1 week Ago By Tatiana Krisztina, Connor McCrory
Green Day made their first-time appearance as headliners at Coachella on Saturday night, captivating the crowd with more than just their music; they also delivered a poignant political commentary . Taking to the stage, the band kicked off with their provocative track American Idiot from the eponymous album. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong took a jab at Donald Trump by tweaking the lyrics to “I'm not a part of the MAGA agenda," referencing Trump's famed "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.
Green Day is no stranger to customizing these anthemic words—in a performance earlier in the year in South Africa, Armstrong declared, “I'm not a part of the Elon agenda," targeting tech mogul Elon Musk for his political involvements. Their set continued with statements as Armstrong shouted, “This song is anti-war!” just before diving into the track Holiday, reports the Irish Star . Armstrong had another lyric swap up his sleeve during Jesus of Suburbia, where previously they hurled an insult towards Vice President JD Vance using a derogatory term.
This time, Armstrong resonated with current global issues, singing, “Running away from pain like the kids in Palestine." It was a celebrated moment that marked Green Day's introduction to the renowned desert festival—a symbolic nod back to the event's rock origins. Just minutes after 9 p.
m. PST, punctually following Charli XCX's act and ahead of Travis Scott, Billie Joe, along with bandmates bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool seized the spotlight. The band delivered a mix of old and new hits from their albums Dookie and American Idiot, as well as new tracks like The American Dream Is Killing Me and Bobby Sox during their setlist.
They also paid homage to the anniversaries of their iconic records that have shaped their punk-pop reign since the '90s. Fans flocked to the polo fields for this rare Coachella rock throwback. There were rumors circulating online about a possible guest appearance before the set.
Some fans speculated that Billie Eilish might join the band onstage following her rumored cameo with Charli XCX earlier in the night, but no surprise guests had shown up by the time of press release. Green Day is known for turning their performances into political statements, from New Year's Eve broadcasts to international festivals. Their latest lyric change continues their trend of using the stage as a platform for protest, particularly after the 2024 presidential election.
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