Weezer Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL December 2, 2009

It’s hard to believe but Weezer has been going strong nearly 17 years. When I was growing up songs like “El Schorcho” and “Buddy Holly” ruled the school. Judging the average age of those attending I would say that is still true. The songs may have changed but the concept remains the same.

The band came out swinging with an adrenaline building instrumental that segwayed seamlessly into the now classic “Hash Pipe.” Many bands take breaks between songs to talk to the audience and take a breather but Weezer didn’t; they kept it fast and loud. Given the rather short length of most of their songs they were able to cram all the favorites into one night. The first hour alone covered not only “Hash Pipe” but also “The Sweater Song”, “Perfect Situation”, “Troublemaker” and “Say It Ain’t So.”

It was at that point that everything changed. It is not uncommon for a big name band to cover a well-known song during a concert, but the song usually fits the band. So when Weezer started playing “Time” by Pink Floyd something seemed off in more way than one.

Weezer is essentially a party band with songs about acting up and defying authority. Pink Floyd’s “Time” is all about getting older and dying. The two couldn’t be more opposite. Sometimes a song is just a song, but not that song. By playing Pink Floyd live they not only admitted their own mortality but also reminded the sea of teenyboppers that they will not live forever. It was a startling revelation that proved that Weezer is capable of far more than let on.

The audience’s reaction to the song was scattered. Some enjoyed the interlude because they liked Pink Floyd others were just confused. It was such a curve ball that it threw off the mood for the entire night.

I admire the band for expanding their musical horizons and admitting their age on stage. It took a lot of guts, especially in a crowd so young. We are raised to think of musicians and actors as immortal but few realize the toll it takes on them. Maybe this is a turning point in Weezer’s career. After almost 20 years of playing variations on the same theme maybe they’ve decided to mature their music. Time will tell but I would keep a close on their future work.

Overall their show was exciting if not a little by the book. Most of the band seemed to be on autopilot for a good portion of the show although you would have to be a concert veteran to spot it. Weezer has so many hit singles that its impossible for the audience not to sing along. It was really nostalgic and had the uncanny ability to make you feel old and young at the same time.

Weezer may be in a state of transition but when they took the stage Tuesday night and they gave the audience exactly what they asked for - a good time.

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