The Longshot
As if one bar-playing Green Day side project to start off 2018 wasn’t enough, Billie Joe has decided to start another one! Shortly following the Coverups came The Longshot, a band made up of Billie, touring member of Green Day Jeff Matika, and members of Prima Donna, Kevin Tyler Preston and David Field.
Thee Parkside, San Francisco—4/17/18
I met Marnie at the venue at 6, two hours before doors. I walked up a few hills to a mac’n’cheese restaurant, Mac Daddy, to get us a pizza mac to split. We basically just venmo’d each other all night for various things. She bought my ticket, so I venmo’d her. I bought food, she venmo’d me. She got me $20 cash out of the ATM so I could buy a t-shirt, I venmo’d her. Then I drove her home after the show and she venmo’d me. What even.
We definitely snuck in the venue early to “use the bathroom” and actually just bought merch and threw it in my car so we didn’t have to worry about it selling out by the time the show was over. I almost got in trouble for it WHOOPS. Oh well, got it done, it was worth it.
Marnie has a bunch of different names for Billie Joe, and tonight he was Blurry Joe. Other “Joes” have been Homeless Joe, Fat Elvis Joe, Crusty Joe, etc. etc. One of these days we’re gonna have a Billie Joe party and all come dressed as different variations of the man himself. Why the hell not.
We got a decent spot in about the third row.
Dead Sound opened. Bill Schneider first referred to them as “The Longshot,” and later “The Dead Sound.” Lol at the fact that their album isn’t done yet and Billie cranked out the Longshot’s album in like no time at all.
Beffy texted literally everyone she knew at the show telling us to tell Kevin she says hi. Oh Beffy, we love you, ya weirdo. After we discovered that, we of course had to EACH tell Kevin she said hi, one after the other.
I hadn’t listened to the EP or new songs yet, so I only knew “Love is for Losers” and “Devil’s Kind” (taken from Ordinary World) prior to the show. I’d be experiencing the new music for the first time live.
Billie @ our phones: “Okay get it over with. Get it over with. Now, I swear to God you put them away. Put them away. You know how I feel about these things.”
And everybody’s phones go up.
Kill Your Friends
“Drum beat please.”
Since I hadn’t listened to any of the new songs yet, this was my first time hearing this one, but it was so catchy that I was already singing along.
Devil’s Kind
Is this The Longshot or The Skunks? (The Skunks being the band from Ordinary World.) I was SO HAPPY seeing this song live. I absolutely LOVE IT. There was so much energy, even in the crowd.
Billie, cutting the band off before hardly starting the song: “Stop. Are you guys ready to dance or what? 1 2 1 2 3 4!”
He seems SO HAPPY too. Ugh I just love it. His little devil horns and scream things was so cute, and then he did a little mouth fart spit thing at the end.
Taxi Driver
Someone before the show was talking about not liking this song, but I really liked it. So far so good on the new music as far as I’m concerned.
Rockaway Beach (Ramones cover)
We heard them practicing this one while we were outside, and they seemed to be playing it FOREVER. Longest “Rockaway Beach” rendition ever. Since it’s a Ramones cover, it was a little Coverups-ish, but the Coverups never played this particular song. It was mostly just “I Wanna Be Sedated” over and over and over.
Body Bag
Apparently this song is also on the Ordinary World soundtrack, but I don’t remember it. It’s a little slower than everything else they’ve played so far.
Cult Hero
Billie introduced the band. Their stage names in The Longshot are Diesel (Billie), Gary (Jeff), Peaches, and Kitty. Jeff mimed shooting himself in the head when everyone yelled “Gary!” at him.
Billie threw water into the crowd and got Marnie right in the face. She pretended to not be happy about that, but I’m sure she didn’t mind.
Billie: “Thanks, that’s a new song. This next one is not a new song.”
Fell for You (Green Day cover)
YES THIS IS MAKING UP FOR NO TRILOGY SHOWS NEAR FLORIDA. Back in 2012, they hadn’t even scheduled any shows anywhere remotely near where I was living at the time, and this was long before I realized that traveling for shows is in fact possible. But then they also CANCELED a bunch of shows on that tour because Billie Joe had to go to rehab, so I had no shot at seeing really any of the Trilogy live. So I was VERY HAPPY they were playing some of it here. “Fell for You” is not one of my favorites, but I still love it and honestly had zero complaints they went this direction.
Soul Surrender
Love is for Losers
This was the only Longshot song I knew beforehand.
Billie, stopping the song yet again: “I felt like stopping, sorry. Should we try again? Let’s dance you fucking motherfuckers.”
They played the end notes FOUR times in a row, those dorks.
The Last Time
“Get your hands up in the air.”
BILLIE BURPED WHILE SINGING HOW CUTE
Walking Out on Love (The Nerves cover)
More Coverups, but I like this song so it’s okay.
“I never used a tuner til 1994. True story.”
Kiss Me Deadly (Generation X cover)
I LOVE THIS SONG. I was screaming along for the first little bit, but it seemed like no one else was lol whoops. It’s yet another non-Coverups coverup.
Billie: “Don’t we deserve to have a little bit of fun while dealing with all the bullshit in this world?”
Water in our faces again. Poor Marnie.
Kevin was windmilling like a champ.
Stay the Night (Green Day cover)
Two aggressive dudes (one with a beer) shoved us waaaayyyy forward during this song. More Trilogy, and ahhhh I love this one.
This was definitely the craziest the crowd got all night.
“I wanna see everybody jumping, alright?”
“We’re coming into the 2nd half of 2018. We have a President that’s gonna be impeached. Are you ready? We have so many things to look forward to, ladies and gentlemen. Do you feel alright? Do you feel alright?!”
