The Coverups
One of my favorite local Idiots, Marnie, sent me a picture of a flier that was posted on the Instagram of a band called the Coverups and asked if I wanted to go.
“I’m not familiar with them but sure!”
Then she told me to look at their account. She thought it was a Green Day thing. Lo and behold, the first of the four pictures posted to the account was a selfie of Billie Joe. It’s a Green Day thing.
Secret show to start off the year? Let’s do this.
My friend Kat just so happened to plan a trip to the Bay from LA that weekend and extended it a few days to see this mysterious “Coverups” show. Two girls from the East Coast, Danielle and Amanda, bought flight tickets spur of the moment thinking this was their big chance to finally meet the band.
But nothing was ever really confirmed aside from the Ivy Room hinting it would be a big show, and Bill Schneider—Billie’s co-owner of Broken Guitars/best friend/bassist of Pinhead Gunpowder—refusing to offer up any information aside from the fact that both Dead Sound and The Coverups are his bands.
I live here, so it’s no trouble for me to show up and see what this is about. Why not. No excuses.
I got there around 12:30. No one was there but the girls I knew from out of town. Amanda apparently showed up at the venue at 3am thinking there would be a huge line. I laughed. I’d been telling everyone about how dead it was all day waiting for the 1234Go! secret show back in 2016, but no one ever listens to me.
I just wanted to be there early enough to hang out with them. That’s part of the fun for me.
This would be my third show at the Ivy Room. I saw Surrogate Brains and Dr. Frank there during the Lookouting a year ago, and the Matches just a few months ago. That Matches show at the Ivy Room was probably over capacity because it was the sweatiest show I had ever been to in my life. I was slightly terrified of how hot it would get tonight, now that it was GREEN DAY instead of my little lesser known love. Cue me telling everyone in line that we might legit die tonight. Woo!
A few short hours later, a super familiar face walks by.
Recognize him? No? Does the selfie skills remind you of anyone?
Why, yes. This would be none other than Billie’s half-brother Alan. I was shocked when he said half. He both looks and sounds JUST like Billie, it blew my friggin mind.
We talked to him for a bit and he was super sweet. He basically confirmed for us that Billie was involved in some capacity, although Alan said he didn’t directly receive an invite from him and wasn’t planning on going to the show. So weird that Billie’s brother walked by us and talked to us, but didn’t go to the show.
At about 4:30, I moved my car right in front of the venue. There was a 90 min limit for cars on that street til 6pm, so by that point, I was good to stay there through the end of the show. I sat in my car for about an hour trying to warm up from the cold and charge my phone.
I had the perfect view of Jason White and Bill Schneider unloading the van directly in front of me. More proof that things are happening.
And then I see a small person in a big jacket walk to the front door of the Ivy Room. I couldn’t see a face at all, but Amanda and Danielle LIT UP and stared, so it was very clearly Billie. Their faces were so priceless. I did not mind the view from my car at all.
I texted Marnie asking if she was on the way. Apparently the person who originally invited me to go was still trying to decide at the last minute if she even wanted to. But she did, and soon enough she’s chilling in my car with me waiting for doors.
Well doors were a shitshow all their own.
I guess there was like zero communication at this venue, because when the door guys came out, they could not agree. One guy was telling us it was a completely private party and none of us could get in. Mind you, Amanda had been there since 3am and no one had told her she shouldn’t be there. Another guy was telling us it was just a lengthy guestlist, and that maybe SOME of us in line would get in.
Naturally, Danielle and Amanda start freaking out thinking they won’t be able to get in. They’re at the front of the line. They’re fine.
I basically spend the next hour before we get let in trying to convince them that everything’s gonna be fine. The guestlist people don’t care to be right in front of the stage, and there’s no way this is a completely private party. They would not have advertised it on Instagram if it was.
Then there was Kamran. Was he drunk when he got to the venue? I have no idea. But he was writing on the boys’ van with lipstick, and just in general annoying the girls in the front of the line. I didn’t mind so much until we eventually made it into the venue (because obviously, we all made into the venue) and he was being super aggressive and belligerently drunk during the show. He got kicked out. So that was fun.
Dead Sound
The entire reason this show even happened was because Bill Schneider has a new band called Dead Sound, and this was their first ever live show.
He’s generally a bassist, but this was his first time ever playing guitar onstage. They were pretty good. I’d see them again.
