The Stitches opened for Green Day in Pomona; give brief interview

Photo is from Jennifer Maher for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and the San Bernardino Sun. View more of her photos from the night at http://photos.dailybulletin.com/2013/03/green-day-performs-at-the-fox-theater-in-pomona/#1

Opening for Green Day on March 10 in Pomona was Orange County punk band The Stitches. The group features guitarist Johnny Witmer, bassist Pete Archer, drummer Craig Barker and vocalist Mike Lohrman.

Witmer, of Hollywood, is the guitar and vocalist for the group. After the Green Day show, he gave a short interview while talking to fans and autographing albums.

“I thought it was better than our normal set,” Witmer said afterward of his group, which performed songs like “My baby hates me.” At one point Lohrman performed a roll on stage and was very charismatic.

Witmer said he enjoyed Green Day’s set.
“It was powerful, really good. And I’m not the biggest Green Day fan.”

He added his group would also perform with Green Day in Tempe, Arizona and that would be it for their tour.

The Stitches website is at http://www.thestitchespunk.com/

Some random notes from the sold-out March 10 Green Day concert in Pomona

Photo: Jennifer Maher of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and the San Bernardino Sun; check out more images at http://photos.dailybulletin.com/2013/03/green-day-performs-at-the-fox-theater-in-pomona/

– Lead singer Billie Jo Armstrong said the words “Los Angeles” six times to the audience in asking how they were but “Pomona” only once

– He kept a constant smile on his face and had a ton of energy running around on stage and standing on speakers

– Armstrong shot the crowd with a super soaker, a toilet paper shooter and a T-shirt launcher that drew a lot of cheering

– Drummer Tre Cool got a roll of toilet paper thrown at his drum kit that hit a cymbal but he just smiled and nodded his head in approval

– The encore was “American Idiot” while the final song played was “Jesus of Suburbia”

– Some hit songs not played included 1994’s “Longview,” 1997’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” and 2009’s “21 Guns”

– Nobody I interviewed at the concert felt Armstrong should not have played because of the singer’s reported issues with alcohol and prescription drugs

– Armstrong pointed out during the concert that “ladies and gentleman it’s this guy’s birthday right here” to a fan in crowd before the band performed “Holiday”

– Bassist Mike Dirnt would frequently goof around onstage by sticking out his tongue or giving odd facial expressions while playing his guitar

 

Green Day wins over audience at Fox Theater in Pomona

POMONA – Green Day lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong showed no ill effects after taking a recent hiatus for rehab at the Fox Theater on Sunday night.

The singer wore black but a constant smile, rapidly moved across the stage and frequently thrust his guitar in the air.

“Get your hands up!” Armstrong shouted to the sold-out theater audience for the band’s opener of “99 Revolutions” from their most recent album “¡Tré!”

The Grammy Award winning punk and alternative rock band, famously features bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool besides guitarist Jason White.

Armstrong’s hiatus was the result of reportedly using prescription pills and alcohol which resulted in a rant when Green Day played the Las Vegas’ iHeartRadio Music Festival on Sept. 21 and cut short the set.

The Oakland artist went into rehab two days later.

During the song “Letterbomb” from the groups’ 2004’s album “American Idiot,” Armstrong asked the audience if people wanted to see an “explosion,” a “party” or a “celebration.”

He clearly picked the latter. During the very next song off the same album, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” he added “Oh my God I’m still alive.”

The group’s set lasted roughly two hours with an encore and featured many of the group’s best known hits from 1994’s “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around” to 2004’s “American Idiot” and 2009’s “Know Your Enemy.”

Juan Bernal, 21, of Ontario said Sunday night’s show was his first time seeing the band and he was in line outside the Fox at 8 a.m.

“They got me into rock music,” Bernal said afterward. “Tre (Cool, drummer) looked at me during ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams.’ It was just amazing.”

Karen Reta, 54, of Tustin, said she watched Armstrong at the Las Vegas music festival where he went on his rant and said he sounded better.

“I loved it,” Reta said. “He sounded good. He had a few technical difficulties. But he loved playing the music.”

wes.woods@inlandnewspapers.com 909-483-8549 or on Twitter @ClaremontNow or @IEMusicNow