Green Day has been facing the firing squad of the punk critics since the release of their album “American Idiot” in 2004.

 But it is apparent that the firing squad is basing their criticism of this 22-year-old rock band only on the album they have picked up at their neighborhood record store.

 To these people, I would suggest a ticket to the next Green Day tour.

 On Aug. 25, Green Day graced the Los Angeles Forum with their presence and left absolutely nothing to be desired for fans of all ages. Fronted by Billy Joe Armstrong, Green Day has been making fans’ dreams come true by inviting them up to sing a song or even play guitar along with the band.

 Now, this may not sound like all that much, but imagine sitting there minding your own business, listening to solid music, and then all of a sudden the lead singer picks you out. Out of the 18,000 bodies present, you are the lucky winner. You get to go up and sing along with a band that you enjoy. As MasterCard would say, “priceless.”

 Green Day definitely managed the set list extremely well, beginning with “21st Century Breakdown,” the title track from their newest album. They then followed it up with “Know your Enemy.” For a while, a bit of curiosity fluttered through the packed crowd, “Are they going to play the old stuff?”

 Then, without warning, people started to realize a trend. Before you knew it, they were playing songs dating all the way back to their first hit album “Dookie,” and even went back to playing “Disappearing Boy” off of one of their first independent releases, “1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours.”

 But then, before the crowd had time to realize it, the two-and-a-half hour show was over. Green Day was saying thank you and getting ready to head off stage. They did just that and within about ten minutes were back out for the encore the crowd was chanting and cheering for.

 Not only was the selection of music great, but also the whole set up of the concert. Franz Ferdinand opened for Green Day and quite frankly, watching their performance you knew you were in for a great night because they sounded amazing too. The only down side to their performance was their explosives. They didn’t really accomplish much as it was just a single white flare that made you wonder to yourself, “What just happened?”

 That issue was completely negated by Green Day’s amazing pyrotechnics. They had red fireworks and flames that surrounded them and were always on beat to enhance the music. Quite frankly, you knew it was coming and it still amazed you every time the fire shot up from the stage.

 So, despite the negative remarks the past two albums have received from the critics, rest assured this doesn’t affect the way Green Day will perform for you. Billy Joe even said so in the song “Jesus of Suburbia.”

 “I read the graffiti in the bathroom stall, like the holy scripture of a shopping mall, and so it seemed to confess, it didn’t say much but if only confirmed that, the center of the earth is the end of world, and I could really care less.”