It looks like the "Good Morning America" real estate outside of the spacious Times Square could not contain Green Day. In full promotion mode for their latest release, 21st Century Breakdown, the band performed for a very packed crowd not in the middle of Manhattan traffic, but rather, in the comparatively idyllic Rumsey Playfield in the middle of Central Park. If it was any consolation for fans who may have gathered in front of the morning show's usual digs, footage of the concert was shown on the giant screen outside the ABC building.

The band powered through three songs on air: "American Idiot," off the 2004 album of the same name, along with newer cuts "Know Your Enemy" and the new album's title track. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong kept the audience — filled with children on shoulders and businessmen prepping for the work day with an early-morning rock show — singing along, clapping and, in response to his call, jumping throughout the set. For those up for it, a mosh pit also came together in the center of the crowd.

The band also spoke with the show's Robin Roberts and Chris Cuomo about the album. "It's kind of a concept record," Billie Joe said, as fans cheered loudly over him. A quick look to Billie Joe's left explained what all the screaming was about: Drummer Tré Cool was goofing off as his bandmates spoke with the show's hosts.

"How do you contain Tré? You don't even try, do you?" Roberts asked the lead singer. "You don't," Armstrong replied, quickly.

Monday afternoon, I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies from Rutgers University. And then I booked it to Webster Hall.

See, Green Day were playing a (semi) secret show there, and luckily, my family understood that seeing Green Day could not wait ... and a celebratory post-grad dinner could.

Having had the opportunity to meet the guys just last Friday when I tagged along to an interview, I was extremely excited to see Green Day put their words into action as they played a good chunk of 21st Century Breakdown, which I have had on constant rotation since it came out five days ago.

Plus, the last time I saw Green Day perform, it was at Giants Stadium, a venue that holds thousands upon thousands of people. So, getting the chance to see them in a room with no more than a couple of thousand people was um, mind-blowing.

My friend Erin and I clinched spots up front to the left of the stage, where Billie Joe and Mike made frequent visits. I joined in with everyone else, singing and dancing and getting a high from the insane amount of energy in the room. Every so often I paused to think that I had been in my cap and gown just hours before, and that if Green Day were to play “Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)” I would have completely lost it. For better or worse, they didn’t.

My favorite moments from the show were when the guys played “King For a Day” and “21 Guns.” One old and one spankin’ new, both are up there on my list of favorite songs. Or when a fan made his way onto the stage and caught Billie Joe by surprise with a kiss, sang a chorus of “Longview” then dove back into the audience. I doubt I was alone in living through the guy’s five minutes of fame.

Needless to say, my night was unforgettable. Seeing Green Day at Webster Hall on the night I graduated from college is a memory that I'll have forever. The way I see it, the night was one big party -- part in celebration of Green Day’s new album, and more personally, my 21st century beginning in the "real world."

Not a bad way to end four years of hard work, huh? And, I still have a free dinner coming my way.

Well, I did it. This evening, I met the three reasons why I fell in love with rock and roll in the first place: Billie Joe, Mike and Tré.

I began my journey to meet the guys nearly 18 hours ago when I stood in line to get a wristband that would guarantee my entry into a meet-and-greet with Green Day at their album signing tonight at Best Buy. I haven't slept at all since then (except for a 15-minute nap I had on the sidewalk at around 5:30 a.m.), but, strangely, it hasn't caught up with me yet ... I've been too excited. And then, as if that wasn't enough, thanks to MTV News, I was able to tag along to an exclusive interview we had with the band before they whipped out the pens to sign 500 albums.

As we waited in the downstairs studio at the store, I tried to calm my nerves but could not keep my legs from shaking or my heart from pounding. When we got the signal that the guys were on their way down, I thought for a minute I might faint or cry (or both), but luckily, I held it together.

When Green Day walked into the room, I was completely unprepared for the first thing that happened: Billie Joe walked immediately over to me, with arms wide open. We hugged. And then I almost died.

I’m pretty sure their publicist Brian told the guys there was this crazy intern who had waited since 3 a.m. to see them and he knew a hug would probably make me melt. He was right. I was so shocked by the fact I had just wrapped my arms around Billie Joe that I couldn’t even reach my hand out to Mike and Tré. But, I think any more physical contact with the band and I would’ve been out cold.

The interview felt like it was over in 30 seconds, but it only took that long to show me that the dudes were as charismatic as I always imagined them to be. They cracked jokes (Tré making a sexual innuendo as to how he got his wrist ready for a night of signing) and admitted they would line up early too for a chance to meet their favorite bands if they were young again. (Billie Joe’s choice? Hüsker Dü.) Green Day were such normal dudes that it felt totally natural to be 4 feet away from rock stars (well, for about a second maybe).

Before Green Day were rushed out to begin signing, I managed to get a sweet picture with the band. If you ask me, I think I look like their fourth member. Or, more accurately, just a fan who began her love in elementary school and got to meet them a week before graduating college.

I’d say it was worth the wait.

Last night, I sacrificed a night of sleep in the name of Green Day. And with only a few hours to go before I get my chance to meet them, I am shaking in my seat and trying to think of what I will possibly say to them in the event that I don’t pass out.

After hearing that the guys would be doing an album signing at the Best Buy in Midtown Manhattan on the day their 21st Century Breakdown album hit stores, and that wristbands to a meet-and-greet with the band would be handed out to the first 500 people to buy that album, well, I knew I would be there dark and early.

