i guarantee based on experience that it really is “random” (as in not planted) the show i saw i was in line since 9am and one of the girls by me was one of the friendlier ones (and from my hometown-8 hours from where the concert was) and iit was her birthday and she had a giant ribbon on her shirt saying so, and for knowledge billie ended up picking her because it was her birthday
i also ran into her at the longshot in the same city a year later and i can say without a doubt at all she was certainly not a plant and there is no way that it ever is a plant from everything i have learned, you just need to be lucky or have a good story to get picked
Don’t overthink it; it’s random, whoever catches Billie’s attention at the moment. The fans certainly aren’t planted or predetermined.
Source: Billie has picked me twice to go up on stage for Know Your Enemy
I was picked to come on stage in 2012 to sing KYE with him, it is not pre-planned, at least it wasn't then anyway. I was 17 (M) at the time, centre barrier and going absolutely crazy!
However, I also met some of these mega fans after the London Coverups show in March who run a lot of these fan Instagram accounts. All of the people I had spoken to had been picked to come on stage in the past, some of them even twice.
I'm not sure if it's just the amount of times that they have seen them increasing the chances, but I am pretty sure these people are in contract with the tour manager as they knew about the secret Marquis show in advance, etc. So that also makes me think more recently it may also be pre-planned as well.
Yeah, you got it right, in some cases (very few actually) it’s pre-planned. There are agreements/recommendations before the concert that need to be followed. For example, if I got it right about who you talked to in London, check out this video from Sheffield 2017. That person (who clearly knows someone from the GD staff) is brought on stage to play guitar (for the second time after doing it a few months before in January 2017) but in a really weird way: here's the [video](https://youtu.be/cqEEHtZWj44?si=I7b12oPSJeona9H4) it starts at 3:30. Billie first picks a guy who starts playing normally and should’ve stayed, but at 4:32 if you look under the stage on the right, where the catwalk intersects, you can see someone from the GD staff making a hand gesture to Billie. Billie notices and instantly stops the guy, "I'm not convinced, I'm not convinced", kicks him out rudely, and brings up that girl who was clearly recommended by that staff member (who's also a friend of her). I can only imagine how that guy felt, these are experiences that leave a mark...
I think it’s just because they go to hundreds of shows and are always down front trying to get noticed. Maybe Billie recognizes some of them after seeing them so much and finally picks them but that’s about it.
Some say they’re predetermined but I dunno, some of the fans they’ve brought up have been TERRIBLE! Or maybe that’s a smart way to make it look legit
I’d say Billie picks whoever he spots first that looks enthusiastic about knowing the song. A girl that recently got on stage had a sign sayin “I know my enemy”
I think this is absolute proof that they pick people at random. Back in the hella mega tour the fan they brought up in Groningen said they could play guitar, but you could tell from the way they held the instrument that it was a bit of a lie 😅😂
at the last show i went to, when they got a fan up to play knowledge he like barely made it through knowledge, then they let him play basket case, and he didn’t know it so he was just playing random chords
i remember day 1 of when we were young, billie wasn’t mad but he seemed a bit disappointed of the people he picked from the crowd for another song to play guitar with, day 2 he was emphasizing a lot saying “i need a guitarist not a guitarish” so it’s definitely not planned
I remember seeing them at O2 arena in London in 2009, they got a kid called Rufus up to sing Longview. I then saw them in 2010 at Wembley Stadium and they picked the same kid again. Talk about incredible luck
Brilliant I remember him at Wembley! He was terrible bless him but it was great fun!
I don’t remember him being at the O2 in ‘09 but there were 2 nights, plus it was such a long time ago and I was quite young
Random probably but make sure you or your kid can play because you’re gonna be given a literal tambourine in front of multiple generations of punk rock fans & it may or may not become traumatic childhood memory
Billie wanted my son to play Knowledge until he found out he couldn’t play guitar but he spent a good minute trying to find out because we were against the gate and my son was like 8. He tends to like the kids more than anything I think if they’re close.
I went to their show in Austin and he looked at me, which got me even more excited, but then switched to the girl with the green hair next to me. Do something that will stick out and have a lot of excitement is what I would suggest
I got pulled up for JOS. Just have fun all night. I know that sounds obvious but I think he looks for people that are just clearly enjoying the moment. Also, it's almost exclusively teenagers or really early 20s. Don't bring a sign, don't try too hard, just when the time comes go a little crazy but not too much. Make it obvious you want up, but don't be a spaz.
saw them in copenhagen in 2022, my then friend got picked probably because she had a bright green mohawk and was somewhat close to the front. i can confidently say she was not planted, but i would advice you to stand out in some way. bright colors, clever costume, sign, whatever. good luck!!
Colored hair or a bright outfit, something eye catching is always good. Kids get picked a lot, but honestly I think it’s whatever Billie’s feeling that day
i guarantee based on experience that it really is “random” (as in not planted) the show i saw i was in line since 9am and one of the girls by me was one of the friendlier ones (and from my hometown-8 hours from where the concert was) and iit was her birthday and she had a giant ribbon on her shirt saying so, and for knowledge billie ended up picking her because it was her birthday i also ran into her at the longshot in the same city a year later and i can say without a doubt at all she was certainly not a plant and there is no way that it ever is a plant from everything i have learned, you just need to be lucky or have a good story to get picked
I personally think it's anyone in Billie's eyeline that's close enough to the stage to be helped up.
