In the wake of Billie Joe’s send off to rehab (for substance abuse or commercial rock abuse?) it looks like all 2012 dates are off and 2013 are postponed. Green Day appears to have woken up in a media nightmare and they can’t wake up. One must ask if Billy Joe is really having that big of a substance abuse problem or this is a spin in order to placate the corporate rock gods who control Green Day’s livelihood? Far be it from this writer to second guess anyone’s abuse problems or make them seem trivial…that is not my intention. The big elephant in the room that no one seems to be discussing is how all this went down when Billy Joe did the most true punk thing he has ever done, which is tell off I Heart Radio. Is this how GD gets back in with the bigs by sucking up and spinning a tale around Billie’s rant as though it were ‘the drugs’ talking and not all the corporate bullshit that bands at that level have to put up with to stay at that level? I won’t scream sell out because Green Day did that eons ago, and who can blame them really. Most of us would give anything to be in a successful rock band, and faced with famine or famous, just be honest with yourself. I wish the best for Billie Joe and Green Day including a speedy recovery if it is actually true. But if it is not, in the long run, as usual, it’s the fans who are getting screwed. Just think about it…

The preceding is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pittsburgh Music Magazine

Green Day Canceled 2012 Tour Dates
11/26 — Seattle, Wash. — Paramount Theatre
11/27 — Kennewick, Wash. — Toyota Center
11/29 — Salem, Ore. — Salem Armory Auditorium
12/1 — Sacramento, Calif. — Memorial Auditorium
12/2 — Reno, Nev. — Grand Sierra Resort
12/4 — Santa Cruz, Calif. — Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
12/10 — Tempe, Ariz. — Marquee Theatre

Green Day Postponed 2013 Tour Dates
1/7 — Green Bay, Wis. — Resch Center
1/8 — Rosemont, Ill. — Allstate Arena
1/10 — Wilkes-Barra, Pa. — Mohegan Sun
1/11 — University Park, Pa. — Bryce Jordan Center
1/13 — Rochester, N.Y. — Blue Cross Arena
1/14 — Pittsburgh, Pa. — Consol Energy Center
1/16 — Brooklyn, N.Y. — Barclays Center
1/18 — Manchester, N.H. — Verizon Wireless Arena
1/19 — Uncasville, Ct. — Mohegan Sun Arena
1/21 — Fairfax, Va. — Patriot Center
1/22 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Liacouras Center
1/24 — Providence, R.I. — Dunkin Donuts Center
1/25 — Portland, Maine — Cumberland County Civic Center
1/27 — Quebec City, Quebec — Colisee Pepsi
1/29 — Toronto, Ontario — Air Canada Centre
1/30 — Cleveland, Ohio — Wolstein Center
2/1 — Moline, Ill. — i Wireless Center
2/2 — Madison, Wis. — Alliant Energy Center
2/4 — Omaha, Neb. — CenturyLink Center
2/6 — Broomfield, Colo. — 1st Bank Center
2/8 — Las Vegas, Nev. — MGM Grand Garden Arena