The Coverups
So Green Day (I mean, *cough*, The Coverups) are dorks. This was a mostly friends and family show, so they were having a lot of fun with it. That entailed a raffle between every few songs. What kind of things were they raffling? Well a guitar was the grand prize, naturally. But there was also a sex doll and a penis pump, because of course there was. I friggin love those weirdos.
Also it’s important to note: The beer onstage was non-alcoholic. As far as any of us are aware, Billie doesn’t drink anymore. I know a lot of people in that venue were drinking non-alcoholic drinks, such as 7up with bitters, or ginger ale. Some people tried to start rumors about Billie being “trashed” but that is a complete lie. He was having a good time. It was a fun show. But he was not drinking.
It was a pretty calm crowd during Dead Sound, and for some weird reason, that was what I was expecting for the rest of the show. Yeah, no. This is Green Day playing covers of a lot of REALLY GREAT songs. It was super amazing to see them having a blast playing the songs that inspired them to become musicians. But the crowd was all about it, which is a great thing, until all of a sudden I’m doing everything I can to NOT fall on Mike Dirnt on that tiny little stage in front of me. YA KNOW. It happens.
Billie and Jason White took turns singing lead vocals, and Mike was playing guitar onstage for the first time ever while Bill went back to bass.
That’s Mike’s guitar. ISN’T IT PRETTY?!
Color Me Impressed (The Replacements)
Walking Out on Love (The Nerves)
I Can’t Explain (The Who)
Chinese Rock (The Ramones)
I Wanna Be Sedated (The Ramones)
“I Wanna Be Sedated” was the first song that REALLY got the crowd going. Naturally. Mike Dirnt was on lead vocals for this one, which was AWESOME. Things I never thought I’d see live. Also, check out that beard.
Yep, that would be me falling down on the stage. It happened when the Matches played here, too, and this was not the last time it happened at this show, either.
They joked that maybe they should play it again. Then they joked that they’d play a lot of other songs a second time. Spoilers: They did play “I Wanna Be Sedated” twice.
Paint It Black (The Rolling Stones)
I Fought the Law (The Clash)
Green Day has a recorded version of “I Fought the Law,” so this one felt a little bit like cheating. I’ve heard this before. Still love it, though. This was one of my favorites. Michelle Cruz Gonzales of Spitboy was in the front row with us, and The Clash is her all time favorite band. I’m sure she was loving it too. (Okay, I don’t actually think the Clash did this song FIRST, but it’s what I’m going with.)
Bastards of Young (The Replacements)
Jason White was on lead vocals for this song. This was about the time I realized that maybe I don’t actually know The Replacements’ music.
Neat Neat Neat (The Damned)
Million Miles Away (The Plimsouls)
American Girl (Tom Petty)
This was a fun one. They called Jason Beebout of SAMIAM onstage to sing “American Girl.” He didn’t know the lyrics, so Danielle held them up for him while he sang. Cute.
This one was great. And look at those cuties dancing.
Pretty in Pink (The Psychedelic Furs)
Jason White on lead vocals again. I love this song.
Teenage Kicks (The Undertones)
Dancing With Myself (Generation X)
Jason White on lead vocals.
I Wanna Be Sedated (The Ramones)
When they started playing “I Wanna Be Sedated” a second time, Marnie and I just gave each other looks that said “Noooooo.” Although it was probably my favorite song they played, let’s be real.
Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
Kat loves David Bowie about as much as she loves Green Day (maybe more?) so I could see her dying when they first started playing “Ziggy Stardust.” Ugh chills. So good.
Happy (The Rolling Stones)
Jason White on lead vocals.
Surrender (Cheap Trick)
Marnie: “I know this song! It was on Rock Band!”
Side note from me: Rock Band? Guitar Hero? I honestly don’t remember.
Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric)
(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding (Elvis Costello)
Love this one. (Who am I kidding, I love like ALL of these songs.) Jason White on lead vocals one final time.
I had to go to the bathroom after the show ended, so I wasn’t around when my friends were all getting selfies with Billie and Mike. Oh well. I didn’t mind too much. I was happy for them. I’ve met Billie already anyway.
But I did attempt to introduce myself to Mike when I saw him hanging around later, and he told me he had to follow his wife. -sigh- One day.
Then, of course, we went to Taco Bell to end the night. Green Day and Taco Bell go together. Don’t ask me why, they just do. It’s a thing. And it’s a great place to end a great night.
Marnie: “These tacos taste weird. Put my selfie with Billie Joe on my tombstone.”
