When Billie Joe Armstrong, TrГ© Cool and Mike Dirnt did take the stage at 9:30 after the aforementioned boisterous sing-a-long, they did so with considerable aplomb-kicking things off with iconic mission statement вЂњAmerican Idiot,вЂќ before delving into a set that touched on all aspects of the trioвЂ™s mostly illustrious 34-year career. Much will be said and written over the next few months about the catharsis of returning to live music, but it was no more apparent on Sunday night than when each and every one of the tens of thousands of fans in Hard Rock Stadium belted out the 1975 hit in unison. Ten minutes before Green DayвЂ™s section of the show began, the lights dimmed for what has become a pre-show tradition for the band-a massive sing-a-long of QueenвЂ™s classic вЂњBohemian RhapsodyвЂќ that drew the crowd into a tizzy. Strangely, what may have been the most moving moment of the night came between bands rather than during a set. Regardless, the band selected songs from its reliable stable of emo/pop-punk sing-a-longs, including hits like вЂњCentury,вЂќ вЂњSugar, WeвЂ™re Goin Down,вЂќ and вЂњThnks fr th Mmrs.вЂќ By the time all was said and done, the crowd-particularly the strong contingent of Fall Out Boy faithful-had sung until their voices were hoarse and Pete Wentz had garnered even more goodwill by donning a Miami Dolphins jersey for closing cut вЂњSaturday.вЂќ Taking the stage at about 8:00 with a slew of pyrotechnics to accompany opening cut вЂњThe Phoenix,вЂќ it was odd to see the Patrick Stump- and Pete Wentz-led group play in between two bands whose heydays were (arguably) over before Fall Out BoyвЂ™s even got started. Unfortunately, it wasnвЂ™t until about halfway through the bandвЂ™s hour-long set that the sound leveled out enough to actually discern RiversвЂ™ vocals-an issue that marred the divisive bandвЂ™s otherwise decent show and would pervade throughout the entire marathon concert.ДЇall Out Boy, while admittedly the band on this bill that I knew the least about, still seemed to be the most out of place of the bunch. Frontman Rivers Cuomo was sporting a track star outfit-complete with headband and runnerвЂ™s shorts-for the duration, and the band ran through a set that touched on many of its greatest hits while mixing in cuts from its two 2021 releases, OK Human and Van Weezer.

What followed was an adequate set that ultimately constituted something of a failure to launch. When the band took the stage to Van HalenвЂ™s classic вЂњJumpвЂќ at 6:30 sharp, the crowd was paltry, with many attendees still trickling in, surely surprised that the action was commencing so early. By the time I made it to my seat, WeezerвЂ™s intricate stage setup-color-coded in teal, pink, and purple, complete with fake Marshall amps and six kick drums spelling out the bandвЂ™s name-was already in place. The eveningвЂ™s bill began with a brief set from The Interrupters, which I missed due to the NFL stadium-level traffic that needed to be braved to claim a spot in the parking lot. But the overwhelming (and obvious) sense of catharsis that pervaded through the tens-of-thousands of attendees was the star of the show. Pete Wentz even sported a bass guitar with a built-in flamethrower. Yes, there were fireballs, and fireworks, and the requisite вЂњput-your-cell-phone-lights-in-the-airвЂќ moments. By the time it did get going in late July, it did so with a new context and all the same accoutrements of a massive co-headlining tour in tow. The tour, so named for bringing together three of modern rockвЂ™s largest acts in Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer, was initially slated for 2020 before suffering a pandemic delay along with the rest of the live music calendar.

But theyвЂ™re here, and they donвЂ™t get much bigger than the Hella Mega Tour, which made its fifth stop at Miami GardensвЂ™ Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. Whether now is really the right time for large-scale concertsвЂ“of any genreвЂ“to return remains to be seen.

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