy, came to the stage, the atmosphere had become raised. People started to loosen up, and the whole scene had become rowdy. Fall Out Boy quickly threw down the gauntlet with deep cuts such as Sugar We’re Going Down and Dance Dance, as well as songs such as Save Rock And Roll. Their set was blistering, and lead singer Patrick Stump showed his range beautifully. Also, at the end, bassist Pete Wentz dawned a Scottish football top as a tribute to the Scottish crowd. It was rather touching.

Then, when Fall Out Boy departed, it was time for a legendary act to take the reigns. It didn’t take long for Green Day to come to the stage. Their set-up was humble compared to the previous layouts. The punk legends were met with a raucous reception, and Billie Joe Armstrong triggered his guitar into the political track American Idiot. This song, sent shockwaves through the park, and that’s when the place erupted and the fans lost their inhibitions.

Green Day is a livewire act, and the show had become a frenzied, but sublime. The band quickly played through their hits including Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Waiting, Basket Case, Longview, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Jesus Of Suburbia as the swansong. And Armstrong’s showmanship was as usual, on point.

The set wasn’t as long as usual as there was a 10:45 curfew. Although this was the case, it didn’t take anything away from the performance, as Green Day was on top. And as a act, which has been going for over 30 years, they still had everything in the canon. Their blistering live set, is like no other, and they proved that under the lights of Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park.

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