In the course of the band’s 3-hour plus show at The Forum in Los Angeles recently, frontman Billie Joe Armstrong announced to the crowd that he wanted one among them to climb onstage and play guitar on “Jesus Of Suburbia.” It’s become a featured part of the band’s act. A show of hands (and the right answer to “what key is the song in, dude?”) eventually produced a lucky candidate, a 21-year-old guy with hair down to his ass, who proceeded to strap on Armstrong’s ax and tear the joint up. Hard to take your eyes off this guy, imagining what it must’ve felt like to be onstage playing with your favorite band (perhaps the moment’s hottest rock band) in a storied venue where the Stones, Zeppelin, Petty, and so many more have performed. The kid didn’t miss a chord change, either –– well, maybe just once –– and he didn’t miss one inch of the expansive stage set-up, running from side to side, front to back, bustin’ his rock star moves. Yeah, you could say the term “hot dog” came to mind as I was watching his antics. But the dude was born to shred, so fun to watch; and the audience, all 20,000 or so, let him hear it right up until he handed the guitar back to Armstrong and dove headfirst into the crowd. Another kid, a 14-year-old was plucked from the crowd, too (to sing “Longview”) and he was just as much of a blast to watch. Amazingly, no video of this stuff has turned up on the web yet. Would really like to locate the guitarist from the L.A. show. If anybody out there knows how to get hold of him, or if you have been lucky enough to be the one who got picked during the recent tour, I’d like to hear from you. Could make for a great interview in Music Connection.

Tags: green day

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