Concert review: Weezer go back to the start and play 1994’s ‘Blue Album’ in full at the X
Say it ain’t so, but it’s been 30 years since Weezer released their self-titled debut, which is now known as the “Blue Album.” To mark the occasion, the band decided to play the record in full on the road and put together a mini Lollapalooza of acts — Dinosaur Jr. and the Flaming Lips — to join them.
The tour kicked off Wednesday at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center in front of an enthusiastic crowd of more than 13,000 folks, most of them elderly millennials or Gen Xers.
Those outside that age range may not understand what a profound effect the “Blue Album” had on a generation, with its revved-up and extra nerdy power pop sounding like nothing else around in the aftermath of Nirvana in 1994. Its trio of hits — “Undone — The Sweater Song,” “Buddy Holly,” “Say It Ain’t So” — resonated deeply, not just as songs but as part of an overarching aesthetic that included the album art and music videos.
Alas, Weezer took a sharp left turn with the follow-up, the emo-centric “Pinkerton,” and spent the next few decades frustrating those seeking for more of what Weezer did on their first album. As for Weezer, or more accurately singer/songwriter/guitarist Rivers Cuomo, they’ve long since thrown caution to the wind and started making music that seemed more like memes.
The tour is dubbed Voyage to the Blue Planet and, Weezer being Weezer, they went all in on the outer space theme. They emerged beneath a faux rocket that launched into the rafters, wore astronaut outfits and performed on a stage decked out like a set from the original “Star Trek” TV show. Cuomo even thanked the crowd for going on this “dangerous and important mission” with the band.
For the first half of the concert, the foursome focused on hits from their first decade, including “Dope Nose,” “Pork and Beans,” “Island in the Sun,” “Beverly Hills” and “Hash Pipe” followed by a handful of “Pinkerton” tracks. The crowd was clearly there for the “Blue Album,” though, and once they heard the first notes of “My Name Is Jonas,” the energy in the room blasted off.
The three singles, plus “Jonas,” have been staples at Weezer concerts for decades, but it was thrilling to hear some of the deeper cuts, even if Cuomo tweaked the arrangements to bring out the arena rock flourishes he’s been relying on for years. The sheer strength of the songs proved all the outer space nonsense (and, uh, “Beverly Hills”) was utterly unnecessary.
After a brief set from Dinosaur Jr., Oklahoma psychedelic pop/rock band the Flaming Lips took the stage, which they filled with all their famous props, from a pair of inflatable pink robots to oversized eyeballs and lips.
Lead singer Wayne Coyne said the band rarely gets to play for crowds this size, so they were recording the show and he’d appreciate it if the audience made a lot of noise. It’s unclear if that was just a cheap ploy, given that the Flaming Lips play massive festivals all the time, but Coyne and company proceeded to perform a sonically and visually exciting show.
The Lips’ set list included some experimental noodling along with some of their best-known songs like “She Don’t Use Jelly,” “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)” and “Do You Realize??” They also pulled out their atmospheric take on Madonna’s “Borderline,” which they originally recorded for a 2009 Warner Bros. Records compilation and began playing live again in recent years.
Coyne also shared a fantastic Prince story about the time they both played an awards show. (He didn’t specify, but it was the 2006 Brit Awards.) They wanted to meet him, but instead gave a stack of their CDs to his bodyguard. Later in the evening, the bodyguard tracked down the band and handed them back, saying, “Prince doesn’t want these.”
With a laugh, Coyne said it was “so amazing, the most amazing diss in the history of the world … and we loved it.”
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