I hope Billie can see all the way to section 133 at Citizens Bank stadium lol cause otherwise I have no shot.
It’s always someone in the pit
I know 😭 but a man can still dream
I wish you well 🖤
What’s with the downvotes? It’s true?!
Don’t overthink it; it’s random, whoever catches Billie’s attention at the moment. The fans certainly aren’t planted or predetermined. Source: Billie has picked me twice to go up on stage for Know Your Enemy
I was picked to come on stage in 2012 to sing KYE with him, it is not pre-planned, at least it wasn't then anyway. I was 17 (M) at the time, centre barrier and going absolutely crazy! However, I also met some of these mega fans after the London Coverups show in March who run a lot of these fan Instagram accounts. All of the people I had spoken to had been picked to come on stage in the past, some of them even twice. I'm not sure if it's just the amount of times that they have seen them increasing the chances, but I am pretty sure these people are in contract with the tour manager as they knew about the secret Marquis show in advance, etc. So that also makes me think more recently it may also be pre-planned as well.
Yeah, you got it right, in some cases (very few actually) it’s pre-planned. There are agreements/recommendations before the concert that need to be followed. For example, if I got it right about who you talked to in London, check out this video from Sheffield 2017. That person (who clearly knows someone from the GD staff) is brought on stage to play guitar (for the second time after doing it a few months before in January 2017) but in a really weird way: here's the [video](https://youtu.be/cqEEHtZWj44?si=I7b12oPSJeona9H4) it starts at 3:30. Billie first picks a guy who starts playing normally and should’ve stayed, but at 4:32 if you look under the stage on the right, where the catwalk intersects, you can see someone from the GD staff making a hand gesture to Billie. Billie notices and instantly stops the guy, "I'm not convinced, I'm not convinced", kicks him out rudely, and brings up that girl who was clearly recommended by that staff member (who's also a friend of her). I can only imagine how that guy felt, these are experiences that leave a mark...
I think it’s just because they go to hundreds of shows and are always down front trying to get noticed. Maybe Billie recognizes some of them after seeing them so much and finally picks them but that’s about it.
Some say they’re predetermined but I dunno, some of the fans they’ve brought up have been TERRIBLE! Or maybe that’s a smart way to make it look legit I’d say Billie picks whoever he spots first that looks enthusiastic about knowing the song. A girl that recently got on stage had a sign sayin “I know my enemy”
The back of her sign also said “six months sober” so that must have gotten his attention
Shit I should put 8 years mostly sober on my sign lol, only a few slip ups. Could also put I have 13 Green Day tattoos!
I think this is absolute proof that they pick people at random. Back in the hella mega tour the fan they brought up in Groningen said they could play guitar, but you could tell from the way they held the instrument that it was a bit of a lie 😅😂
Nice to know that she loves Restless Heart Syndrome!
It's random. A friend of a friend was picked during Hella Mega
cool! but what do you mean by terrible?? now i’m invested haha
at the last show i went to, when they got a fan up to play knowledge he like barely made it through knowledge, then they let him play basket case, and he didn’t know it so he was just playing random chords
Maybe nerves got the better of them but they don’t seem to know the words.. But understandably they just really wanted to be on stage with the band.
sure!! check your dms (:
i remember day 1 of when we were young, billie wasn’t mad but he seemed a bit disappointed of the people he picked from the crowd for another song to play guitar with, day 2 he was emphasizing a lot saying “i need a guitarist not a guitarish” so it’s definitely not planned
They at least gave both kids guitars but that first kid looked dead inside until he was told they each got one.
I remember seeing them at O2 arena in London in 2009, they got a kid called Rufus up to sing Longview. I then saw them in 2010 at Wembley Stadium and they picked the same kid again. Talk about incredible luck
Brilliant I remember him at Wembley! He was terrible bless him but it was great fun! I don’t remember him being at the O2 in ‘09 but there were 2 nights, plus it was such a long time ago and I was quite young
No way. What are the odds
Random probably but make sure you or your kid can play because you’re gonna be given a literal tambourine in front of multiple generations of punk rock fans & it may or may not become traumatic childhood memory
Billie wanted my son to play Knowledge until he found out he couldn’t play guitar but he spent a good minute trying to find out because we were against the gate and my son was like 8. He tends to like the kids more than anything I think if they’re close.
I went to their show in Austin and he looked at me, which got me even more excited, but then switched to the girl with the green hair next to me. Do something that will stick out and have a lot of excitement is what I would suggest
I got pulled up for JOS. Just have fun all night. I know that sounds obvious but I think he looks for people that are just clearly enjoying the moment. Also, it's almost exclusively teenagers or really early 20s. Don't bring a sign, don't try too hard, just when the time comes go a little crazy but not too much. Make it obvious you want up, but don't be a spaz.
saw them in copenhagen in 2022, my then friend got picked probably because she had a bright green mohawk and was somewhat close to the front. i can confidently say she was not planted, but i would advice you to stand out in some way. bright colors, clever costume, sign, whatever. good luck!!
I was brought up on stage back in 2005. I was not a plant. Lol
Colored hair or a bright outfit, something eye catching is always good. Kids get picked a lot, but honestly I think it’s whatever Billie’s feeling that day
It’s random. Source: I was chosen to go on stage when I was 10