Hey kids! Choose your own defensive Weezer concert review:
Option 1 (The short version): Screw you, I like Weezer. We drove down to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre to see them and it was really fun. Getting to see JEFF the Brotherhood was just icing on the cake.
Option 2 (The family friendly, medium length version): A friend asked me if I’d be willing to go to see Weezer with him. I don’t follow them closely anymore, but I still love the Blue album and Pinkerton, so I signed up. I figured if they played Say It Ain’t So and Hashpipe, I would come away happy. Turns out that I enjoyed the entire set (don’t judge me), even the more recent, sometimes dumb hits (Beverly Hills, I’m looking at you). I’d like to say that JEFF the Brotherhood opening for them was a big reason that I agreed to go, but I didn’t know they were playing until we were halfway to St. Augustine, so it was a huge bonus. Good venue, fun night.
Option 3 (The music nerd/slightly hipster long version): Please allow me to present my Indie Credentials(tm) before I make the following admission. I was indie when it was still called “college rock”. I own multiple record label shirts. Ian MacKaye has shaken my hand and thanked me personally for helping. Henry Rollins has stood on my hand. I have talked college basketball with Superchunk. H.R.’s dreadlock has hit me in the eye. I saw Nirvana pre-Nevermind. When I saw the Lemonheads, Evan Dando was still playing drums. I’ve eaten lunch with Sonic Youth. I’ve seen the reclusive Shellac 5 times, for god’s sake.
So it pains me to say this out loud. I like Weezer. Unironically. Sure, I like the early stuff more, but…..well, I like Weezer.
The St. Augustine Amphitheatre was a really nice venue, pretty intimate for an outdoor space, and not nearly as soulless as some of the amphitheatres I’ve been to. We camped out against the stage. A guy next to me asked if I had heard of “Joe the Brotherhood”. Umm, hell yeah, I love JEFF the Brotherhood. The last several albums by the Nashville garage/psych rock duo have been really great. They beefed up to a 4 piece for the tour and played an energetic set of their “hits” that actually seemed to win a big portion of the crowd over. To be honest, it seemed to surprise the band a little, too.
The crowd may have been into JEFF more than most opening acts, but they were there to see Weezer, to be sure. There couldn’t have been many people disappointed, they played pretty much all of their hits, and sounded great doing it. Not a ton more to say about it really. It was a great, steamy, fun night.
Here’s the setlist: My Name is Jonas/ Hash Pipe/ Perfect Situation/ Troublemaker/ El Scorcho/ Dope Nose/ Surf Wax America/ Island in the Sun/ Beverly Hills/ Keep Fishin’/ Say It Ain’t So/ I Want You To/ Pork and Beans/ Undone/ Photograph/ Song 2 (Blur cover)/ Memories/ Buddy Holly
Pics. I got em. Two here, a ton more after the jump, with JEFF the Brotherhood shots first.
