On Wednesday, May 21st, the news leaked via the web and radio: Green Day, under the alias Foxboro Hot Tubs, were to play the inside stage at Emo’s on May 22nd.
People started lining up for tickets ($20, available only at the door) at four in the morning and waited all day in a dumpster-studded alley in almost 100 degree heat. The 320 person venue sold out almost instantly. The sound check was zealously guarded. There was no guest list. Even an eight year-old fan was turned away. The show was early (started at 8pm, over well before midnight), and sadly to some, was not all ages. Austinites said they had not seen Emo’s on such lockdown since Johnny Cash played there during SXSW in 1994 to a crowd of 200 people.
Okay, so the true identity of Foxboro Hot Tubs wasn’t too much of a mystery–it’s out there on their Wikipedia page: they launched in 2007, and band members include Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Jason White, Jason Freese and Kevin Preston. Their album Stop Drop and Roll (which has no biographical information or pics of the musicians) is available now, although more casual listeners may think they aren’t listening to Green Day at all, due in large part to FHT’s ’60s garage rock aesthetic. Their MySpace page already has over 22 thousand friends, so apparently some Green Day fans are paying attention.
FHT fan Josh Massie, 20, hung around Emo’s after the show to try and get his poster–made by Austin screenprinter Billy Bishop–signed by the band. He drove five hours to see the show and waited for 20 hours for his ticket. Massie works for FYE and got the album when it came out on May 20th.
Massie said, “I was aware Foxboro Hot Tubs were Green Day. They have the same energy, just under a different guise. They always bring it.”
The band played the album in its entirety, then did a set of ’60s garage covers. According to Massie, “The place went crazy when they played ‘Blood, Sex and Booze’.”
Foxboro Hot Tubs’ remaining tour dates:
May 25 2008 The Brick House - Phoenix, AZ
May 26 2008 Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, CA
May 27 2008 The Roxy - West Hollywood, CA
May 28 2008 Alex’s Bar - Long Beach, CA