I began my adventure at 1:30 am when I took the last train of the night from my Jersey town into the city and grabbed my spot on the line at exactly 3am. As I got closer to Best Buy, I could already see people crowded around the corner of the store. I later learned that I was the 99th person in line. At first, I thought it was crazy that there had been nearly 100 people on the line by 3 am, but it's Green Day, and Green Day fans are crazy.

Take Rich for instance, the guy who nabbed the first place on line. He’s been waiting since 9am yesterday morning. That’s right ... he's been in line 24 hours and counting. Mad props to that dude. He was prepared ... me? Not so much. And you can read about my night on the mean streets of NYC after the jump.

The majority of people who camped out came fully prepared with blankets, chairs and pillows. I brought a backpack containing cameras, a change of clothes and a PB&J sandwich. That's it. I’m not sure how, but somewhere in between talking to the people around me and tuning into my iPod, I fell asleep on the cold, hard cement for about 15 minutes. I wouldn’t do that for just any band.

At around 8am, Best Buy opened its doors and starting letting people in to buy the album and get a wristband. By this time, the line had grown to well near 500 people. I’m definitely glad I got there when I did.

Because now, even though I'm beyond tired and chugging Red Bulls to avoid crashing out, I’ve got my bright blue wristband on, and am mere hours away from being face to face with Billie Joe, Mike and Tre.

Jealous? I can’t blame you.

The first time I heard Green Day I was at an interschool dance in 6th grade. My boyfriend (!!!) Brandon and I were slow-dancing when all of a sudden, the volume was raised and a unique voice invaded the room. "Basket Case," from Green Day's breakthrough album Dookie, was requested at every subsequent "dance" from that point forward.

Now, almost two decades later, Green Day has pushed boundaries again with their forthcoming album, 21st Century Breakdown.

The album's lyrics are political, revolutionary, angry and hopeful; sonically, the album harkens back to the Who and Queen, and brings an influence of classic rock marked with a large, sometimes abrasive sound that is markedly distinct from 2004's American Idiot. Breakdown, with its 3-minute pop songs, reminds me of Billie Joe Armstrong's roots and the power of Dookie.

When I interviewed the band, our chairs were surrounded by candles (I had to double check to make sure I wasn't doing a Stephenie Meyer interview!). In any case, I talked to the boys about Green Day past and present, which hits they'd like to play along with their album on tour (Billie Joe said he'd love to play "She") and if they are still, in fact, a punk rock band (they seemed very concerned that I would think otherwise and responded with a resounding "YES!").

The question is, of course, is the world ready to see another shift in Green Day's sound and storytelling method? Many fans are expecting another epic like Idiot, and while Breakdown certainly possesses a similar political message (which, one might argue, is less relevant in this Obama era than it was during the Bush Administration), it is a departure. By the way, Billie Joe reminded me that while a president of "hope" and "change" is in office, we must not expect any type of quick fix and that there is still much, much more to be done.

Breakdown is also an extremely physical album, and with the boys pushing through their 30s, you might wonder how this will play out on stage. They're not the 19-year olds they used to be. "I feel like I'm 27 all the time," Mike Dirnt told me. Ok. And then I remembered Tre Cool sprinting and leaping down the hallway screaming about Hollywood at the top of his lungs and I realized that fans have nothing to worry about.

And I nearly lost it.

This is because, sitting there on my computer was definitive proof that Green Day are vampires. Or zombies. Or some manner of undead super-beings. Because they never, ever age.

If you don't believe me, read on.

OK, look. Here is a Green Day publicity photo from around 2005. Notice how -- aside from Billie Joe Armstrong's hair and some increased sideburn action on Mike Dirnt -- they look exactly freaking the same.

Now, here they are in 2000, circa Warning. Armstrong and Cool both look a little chunkier (and Dirnt looks like he's trying to read an eye chart), but again, notice ... nothing has changed.

And finally, let's hop into the Wayback Machine and take a trip back to 1994 — the Dookie period. Sure, the guys all look about 12 (and Cool's beard sort of makes him look like my pot-dealing former roommate), but try to look past the baby fat. They still look the same, 15 years later.

This is sort of freaky. And amazing. Green Day do not age. Perhaps there's something in the East Bay water. Or maybe it has to do with clean living (or Cool's penchant for making goofy faces in every picture). Regardless, this is a mystery someone needs to solve ... people would pay good money to know Green Day's anti-aging secrets.

I'd like to get to the bottom of this, but I'm currently on Croissan'Wich number two. That's my secret.

But last night, when the folks from Warner Bros. offered to play me six songs from Green Day's upcoming 21st Century Breakdown album, it was a totally different game. For starters, they brought the album to me — and about 30 of my co-workers — right here at our offices. No trekking necessary. And they brought mini-kegs of beer, too!

Of course, security was also remarkably tighter than your average listening. No one was allowed to bring anything into the room: BlackBerry, iPhone, mobile recording unit ... all out. So were pens and pieces of paper. Once inside, we were offered beer, then repeatedly reminded that if we had any of said items, we needed to remove them (or ourselves) from the room. Now. I understood the reasons behind the moves — imagine what would happen if a poorly-recorded bootleg of the album leaked to the Net — but not even a pen and paper?!?!

Anyway, as it turns out, I was allowed to take notes (a very friendly Warner publicist even gave me a pen), and the end result was the preview piece I filed this morning on MTVNews.com. Needless to say, the songs we heard from the album are quite good ... though I'm not sure it was befitting of the Fort Knox-ian level of security that came with it (I'm still recovering from my body-cavity search) ...