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