In the early afternoon we stepped into the HMV Hammersmith Apollo. There was an odd sense about the place, crowds of teens swarming over the t-shirt stand, huddles of people sitting on the steps and that familiar gig scent, a mixture of alcohol and sweat. It’s not a gig today though, which becomes increasingly obvious by the lack of crushing on our way into the main theatre. We were here to see Greenday’s musical, American Idiot.

We sat waiting (weirdly, the doors open 1 1/2 hours before the show..), listening to the chatter of the people behind us. Classic moments included (Person A ) ‘I’m so glad this has seats. I hate it when gigs don’t have seats’ . (Person B) ‘Miley Cyrus had seats, didn’t it?’. They then went on to discuss ‘escort’ sites for bored housewives. We exchanged horrified glances.

At last the music starts. I don’t want to give away too much, but the show is definitely something special. The songs are performed with a brilliant energy and the stage set-up is just amazing. The plot though, is a bit unclear as most of the narrative is told through the songs. It means if you miss a key movement onstage, you’re unlikely to realise what’s happened. (It was only after reading the programme on the way home that I actually understood some major plot twists).

I would recommend seeing the show, particularly if you’re a fan of Greenday (you’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the more classic songs they’ve managed to sneak in). I just wish I’d had a chance to see the show on Broadway when AFI’s Davey Havok was playing St Jimmy..

xx