“We have about 37 songs to go.”
Guy in the crowd: “Lose your ego!”
Billie: “Why don’t you come up here and tell them? You’re a little squished right there.”
Happiness
Turn Me Loose
Billie and Kevin are so cute.
“I wanna see everybody dance, our set is almost over. Shake your ass.”
He pulled out everybody’s favorite “hey-oh”s as if this was a Green Day show.
Chasing a Ghost
“This is our last song, everybody. Thanks for coming out. We’re called The Dead Sound. You’re welcome, Bill.”
He forgot the words and called it “early onset amnesia.”
“I have so much gratitude and so much love getting to play music in front of people for so many years.”
The end of “Chasing a Ghost” sounds a lot like “Kill Your Friends,” to the point of I was actually alternating singing “chasing a ghost… kill your friends!” It was kinda perfect how they started the set with one and ended with the other, although the album isn’t in that order at all. Oh well. It was cool seeing it done like that live.
“We’re gonna do this thing where we pretend to walk off and walk back on.”
Goodbye to Romance (Ozzy cover)
So this one’s a cover but it’s actually on the Love is for Losers album?
Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover)
“Gary played guitar.”
Bastards of Young (Replacements cover)
Love it.
Billie called this the Longshot’s “first show” and Marnie was not happy about that, seeing as she saw the actual first show at 1234Go! when it was announced day of the week before.
After the show, all the Idiots hung around socializing. I was talking to Marnie and Mayte when all of a sudden Jeff Matika is tapping me to ask if I’ve ever missed a Green Day show.
Jeff: “I was looking in the crowd and didn’t see many familiar faces, but I see you everywhere. Have you ever missed a Green Day show?”
Me: “Uhhhhh….. Hi I’m Lindsay.”
#dead #RIPme #Iammyowngoals
Apparently the whole band came out at the end, but Marnie and I decided against bombarding poor Billie while everyone else already was. But it was really really great that he came out to talk to fans for a bit.
This was the only show announced at this point, but Marnie had heard rumors about them wanting to play the Ivy Room (WELL DUH) so I guessed they’d be playing a second show the same week. And we both ended up hitting the nail on the head with that one. The full Love is for Losers album was dropping on Friday 4/20, so OF COURSE they’re playing an album release show there.
Ivy Room, Berkeley—4/20/18
Marnie got there early and held me a spot in line. We’ve been here so many times for Coverups shows that the security guy greeted us like old friends.
“It’s been a minute, good to see you ladies again.”
We might have to start paying rent here soon.
We managed to get to the front; her front row, me right behind her.
There were three openers at this show, which was nuts. Apparently the Keeners were supposed to headline, but since Dead Sound was opening for them already and the Longshot wanted to play the Ivy Room, they got bumped. Oops.
The first band was TV Heads. They were good. Weird, but good. I actually really dug their sound. Kinda spacey and heavy but also chill?
Then came Dead Sound, great as always. It’s 4/20, so I think frontman Mack Narragon might’ve been a little stoned. Or very stoned. Yeah, very stoned.
“This song has an awesome name. But I’m not gonna tell you. You have to look at the setlist.”
“You know your edible kicked in when you’re walking on the sidewalk and all of a sudden you just see yourself Tony Hawking on the rail of the fence endlessly.”
“I have to do a guitar.”
I appreciate this band so much.
The Keeners are a 90s band. I loved the older (than me) women in the crowd going nuts for them. I heard one say “I’m their number one fan.” Me one day when the Matches have their 20 year reunion.
The band was all dudes at first and they kept talking about a “special guest” so I thought the woman that joined them was the guest, but she stayed the rest of the set so I think she’s actually part of the band. Honestly I’m not sure if a guest ever joined them. I don’t remember that happening.
And then there was the Longshot.
Green Day’s resident photographer Greg Schneider stepped in front of Marnie to take pictures during the show, and one of the girls who works at the Ivy Room tried to kick him out. He kept trying to tell her he’s with the band, but it got real tense real quick.
Bar shows: where 90% of the crowd can vouch for every single member of the band’s crew, but no one who works for the venue ever believes them.
Less crazy stuff happened onstage at this one as compared to Thee Parkside. Billie still threw water in our faces, though.
Rockaway Beach (Ramones)
Cult Hero
Fell for You (Green Day)
Walking Out on Love (The Nerves)
Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
Love is for Losers
Stay the Night (Green Day)
I Fought the Law (Clash) ((I know, I know, it was a cover when they did it too, but it’s my favorite version OKAY))
Wild One (Green Day)
Million Miles Away (Plimsouls)
Kiss Me Deadly (Generation X)
Bastards of Young (Replacements)
I don’t think they played “Bastards of Young” or “Million Miles Away” even though they were on the setlist. But “Wild One” being on the setlist was AMAZING.
“This is another cover. We’ve never played it before. It’s called ‘Wild One.'”
RIP me at all these Trilogy songs I never got to see live.
Marnie and I talked to Kevin for a bit after the show. He asked her if she’s been to every Longshot show so far and she said yeah. I was not in town when the first one was announced day of the show a week prior to this one so I missed it, but she’s been there and I guess Kevin noticed.
I got a drumstick. Apparently David isn’t sponsored so he has to pay for his sticks himself, but someone gave me one anyway, so that’s pretty cool.
They announced a full tour following these three spur of the moment local shows, but due to a family emergency, the next San Francisco show got postponed indefinitely and we’re still not sure when or if it’s happening. I’m happy with the two I saw, and honestly it’s so great that Billie is keeping up creating music even when taking a “break” from Green Day after touring so much last year. The music is never gonna stop and we’ll never stop being there for it.
