Odd Robot Digs Green Day and More: Andrew Burris of SoCal power-pop-punk band Odd Robot told us about his Green Day/Rancid/Bad Religion experience.

Andrew Burris: The early-to-mid 1990s was peak Bad Religion. As one of my favorite bands, they could do no wrong. In 1993, I was handed a show flyer during a hot and sticky outdoor summer show. Bad Religion was going to headline the Hollywood Palladium, along with the newly minted Rancid, and a band called Green Day. I had just picked up Rancid’s debut record, as rumors about Lint from Op Ivy’s new band had been swirling. I turned to my friend and asked “dude, what is a Green Day? Kind of dumb, yeah? You think they’re like, stoner hippie punks?”

I was 17 and had just earned my driver license. Somehow, I convinced my mom to let me drive to L.A. for a show. “What kind of show, a movie?” Yeah, sure. A couple of friends piled into my hand-me-down 1984 Dodge Caravan—metallic gold paint with fake 2-tone woodgrain paneling down the sides. Hell yeah. Top speed was like 67 miles per hour, so our moms knew we were safe. I think we paid $13 each to get into the venue. If memory serves, Rancid played first. It’s difficult to imagine Rancid as a three piece, but at that time they were. With a ton of energy and presence, they blitzed through nearly their entire record.

When it came time for Green Day’s set, I didn’t really know what to expect. But man, I was blown away. The songs were pure pop, instantly accessible, yet carried an energy I hadn’t yet seen from Ramones-influenced pop punk. I spent the entire set in the pit, dancing my ass off, drenched in sweat. I bought their first two records as soon as I could afford them, and played them on repeat. I wondered when their new record would come out. I never expected that record—named after a pile of feces—to be as massive as it would be.

Next up were the kings of melodic hardcore punk—Bad Religion. The band had been touring incessantly and, at that point, I had lost count of how many BR shows I’d been to. Greg Graffin’s stage presence and angelic voice were unmistakable, unmatched in the genre. Already, in 1993, Bad Religion were veterans of the scene. With 6 amazing albums (and one obscure one), they must’ve already had one hell of a time writing a setlist. As expected, the set was a bit Recipe for Hate-heavy, with a good splattering of gems from the other records.

What a night. To Tim, Billie, Greg, and the rest: thanks for the memories, that was my best concert ever. Thirty years later, it’s hard to believe that was high school me in the pit… these days, I stay in the back. Or on the sofa.

Odd Robot Digs Green Day and More: Odd Robot's "Lost Inside Yr Ocean" single is out now.


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