Let’s start with the good stuff: it wasn’t held in a Jersey casino ballroom, I didn’t nearly crash on the way to the show, and I got to listen to Weezer – in concert. Moreover, I appreciated the times Rivers talked to the crowd, the balloons that filtered through the rows, and the well balanced setlist. The setlist had everything from “Why Bother” (a little-known, downbeat old song) to “If You’re Wondering…” (a well-known, upbeat new one). And finally, honestly, I enjoyed “Can’t Stop Partying.” Cuomo’s stab at Lil Wayne is hilarious; it’s that bad!
Despite these positives, this was definitely the least enjoyable of my three Weezer shows. Part of this was familiarity: it was not as fresh and surprising as the first times. Part of this was the environment: I was trapped in a group of dumb, fratty Maryland undergrads who seemed to know far more about shotgunning than the band. If I had been able to secure a wristband, I could have fled and joined the diehards near the stage. There had been no mention of a wristband in advertising beforehand, though, so I was stuck with the drunks.
Oh well. If they can still put out tracks like “Heart Songs,” there’s always hope for the band. Play that, “Dreamin,’” and a bunch of Pinkerton at a DAR / 9:30 Club show, and it’ll be back up to an “A”…
Grade: B-
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