Billie Joe Armstrong stared down a liquored crowd of industry insiders and demanded an answer as he punctured power chords. “Are you ready to watch the Seahawks kick the Patriots' ass?” the Green Day frontman howled from inside a warehouse on the Embarcadero. The audience response was passive. It didn’t matter that the Bay Area band was supporting the San Francisco 49ers NFC West foe, the mood of the evening was big business and little felt like team spirit. 

On the Friday before Super Bowl Sunday, a few hundred people were treated to an invite-only concert featuring two substantial Bay Area bands. Counting Crows opened the night and Green Day slammed it shut with an explosive and undeniably electric set. Even though this was a corporate event — sponsored by FanDuel and Spotify — both bands performed with gusto, as if they were each getting paid about $10,000 a minute for showing up on this stage. 

Green Day never shies from using the microphone to share political outlooks and Armstrong didn’t hesitate to lob criticism at ICE, Trump and their own corporate sponsors throughout the night.

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Fans at The FanDuel Party Powered by Spotify 2026 on February 06, 2026 in San Francisco.

The event was a real whos-who if you spend a lot of time online consuming sports media. Aside from NFL players like Rob Gronkowski and Tyreek Hill, the VIP section bustled with podcasters and influencers, including Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman and the lads behind a football podcast called Bussin’ with the Boys. Perhaps the best celebrity spotted was actor Matthew Lillard, fresh from announcing a vodka brand inspired by his role in the horror classic “Scream,” filmed in Marin County.

Pier 29, a cavernous warehouse in the shadow of Coit Tower, evoked a high school prom. Many men wore sneakers with their suits while attendees ambled between bite stations. The overall vibe was mostly nonchalant; not many people dared to dance during the Jungle DJ set that closed the night out. Since it was free, and an industry show, only a few attendees appeared jubilant when immortal hits like “Mr. Jones” were played. As expected for an evening like this, it seems that half the concertgoers used the evening to chit chat over the open bar while snapping a few photos.

Unbeknownst to some, the show offered a unique homecoming for the opening act before Green Day brought their brand of punk rock political vitriol to the stage. Counting Crows are originally from Berkeley (lead singer, Adam Duritz, is a........

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