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More importantly, Green Day proved itself still capable of doing what punk bands are supposed to do, which is speak for and to youth culture. “Are We the Waiting,’’ “Give Me Novacaine,’’ and “21 Guns’’ made adolescent turmoil feel like Us vs. Them, with a specific focus on the fact that there’s an Us, not just a You.

There was a small but steady trickle of audience members onto the stage all night, one of whom sang “Longview’’ in a faceless green bodysuit and was rewarded with Billie Joe Armstrong’s guitar. And their devotion went well beyond the hits and recent material, as evidenced by the throng of kids onstage who knew all the words to the early “2000 Light Years Away.’’

But despite its mantle of generational spokesmen, Green Day avoided the plague of self-seriousness. Everybody donned silly headgear for the breakneck and goofy “King for a Day,’’ and biting songs like “Holiday,’’ “American Idiot,’’ and the slashing stomp of “East Jesus Nowhere’’ were exciting, rather than turgid hectoring.

The concert’s most telling song might have been “Know Your Enemy.’’ On stage, it was never more clear that it was nothing more than a single riff repeated ad infinitum, and it never mattered less. Green Day had enough sharp fire to put it over without a hitch.

Fueled by a

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are fast approaching, which means that in only a few weeks you'll be treated to an excellent night of performances and appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Florence and the Machine and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ at the show). While people tend to remember the classic performances and the unhinged moments, the coveted Moonman is the reason why people show up and tune in. This year, there are 16 categories wherein some of the biggest music stars in the universe will compete for the coolest trophy in awards shows. Today, we take a look at the nominees in the Best Special Effects category.

Though it's a technical category, some of the biggest and most iconic videos in history have scored victories for Best Special Effects. They include eye-poppers like a-ha's "Take On Me" (1986), Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" (1987), Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" (1996), Outkast's "Hey Ya!" (2004) and Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" (2009). The latter will compete for the prize once again in this category, this time for her intense "Bad Romance." Her competition this year is incredibly stiff, featuring VMA veterans Eminem (whose "Not Afraid" features him in flight) and Green Day (who channeled "Take On Me" in "21st Century