Tre Cool News

The Green Day leader was joyful, energetic and full of passion during his East Bay punk-pop band's sold-out concert at the Greek Theatre.

Going from well-publicized, profanity-laced public meltdown to a rock 'n' roll rebirth hot enough to singe one's eyebrows, Green Day's front-man Billie Joe Armstrong is not only back but he's bigger, badder and hammier than ever.

Before punk band Green Day took the stage Wednesday at Philadelphia's Liacouras Center, the speakers blasted out The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" and then the band took the stage to the whistling theme song from the movie "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" - just as The Ramones did.

But he's done talking about it. When Green Day takes the stage at the Patriot Center, get ready for Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool to dip into their punk-pop catalog but not into the headline-grabbing spectacle that had critics, fans and onlookers buzzing.

Green Day rolled into i Wireless Center in Moline, Ill., on March 29 a day after they kicked off their "99 Revolutions" tour in Chicago.